Every Starbucks© patron knows that Starbucks© has a quality roasted bean selection in every flavor that a coffee drinker may like and uses a significant portion of their investment budget as well a portion of their profits to develop third world countries yielding cocoa beans. Between mild, smooth, dark and medium roasts, Starbucks© brews up a selection of over twenty-five unique blends for the enjoyment of patrons with a wide variety of tastes. Breakfast Blend, French Roast, Shade Grown, and the ever classic House Blend encompass only a fraction of the entire coffee profile available at Starbucks.

Credited to the Indian, African, South American and Philippine soils, proceeds from any of the roasts available for you to enjoy go back to the cultures that they were harvested from: Starbucks has among the most efficient Fair Trade programs in the corporate world allowing the highest sold American coffee prices to be directly applied to the cost of the foreign grown coffee. In addition to this, Starbucks offers their employees opportunities to study coffee production abroad in many of the countries that house coffee bean production facilities. Given the long-lasting name, the plethora of tasty blends and a reinvestment program that directly benefits the countries doing the majority of the hard labor for coffee production, this company is a winner in the long haul all around the globe.

Free Starbucks Coffee

171 Starbucks

I can tell you why Starbucks is feeling the pinch and that is due to the fact that they over expanded a few years ago. Now it is time for them to rein in the stores that are making money and cut the non-profitable stores off the company payroll.

Yes, it is true that Starbucks is feeling the recession like everyone else but their prices are not attracting the working class consumer who is trying to just get the mortgage paid every month. Coffee may be seen as a luxury and something that is cut first from the family budget.

Sheila at Starbucks "Working"

Interestingly enough as I scanned the list of stores being closed in my city, I noticed that all of the affected stores are in working class neighborhoods. There are not any affluent Starbucks coffee shops on the list in my region.

In my own neighborhood, we have three Starbucks within half a mile of each other and they are not hurting for business. The patrons driving their expensive automobiles gladly stand in a long line and pay the inflated price for a decent cup of coffee.

Still it is obvious that over the last few years Starbucks has over-saturated the market.

Not only have they opened stores on every block but they also have kiosks in many grocery stores. Often there will be a grocery store kiosk and then a full-fledge Starbucks right across the street or even next-door.

Then again perhaps it is just bad karma. After all didn't the Starbucks chain put the average coffee shop owner out of business a few years ago? Now it appears that the giant is feeling the same pain in the pocketbook as the little guy. I would like to feel some sympathy for Starbucks but for some reason I cannot turn on the tears.

It was pure greed that placed Starbucks in this belt-tightening position. Greed, glut and more money were the goals with a store on every block worldwide.

It doesn't take an advanced degree in economics to realize that too much of a good thing is simply too much.

We're in an economic downturn and jobs are getting cut everywhere as businesses tighten their belts and get ready for rough weather ahead. Newspapers are laying off staff, car makers are slowing down SUV and pickup truck production. It's the same wherever you look. But it still seems different somehow when it happens to Starbucks. The company announced that it's going to close 600 company-owned outlets across the United States. (This will eliminate about 12,000 jobs by the way. If you're one of those, you already know what this means to you.)

The news seems to have shocked a nation accustomed to layoffs and soaring food prices and $4.00 gas. The company's explosive growth has become a running joke in America. The Onion ran an article about Starbucks setting up outlets inside other Starbucks. In the dog-show mockumentary Best In Show, a couple relates how they met when she was in one Starbucks and noticed him in the Starbucks across the street. Whether you laughed or gnashed your teeth over it, the expansion of Starbucks into every available open space seemed a given.

Now that the company is seeing sales fall, no doubt some people will applaud the comeuppance of a corporate giant that has ground community coffee shops and culture between its massive corporate gears. These people should keep in mind that the company has more than 15,000 stores worldwide. You're still going to be within line of sight of a Starbucks from pretty much every point on earth.

But people who applaud the decline of Starbucks should consider that Starbucks is no Wal-Mart. Its growth wasn't nearly as destructive to the local small business coffee shop market as people think. In fact, it appears to have been the best thing that ever happened to that market. Last year, Slate ran a piece that examined what effect Starbucks had on mom and pop shops and found that their business actually increased when a Starbucks moved in across the street. Dramatically.

It wasn't that Starbucks wasn't trying to be the 800 lb. corporate gorilla. In the Slate piece the owner of a Los Angeles chain of coffee shops reported that Starbucks showed up one day, tried to buy him out cheap, and said if he didn't take their deal, they'd just come in anyway, put stores right next to all of his, and squash him like a bug.

That'll put the fear of God into pretty much anyone, so the owner called a friend, who happened to run the Seattle's Best Coffee chain. The friend reassured him this was going to be the best thing that ever happened to him, and indeed it was. Sales increased so much that he started following Starbucks around and putting in new stores next to theirs.

Why did this happen? Apparently because Starbucks increases the size of the market for premium coffee. And those new coffee drinkers sooner or later move beyond Starbucks to see what other shops might have to offer.

The key thing to keep in mind about Starbucks is that coffee used to cost a nickel. It came in a chipped white cup served in a diner somewhere by an old lady in a weird pink dress, and she'd keep refilling that cup for you forever. Coffee used to be a loss leader. It was largely Starbucks that took specialty coffees like lattes and espresso out of little ethnic cafes and introduced them to mainstream America. It was Starbucks that created the idea that a cup of coffee came with a bunch of other stuff in it, and was worth three bucks or more.

Once that idea was ingrained, it wasn't just Starbucks that profited from it. The rising tide Starbucks created raised all boats. The restaurant business has always been absurdly risky. Well over half of new restaurants fail in the first three years. The failure rate for coffee shops? Ten percent.

That's because, especially at Starbucks-style pricing, the markup on coffee is so high. It's a simple business to run and it's hard to fail. A lot of people who were squeezed out of the more traditional job market over the last couple decades and went "self-employed" did it by opening up coffee shops.

So if this is the end of the golden age of coffee, we've got a lot more to worry about than Starbucks. If hard times are making Americans rethink the Iced Frappucino, if they're going to go back to a cheap cup of joe to save money, then a lot of small businesses are going to suffer. Next time you're walking through your nearest commercial district, try counting the coffee shops. Then imagine them all closing. It should be pretty sobering, even if you don't like coffee.

That is a big difference, but there is a lot to take into account when comparing names and places. Is it better for the earth if I buy Annie's Mac n' Cheese in Whole Foods rather than Wal-Mart? Yes, Annie's is available in Wal-Mart, so, is Annie's bad for selling to a company that doesn't offset 100% of the energy they use? Well, Annie's might one day be selling to another company supplied 100% by renewable energy. Wal-Mart's goal is 100%, the actuality of that: Wal-Mart recently purchased solar power to supply 22 of their stores in Hawaii and California, their largest step toward their goal of 100% sustainable, renewable energy. (All of this information came from company websites.)

Well Wally World, you have a few more stores to power before you are 100%, but hey, at least they're trying. Or, they are just trying to improve their image, but at the end of the day, aren't we all? No one and nothing is perfect but try to do your best and exceed your best everyday when interacting with the environment and we just might make it out alive, actually, no we won't, but maybe a couple more generations might make it in!

Even college campuses and airports are not immune. And no matter where I go, I see countless people going about their daily lives with the requisite white and green Starbucks coffee cup in their hand. Along with cell phones and I pods, apparently a Starbucks cup is a must-have personal accessory! Nothing says “I'm cool” and “hip” quite like a Starbucks cup in hand.

But my question is: why? What is so great and alluring about Starbucks that causes such a mass migration of people from all over the world into its stores? I know it can't be the coffee, because I've tasted motor oil that was more pleasing! The few times that I've had coffee from Starbucks it was only drinkable after I had doctored it up significantly with heaping amounts of milk, cream, and sugar; and even then I had to hold my nose! My car could probably run on that stuff!

And, it sure as heck can't be their prices, which, to say the least, are a little stiff! From their basic coffee selections to their fancier, more sophisticated - and costlier -lattes, mochas, and frapuccinos, Starbucks is not the place to go if you are a penny pincher. The words “value” and “deal” have no place in Starbucks vocabulary. But the words “sucker” and “mindless drone” just might!

For me, and old-school type of a guy - even though I'm barely past thirty - I prefer my coffee from a run-of-the-mill local donut shop just up the street from my house. The coffee is excellent - good quality Farmer Bros. that doesn't singe my esophagus on the way down - and it's always freshly brewed. And the best part is it only costs me a $1.10 for a 12 oz. cup. Do I really care that the person who is pouring my coffee isn't an official “barista” or that my coffee is served in a plain white Styrofoam cup sans any logos? Nope! I love the simplicity.

But Starbucks continues to do business - big business - and new stores are popping up left and right. People from all walks of life - policemen, fireman, bankers, students, e.g. - continue to flock into Starbucks by the droves on a daily basis. Parting with their hard-earned money, these people are willing - almost eager - to pay inflated prices for the most basic of beverages. These “Starbuckians” as I call them seem to be almost like zombies as they go about their daily lives, which obviously wouldn't be as complete without a stop at Starbucks of course.

So, I take my hat off to the powers-that-be behind the Starbucks machine. They are obviously calculating, shrewd, and smart business people. The Starbucks net is obviously far-reaching and wide, but apparently it doesn't reach my little small corner of the universe. My donut shop with the plain Styrofoam cups and the cheap, great tasting coffee is beyond Starbucks' reach.

• AFN (African Fairtrade Network)
• CLAC (Coordinadora Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Comercio Justo)
• NAP (Network of Asian Producers)

African Fairtrade Network

The AFN was formed during the "4th Assembly of Africa commodity producer organizations" in 2004. Though AFN is a newly formed network for African FairTrade farmers of coffee and other commodities, it has received some promising and hope-raising funding form notable benefactors through grants. Recently Comic Relief has granted close to 10M to its FairTrade expansion in the African continent. Presently there is expected to be over 200 members groups in AFN. This represents more a more sustainable environment for African marginalized workers to produce quality coffee and receive a consistent monetary return on their coffee-growing labors.

Under Fair Trade contracts the working relationship between producers and traders insures FairTrade coffee growers as well as distributors benefits which enhances sustainability for both producers and traders. Generally, one of the standards for FairTrade coffee growers is that they are small unions, co-ops and organizations which are underprivileged in their development: "wage workers in the South, who have been restrained in their economical and / or social development by the conditions of trade" (FairTrade, "Producers Standards").

Fair Trade Benefits Producers and Traders

Traders such as Starbucks, Green Mountain Coffee and other Specialty Coffee Traders are benefited by the FairTrade Labeling Organization International, since it allows them to know the benefits they are having on specific coffee growers with whom they enter into a contractual agreement in order to obtain the best specialty coffee beans. At the same time, they are willing, under the FairTrade Coffee Label, to offer a set price for each pound of coffee while at the same time to give to individual coffee growers at least ten cents more per pound for coffee contract to individual coffee growers for their labors.

The extra recompense to coffee growers insures the quality of product and sustains the working relationship with contracted coffee growers. This has become possible because of FLO. FLO governs this overall agreements, while individual Labeling Initiatives, like FairTrade USA and the Green Coffee Association acts in the role of arbitrator for individual contract arbitration between producers and traders, making sure that previous contract agreements are met throughout the contract.

ust as specialty coffee traders are benefited by FairTrade Coffee Organization , so are individual coffee producers, who belong to a registered FLO network in their region as AFN. the individual FlO networks oversee that each producer meets certain criteria to reap the benefits of the FairTrade agreement and that these benefits are shared with workers, the cooperatives and unions they work with.

Fair Trade producers depend upon their local FairTrade networks as AFN and FLO for overseeing that the criteria for being a FairTrade producer or trader are met.
The growth of the FairTrade Certified Organizations , which is the responsibility of FLO-CERT GMBH. According to the FairTrade recent yearly reports there has been a steady increase of FairTrade Certified Organizations between 2001-2006, with a 20% increase per year, from 224 in 2001 to 569 in 2006.

The most impressive benefit for both producers and traders in Fair Trade Coffee is that particular traders have the opportunity to contract with specific FairTrade certified producers in order to reap the benefit of insuring the quality of their coffee for consumers while at the same time knowing that in most instances, they keep struggling coffee producers in business. This is the sought after benefit they give to these marginalized farmers.

Fair Trade Coffee works for both producer and trader. It raises the quality of struggling coffee-growers ability of sustain their work forces and their dependencies, while simultaneously insuring hope for future coffee-growers will have willing coffee traders to buy and market their specialty coffee beans.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes have become a benchmark for larger corporations. Why? Impact on local communities is paramount to the overall growth of the people that corporations serve. Coca-Cola, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Starbucks, Times Warner, Daimler Chrysler, Ford, BMW and Volkswagen are among the more than 1000 profit or not-for profit organizations that follow the Global Reporting initiative guidelines for sustainability reporting. Today this network of more than 30,000 globally work together with GRI to make the principle of sustainability in local communities a reality for those it serves.

Practical Applications in a World of Needs

Each of the above corporations and many others who follow the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative in order to measure the impact they have on local communities. The diversity is deep and the impact is strong in most communities in which they provide goods and services.

For example Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, a growing specialty- coffee roaster in Waterbury,VT works with one of the local communities which provides green beans for its coffee roasting. Huatusco, Cooperativa del café de Union Regional de Pequenos Productores de is located in Veracruz, Mexico. Huatusco is a cooperative of nearly 2000 members who prove certified organic coffee to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. In its efforts to provide ongoing development to its Coffee-Growing Communities Green Mountain has sought to sustain the Huatusco cooperative by making improvements to its coffee-processing mill, provided scholarships for the children of Huatusco members, contributes to Coffee For Kids. Coffee For Kids establishes ongoing support for children in the region of Huatusco. Coffee For Kids mission is "To help coffee-farming families improve the quality of their lives."

Coffee For Kids is just one of the many programs that green Mountain has implemented for the local community of Huatusco. Another program Green Mountain contributes to is EcoLogic Finance , which provides education and credit for community-based businesses. EcoLogic Finance receives much of its funding from philanthropy.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is one of the many efforts among all global corporations working in conjunction with Global Reporting Initiative to show the impact they have on local communities. The principle of sustainability seeks to sustain present needs while insuring and providing positive and enduring means so that that later generations of local communities will have the natural resources to meet their needs.

Expanding communities, incorporating the local expertise of local businesses, enriching the lives of your circle of influence and striving to meet corporate deadlines makes for a life full of meaningful decisions. Participants who are promoting the principles outlined in the Global Reporting Initiative know what it means to invest time and resources with local communities in order to help shape a sustainable environment for future leaders.

Schultz was praised by his contemporaries; Schultz has shown a long track record with the Starbucks company. Schultz served as the CEO for Starbucks from 1987 to 2000 (O'Neill). Mr. Craig Weatherup, chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of Starbucks reported that "Given what the Board believes needs to be done, there is no better person to drive change and ensure that Starbucks is positioned to innovate, execute and relentlessly focus the entire organization on the customer." (O'Neill "Starbucks Announces").

Howard Schultz said that he looks forward to "returning to the role of chief executive officer for the long term and excited to lead Starbucks and its dedicated partners (employees) to even greater heights of achievement on a global basis" (O'Neill "Starbucks Announces").
He spelled out his objectives for the company here in the U.S. and abroad. Among the many clear refocusing goals Schultz mentioned that he wanted to implement "slowing the Company's pace of U.S. store openings and closing a number of underperforming U.S. store locations, enabling Starbucks to renew its focus on its store-level unit economics." (O'Neill "Starbucks Announces").

While slowing down the number of opening U.S. stores was a major focus he further indicated "re-igniting the emotional attachment with customers" and "restoring connections customers have with Starbucks.

Howard Schultz, CEO further emphasized that he seeks to continue to win the trust of the Starbucks customer every day, so that in the way the Starbucks business is conducted its customers may sense that they are the core of the business.

First Quarter Earnings to Be Reported

On January 30, 2008, Starbucks will provide further details to its shareholders and customers on its earnings. Howard Schultz, CEO recommitted to providing health care for employees as well as to continue to meet the highest standards of Starbucks remaining a Corporately Responsible Citizen to its customers and the people it serves. He particularly stressed the importance of the C.A.F.E. program which Starbucks provides for Coffee and Farmers, allowing them to provide a highly competitive criteria for efforts in sustainability to its environment.
C.A.F.E. seeks " to ensure that Starbucks sources sustainably grown and processed coffee by evaluating the economic, social and environmental aspects of coffee production against a defined set of criteria, as detailed in the C.A.F.E. Practices Guidelines."

Howard Schultz Letter to Customers

In a letter to all Starbucks customers Howard Schultz emphasized "the trust you have placed in us and to share with you my personal commitment to ensuring that every time you visit our stores you get the distinctive Starbucks Experience that you have come to expect, marked by the consistent delivery of the finest coffee in the world." ("Letter").

About Starbucks

"Starbucks Coffee Company provides an uplifting experience that enriches people's lives one moment, one human being, one extraordinary cup of coffee at a time." Starbucks was ranked among Fortune magazines top 100 companies to work for in 2007.

This new strategy of selecting Mr. Martin Coles as CEO of Global operations indicates the concern for Starbucks to set an intense program towards developing their coffee stores around the globe. At the time of the same news story broadcasted to the world, via stock market analyst and presses across the globe, Borrman also indicated a “rapid global expansion” (Borrman Starbucks). Does this communication from the Starbucks press office indicate a new phase of rapid development or is Starbucks poising itself in rapid transit to international waters?

Mr. Coles will be reporting directly to Mr. Jim Donald, president and CEO, which indicates the importance of such a position of such a decision. The July 17 newswire reported that Mr. Coles would take responsibility “for the United States and International store operations and store development, the global Consumer Group and Supply Chain Operations” (Borrman Starbucks). Further in the newswire Borrman tells the importance of this strategy for Starbucks, since Starbucks “continues on its pace to double in size in the next four to five years” (Borrman Starbucks). What is the goal of such an enterprise of Starbucks? Bormann reports Mr. Coles as saying that the goal is “to ensure that the Starbucks Experience consistently exceeds expectations for every one of our customers, in every one of our stores anywhere in the world” (Borrman Starbucks).

Mr. Howard Schultz, chairman of Starbucks, mentioned, “this new infrastructure is aligned to support our continued rapid growth and is a natural evolution of the business.” (Borrman Starbucks). This indicates that the strategy of Mr. Donald and the Board of Directors is to prevent crisis in the future rather than to wait for one to occur (Coombs 5). Given the role that organizational communication plays, while seeing that Coles, Alling and Skinner were all chosen because of their previous performance as strong team players in the Starbucks corporate store, then it is easy to infer that each of them, correlating to their past successes, have strong organizational communication strategies already at work. In what ways will the “centrality, pervasiveness, and complexity of organizational communication” be displayed in this current scenario of Starbucks natural development (Coombs 5)? How will this effect the already established Starbucks Experience” for global customers?

In a recent visit to the Starbucks website and browsing thru their online documents, there were several bits of information which indicated the Starbucks Experience that will be continued. I say continued because as Mr. Howard Schultz indicated that this is a “natural evolution of the business” (Borrman Starbucks).

Social Responsibility Indicators

In a recent report called “Starbucks Corporate Social Responsibility” there were indicated the key factors which Starbucks test itself yearly for fiscal accountability. The main sections are Coffee, Society, Environment, Workplace and Diversity. Actually this is a mini-scope of their corporate report. The main indicators can be seen as the major channels which corporate communication is channeled thru its stores. In other words, this communication is “Central, pervasive, and complex” (Coombs 5). In order for Starbucks to produce the very best product on the global market, under this new leadership, Mr. Coles must communicate to those he manages towards this international market, both the goals of sales goals while keeping a balance with the environment. In other words, all of the systems must “interact” with one another (Coombs 7). For example, though this is not indicated in the above chart, Starbucks is very interested in what “rumors” are surrounding Starbucks. Not only is it interested, but also it has part of its website dedicated to listening to what others may want to share about “rumors” (rumor response).

There is a search engine on the page, which allows anyone to access this information 24/7 to check whether a rumor is actually recorded and responded to by Starbucks. The Starbucks managers seem indicate that they follow a classical management style where everyone communicates openly and democratically (Coombes 74). In other words, not only does Starbucks open to hear what U.S. citizens have to say, but now that they have become very serious about opening up international relations they must also rally forth into deeper waters. They must become adepts at the local cultures and taboos, so that they will not become offensive or unacceptable.

This seems to be a very great preventive tool from things exploding. Crisis management seeks to use a “set of factors designated to combat crises and lessen the actual damage inflicted by the crisis” (Coombes 4). Presently Starbucks is represented in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Middle East. These various cultures have their own native tongue. When visiting an international Starbucks webpage it is written in the native language. For example the webpage to the Starbucks Turkey is in Turkish. Each page is designed to give the Starbuck Experience, where you have the choice of store locators, recipes, and response form. All of these elements combine to make or reproduce the same original Starbuck Experience as in its original stores in the USA.

Starbucks shows in every way throughout its corporate structure and its advertisements, both nationally and internationally, that is undergoing an extensive period of growth and that it is NOT undergoing a crisis, nor needing to change its management for fixing a crisis. Rather, it communicates that it is confident to have and implement that it needs to make advanced growth in the international market.

Home, School or Business

One of the successful leveraging tools Starbucks offers is the choice of Starbucks delivered to your home or your office. Furthermore, it also has a program for Universities and other public institutions, where Starbucks doesn't have property, to offer Starbucks for its customers and these are called licensed stores (licensed stores).

A Card Just For You

Starbucks offers its customers the choice of creating its own card, which it can use to add bucks to and use in all of its stores. It is the choice of a custom made card: you simply choose a card, select the theme and order the card in three easy steps (Customized Starbucks). This is a great way for Starbucks to communicate the Starbucks Experience, since it allows the customer to have a huge variety with very little effort on their part. The card is easily added to, much like any credit card that is used for debit transactions and withdrawals. Secondly, it also makes the experience fun and easy to do.

Criticisms

Some of the major criticisms that have been launched against Starbucks are "cultural imperialism," "labor disputes," "coffee bean market," "anti-competitive tactics." (Wikipedia Starbucks). At a location in Beijing, the site of the former Imperial Palace became a Starbucks store; it was forced to close because of the great controversy that was created by its presence "on Chinese culture." These are some of the issues the likes of Mr. Coles need to deal with on a daily basis. Another criticism launched at Starbucks was its anti-competitive tactics; that is, when it comes into an area it tends to buy out all of its major competitors and makes the smaller companies fear its power as a large corporation. When it first opened in the UK it purchased its entire rival, Seattle Coffee, and turned them into Starbucks stores. Leveraging itself with the prime land that was purchased to still open more stores. Lastly, another criticism against Starbucks is their relationship with the Free Trade Coffee (FTC).

It has purchased in the area of over three hundred million pounds of coffee in 2006 with about 6% being FTC traded. The company TransFair is the only certified company that trades Fair Trade Coffee and encourages the impact Starbucks has made on the market. Criticizers feel that the less fortunate and less powerful companies that make their livelihood thru coffee cannot afford the FTC since the contract costs around 20K per license (Wikipedia Starbucks).

A recent criticism arose against Starbucks in regard to a deal with Ethiopian Coffee Makers. There are three brands of Ethiopian Coffee, which are widely profitable for Ethiopia, but Starbucks has decided not to trade these particular coffees for many reasons. The Ethiopian government is criticizing it by not supporting the income that would result from the sale of these specialty brands. Starbucks prefers to deal with smaller Ethiopian Coffee farmers for social responsibility issues (Phoenix Starbucks).

Chris Grimshaw of Corporate Watch says that Starbucks creates “the illusion of ethics” (Starbucks OCA). Some have even recommended that shops who have 100% FTC are more highly recommended over Starbucks which acts like a superstore and runs smaller stores out of business, which “can never be 100 per cent ethical” (Starbucks OCA). The spokespersons for the Organic Consumers Association said that in a recent report by Global Marketing it found that Starbucks customers found the company as “arrogant, intrusive and self-centered” (Starbucks OCA). The reporter further commented that it is “no surprise then that Starbucks has invested significantly in CSR-Community Social Responsibility (Starbucks OCA).

We can see that despite the new strategies of Mr. Coles and others to leverage and make great strides in the international market, building more stores and furthering its global purchase of land; Starbucks has to deal with much controversy, not only with the past but also wherever it goes. These controversies and criticisms seem to be an ever-present issue that Starbucks has to deal with as it seeks to expand itself more and more.

Socrates and KLD

It seems that Starbucks seeks to create a better image of it and to grow in the global market and put more money into Communal Social Responsibility-it was one of the 100 top ethically run companies in America last year (Socrates KLD). The list of 100 corporations is rated according to several factors those same indicators, which Starbucks puts in its yearly reports: Environment, Social, Governance and the Controversial (Socrates KLD). This means that Starbucks is very earnest about the image it is producing in the places where it goes and the markets it does business in. Starbucks has committed to give an account of all critical areas and their improvement year by year. This is one of the strategies it seeks to improve its image to both shareholders and those others who witness its business practices and growth (BHRRC Corporate).

Summary: Response to Criticism

It seems only reasonable that a response to the criticism to Starbucks should be offered, in view of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary opinions. Taking into consideration the fact that Starbucks was awarded by a recognized authority among its peers for Corporate Responsibility (Adams [1-77]) as well as evidence showing that Starbucks constantly seeks to establish a responsible relationship with its “partners” and environment it must be conjectured that there is a discrepancy in communication between those who interpret Starbucks business practices and the Starbucks Corporation that communicates these business decisions and practices. In fact, Starbucks is open to discuss with all persons these issues, rumors and results of its business (Adams 77).

What are these discrepancies? This seems to be one of the key factors in this report and analysis of Starbucks ongoing development and efforts to grow both with an expanding multicultural environment as well as with a highly sophisticated and multi-faceted population. Not only are non-profit organizations such as Greenpeace, March of Dimes or United Way, Roman Catholic Church the recipients of criticisms, but also for profit Corporations have much more reason to be criticized on all levels. As we have shown in this analysis, Starbucks, even being listed as one of the major 100 Corporate Responsible institutions in America, still falls under heavy criticism. As with every criticism that comes, there is also a response. What better response could Starbucks make than that of openness to its critics and assure its present Shareholders that it desires to excel in providing world-class coffee and service, to change its corporate managerial team to provide more quality service, have a greater accountability that others can verify for themselves, be open to dialogue with media and public and to stand its ground with a steady professionalism wherever it places its stores.

I believe that it will always be inevitable that large corporations will be the object of both praise and blame, as well as reflect the critical mindset that surrounds it. Furthermore, this kind of criticism cannot go unnoticed, nor can it be disregarded lest the people that it seeks to serve will get the message that it cares little about the personal interests of those whom it serves. In the words of Mr. Moss Adams LLP what Starbucks reported in it s CSR is a “fair representation of. …Performance and activities…reasonable supported by documentation, internal processes and activities, and information provided by external parties” (Adams 77). Lastly, what may be considered as criticism to one person, may on the other hand be actually an honest assessment of natural growth by another or be seen as normal reactions or indicators of healthy public opinion to normal business practices-at the corporate level. The Starbucks Experience may have to constantly revise its ability to take in multicultural attitudes as well as constantly expose itself to a vast array of personal or private opinions from professional not for profit organizations, governments and critics, but this is not an indicator that its business methods are wrong or unethical, despite the contrary, as long as it can indicate, document, assess and report its growth in clear and reasonable methods of accountability. After all even the original owners didn't think that selling specialty coffees would be profitable (Wikipedia Starbucks).

Starbucks Corp. [SBUX] seeks to provide world class coffee and food items to its multicultural customers at a premium price; simultaneously incorporating into its corporate infrastructure methods of applying and replying to rumors, criticism and areas needed to come serve its customers. It seeks to demonstrate a willingness to understand its multicultural customers and expand when possible in order to incorporate its “partners” into its multicultural Starbucks Experience.

Its criticisms awaken in its management a more whole and natural growth which gives evidence of its is ever-widening service to its global customers. In its growth it seeks to benefit those around it by sharing its resources with those environments for a mutual partnership in bringing its products to its customers. Meanwhile, it seeks to adapt to each culture with the mentality and talents of those whom its corporate principles seek to serve. It demonstrates to shareholders, customers and the world it serves that the Starbucks Experience is unique and accessible to every culture.

Here are ideas on how to make Starbucks a better place to meet and drink coffee:

1. Eliminate The Tip Jar

   Starbucks is a big corporation who can afford to pay their employees well. Why not give their hard working employees a raise and hide the tip jar. Their coffee drinks are expensive enough without making people feel guilty when they don't leave a tip. If a coffee drinker visits Starbucks on a daily basis and leaves a dollar in the tip jar each time, it adds up to a significant amount of money out of your bank account at the end of the month.. People could afford to visit more frequently if they didn't have to face the tip jar on a daily basis.

2. Add Some Magazines and Newspapers for Customers

   Customers would linger longer and drink more coffee if they had some stimulating reading material to keep them occupied. Why not add the New York Times, Washington Post and some interesting magazines to the stores for the reading pleasure of coffee drinkers?

3. Add Even More Healthy Alternatives

   Starbucks is making some positive changes in this arena by adding organic 2% milk to its stores. They're also testing salads and healthier sandwich alternatives in some of their locations. The company also announced earlier in the year that they would eliminate trans fats from their offerings. How about some healthier bakery items such as sugar free and low fat cookies and pastries? You may not want a high calorie pastry after ordering that high fat, high calorie blended coffee drink.

4. Stop Over Roasting Their Coffee

   You either love Starbucks coffee or you think it tastes too strong and bitter. They would do better to appeal to a wider audience by resisting the urge to over roast their coffee beans. A slightly less bitter taste would likely win the hearts of more coffee fans.

5. Have a Customer Incentive Program

   Starbucks could reward customers who visit them on a frequent basis by having a frequent customer card. After a customer purchases a certain number of drinks, he receives a free one. This would likely prove quite popular with the public.

A few changes in the way Starbucks does business might really increase the enthusiasm of its coffee drinking customers. But then again, they seem to do pretty well any way.