Part 5: Play the Part—Pricing Strategy
Instructor Brief for Role Play on Pricing Strategy
Summary and Purpose
This role involves Chocolate World, a hypothetical regional retail chain selling ready-to-eat
chocolate products. Chocolate World is facing increased competition from new physical
stores opening near their locations and from online sellers of chocolate products. As a
result, Chocolate World is revisiting their pricing strategies to remain competitive—and
profitable.
Skills
In this role-play exercise, students will have the opportunity to practice valuable work skills,
including:
• Strategic thinking: formulating strategies to achieve an organization’s vision while
accounting for its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Format
There are two primary roles in this activity: Paul Riley, Marketing Manager for Chocolate
World, and Bill Sherman, owner of Chocolate World.
Background/Scenario
Chocolate World is a large regional chain of US stores selling a wide range of ready–to-eat
chocolate products, from traditional candies in many flavors to unusual items like chocolate
plates and figurines. For its first ten years in business, it had no direct competitors in its
market area. However, several chocolate retailers with established businesses in other parts
of the country have recently opened branches nearby. Additionally, online chocolate