The story: By the late-1990s fast-food chain McDonald’s had enjoyed 40 years of exceptional performance. In 1997, for example, the company had registered 10 years of 20 per cent per annum growth.
背景：截止上世纪90年代末，快餐连锁店麦当劳(McDonald’s)的非凡表现已经持续了40年。比如说，到1997年，该公司已连续10年维持着20%以上的年增长率。
The challenge: That year, Jack Greenberg became the company’s fourth chief executive. His main concern was how to lead the business in less favourable market conditions. McDonald’s was facing concerns about fatty foods and about beef; competition was squeezing margins; and growth from international markets was slowing.
挑战：那一年，杰克•格林伯格(Jack Greenberg)成为该公司第四任首席执行官。他首要考虑的是如何在市场状况恶化的形势下领导公司继续前进。当时麦当劳面临着以下问题：人们对高脂肪食品和牛肉心存顾虑；激烈的竞争正挤压着利润率；来自国际市场的增长正在放缓。
The strategy: Mr Greenberg did what the textbooks suggest. First, he focused on improving the core business, announcing it as his top priority. Then, he also set a second priority: to find a new platform for growth. With this audacious goal in mind, he supported five acquisitions of related restaurant businesses – including Chipotle, a Mexican food restaurant, and 50 per cent of Pret A Manger, the UK sandwich chain – and he set up the Partner Brands Division, to be responsible for these new businesses. Mr Greenberg also opened the door to a number of other, more organic initiatives led by his head of strategy, Mats Lederhausen.
策略：格林伯格完全依照教科书行事。首先，他着力改善核心业务，宣称这是自己的第一要务。其次，他确定了第二项优先事项，即寻找新的增长平台。怀着这样的雄心，格林伯格支持实施5起收购，将一些相关餐饮企业收入麾下，其中包括一家墨西哥餐厅Chipotle，以及英国三明治连锁店Pret A Manger 50%的股权。同时，他成立了伙伴品牌部门(Partner Brands Division)部门，负责管理这些新业务。格林伯格还同意了主管战略的马茨•利德豪森(Mats Lederhausen)提出的许多更具内生性的举措。