The challenges of scaling a local business

: the case of Sushi Box

Abstract

This Dissertation presents a Case Study on Sushi Box, a Portuguese local restaurant that considers to scale the business as consequence of the continuous increase in sales. Many small companies have the aspiration to scale their business, especially in a scenario of positive results in terms of profitability. Nevertheless, the potential for scaling depends on factors inherent to each type of business. The purpose of this Case Study is to analyze Sushi Box’s possibility of expansion while dealing with challenges that a small company faces. The continuous increase in the number of Japanese restaurants in Portugal in the last years reflects in a highly competitive market, making the business expansion process a complex dilemma. This Dissertation includes a Literature Review divided in three subjects directly related to the case itself: business model scalability, differentiation and franchising. A more detailed analysis of the main issues of the case is provided in the Teaching Note, as well as recommendations.

Date of Award	26 Apr 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Nuno Magalhães Guedes (Supervisor)