opulation of America is aging and Walgreens' main focus on prescriptions, vitamins and over-the-counter medication recognizes this aging market segment as one to be served efficiently and adequately. This market segment will continue to grow and become more important as age related health problems and concerns for overall health begin to rise.The “kids and teen” market segments are two other important and influential market segments that require special attention. Children ages five to fourteen currently number thirty-nine million, while the “teen” population ages twelve to fourteen will be one of the largest and wealthiest in American History (The Teens Market, 1999). The child population has not grown substantially, but their income has grown at a steady 20 percent for at least the last half decade, with their purchasing power growing at an even more astonishing rate (The Kids Market, 1999). Capturing the loyalty of these two market segments will present difficulties due to their need for instant gratification and the rapid pace with which they change attitudes, but the perceived future benefits far outweigh the cost.External Opportunity AnalysisIdentifying a company’s external opportunities is part of a greater plan to begin to mold a company’s strategy. There is, however, a distinct difference between industry opportunity and a company’s opportunity. Every company is not equipped with the resources to take advantage of an industry opportunity. Obviously, companies in the same industry are of different sizes and have different strengths. Knowing its own strengths and what market opportunities to pursue can better able a company to grow and prosper. When analyzing Walgreen Company in aggregate, certain strengths came out leading to promising industry opportunities. According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, prescription drugs account for $85 billion of the $150 billi...
