Final answer:
According to Hill's strategy development framework, McDonald's would likely identify minimizing supply chain costs as a corporate objective. This objective directly impacts profitability and competitive advantage, which are key considerations in Hill's framework.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Hill's strategy development framework, a company such as McDonald's would identify objectives that align with their overarching goals of profitability, efficiency, and market presence. Looking at the options provided, minimizing supply chain costs (option b) would likely be a corporate objective for McDonald's. This is because minimizing costs can directly impact the profit margins of the company, leading to higher profitability. Companies like McDonald's often strive for operational efficiency and cost reduction to maximize shareholder value and remain competitive in a price-sensitive market.
In comparison to the other options, maximizing employee diversity is a human resources objective, lowering consumer prices is more of a marketing or pricing strategy, and promoting sustainable sourcing could be a component of a corporate social responsibility strategy. While all these aspects can contribute to a company's overall success and image, they do not directly address the core business strategies often emphasized by Hill's framework, which centers on competitive advantage and profitability.