The co-founders of Parker & Pine must decide how best to launch their apparel company’s first product, the boxer brief for plus-sized men. With only a few small changes to be made to the product before a full-scale launch, the partners have two important marketing decisions to make: setting the selling price for the boxer briefs and deciding how best to market them alongside the Parker & Pine brand.

Proxy access grants shareholders meeting certain ownership requirements the right to nominate directors for election to the board without going through a typical proxy contest. In August 2010 the SEC approved a rule granting proxy access for shareholders meeting specific ownership requirements. The rule was challenged by US Chamber of Commerce and overturned in July 2011. Shortly after the rule was overturned, rules governing shareholder proposal process were amended so that shareholders could put forward proposals on proxy access at individual companies. Proxy access did not garner significant attentional during the first two proxy seasons after the rule was amended. However in the 2015 proxy season, over 100 companies received proxy access proposals. This case chronicles the debate on proxy access from the perspective of institutional investors, shareholders, and US company's board of directors and management.

"Carlypso: Overcoming Bumps in the Road in the Used Car Industry" explores various challenges associated with scaling a start-up. In 2013, Christopher Coleman and Nicholas Hinrichsen cofounded Carlypso, a company that simplified the process of buying and selling used cars. Over the course of two years, Coleman and Hinrichsen ran into a series of challenges that prevented Carlypso from selling cars more efficiently. The case highlights several of these challenges, as well as the innovative steps Coleman and Hinrichsen took to overcome these challenges. Specific obstacles addressed in the case include: attracting used car sellers to Carlypso; reducing the amount of time required to meet with potential buyers; overcoming operational inefficiencies through the use of technology; learning the types of cars that sell quickest; dealing with copycat competitors; and figuring out how to grow monthly sales in a scalable fashion.

In early 2014, Tara Fela-Durotoye, the founder and CEO of House of Tara, was contemplating one of her greatest achievements to date. Her company had been named by L'Oréal as a strategic distributor for Nigeria of leading international cosmetics brand Maybelline - marking another milestone in its ongoing success story. Lauded as a pioneer in the beauty and makeup industry in Nigeria, House of Tara was credited with launching the country's first makeup studio, establishing the first makeup school in West Africa, and creating a full makeup product line entirely dedicated to African women. From a small venture in the late 90s, the company had grown into a sophisticated organization with a broad array of products and services, a multi-channel distribution network, professional makeup schools, and high-touch customer service. With operations throughout the country, House of Tara was well placed to take advantage of the continued growth in cosmetics sales, fuelled by an emerging middle class with more disposable income. But despite the apparent opportunities, a number of distribution challenges remained. Unlike a typical beauty company operating through retail channels, House of Tara had a limited pool of beauty sales reps through which to reach the end customer. Since the mass-market segment accounted for the majority of cosmetics sales, how best could the products be made widely available? The case describes the evolution of House of Tara from a 'one woman show' initially offering bridal makeup services to a fully-fledged beauty business with a network of resellers and branded stores throughout the country. It gives an update on the latest developments that have seen House of Tara become the leading indigenous makeup brand in Nigeria, with a focus on how the local retail environment shaped its distribution strategy to reach its target markets.

The owner and president of a craft brewery and restaurant had just finished reviewing the company's mid-year results, which revealed some operational capacity issues and a limited marketing budget. As a result, the owner wanted to focus on each of the company's product lines and their contribution to the business to determine how to allocate marketing costs. Alternatively, with the company's continued growth, the owner wondered whether the brewery would be better off investing in expansion to increase its current and long-term brewing capacity.

The owner and president of a craft brewery and restaurant had just finished reviewing the company’s mid-year results, which revealed some operational capacity issues and a limited marketing budget. As a result, the owner wanted to focus on each of the company’s product lines and their contribution to the business to determine how to allocate marketing costs. Alternatively, with the company’s continued growth, the owner wondered whether the brewery would be better off investing in expansion to increase its current and long-term brewing capacity.

In 30 years, La Fageda had surpassed several business milestones that formed the means for attaining an ultimate aim. Its ultimate aim had always been the social and labor integration of mentally-challenged individuals placing the emphasis on each person's capabilities. From the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2013 the company underwent growth by broadening its yogurt line and diversifying into new products. This enabled La Fageda to reach the second position after Danone in the Catalonian yogurt market and at the same time, to operate in several competitive environments. Now, the social entrepreneur Cristobal Colon has to think about his succesion and if the company has to continue growing. What are their options?

This case is set in December 2014, and discusses the business model and challenges facing BPI Globe BanKO ("BanKO"). Established in 2009, BanKO is the Philippine's first mobile phone-based, microfinance-focused savings bank. At that time, statistics showed that eight out of ten Filipinos did not have access to a bank. A few informal moneylenders provided some 40% of small-scale business lending in the market, at interest rates that could touch around 240% per annum. The population living in 40% of the Philippines' municipalities did not have easy access to a physical bank branch. BanKO intends to address these issues by leveraging its combined assets in banking and telecommunications through a partnership between the Bank of the Philippines Island (BPI), the oldest operating bank in Southeast Asia; Globe Telecom, a leading telecommunications company; and the Ayala Corporation, one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. BanKO aims to provide the delivery of a range of banking services through mobile solutions supported by a network of partner outlets. These outlets are existing establishments in the community, such as pawnshops and grocery retailers, which have been selected, trained and accredited to conduct customer identification for new account applications, and perform cash-in and cash-out transactions. They are the critical link to bringing financial services to communities located even in remote locations. BanKO also offers loans to microfinance institutions, including rural banks and cooperatives. As it expanded its product range and customer base, BanKO began to extend its ecosystem to involve a range of other partners including fast moving consumer group (FMCG) companies such as Nestle, Proctor & Gamble and Unilever, "sari-sari" stores, social media providers such as Facebook, local governments, cooperatives and aid agencies.

VisionSpring enabled access to affordable eye care for low-income individuals suffering from vision impairment in developing economies. Established in the United States as a not-for-profit social enterprise, it sold more than two million pairs of eyeglasses globally, which included over one million pairs of eyeglasses sold in India. Despite achieving this scale, VisionSpring believed there was a long way to go considering the estimated 300 million people in India requiring eyeglasses for vision correction. Realizing this as a huge unmet opportunity, the company set a goal of achieving 10 times its annual sales volume in India. This was not an easy task considering the socio-economic dynamics of the base of the pyramid segment, as well as market challenges in peri-urban and rural India. The plan would require a total paradigm shift in the overall business model of VisionSpring in India.

Southwest Airlines has defied gravity as a leading domestic airliner with consistent profitability, extreme customer loyalty, and a happy labor force. Organizational excellence and a positive corporate culture has propelled Southwest to its leadership position in the US aviation industry. But what is the secret that keeps this airliner flying miles above its competitors? While success can be attributed to several competing factors, students will hone in on leadership, employees, and community impact to assess Southwest's organizational excellence.

Instacart is testing an Uber-style solution to the challenge of building a home-delivered grocery business. It is backed by $220 million of venture funding. Will this model succeed where businesses like Webvan failed? What are the questions that this exploratory venture needs to answer?

The continent of Europe seemed in the spring of 2015 to be in a weaker position relative to other world regions than it had in centuries. Though comparatively small, it had long played a disproportionate role in world history, to the extent that the modern world system of states itself in large parts had been created in the wake of European imperialism. This case examines the deep history of Europe's so-called "Great Divergence," the means by which it achieved "modern economic growth" and conquered large parts of the known world, and the consequences of this moment for the past, present, and future of capitalism.

VisionSpring enabled access to affordable eye care for low-income individuals suffering from vision impairment in developing economies. Established in the United States as a not-for-profit social enterprise, it sold more than two million pairs of eyeglasses globally, which included over one million pairs of eyeglasses sold in India. Despite achieving this scale, VisionSpring believed there was a long way to go considering the estimated 300 million people in India requiring eyeglasses for vision correction. Realizing this as a huge unmet opportunity, the company set a goal of achieving 10 times its annual sales volume in India. This was not an easy task considering the socio-economic dynamics of the base of the pyramid segment, as well as market challenges in peri-urban and rural India. The plan would require a total paradigm shift in the overall business model of VisionSpring in India.

Bikanervala — a manufacturer of Indian snacks and sweets and restaurant chain — had a goal to put Indian ethnic food in a prominent position globally. Its initiatives taken over the years had ranged from introducing new cuisines to streamlining processes, systems and standards that helped the firm keep customers happy. Through these initiatives, Bikanervala had been able to diversify and grow both in India and internationally. But the food services industry faced a set of challenges, with the most important being a lack of availability of skilled workers. What could Bikanervala do to meet this challenge and keep at pace with the growing industry?

Bikanervala - a manufacturer of Indian snacks and sweets and restaurant chain - had a goal to put Indian ethnic food in a prominent position globally. Its initiatives taken over the years had ranged from introducing new cuisines to streamlining processes, systems and standards that helped the firm keep customers happy. Through these initiatives, Bikanervala had been able to diversify and grow both in India and internationally. But the food services industry faced a set of challenges, with the most important being a lack of availability of skilled workers. What could Bikanervala do to meet this challenge and keep at pace with the growing industry?

Core Curriculum Readings in Marketing cover fundamental concepts, theories, and frameworks in marketing. For classroom use in higher education, this Reading is accompanied by a Teaching Note, test bank, and exhibit slides. This Reading focuses on the three issues a company must address in developing its product policy: 1. Product mix breadth refers to the variety and number of product lines offered. 2. Product line depth is the number of items in a given product line. 3. Product item design refers to each individual product's specifications. This Reading contains two Interactive Illustrations: the first, "Altius Golf Ball Positioning," explores the effect of product positioning on market share in markets with different degrees of cannibalization from the perspective of a golf ball manufacturer that plans to extend its product line. The second, "Product Bundling," explores how pricing "bundles" of products and services is influenced by their perceived value, using the example of hotel accommodation prices in different locations and for different segments of hotel guests (business travelers, vacationing families, and budget-minded students). The Reading also contains two videos, one on strategies for creating new product categories and one on using a customer feedback loop to manage the uncertainty of product innovation.

This document identifies the characteristics of excellent case studies and their accompanying teaching notes. The purpose is to provide guidance in preparing these educational vehicles. These guidelines were developed based on consultations with very experienced case teachers and an analysis of the elements of case studies and their teaching notes considered to be high quality by Harvard Business School faculty across departments, and on the basis of cases highly demanded by other schools. Elements of Excellence in case studies include focus, complexity, clarity, engagement, controversy, complexity, robustness, and intellectual richness. Key elements analyzed in teaching notes include learning objectives, substantive analyses, and teaching processes, including discussion plans, questions, openings and closings. Appendices provide guidance on the case study and teaching note development process as well as check lists for the key elements of excellence in cases and teaching notes.

The operator of a dairy farm in Tennessee has begun renting goats for landscaping (see Goats: The Green Alternative (A)). The business proved successful so he considered expanding the operation (see Goats: The Green Alternative (B)). Now, he consults with a statistician to learn how to incorporate uncertainty into the decision about expanding. The case incorporates three types of uncertainty into a spreadsheet analysis of the expansion decision and then uses Monte Carlo analysis to produce an array of outcomes from the capital budgeting process.

Business Fundas, a portal that publishes educational business and management articles, is situated within the electronic publishing industry, which has many players and is highly fragmented. The start-up company faces many challenges in its efforts to position itself for growth and to take advantage of various innovative value propositions and business models. The senior managers hope to gain insights into user-specific trends through the use of data analytics.

Tata Steel Zoological Park (Tata Zoo) has been created on a large piece of land in the middle of a growing city. As its sponsoring corporation, Tata Steel, has become more cost conscious, there is pressure on the corporation to stop funding Tata Zoo. Some consultants are of the opinion that the land would be better utilized for commercial purposes. As a result, Tata Zoo now faces a dilemma: how can it generate finances and also serve its social and environmental initiatives?