An update of Google's Android operating system since 2009. The case discusses the incredible success and market growth of Android and its impact on the global mobile market. Google adeptly added features and functions to make the OS competitive with Apple, as well as fleshing out its relationships with OEMs. Additionally, the company successfully brought partners and content into the Android ecosystem to make a richer experience for customers.
Pyramyd Air, a small and growing online airgun retailer serving the shooting community, wants to broaden its sustainability practices from its current internal initiatives in order to communicate an even stronger value proposition: sustainability isn’t just about recycling and efficiency, it is about a thriving environment leading to more engaged employees and more loyal premium customers. Though the airgun industry is not by its nature built on sustainability principles, as is solar energy for example, Pyramyd Air recognizes that some sustainability practices are vital to its customers’ long-term enjoyment of a flourishing outdoor sporting industry. For a company with strong customer relationships, can sustainability strengthen the relationship between employees and customers by building on the inherent industry values of the great outdoors and a sense of community?
Nearly 27,000 people depended on Ilva Steel Taranto, the largest steel-making plant in Europe, for their livelihoods, but the plant's pollution fouled the environment and increased the incidence of tumors, respiratory illnesses and deaths. In July 2012, faced with a court-ordered partial shut-down and a possibly unaffordable remediation plan, the company's newly appointed head must decide what to do next.
This case provides the setting to evaluate the capital raising and management strategies taken by Genting International/Singapore to build Resorts World Sentosa. The case introduces the Singapore Integrated Resorts concept which is a distinct new business model in the global gaming business. This is followed by a review of the parent company behind Resort World Sentosa, Genting Berhad and Genting International which was subsequently renamed Genting Singapore. The case then discusses the several capital raising initiatives and management strategies taken by Genting International/Singapore for the development of Resort World Sentosa.
On February 21, 2013, TELUS announced a proposal to convert the firm's non-voting shares into voting shares on a one-to-one basis, thereby eliminating the firm's dual class structure. Shareholders were scheduled to vote on the proposal at the firm's annual general meeting (AGM) on May 9, 2013. Despite strong support from management, the board, two proxy advisory firms, and several large shareholders, the proposal was opposed by Mason Capital Management, a New York-based hedge fund. Mason, which controlled almost 20% of the voting shares and a large short position in the non-voting shares, had filed a dissident proxy circular recommending that shareholders vote against the proposal based on both procedural and substantive grounds. With the success of the vote in doubt, the board had to decide what to do. Should they proceed with the vote as planned, postpone the vote with the intention of re-introducing the proposal at some point in the future, or cancel the proposal for good? And what should they do with Mason, which management viewed as an "empty voter" in this matter?
In spring 2007, Alcoa CEO Alain Belda was concerned about the company's market position in light of increased competition from developing markets. China's recent entry into the aluminum market was affecting both supply and demand. Furthermore, downstream and upstream product was coming on-line from other parts of the world, including Russia. As a result, Alcoa had lost its historical market dominance and stock premium. Belda was convinced that for Alcoa to regain its leadership position, the company would have to increase efficiencies by expanding its scale, diversification and reach. The acquisition of a large competitor presented the best opportunity to achieve this goal and, as a result, he was particularly intrigued by Canadian rival, Alcan, because its assets would complement Alcoa's portfolio and enhance its reach. Further, Alcan had sold off non-aluminum assets, essentially making it a pure play in aluminum. That and its access to relatively cheap Canadian hydro power made it an even more intriguing acquisition opportunity for Alcoa. However, another major competitor, Rio Tinto, was also interested in Alcan; the company was in play.
In spring 2007, Alcoa CEO Alain Belda was concerned about the company's market position in light of increased competition from developing markets. China's recent entry into the aluminum market was affecting both supply and demand. Furthermore, downstream and upstream product was coming on-line from other parts of the world, including Russia. As a result, Alcoa had lost its historical market dominance and stock premium. Belda was convinced that for Alcoa to regain its leadership position, the company would have to increase efficiencies by expanding its scale, diversification and reach. The acquisition of a large competitor presented the best opportunity to achieve this goal and, as a result, he was particularly intrigued by Canadian rival, Alcan because its assets would complement Alcoa's portfolio and enhance its reach. Further, Alcan had sold off non-aluminum assets, essentially making it a pure play in aluminum. That and its access to relatively cheap Canadian hydro power made it an even more intriguing acquisition opportunity for Alcoa. However, another major competitor, Rio Tinto, was also interested in Alcan; the company was in play.
This note offers an analysis of four fundamental strategic decisions and associated tradeoffs that set MSPs apart from other types of businesses (e.g. product firms) and that every MSP entrepreneur and investor should carefully consider. In the last section I also discuss an important boundary condition: when is the MSP business model dominated by related - but distinct - business models?
In this second part of a two-part case, the finance manager learns that the incentive program for the financing of solar energy installation has been adjusted to incorporate a tiered structure.
The morning of October 9, 2012 found the portfolio manager for the Thackery Real Estate Fund (TREF) lost in thought. TREF was a large investment fund that specialized in commercial and industrial real estate. While TREF had a number of investors, there was one large institutional investor, and it had asked for an update on the fund by week's end. Weighing on the portfolio manager's mind was a particular industrial park in Montreal, Quebec known as the Centre Corporate Abbott. He was focused specifically on a proposed investment that required $20 million to purchase a completed, tenanted building known as Building A. In 2008, the portfolio manager had bought two other adjacent properties for $17 million from the same developer. In making his decision, he knew that the economic news across the globe was not rosy. In Canada and Quebec, the manufacturing sector had still not overcome the challenges of 2008's Great Recession. For Quebec in particular, it also looked like the voters might be leaning towards another separatist government and news of corruption in the construction sector had become daily fodder. The portfolio manager wondered whether he should follow through with the investment and, if he did, how he would explain his recommendation to his investors as early as Friday.
The morning of October 9, 2012 found the portfolio manager for the Thackery Real Estate Fund (TREF) lost in thought. TREF was a large investment fund that specialized in commercial and industrial real estate. While TREF had a number of investors, there was one large institutional investor, and it had asked for an update on the fund by week’s end. Weighing on the portfolio manager’s mind was a particular industrial park in Montreal, Quebec known as the Centre Corporate Abbott. He was focused specifically on a proposed investment that required $20 million to purchase a completed, tenanted building known as Building A. In 2008, the portfolio manager had bought two other adjacent properties for $17 million from the same developer. In making his decision, he knew that the economic news across the globe was not rosy. In Canada and Quebec, the manufacturing sector had still not overcome the challenges of 2008’s Great Recession. For Quebec in particular, it also looked like the voters might be leaning towards another separatist government and news of corruption in the construction sector had become daily fodder. The portfolio manager wondered whether he should follow through with the investment and, if he did, how he would explain his recommendation to his investors as early as Friday.
GOJO Industries, a U.S.-based hand hygiene company, plans to use sustainability as a business strategy in its big hairy audacious goal of reaching one billion people every day by 2020. It has developed a six level framework to embed sustainability throughout every aspect of the company internally and to assess its successes in the following areas: mitigating risk; reducing energy, waste and materials; differentiation; entering new markets; protecting and enhancing brand; and influencing industry standards. The company has a long history of using sustainability to drive innovation and facilitate expansion into new markets and sees sustainability as a key differentiator from its competitors to achieve its goal. In order to so, the company must also consider the importance of employee engagement in order to further embed sustainability and increase the number of people it reaches with its products.
GOJO Industries, a U.S.-based hand hygiene company, plans to use sustainability as a business strategy in its big hairy audacious goal of reaching one billion people every day by 2020. It has developed a six level framework to embed sustainability throughout every aspect of the company internally and to assess its successes in the following areas: mitigating risk; reducing energy, waste and materials; differentiation; entering new markets; protecting and enhancing brand; and influencing industry standards. The company has a long history of using sustainability to drive innovation and facilitate expansion into new markets and sees sustainability as a key differentiator from its competitors to achieve its goal. In order to so, the company must also consider the importance of employee engagement in order to further embed sustainability and increase the number of people it reaches with its products.
The U.S. government responded to a surge of tire imports from China using Section 421 of the 1974 Trade Act. This allowed the U.S. government to impose a large increase in tariffs on imports of tires from China over a three-year period. Explanations for President Obama's decision to do this ranged from domestic political explanations-specifically, that he was caving into pressure from the USWA union-to arguments that he was defending the larger national interests.
JetBlue Airways is only five days away from entering the Boston market by establishing a presence at Logan International Airport. The VP of strategy for JetBlue considers the range of potential competitive responses that he might expect from such established airlines as American Airlines, so he can anticipate and prepare. As the largest major carrier operating out of Logan, American had more at risk than the other major carriers and had not yet decided how best to compete with the LCCs. How would American respond?
Amazon.com had purchased Zappos in 2009 and was making significant investments in warehouse infrastructure. By early summer 2012, Zappos, a dominant player in the crowded online retail apparel and footwear arena must decide whether to retain its warehouse complex in Kentucky, which it had maintained since 2002, or turn over the operations to Amazon. Should Zappos continue to operate as an entity external to its parent company? Or would advancements and changes in the market be disruptive enough to force Zappos to change in order to remain competitive?
CapitaLand was Singapore's leading property developer. It was formed in 2000 though a merger between DBS Land (the property unit of Singapore's leading bank, DBS) and Pidemco Land, a Singapore government linked company. The Singapore government through Temasek Holdings (one of its sovereign wealth funds) held an equity stake of 40% at end-2011. Liew Mun Leong was the firm's first CEO from 2000 to 2012. CapitaLand decided to expand internationally because it felt that the Singapore market was saturated with limited growth opportunities. CapitaLand's initial focus was on a number of gateway cities, where it aimed to achieve critical mass. This strategy changed quickly with the new focus being on three core markets - Singapore, China and Australia. In expanding into new markets, CapitaLand began by sending out a high quality executive, who understood the firm and the way it operated, from headquarters to start the new unit up. The firm's objective was to transfer operational responsibility to local executives when this was possible. While it had made some progress in this regard, most senior executives - corporate officers and senior executives of business units - were still Singapore nationals.