The beer industry comprises elements of sub-national, national and global competition. To expand, the industry players use various strategic approaches as illustrated by five major beer companies: Anheuser-Busch InBev, Groupo Modelo (9B11M125), Tsingtao Brewery (9B11M126), San Miguel (9B09M074) and Thai Bev (9B13M065). Observations about the beer industry — a fairly easy product and industry to understand — can be extrapolated to other industries. Lessons can be drawn regarding the influence of industry pressures on the four key components of an international expansion strategy: product choice for expansion, market choice for geographic expansion, timing of entry and mode of entry.

The beer industry comprises elements of sub-national, national and global competition. To expand, the industry players use various strategic approaches as illustrated by five major beer companies: Anheuser-Busch InBev (9B11M124), Groupo Modelo, Tsingtao Brewery (9B11M126), San Miguel (9B09M074) and Thai Bev (9B13M065). Observations about the beer industry — a fairly easy product and industry to understand — can be extrapolated to other industries. Lessons can be drawn regarding the influence of industry pressures on the four key components of an international expansion strategy: product choice for expansion, market choice for geographic expansion, timing of entry and mode of entry.

The beer industry comprises elements of sub-national, national and global competition. To expand, the industry players use various strategic approaches as illustrated by five major beer companies: Anheuser-Busch InBev (9B11M124), Groupo Modelo (9B11M125), Tsingtao Brewery, San Miguel (9B09M074) and Thai Bev (9B13M065). Observations about the beer industry — a fairly easy product and industry to understand — can be extrapolated to other industries. Lessons can be drawn regarding the influence of industry pressures on the four key components of an international expansion strategy: product choice for expansion, market choice for geographic expansion, timing of entry and mode of entry.

TD Bank Group was one of the few large financial institutions in the world to have prospered during the financial meltdown and subsequent recession in 2008/9. It did this without any government assistance. Furthermore, it emerged from the crisis substantially larger in terms of market capitalization and assets while having the best performance of any of the Big-5 Canadian banks in terms of stock price and total shareholder return during the period 2003-2011.<br><br>The case describes many of the actions led by TD’s CEO, Ed Clark, following his promotion to that role after severe credit losses at the bank. It describes a shift of strategy that focused on reducing market, credit, and liquidity risk while increasing strategic risk. It also describes in depth the governance and management approach to risk at the bank as well as identifying important issues such as the establishment of a risk-management culture, the relationship between executive compensation and risk, and the formulation and promulgation of a clear statement of risk appetite. Further, it allows the instructor to focus on the many types of risk that have to be managed in a financial organization including strategic, market, credit, liquidity, operational, insurance, legal/regulatory, and reputational risk and how these might be traded-off against each other.<br><br>Students are required to identify which actions taken by TD are likely to have contributed to the bank’s excellent performance and the extent to which those actions may have been reflected in the performance of the bank’s stock. They need to consider whether avoiding market, credit, and liquidity risk was worth it for TD given that the company did not achieve superior performance to its peers before the financial crisis, a fact that was reflected in its disappointing stock performance.

Strategic Cost Analysis is a six-chapter book published by the Business Expert Press and written by Roger Hussey, Dean of Guangzhou International Business School and Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, and Audra Ong, Associate Professor at the Odette School of Business at University of Windsor. This book provides tools for managers to understand and interpret financial information as part of their organization's strategic planning and decision-making. The authors say that, regardless of industry or field, all managers must be able to use financial information effectively in their jobs. Through the context of four key questions, the authors explain how to calculate, control, and monitor costs, as well as to integrate cost analysis into organizational decision-making. The book includes examples and practical tips for managers at all levels. Chapter 1, Cost and Strategy (20 pages), provides insight into how an organization's cost system relates to its strategic plan. The authors outline the four questions that a manager must ask about the business to determine the actual cost, planned cost, potential for performance improvement, and integration of this information into the strategic plan. The authors discuss cost analysis in the context of Porter's five forces, with a specific focus on product differentiation and cost leadership. Finally, they examine financial accounting and management accounting, and the relationship between them.

Strategic Cost Analysis is a six-chapter book published by the Business Expert Press and written by Roger Hussey, Dean of Guangzhou International Business School and Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, and Audra Ong, Associate Professor at the Odette School of Business at University of Windsor. This book provides tools for managers to understand and interpret financial information as part of their organization's strategic planning and decision-making. The authors say that, regardless of industry or field, all managers must be able to use financial information effectively in their jobs. Through the context of four key questions, the authors explain how to calculate, control, and monitor costs, as well as to integrate cost analysis into organizational decision-making. The book includes examples and practical tips for managers at all levels. In Chapter 2, Cost Concepts and Methods (30 pages), the authors focus on the first question in their framework, "What did it cost?" They review different ways to identify and classify costs, emphasizing the most useful characteristic of direct versus indirect cost. They explore two approaches to managing the challenges of indirect costs by full costing and activity-based costing (ABC). They explain how the ABC method is most relevant for decision-making and outline the steps in the process. The authors also explain the development of the "time-driven ABC" method and review the different needs of costing in the service industry

Strategic Cost Analysis is a six-chapter book published by the Business Expert Press and written by Roger Hussey, Dean of Guangzhou International Business School and Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, and Audra Ong, Associate Professor at the Odette School of Business at University of Windsor. This book provides tools for managers to understand and interpret financial information as part of their organization's strategic planning and decision-making. The authors say that, regardless of industry or field, all managers must be able to use financial information effectively in their jobs. Through the context of four key questions, the authors explain how to calculate, control, and monitor costs, as well as to integrate cost analysis into organizational decision-making. The book includes examples and practical tips for managers at all levels. Chapter 3, Establishing Plans (27 pages), addresses the second question in the author's framework, "What should it cost?" The authors outline two ways an organization may approach planning: standard cost and budgetary control. Standard cost is most useful in the short-term and enables a manager to compare actual costs with an established goal for those costs. The authors explore issues in standard costing and calculating variances between the plan and performance. The budgetary control method is valuable in long-term planning and closely linked to organizational strategy. The authors describe the benefits of budgets and outline different managerial approaches. They also evaluate incremental, zero-based, rolling, and activity-based budgets. The chapter includes criteria for successful budgeting, a discussion of budget implementation, and examples of how to create and integrate budgets in an organizational setting.

Strategic Cost Analysis is a six-chapter book published by the Business Expert Press and written by Roger Hussey, Dean of Guangzhou International Business School and Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, and Audra Ong, Associate Professor at the Odette School of Business at University of Windsor. This book provides tools for managers to understand and interpret financial information as part of their organization's strategic planning and decision-making. The authors say that, regardless of industry or field, all managers must be able to use financial information effectively in their jobs. Through the context of four key questions, the authors explain how to calculate, control, and monitor costs, as well as to integrate cost analysis into organizational decision-making. The book includes examples and practical tips for managers at all levels. In Chapter 4, Monitoring and Control (23 pages), the authors explain the third element of their framework, using financial reports to monitor the success of strategy implementation. The authors review the critical variances in the standard costing approach, including direct costs, overhead, and sales, as well as how these factors interrelate. They discuss the challenges of budgetary control, which is often managed by "exemption," or looking for large variances in performance. They offer guidelines for alternative ways to analyze variances, including dollars and percentages, recurring trends, and contradictions and abnormalities. The authors also examine fixed versus flexible budgets and assess the overall strengths and weaknesses of budgeting itself.

Strategic Cost Analysis is a six-chapter book published by the Business Expert Press and written by Roger Hussey, Dean of Guangzhou International Business School and Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, and Audra Ong, Associate Professor at the Odette School of Business at University of Windsor. This book provides tools for managers to understand and interpret financial information as part of their organization's strategic planning and decision-making. The authors say that, regardless of industry or field, all managers must be able to use financial information effectively in their jobs. Through the context of four key questions, the authors explain how to calculate, control, and monitor costs, as well as to integrate cost analysis into organizational decision-making. The book includes examples and practical tips for managers at all levels. Chapter 5, Managerial Decision Making (25 pages), explains costing techniques. The authors look at the impact of fluctuating activity levels on cost and outline three methods to determine total costs. They explain how to put cost management into action through breakeven analysis and Cost Volume Profit analysis. The authors highlight the value of calculating a unit's contribution margin, which is the net amount each unit contributes towards fixed costs and profit, and how to use data to make strategic decisions, such as pricing special orders and selecting the most profitable alternative. They also explore how to use incremental analysis to isolate the relevant costs in a particular decision. The chapter includes insight into the inclusion of non-financial factors as decision criteria and a list of six questions to help managers select techniques for managing costs.

Strategic Cost Analysis is a six-chapter book published by the Business Expert Press and written by Roger Hussey, Dean of Guangzhou International Business School and Professor Emeritus at the University of the West of England, and Audra Ong, Associate Professor at the Odette School of Business at University of Windsor. This book provides tools for managers to understand and interpret financial information as part of their organization's strategic planning and decision-making. The authors say that, regardless of industry or field, all managers must be able to use financial information effectively in their jobs. Through the context of four key questions, the authors explain how to calculate, control, and monitor costs, as well as to integrate cost analysis into organizational decision-making. The book includes examples and practical tips for managers at all levels. Chapter 6, Strategic Cost Management (22 pages), reviews trends in cost analysis and shows how to use it in strategic planning. The authors summarize two techniques that offer a comprehensive view of an organization: value chain analysis and the balanced scorecard. They provide practical guidance for reducing costs and evaluate three methods: target costing, life-cycle costing, and activity-based management. They discuss performance evaluation and emphasize the importance of determining what measures are required for effective evaluation. Finally, the authors relate strategic cost management to the larger context of an organization's performance and highlight the manager's responsibility for first gathering the right data, and then using it in decision-making.

The Beer Cases present a means to explore industry evolution in a rapidly globalizing industry. In 2011, the beer industry had elements of sub-national, national and global competition. Giants, such as AB Inbev, as well as national champions, such as Tiger Breweries and Tsingtao, which were aspiring to become major regional and global players, populated the industry. Further, industry players used alternative models (strategic approaches) to meet their objectives for national, regional and global expansion. By focusing on presentations of the strategies of five major beer companies (AB InBev, Groupo Modelo, Tiger Breweries, Tsingtao and San Miguel), this set of cases helps to illustrate these points. The format used for the cases involves in-class presentations of each case, alongside rigorous questioning from the instructor to not only explore the logic of the analysis and strategy proposed in the presentation for each company, but to also nudge the class toward an understanding of the major trends in the growth of the beer industry and key success factors for companies that operate in the beer industry. The class can be pushed further to connect the implications of one's assumptions about what drives success in beer sales, alongside their understanding of industry growth trends and drivers, to understand models of global competition in this industry, and forecast anticipated outcomes and strategies for the major beer companies considered in this set of presentations. Ultimately, the observations from the beer industry, which is a fairly easy product and industry to understand, can be extrapolated to other industries, to see how closely they fit the development of the beer industry. Further, lessons can also be drawn about how industry pressures influence the four key components of an international expansion strategy: product choice for expansion, market choice for geographic expansion, timing of entry and mode of entry.

The Beer Cases present a means to explore industry evolution in a rapidly globalizing industry. In 2011, the beer industry had elements of sub-national, national and global competition. Giants, such as AB Inbev, as well as national champions, such as Tiger Breweries and Tsingtao, which were aspiring to become major regional and global players, populated the industry. Further, industry players used alternative models (strategic approaches) to meet their objectives for national, regional and global expansion. By focusing on presentations of the strategies of five major beer companies (AB InBev, Groupo Modelo, Tiger Breweries, Tsingtao and San Miguel), this set of cases helps to illustrate these points. The format used for the cases involves in-class presentations of each case, alongside rigorous questioning from the instructor to not only explore the logic of the analysis and strategy proposed in the presentation for each company, but to also nudge the class toward an understanding of the major trends in the growth of the beer industry and key success factors for companies that operate in the beer industry. The class can be pushed further to connect the implications of one's assumptions about what drives success in beer sales, alongside their understanding of industry growth trends and drivers, to understand models of global competition in this industry, and forecast anticipated outcomes and strategies for the major beer companies considered in this set of presentations. Ultimately, the observations from the beer industry, which is a fairly easy product and industry to understand, can be extrapolated to other industries, to see how closely they fit the development of the beer industry. Further, lessons can also be drawn about how industry pressures influence the four key components of an international expansion strategy: product choice for expansion, market choice for geographic expansion, timing of entry and mode of entry.

The Beer Cases present a means to explore industry evolution in a rapidly globalizing industry. In 2011, the beer industry had elements of sub-national, national and global competition. Giants, such as AB Inbev, as well as national champions, such as Tiger Breweries and Tsingtao, which were aspiring to become major regional and global players, populated the industry. Further, industry players used alternative models (strategic approaches) to meet their objectives for national, regional and global expansion. By focusing on presentations of the strategies of five major beer companies (AB InBev, Groupo Modelo, Tiger Breweries, Tsingtao and San Miguel), this set of cases helps to illustrate these points. The format used for the cases involves in-class presentations of each case, alongside rigorous questioning from the instructor to not only explore the logic of the analysis and strategy proposed in the presentation for each company, but to also nudge the class toward an understanding of the major trends in the growth of the beer industry and key success factors for companies that operate in the beer industry. The class can be pushed further to connect the implications of one's assumptions about what drives success in beer sales, alongside their understanding of industry growth trends and drivers, to understand models of global competition in this industry, and forecast anticipated outcomes and strategies for the major beer companies considered in this set of presentations. Ultimately, the observations from the beer industry, which is a fairly easy product and industry to understand, can be extrapolated to other industries, to see how closely they fit the development of the beer industry. Further, lessons can also be drawn about how industry pressures influence the four key components of an international expansion strategy: product choice for expansion, market choice for geographic expansion, timing of entry and mode of entry.

A senior associate at Richard, Wood and Hulme LLP (RWH) was amazed at the speed with which the audit team for an important client for the firm was rapidly falling apart. Two members had just been fired presumably because they did not pass their chartered accounting qualification examination; team morale had become non-existent; there were difficulties in completing the engagement due to lack of preparation from both the RWH and the client; there was a question about the commitment of particular individuals; and with the audit falling behind schedule, the senior associate perceived an absence of strong leadership from the partners of the firm. The senior associate did not understand why the team had been so unfocused from the start of the engagement as prior years' engagements had been quite successful. He was not sure how to proceed. What would he tell the client? What should he do to keep this audit on track and keep the team together?

In 2007, under the leadership of CEO Stuart Rose, the iconic British retailer Marks and Spencer, with great fanfare, announced its "Plan A" initiative. Based on the five essential pillars of climate change, waste, sustainable materials, fair partnership, and health, the plan sought to transform the company's practices. By 2012, the program's aim was to ensure that M&S was carbon neutral and sent no waste to landfill. It also aimed to help its customers and employees achieve a healthier lifestyle, and to improve the lives of all involved in the company's supply chain with fair wages, as well as improved working hours and conditions. Called Plan A "because there is no Plan B," the company identified 180 projects to improve the sustainability of its operations and business practices in anticipation of the need for a very different business model in the future. Key aspects of Plan A included more sustainable sourcing and influencing the business practices of the company's supply chain; communication to employees, customers and investors; and employee engagement. The case concludes with the tradeoffs involved in the decision of whether or not to install refrigerator doors in the grocery section of its stores. While the energy savings and reduced carbon emissions are relatively clear and easy to measure, the impact on customers and revenues is harder to assess.

Claude Grunitzky, a media entrepreneur, develops, maintains, and leverages an extensive personal and professional network across three continents. The case considers the steps he has taken to build and cultivate a network that creates value for himself and others.

Seeking to move beyond chip-making and offer sophisticated IT solutions in the form of software and hardware platforms, Intel Corporation, a leading semiconductor manufacturer in the United States, introduces a pilot project in India for testing a new platform that allows for monitoring and demand management along water distribution networks. The case describes, in detail, internal events that led to the creation of this pilot. It examines details of the water market relevant in Intel's decision to move the pilot forward.

Philips Electronics is a leader in integrated reporting. In 2010 it produced its third generation report. Since its first report in 2008, Philips' integrated reports and its integrated reporting website had grown in sophistication. In planning for its integrated report for 2011, the company is exploring the issues that will need to be addressed in order to produce an integrated report. KPMG is the company's auditor for both the financial and nonfinancial information contained in the integrated report, but these are covered by separate assurance opinions. Among the challenges of providing an integrated audit is getting the internal measurement and control systems for nonfinancial information to be of the same quality as for financial information. A further challenge is that the cultures of the finance function and those who work in sustainability are very different.

The last thirty years have seen the widespread embrace of market capitalism as not only a highly efficient form of economic organization but also as one that best meets the diversity of human preferences. In large, complex societies, an increasing body of theoretical and empirical research suggests, however, that the existence of competitive markets rests on strong institutional foundations. This note explores the appropriate role for the general manager, if any, in sustaining these conditions for market capitalism.

The case describes the financial performance and business development of UFC after the change in ownership that happened in 2000, until 2004, when the owners are considering exiting the business.