In 1992, the United Nations (UN) Convention on Climate Change urged UN members to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to limit global warming and climate change. In 1997, international negotiations established the Kyoto Treaty in which 160 signatory nations agreed to achieve specific reductions by the period 2008 to 2012. While the overall commitment was to reduce GHG emissions to a level 5.2 per cent lower than 1990 levels, nations committed to different percentage reductions. Each signatory would determine how it wished to reach its target, and no penalties were threatened to those who might not reach their goal. By 2001, when the time came to ratify the treaty, various credits were provided to some nations for carbon sinks, particularly for existing forests. Even with such concessions, the United States refused to sign, as did most developing nations. The Kyoto Protocol proceeded at very different speeds in different nations. International negotiations in Copenhagen in 2009 and in Cancun in 2010 attempted to add clarity to the intentions of signatories. However, many significant details had not yet been addressed. Future negotiations in Rangoon and elsewhere would be necessary.
Giel Bessels is one of the three founders of a Dutch classical music record label called PentaTone Music BV, which releases all of its recordings on a high-resolution audio format called Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD). Now a decade old, PentaTone has survived the commercial failure of SACD’s launch in 1999 and the adverse market characterized by a continually shrinking demand for classical music recordings. However, the founders wish to build their company further and know that they must stimulate demand for their products so that they can finance further recordings. Bessels and his team recognize the unique difficulties of educating consumers about the superior quality of high-resolution, surround-sound classical music on SACD, which needs to be heard to be fully appreciated. The case invites students to think creatively about alternative ways of growing and protecting PentaTone’s business, including novel uses of social media and possible expansion into China. The case also illustrates a relatively unusual motive for new venture creation — here, the business is seen as an asset to be built up to provide a future capital gain through a trade sale rather than as a vehicle to generate a stream of current and ongoing dividends (incomes).
The branch manager of the YMCA Goderich-Huron considers a change in operations for the beachfront property at Rotary Cove Beach, which has been unprofitable for years. She needs to assess how a number of factors, including financial considerations, might change operations for the coming year. Her assessment and recommendations would have to fit with the branch’s overall financial strategy while considering the various stakeholders involved, including Goderich’s town council.
Rapid increases in obesity and chronic disease rates are stressing health care systems and government budgets globally. They are also causing individuals, governments, and businesses to examine closely the relationship between food and health. The issue is complex and involves many stakeholders from government and non-governmental agencies, as well as businesses. Food and health can have both positive and negative impacts on the food industry.<br><br>As the director of strategic policy at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Mike Walters has to decide whether to engage his ministry in the issue and, if so, what approach to use. He must carefully assess the risks and rewards for the government, the ministry, and himself. As part of his strategy on food and health, he has to make an immediate decision on partnering with the Lawrence Centre for Policy and Management at the Ivey School of Business on a proposed food and health policy workshop.
An equity analyst uses a variety of methods to value Wal-Mart shares with a view to making a buy/sell or hold recommendation for the stock. Her key task is to use an intrinsic value approach to price the shares and to then compare the resulting price with the price at which the stock is traded in the market.
The owner of Finchco plans to sell his company, which is a distributor of industrial materials. The purpose of the case is to utilize several valuation methods and suggest the possible deal structure. The situation is made somewhat more complicated because Finchco has a real estate subsidiary that must be valued, and because the company has a great opportunity to land a major new customer whose value must be included in the analysis.
It seemed almost too good to be true: over a six-year period, Kenya's Equity Bank had grown its assets more than twentyfold and reached 5.9 million customers from fewer than half a million. Behind the bank's growth was a charismatic chief executive, who had a mission to provide banking to poor clients. His strategy was supported by technology investments, allowing the bank to expand services such as mobile banking and ATMs. But growth had slowed after 2007, prompting questions about whether Equity Bank had hit a saturation point amid a tough competitive landscape. In this case students examine Equity Bank's financial statements, the Kenyan banking industry, and the bank's culture to examine the implications of this slowdown and how it might impact the bank's strategy going forward.
Earl Martin Phalen is in the midst of starting his second non-profit organization, Summer Advantage, by implementing the lessons he learned from BELL, the non-profit he had founded and run for the prior 15 years. His aspirations for Summer Advantage were to make it "bigger, better, and faster [than BELL]. I am going to serve more children, more effectively, and for less money." In the midst of taking a very different approach to financing, staffing, and running Summer Advantage, he received an offer to become non-founding CEO of a much bigger non-profit, and is grappling with whether to take the job offer.
Danielle Marcoux, Director of Web Design at AdNet2Win Technologies, must decide how best to confront Charles Davide, the Chief Technology Officer and leader of the design team charged with overseeing a major upgrade of the company's proprietary customer loyalty platform. Davide has kept tight control on the development process and has not allowed the design team to discuss difficult issues or challenge each other. Marcoux decides she must confront Davide about his management approach before the team loses their commitment to the design effort.
Mary Griffin, Vice President of Consumer Products, must provide feedback to one of her direct reports, Simon York. York is a strong performer, but he has displayed some poor interpersonal skills in the manner in which he interacts with his team and the production staff. Griffin needs to provide feedback to help prevent York from derailing in his career at Derby Foods.
Michael Lester, a consultant with Lachlan, was frustrated by his client's unwillingness to provide key data for an important presentation. Lester must decide how best to confront Nadine Robert, his client, knowing that his personal success and the reputation of his consulting firm hinge on his ability to build and sustain a strong relationship. How firm should he be with the client? What type of feedback would help this situation?
Ramesh Patel, a high potential employee, was excited to be named to the company's New Horizons Board, a select team responsible for producing recommendations for new products or line extensions for Aragon Entertainment. Patel's co-worker and friend, Jeremy Gibson was also named to the Board, and the two were assigned to work together on a sub-taskforce. Patel was frustrated by Gibson's lack of effort and support on the taskforce and decides he must confront Gibson about his behavior.
This note provides background on the complex issues regarding the supply and consumption of water and how this natural resource is at increasing risk, resulting in significant economic, political and environmental issues.
The international joint venture that successfully bid for $6 billion in contracts to build LNG trains on Nigeria's Bonny Island became entangled in a widening bribery and corruption probe triggered by an unrelated accusation against an employee of one of the JV partners. The (A) case discusses the JV's ""business as usual"" approach to doing business in the context of Nigeria's political culture and the involvement Albert ""Jack"" Stanley, the JV's alleged manager, in structuring and implementing an elaborate bribery scheme. The ""B"" case relates Stanley's actions after he became the subject of multiple investigations and was terminated by Halliburton, parent of the U.S. JV partner, for taking kickbacks. The ""C"" case details the resolution of bribery and corruption allegations against Stanley, several of his associates and the JV partners.
Daudnagar Organization for Rural Development (DORD) was determining how to expand its successful eye care hospital into gynecology services. The case lays out the financial and organizational risks and asks the student to evaluate the possibility of expansion given the economic and governmental constraints of one of the poorest parts of India.
Route 11 Chips, a regional potato chip company, is struggling with whether to reduce the number of flavors it markets. Additional flavors add operational cost, but management believes that some of the flavors are important to Route 11's brand image and that trimming the line might damage the brand. Route 11 has also taken a price increase recently and management is interested in finding out if there is additional room to raise prices. To analyze these issues in the case, students have access to five years of data on sales by flavor and package size as well as actual price and margin information (in a supplemental Excel spreadsheet).
This note discusses the technical and managerial aspects of pricing a product line. Product lines are multiple variants of essentially the same product, where individual products in the line may vary by quantity (size) or quality. The discussion takes the point of view of the manufacturer of the products rather than the retailer, but the implications of selling through a channel are also discussed. The note draws on the disciplines of economics and psychology to inform good marketing practice.