In 2006, Howard Schultz reflects on his leadership at Starbucks in light of its continued growth plans. Provides information on the leadership development of the protagonist, tracing his youth and education, his early business career, his acquisition of Starbucks, and its subsequent massive growth. Raises questions about leadership styles, the role of a self-authored life story in leadership, and the qualities that attract, retain, and deploy complementary management talent.
Euronext.liffe, a derivatives trading exchange, had just finished rolling out three new services targeted at the over-the-counter (OTC) market in 2004. The services offered automated confirmation and clearing for OTC equity derivatives. Yet, developments in the industry seemed to call for a re-evaluation of the exchange's OTC strategy. Describes the exchange and OTC markets for derivatives, Euronext.liffe's existing OTC services, and the other key market participants in 2004. Provides the information needed to evaluate the exchange's existing OTC services and consider other ways in which the exchange could create value for the industry.
At the time of the millennium, diamond demand was threatened by an increasing awareness among jewelry customers that diamond production and trading in some countries was being linked to growing inequities and human rights violations. This, in turn, had an impact on De Beers' reputation and consumer confidence in the diamond as a product that represented integrity, love, and commitment. In 2000, De Beers' sustainability depends on the ability of its leaders to shift the paradigm of both the firm and its context and embrace a distinctly different strategy.
An experienced CIO hired to professionalize IT in a growing financial services firm struggles with the turmoil that follows sudden replacement of the company's CEO. Jack Carlisle must assess the changes, both actual and prospective, in an environment in which IT has not been well run and is frequently criticized by peer executives, from both a professional and career perspective. Asks students how Carlisle should evaluate his situation, to decide whether he can operate effectively in the new company environment, and to determine whether the new CEO sees a role for him going forward. Includes descriptions of initiatives that Carlisle has put in place to help mature the firm's IT capabilities; students can assess whether his efforts to address long-standing grievances with executive peers are likely to succeed or should be redressed.
Colonel Moore reflects on his command of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and its preparation of the United States Army for 21st century adversaries. During his command, Colonel Moore had transformed the regiment from a unit focused on providing conventional force-on-force training as the world-class Opposing Force (OPFOR) to an organization that was preparing to deploy to Iraq to fight the insurgency. He also transformed the very nature of training at the Army's premier Nation Training Center from standard force-on-force conventional battles between two well-equipped adversaries to more complex training scenarios that better reflect the changing nature of warfare that the United States Army was experiencing on battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. As Colonel Moore left his command, he could not help but wonder if the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment would successfully meet the challenge of combat operations in Iraq. When the Army tapped the 11th Armored Cavalry regiment for combat duty in Iraq, Colonel Moore could not help but reflect on the changes he made to the OPFOR. Could the Blackhorse adapt successfully to fighting the insurgency in Iraq? Would the National Guard successfully replace the vaunted Blackhorse Regiment as the OPFOR? Was the OPFOR successfully preparing units for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan? Only time would tell.
In 1995, Wendy Kopp, founder and president of Teach for America, faces a worsening budget shortfall and sharpening challenges from education experts concerning her organization's mission and effectiveness. Provides information on the leadership development of the protagonist, tracing her youth and education and the process of launching Teach for America. Raises questions about social entrepreneurship, organizational and leadership development, and sustainability of leadership.
For Douglas Peterson and his two 10-year-old golf partners, it had been a memorable round at a world-class course with a caddy who contributed greatly to their enjoyment. For caddy Donald Andrews, the round was among the most challenging, physically and mentally, in which he had participated. As the group walked up the 18th fairway, Peterson reflected on the size of an appropriate tip for the caddy while Andrews wondered how he might influence the size of the tip.
Bruynzeel Keukens, the Dutch kitchen industry leader faced a dilemma, it had audacious objectives in terms of maintaining leadership and increasing market share, yet its operations were not able to sustain such a pace any longer, it would have to be reengineered from scratch. Learning objective: This case provides a good opportunity to understand how supply chain management can have a huge impact on a company's strategy.
Teena Lerner started her own hedge fund firm in 2001 after nearly 20 years as a star biotechnology analyst and hedge fund manager. After the start-up phase, her firm became highly profitable. In 2004, however, one of her four analysts lost a lot of money for the firm. If Lerner followed the existing compensation system, she would wind up significantly underpaying her other analysts, all of whom had performed well. Should she follow the compensation system or not? And what should be done about the underperforming analyst?
A successful young design firm faces a difficult decision: whether to compromise its creative values to win a big job. The client brief is very conservative. The company is pretty sure it can win the design competition, but the design staff hates what they think they will have to do to win it. Business managers and "creatives" disagree on the appropriate course of action. In debating the decision, staff members confront fundamental issues about who they want to be as a firm and how firms that rely on creative talent should be managed.
Describes Housatonic Partners' investment in ArchivesOne, a records management company. The original investment was made in 1998, and subsequent investments are made by Housatonic. In 2005, as the life of the investment fund is coming to an end, Housatonic must work with management to decide when and how to exit.
Provides an overview of business corruption in China, placing it in a context that takes into account various political, economic, legal, and cultural elements. More specifically, it examines corporate ownership and structure in China, identifies sources of corruption, and analyses the impact of corruption on the country's social and economic stability. Closes with a set of recommendations for countering business corruption in China.
A polymer chemist initiated a lawsuit against a national research institute for having failed to pursue a patent on his behalf, while he was employed as a post-doctoral research fellow. The chemist must now decide whether to accept a pre-judgment cash settlement of less than one sixth what his lawyer claims he is entitled to. Among the questions raised in this case are: Should the research institute have pursued a patent for an invention it did not own? In letting the institute file the patent application on his behalf, did the chemist not tacitly agree to assign his invention to the institute? The case outlines the importance of human resource policies stipulating the ownership of inventions made by scientists employed by an agency or others working onsite. It also shows how problems of assignment of intellectual property rights, if not resolved, can lead to failed technology transfer. The case also provides a detailed look at how a scientist would report an invention to its technology transfer office in order that a patent might be applied for.
An entrepreneur must decide if he should bid to acquire a commercial bakery, Cake Masters, given his objectives in his search and his investors' expected returns of 20-30 per cent. If he bids, he must decide how much to bid and in what form of consideration. Students are introduced to valuation methodologies and will evaluate an acquisition or opportunity, understand the process of acquiring a small company, learn how preceding transactions are considered and learn about discounted cash flow analysis.