The Hong Kong Jockey Club, a non-profit gaming organization and social club founded in 1884, was unusual, for through its payment of taxes and donations to the community, it had over the years funded a sizeable portion of Hong Kong government expenses and charitable work. The newly hired director of the information technology department is concerned about inefficient operation. The IT division had been an established part of the club for many years, and throughout time, had been organized and reorganized to meet the changing needs of the club. A task force is put together and an external consultant is brought in to review the division's organization. Upon completion of the review, the director of the division learns that the person heading the review plans to resign and must decide what to do.
Kathryn Everest, the knowledge management consultant for IBM Canada Ltd.’s business consulting service, was preparing for a meeting with the province of Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Education. The purpose of the meeting was to secure top-level support for an early-stage knowledge management program at the ministry. For the past few weeks she had conducted an initial study of ministry needs and believed that the organization could benefit from one or more knowledge management solutions, including document management, communities of practice, and an expert directory. Everest wondered how she should approach the meeting, given that there seemed to be internal ministry concerns about knowledge-sharing. As she reviewed her notes, she wanted to know which solution(s) she should recommend and what implementation challenges she could expect to face.
A recent MBA graduate is working as vice-president equity sales for an investment bank in the Ukraine. The firm's managing director has requested a recommendation regarding whether they should start investing in Ukrainian equities on their own account, or retain their practice of acting purely as an agent - buying and selling shares for clients without taking any ownership position.
For General Motors (GM) China, 2004 brought a wide variety of new challenges that added to an already complex business environment. Industry structure was changing quickly, demand and supply projections for motor vehicles had promised substantial increases in sales and profits but suddenly optimism faded. China's membership in the World Trade Organization created expectations of a level playing field for foreign investors, but major barriers remained, including continuing government intervention, competition from government-owned assembly firms, arbitrary rules such as sector-specific credit restrictions and violation of intellectual property with the copying of foreign automobile designs and false-branding of parts. Meanwhile, inflation was increasing and the government was unsure whether and how to use monetary and fiscal policies. This is an abridged version of GM in China, product 9B05M007.
An entrepreneur from California sold his last start up company over a year ago and was looking at investing in an underperforming company in which he could play an active role and turn around. His investment advisor approached him with a potential deal in which to invest. Alpha Legal Systems was a small software company with $5 million in sales the previous year but had no profitability. The entrepreneur must consider the economic slowdown and an underperforming technology market and the challenges of taking over and managing a young, rapidly growing company.
It was estimated in 2002 that the size of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) market in China would be around $5 billion. A decade of Chinese regulatory reforms, Chinese pharmaceutical industry liberalization, changing Chinese lifestyle and demographics, and the Chinese pharmaceutical research and development facilities were factors explaining the huge TCM market potential in China. Multinationals wanting to enter this market might have to deal with inadequate intellectual property protection, corruption in health insurance reimbursement, complex regulatory procedures, and underdeveloped pricing, bidding, and distribution practices.
In addition to its world-class supply and demand chain management practices, Toyota Motor Co. Ltd excels in managing its service chain. The service chain, which the company views as key to its long-term success, is responsible for providing products in the form of service parts for maintenance and repair, and services in the form of improving the value that a customer derives from a vehicle. Service chain management is based on establishing strong links with customers, both through the dealer channel and directly. Describes the network that Toyota has created to provide reliable supply of service parts to dealers in an efficient manner and how the company proactively helps dealers improve their service offerings to customers. Also discusses how Toyota uses advanced technologies, such as e-commerce and telematics, to build strong relationships directly with the vehicle owners. Focuses on Toyota's operations in Japan and the United States.
The Toyota demand chain is efficient, flexible, customer oriented, and product specific. Studies how Toyota uses its advanced distribution channels, inventory management, planning methodologies, and production capabilities to create and manage its demand chain, with a particular focus on the Japanese and the North American markets. Uses the Toyota Prius and the Scion product lines to illustrate how Toyota adjusts its demand chain to fit a particular product and its target customers, utilizing as much as possible from its existing manufacturing and distribution infrastructure.
This corporate strategy case shows how Pepsico stopped worrying about competing with Coca-Cola, figured out what its real business was, and decided how to build its future. Redefining itself as a beverage and snack business, PepsiCo sheds its restaurant business and acquires Quaker and Tropicana. By rethinking the synergistic relationship between the complementary, combined strengths of the merged companies, it strategizes to develop innovative products that will compete in a changing demographic, cultural, and geographical world. Will this strategy work in an increasingly competitive environment?
In September, 2004, Stephen Lebowitz, President of CBL, a $6 billion publicly traded shopping mall real estate investment trust (REIT) with over 70 million square feet, is considering acquiring 170 acres for a new retail development at a racetrack site in Southern New Hampshire. First, Stephen has to calculate the value of the land to make his bid based on current market conditions and local zoning. Next, Stephen has to consider how the public securities markets will react, good and bad, to a shopping center REIT doing a new development at this time.
Explains the emergence of international arbitration as an option for foreign investors with disputes with governments of emerging markets. Presents issues about whether arbitration will remain acceptable to countries and governments.
Ronald W. Dollens recently retired from the positions of CEO and president of Guidant Corp., an Indianapolis-based medical technology manufacturer. Dollens was appointed CEO and president of Guidant when the company was formed as a split-off of Eli Lilly and Co. in 1994. During his 10 years of leadership at Guidant, the firm grew at an average of 18% per year, from just under $900 million in sales in 1994 to $3.7 billion in 2003. Today, Guidant employs more than 12,000 and is an industry leader in cardiovascular technology.
The American system of distribution is dysfunctional, favoring the interests of huge retail chains at the expense of manufacturers. Accustomed to working in this imbalanced system, American managers think they have no choice but to cede control of distribution by placing it into the hands of megadistributors and, for the most part, they are correct. However, in high-growth emerging markets, distribution channels are still malleable, providing manufacturers with the opportunity to shape and mold the way distribution takes place. Argues that firms should lay aside their dysfunctional patterns of dealing with distributors when they leave America and regain control over their products and operations in international markets.
Viral marketing uses electronic communications to trigger brand messages throughout a widespread network of buyers. Often, the process is portrayed as a random, ground-up phenomenon over which marketers have little control. But an examination of successful viral marketing cases reveals a number of strategies underpinning this chaotic phenomenon, providing insight into how marketers can use it to position their brands, change their image, and increase adoption rates. Successful viral marketing campaigns have an engaging message that involves imagination, fun, and intrigue; encourages ease of use and visibility; targets credible sources; and leverages combinations of technology.