Ganong Bros. Ltd. is a fifth-generation family chocolate company facing financial difficulties. The firm has spread its resources too thin and needs to develop a plan to return to profitability, but to grow the business while upholding its responsibility to the local community.
Job Offer Negotiation is a role play between a job applicant and a recruiter. It is intended to illustrate the importance of preparation and planning; integrative negotiation in the context of job offers, and specific behaviors that contribute to effective negotiation. To be used with Job Offer Negotiation - Applicant, product 905C12.
In 2001, a Nigerian holding company was deciding how much to pay for a major Nigerian oil marketing firm. Explores the challenges facing a fast-growing, leveraged buyout firm operating in a global economy but constrained by imperfect local financial and legal institutions.
In 2003, a Namibian entrepreneur was deciding how to finance and manage the risks of an ecotourism, nature reserve, venture project. Explores the challenges facing an entrepreneur operating in an emerging market with imperfect local financial and legal institutions.
Discusses the use of budgeted rather than historical data in an activity-based costing (ABC) model and argues for calculating rates using practical capacity, not actual utilization. An ABC model need not be limited to analysis of historical data. When cost driver rates are calculated based on forecasted data, they can be used proactively for decisions such as pricing and order acceptance. Second, to avoid distortion of cost driver rates caused by unused capacity, the rates should be calculated using the practical capacity of the resources performing the activity. Discusses how to estimate practical capacity in various situations, including lumpy capacity acquisition, ramp-up of capacity utilization, seasonal and peak-load capacity, and differing service quality levels from supplied capacity.
What happens when strained relationships develop between two people you value in your organization and they come to you for advice? David Walker was a senior attorney in a bustling white shoe law practice. During an especially busy time, Walker became party to an in-office dispute between his trusted administrative assistant, Susan Emson, and a respected colleague, Ramya Kumar. He had spent numerous hours listening to both sides tell their stories and was left with an impending sense that he had no answers. How was he ever going to help two people he valued greatly work out a compromise between their extremely polar positions? How did the dispute get to such a point? The case provides opportunities to explore the sources of interpersonal conflict, causes of escalation, and ways of diffusing and resolving it.
On November 17, 2004, as Teach for America's (TFA) national board meeting adjourned, Chief Operating Officer Jerry Hauser considered the opportunity before the organization. The board had just given the go ahead to move forward with development of a new strategic plan for 2005 through 2010. The aspirations were ambitious, and if they succeeded in reaching the goals set out in the plan, TFA would take its place among the country's most enduring institutions. Hauser knew that the key to converting a plan into success was ensuring that the organization had the right strategy and the capacity to execute effectively. As he looked toward the future, he reflected on the opportunities and challenges that TFA had faced in its first 15 years to identify lessons that might be useful for its next phase of growth.
Aaron Kennedy has successfully grown Noodles & Co. from a single global noodle shop to a chain of 58 restaurants spanning six states in seven years. In the face of increasing competition, Kennedy has plans to roll out 240 new stores in the next four years. He must develop a growth strategy that will allow Noodles & Co. to achieve these aggressive objectives as well as maintain the company's unique culture. Kennedy must decide among several alternative growth strategies, with a particular emphasis on the decision of whether to franchise. Includes color exhibits.
The general manager for U.S.-based Sealed Air Corp.'s Taiwan subsidiary must decide how to improve productivity and achieve profitability. In addition to considering a new approach to compensation, he is wondering how to bridge the gap between Sealed Air's corporate culture and local business practices in Taiwan. A particular problematic practice is the local use of "tea money."
Sealed Air Corp.'s CEO and COO are considering what approach they should take to building a seamless corporate culture worldwide. Anticipating continuing growth and expansion, especially outside the United States, they are concerned with preserving and promoting the culture that has been one of the company's key assets. However, their experience in integrating acquired companies, especially outside the United States, has heightened their awareness of differences among the regional cultures of the world and the challenges they face in maintaining a unified corporate culture.
On March 4, 2003, AirTran Airways announced new non-stop service from Atlanta to Los Angeles. The routes were a major commitment for AirTran, and came at a time when the airline industry was in turmoil. The major airlines had lost a record $12 billion the previous year, and two were in bankruptcy. AirTran and two other low-cost carriers were the only sizeable airlines that were profitable, and all three were expanding rapidly. The stakes for the West Coast service increased when Jet Blue, one of the other low-cost carriers, announced it would start new service from Atlanta to Los Angeles and Delta, the incumbent on the route, announced that it would increase its non-stops from 5 to 13 per day. HKS Case Number 1789.0
Letting customers organize your information the way they want is a cool benefit today but will be a necessity tomorrow, says Harvard Law School Internet scholar David Weinberger.
By rotating key executives through headquarters, companies can keep corporate lean but still hold sway over the units, says BCG Senior VP George Stalk, Jr.
Bain consultants Ann Chen and Vijay Vishwanath offer three key strategies multinationals can use to expand from China's premium segment into the broader market.
Truly new ideas spawn original language, but where new management ideas should be, there are too many cliches borrowed from other fields. We deserve better, argues HBR senior editor Leigh Buchanan.
As multinationals decrease their direct investment in low-wage markets, they're opening the door to dangerous competitors, says Deloitte consultant Peter Koudal.