Explores how IBM incorporated diversity into its business strategy, making the case that workforce diversity is critical to marketing its products and services to its customers. In the early 1990s, Ted Childs, vice-president of Workforce Diversity, proposed to CEO Lou Gerstner the creation of eight diversity task forces. Delves into the organizational and cultural impediments to starting a diversity task force initiative and how IBM overcame these obstacles to implement an effective diversity strategy. After the task forces were established, they underwent tremendous growth and became global in scope. Childs also faces the challenge of taking a U.S.-based diversity strategy and applying it to IBM's global organization. Teaching Purpose: To demonstrate how a company can implement an effective diversity strategy and integrate it into its overall business strategy.
Explores fiduciary duty issues that arose in litigation among partners in the partnership that owned and controlled the Mall of America. Describes the complex real estate transaction in which one partner attempted to purchase an additional interest in the mall from a nonpartner financing entity and the litigation that ensued.
In June 2001, the men's wrestling program at Marquette University was terminated, despite the fact that the program had been operating for several years with privately raised funding. Bucknell University discontinued its wresting program the same year. An important factor in the termination of these programs was Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which required that "no person...on the basis of sex...be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." Title IX was primarily intended to help women overcome discrimination in academic programs, but it also applied to athletics. Marquette and Bucknell sued the U.S. Department of Education to eliminate what they viewed as the unintended consequences of Title IX implementation in reducing opportunities for men. Describes Title IX, its implementation, and controversial issues faced by institutions attempting to meet the objectives of the law.
In 1993 there was a major realignment of college football conferences, as three schools left the Big East Conference to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, leading to a wave of changes as the Big East moved to replace the departing schools. The University of Notre Dame was the nation's premier independent intercollegiate football program, unaffiliated with any conference. Notre Dame periodically had considered joining a conference, and had done so for its non-football sports, but had remained independent for football. Independence brought considerable financial benefits, primarily in the form of a lucrative television contract, but also caused difficulties. With the conference landscape changing, the school reconsidered its future, and the possible benefits of joining a conference. Describes the intercollegiate conference system and the related economic issues.
The case describes how Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. grew under the visionary leadership of Barry Sternlicht, its founder and CEO. It documents how Sternlicht acquired, financed and integrated two leading hotel brands - Westin and ITT Sheraton to become a globally diversified leading hotel chain. The company's newly appointed president of Asia Pacific was given the goal of boosting the share of operating profit from 10 to 25 percent by 2007.
The introduction of digital imaging in the late 1980s had a disruptive effect on Kodak's traditional business model. Examines Kodak's strategic efforts and challenges as the photography industry evolves. After discussing Kodak's history and its past strategic moves in the new landscape, the case 'Kodak and the Digital Revolution' questions how CEO Daniel Carp can use digital imaging to revitalize Kodak. A rewritten version of an earlier case.
The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) Japan has recently launched an entirely new set of interactive mobile character/agents for the NTT DoCoMo iMode platform, called Dimo. Having built Japan's most successful mobile entertainment business using traditional Disney-branded characters and related content, these Dimo characters have been designed to go well beyond entertainment and become valuable guides, assistants, and friends for users of the continuously evolving mobile Internet and the increasingly complex tasks enabled by this platform. Although the WDIG Japan team feels strongly that these types of character/agents will be the future of human-device interactions, subscription figures six months after Dimo's launch suggest that Japan's mobile consumers may not share this belief.
Can managers really tame corporate knowledge? Seeks answers by exploring the internal practices of a large consulting firm and identifying those that help and those that hinder knowledge management. Examines both canonical and noncanonical practices in the firm, along with a look at some of the ironies that arose when the two types differed. The model developed here outlines appropriate strategic considerations, depending on the strategic focus and knowledge characteristics within the environment of the firm.
What is data mining, and how does it differ from traditional statistical modeling? Along with finding the answers here, managers can take a look at important recent developments in data mining, examine some of its marketing-related applications, and learn how to establish and maintain a data mining system. Armed with this information, they can then determine their firm's level of commitment to the process. Companies that do not want to commit the financial and personnel resources to data mining can still secure many of its benefits through outsourcing.
International services offer the best prospects for growth in numerous industries. Yet, compared to manufacturing, relatively little is known about the international growth and development of services, largely because fewer service firms have ventured overseas. Examines the similarities and differences between international manufacturing and services, helping to point out the challenges facing various types of service businesses. The strategies that leading service firms follow in international markets provide valuable guidelines for other companies to follow.
A major advancement is taking place in supply chain management. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has now been developed to the point at which it can provide suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers with precise real-time information on where their products are in the supply chain--information that can be valuable in terms of improving supply chain management (SCM) efficiencies and revenue generation. Several companies in the food and consumer packaged goods industries are involved in one or more major RFID pilot programs. Describes the critical trends and implications of applying this technology to SCM, detailing its benefits, as well as impediments, to implementation.
These days, entrepreneurs and managers in growing companies find themselves searching for cash to fund their growth. A surprisingly good but often neglected place to look for it lies right under their noses--on the company's balance sheet. Finding hidden cash on a balance sheet by using some simple analyses beats going hat-in-hand to the bank. The analyses here also provide metrics that everyone in the company--from sales manager to accounting clerk--can understand and use. Best of all, the only things you'll need are last month's financials, a calculator, and a cocktail napkin.
China's rapid transition to a market economy has remolded society culturally, especially when it comes to young people between the ages of 5 and 24. Numbering over 400 million and wielding increasing power and influence over personal and household purchases, these youths will determine the future preferences and trends of the country's consumer market. Thus, they represent enormous market opportunities for foreign companies. How important is this dynamic market? Do the challenges outweigh the attractions? And how best can marketers appeal to these bolder, more individualistic, more "Westernized" young Chinese consumers?
Provides a general description and overview of U.S. law on insider trading, including the basic theories of liability, the responsibilities of securities firm managers to prevent and detect insider trading, and the potential penalties for insider trading. A rewritten version of an earlier note.
The management team of Marvel Enterprises, known for its universe of superhero characters that includes Spider-Man, the Hulk, and X-Men, must reevaluate its marketing strategy. In June 2004, only six years after the company emerged from bankruptcy, Marvel has amassed a market value of more than $2 billion. Originally known as a comic book publisher, the company now also has highly profitable toy, motion picture, and consumer products licensing operations. However, doubts about Marvel's business model and its growth potential continue to exist. Had Marvel's winning streak been just a fluke? Was Marvel's success dependent on a limited set of blockbuster characters, most notably Spider-Man, and should Marvel continue to capitalize on those characters? Or was it time to seek growth in a larger set of lesser known characters? In exploring growth opportunities, was it wise for Marvel to venture outside its current business model and move into more capital-intensive activities? What marketing strategy would allow Marvel to sustain its success in the coming years? Includes color exhibits.
In 2004, the $16.8 billion U.S. health club industry continued its strong record of growth. There were almost 27,000 health clubs in the United States, up from 6,700 two decades earlier, and these clubs claimed 41 million members, over 14% of the U.S. population. Nearly 67 million people used these clubs in 2004. As the industry grew, many large chains began to emerge, opening new outlets and buying up smaller chains and independents. Most industry observers believed the growth and consolidation would continue, providing many opportunities for investors. However, few health club chains were publicly listed, and the leading listed company, Bally Total Fitness, was under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation for accounting irregularities. Yet this investigation did little to dampen enthusiasm for the new personal health phenomenon, and rumors abounded of private equity deals in the offing. The key question for investors seemed to be how best to take advantage of the opportunity.