The CFO of General Motors' joint venture in Shanghai, Shanghai General Motors (SGM), wants to refinance almost $900 million of project finance it raised to begin operations. The highest priority is improving the terms of the financing with regard to costs and specific covenants. Several factors complicate the CFO's objective, including the presence of capital controls, the impending entry of China into the World Trade Organization, the joint venture partner's captive finance subsidiary, and the conflicting goals of the joint venture partners. The case illustrates how subsidiary financial decisions must trade off entity-level and parent-level concerns. It also illustrates how multinational financial decision making--including transfer pricing, repatriation, and funding decisions--must be designed to accommodate governance concerns, financial objectives, and the potentially divergent interests of joint venture partners. The framework of the on-going operational and investment decisions that Shanghai General Motors undertakes in its early growth demonstrates the "life cycle" of subsidiary finance. The case also touches on elements of foreign governments' attempts to regulate capital markets, the dynamic between domestic and international banks in competing for lending opportunities to multinational subsidiaries, and how subsidiary management can achieve the most desirable funding terms.
Sustainable Conservation (SusCon) is an environmental nonprofit in San Francisco that works collaboratively with the private and public sectors to achieve positive environmental change. The organization forms partnerships with industry and government agencies to devise solutions to environmental problems that are both economically viable and environmentally beneficial. After 10 years of work focusing exclusively on California, the organization is considering expanding its reach outside the state as a step toward national expansion. The case explores SusCon's approach to environmental improvement and juxtaposes it to the most common strategies used by other conservation organizations. It also uses one of the organization's most successful projects, the dairy initiative, as an example of how the organization operates. The case touches on the issues and challenges that nonprofit organizations need to consider when determining whether and how to [go to scale.]
Autopistas del Sol (AUSOL) was a company that had originated in a partnership constituted in 1994, when it was selected, through a public bidding process, to build and manage two of the main highways in the city of Buenos Aires. The SES Foundation was a nonprofit organization informally founded in 1998 and created by a group of professionals focused on developing informal educational programs for the social integration of poor youngsters. One of its outstanding programs was Community Study Groups (CSG), an initiative it carried out with AUSOL to boost schooling in two of the neighborhoods surrounding one AUSOL-managed highway. The case takes place in late 2001, a few months before the onset of the crisis that impacted Argentina. Focuses on the potential changes and risks entailed for the CSG program by AUSOL's decision to try to look for other sponsoring companies for the program. Although this strategy aimed to ensure program continuity, it also brought about a series of dilemmas for both organizations.
Natura is a company in the personal care, health, and make-up industry in Brazil. In the early 1990s, as part of its "good corporate neighbor" policy, the company made sporadic contributions to the communities surrounding its manufacturing plants and office premises. Natura's collaboration with the Matilde Maria Cremm public school, located near its Itapecerica da Serra plant, followed that pattern as well. By 1992, this association had all the characteristics of a traditional philanthropic collaboration, consisting of cash and in-kind donations made by the company to respond to specific school needs. However, Natura's management was not satisfied and regarded company contributions as patronizing. They approached their school counterparts to propose a new kind of relationship that would yield deeper and sustainable results. Both partners wanted the school to become a transformation agent in its community. They sought the assistance of CENPEC, a civil society organization devoted to strengthening public education. Matilde, a school located in an outer section of a county surrounding the state capital, managed to turn into one of the top five schools in that region of the Sao Paulo state.
Banco Itau was founded in 1945 and is the second largest private bank in Brazil. As part of its social responsibility strategy, it has created a Community Assistance Program aimed at projects in education and health. To carry out this program, the bank has established cross-sector alliances with partners selected for their technical expertise to operate these programs and to establish relations with the communities. One of the two programs--Education & Participation--has helped civil society organizations that assist needy students with supplementary schooling programs. Itau's primary nonprofit partner, CENPEC, is dedicated to research and strengthening public education. CENPEC provides technical direction and establishes contact with community organizations. The program includes the Itau Education & Participation Prize and constitutes one of the most competitive selection processes in Brazil's Third Sector.
In 1997, the Mexican subsidiary of the Groupe Danone, a global actor in the food industry, decided to launch a cause-related marketing campaign jointly with a civil society organization. The chosen partner was the Friendship Home (Casa de la Amistad para Ninos con Cancer, I.A.P.), an organization engaged in providing free medical treatment to low-income children suffering from cancer. Through the campaign, called "Let's Build Their Dreams," the company donated a fraction of the price of each yogurt product sold over a period of time.
In the early 1990s, the Mexican Grupo Bimbo was a leader in the world food industry, operating in 16 countries. In November 1993, Papalote Children's Museum (Papalote Museo del Nino) was created in Mexico City. This civil society organization intended to contribute to children's intellectual and emotional development through interactive and educational games and experiments. Shortly after its creation, the museum entered into a collaborative agreement with Bimbo, and the company agreed to sponsor several exhibitions in exchange for brand exposure on museum premises. Eventually, both parties jointly developed new activities such as the Public School Sponsoring Program, which covered the expenses for low-income children's visits to Papalote Children's Museum. Through sponsorships, the company contributed to several museum programs, such as the "Mobile Papalote"--a traveling version of the museum touring other regions in the country.
In 2002, Telemig Cellular was a mobile telephone company operating in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The company had founded its operations on the "capillarity" principle: reaching to consumers spread throughout the state to cater to their needs effectively. This principle also applied to the Telemig Institute, the company's social division, which focused on children's and teenagers' rights. To uphold this mission, the institute decided to work for the creation and strengthening of Tutoring Councils (local government bodies in charge of guaranteeing children's rights) and Municipal Councils for Children's and Youths' Rights in the Minas Gerais state. For its Pro-Council Program, the institute gathered civil society organizations from every one of the 12 regions in the state to build the so-called Volunteer Support Groups. Under the institute's leadership and counseling, these groups worked with local administrations and provided operational support for council creation.
Mexico City's Junior League, the Mexican chapter of Junior League International, was a civil society organization founded to promote volunteer work, women's potential, and community enhancement. Tetra Pak was the world's leader in multilayer packaging production. In the mid-1990s, parts of urban waste, such as multilayer packaging containers, were not recycled in Mexico. Every month, Mexico City alone disposed of 35 million containers of this kind, which took 35 years to disintegrate. In 1995, both organizations entered into a partnership to recycle these containers. They jointly launched a program called "Recyclable by Nature" and invited all parties benefiting from multilayer packaging to join, thus sharing the responsibility for their final disposal. The program included manufacturers, marketers, consumers, and even the local administration.
In 1999, after posting losses in eight of the preceding nine years, Nissan seeks a partnership with Renault. At the request of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn is appointed COO. Ghosn, a Frenchman with Brazilian-Lebanese heritage, who has spent much of his career in Michelin in Latin America and the US, has earned the nickname "Le Cost-Killer" during his tenure at Renault. Despite his multi-cultural background, he speaks no Japanese and has no Asian experience. His charter, however, is to quickly turn around the ailing Japanese car-maker, with all the unique challenges of leading change as a foreigner in Japan. His commits to doing it within three years or resigning. Enlisting middle management, he uses solid change management techniques and is successful, but now must confront the process of institutionalizing his initial successes and planning for a successor.
The American Chamber of Commerce of Nicaragua (AmCham) developed through its education committee, a School Sponsorship Program. The objective was to encourage its members, mostly private businesses, to help improve national education through the support of needy educational institutions. The collaboration was voluntary, depending on the initiative of the people involved and the time and resources available within each participating firm. As the program progressed, the committee faced the option of becoming independent from AmCham and transforming itself into a nongovernmental institution. In this way, the support of the educational centers would increase through the raising of international funds, while easing sponsors' efforts at the same time.
La Nacion was one of the oldest and most prestigious newspapers in Argentina. The Red Solidaria (Solidarity Network) was a volunteer organization founded in 1995 that had succeeded in using mass media to raise funds for various institutions and individuals who needed high-cost medical treatments abroad. Describes the relationship of a news reporting company, traditionally responsive to public welfare and community issues, and a volunteer organization that had engineered new community awareness mechanisms to respond to urgent family or individual needs. The founder of Red Solidaria gradually built ties with various sectors at La Nacion to develop several news "products," which eventually led to a joint venture: the solidarity ads, published daily on the back of the newspaper's classified ads section. NGOs used the new ads to request donations, and individuals used them to offer volunteer work.
Describes the relationship between the Foundation for Housing Promotion (FUPROVI), Representaciones Televisivas (Repretel), and Mutual Heredia. The partnership was built to respond to the emergency situation affecting the south of Costa Rica after Hurricane Caesar hit the area in July 1996. A campaign was launched to raise funds to build houses for the families that had been left homeless. Deals with the description of the "A Roof for the South--Building with Love" campaign, the joint venture undertaken by the above-mentioned organizations. FUPROVI's executive director needed to determine the characteristics potential partner organizations should have for successful and lasting future partnerships.
Describes a small, luxury retail chain's operational sophistication achieved through the use of technology and high-touch customer service. A family-run business, Mitchells has built its success with a customer service strategy know internally as "hugging." The term is deceptively simple. The firm's true success lies in its blend of a warm other-oriented corporate culture, sophisticated information technology, and an effective family business structure. Although the setting is regional, the approach is clearly applicable to many service organizations. The chain is currently considering further expansion for future generations.
Manuel Tertuliano, head coach of a professional soccer club, must make some difficult decisions about the compensation of six of his players. Specifically, he must decide how to allocate $850,000 among these six players in a way that will benefit his team, which has just finished second to last in the league and faces being eliminated from the league if team performance and game attendance don't improve. Tertuliano realizes that compensation is a key tool in motivating his players. In deciding on these six players' compensation, Tertuliano must ensure that he not only recognizes them, but also the other players on the team for the value each individual contributes to the team.
Covers several important expropriation cases in international business from the 20th century and highlights the legal and political difficulties these companies faced. Serves to explain expropriation, to stress the vulnerability of foreign direct investments to political risk in host countries, and to discuss the limitations of international property law.
Describes the alliance that Manuel Ariztia (Don Manuel), a highly respected owner of one of the leading poultry companies in Chile, has forged with Melipilla, a Chilean municipality, to collaborate in the management of its public educational system. The vehicle used for this alliance is the Corporacion Municipal de Melipilla (CMM), which is defined as a private, not-for-profit, autonomous, nonpartisan entity that provides education and health services at the municipal level. Don Manuel became a leader on the board of directors of the CMM and was instrumental in improving CMM's financial and educational performance. Opens with the challenge facing the CMM--the upcoming retirement of the general manager, who has been in charge of the administration since the beginning. Additionally, the impending retirement of Don Manuel, whose presence has given the board an element of stability, along with the upcoming mayoral elections are jeopardizing the board's stability. Addresses issues of management succession, governance, decision making, and collaboration between business leaders and nonprofit organizations. Also addresses issues related to the key role that board of directors can play in the effective management of educational organizations.
Describes the evolution of the alliance between Corporacion de Ayuda para el Nino Quemado (Corporation for the Aid of Burned Children, or COANIQUEM) and ESSO-Chile (ESSO), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil International and one of the major fuel distributors of the country. This alliance involves a long-term relationship that becomes increasingly important for both partners. Addresses issues of long-term collaboration in the context of a multinational organization that does not espouse a policy of establishing formal alliances with nonprofit institutions. COANIQUEM has gained standing and recognition in the community, and a stable partnership has emerged between the two successful organizations. However, the decision to build an international center for the rehabilitation of burned children might challenge the long-standing relationship, which can jeopardize the financial health of COANIQUEM. Explores the opportunities and risks entailed in the strategic decision to expand and the challenges this decision entails for the future of the alliance. Can address the role of charismatic leadership and trust-building in the creation and growth of nonprofits.
Describes the alliance between Farmacias Ahumada S.A. (FASA), the largest drugstore chain in Chile, and the Las Rosas Foundation (Fundacion Las Rosas, or FLR), a nonprofit organization that provides shelter and care to needy elders. The collaboration began in 1997. The board at FASA opted to partner with a NGO to enhance its public image as a good community neighbor. FASA trained its salespeople to ask drugstore customers for a small monetary contribution at store cash registers to benefit FLR. By 2002, fundraising among FASA customers amounted to $381,000, covering approximately 5% of FLR's operating expenses. One half of store purchases resulted in a small donation for FLR. In recent years, FLR underwent remarkable growth. However, this growth called for an increase in financial resources if the institution were to fulfill its mission appropriately. The nonprofit was offered the chance to enter into a new partnership with an international supermarket chain. A new alliance posed a potential risk to the relationship with FASA, and the foundation's vice-president faced a critical decision. The visibility of a new partnership between FLR and the supermarket might make FLR a less attractive partner for the drugstore chain. Addresses issues of alliance development, strategy valuation, and selection of cross-sector collaborations.