In January 2000, four major Danish companies launch an online B2B marketplace. The alliance process forces each to consider its capabilities, strategy and compatibility with other partners. Their venture quickly encounters unforeseen obstacles and opportunities, including a chance to develop the world's first B2G (business to government) marketplace. Simultaneously, similar alliances launch competing Nordic marketplaces, threatening the venture's expansion, if not its survival.
In January 2000, four major Danish companies launch an online B2B marketplace. The alliance process forces each to consider its capabilities, strategy and compatibility with other partners. Their venture quickly encounters unforeseen obstacles and opportunities, including a chance to develop the world's first B2G (business to government) marketplace. Simultaneously, similar alliances launch competing Nordic marketplaces, threatening the venture's expansion, if not its survival.
The Bertelsmann-owned French book club, France Loisirs, has successfully operated a subscription-based business model delivering a remarkably high profit margin. Considering rising economic pressure and a declining member base, the case introduces the club's basic business principles and summarizes strategic options for sustainability and further growth from a top management perspective.
The Bertelsmann-owned French book club, France Loisirs, has successfully operated a subscription-based business model delivering a remarkably high profit margin. Considering rising economic pressure and a declining member base, the case introduces the club's basic business principles and summarizes strategic options for sustainability and further growth from a top management perspective.
French IT consulting giant Cap Gemini is poised to purchase the consulting arm of Ernst & Young, a U.S.-based Big 5 accounting firm. In doing so, many differences need to be resolved, including negotiating with Ernst & Young entities all over the world as well as converting Ernst & Young partners into employees of publicly held Cap Gemini. Amidst all of the decisions, the market for IT consulting services is changing rapidly, further complicating the merger negotiations and implementation. Teaching Purpose: To study the range of issues that must be considered and resolved in negotiating a professional services firm merger, the valuation and motivational challenges associated with merging a private entity into a public entity, and the challenges of negotiating a cross-border merger.
The negotiations for the merger between Cap Gemini and Ernst & Young conclude, resolving issues of how to bring together Ernst & Young consulting partnerships from all over the world into the publicly held Cap Gemini. Reactions to the merger were optimistic within Cap Gemini and Ernst & Young, but analysts voiced concerns about a cultural clash between the two firms and the viability of the new firm's strategy.
Data Services provides flexible, scalable data processing and information storage to the fast food industry. Sales have grown steadily, but the company has operated at a loss since its founding five years ago. Data Services management is enthusiastic about the company's prospects. The chief executive of Armistead, the insurance company that owns Data Services, is under pressure from corporate officers to slough off the subsidiary. A business analysis is done not only to help the CEO decide whether to continue investment in Data Services, but also to determine if the company is well-managed. Information includes the day-to-day operations of Data Services, its sales process, profit and loss statement, revenue and expense analysis, and cost allocations.
Explicitly considers the most common propagation models for financial variables and explains how to determine the statistical properties of these variables and simulate their future values. Covers arithmetic Brownian motion, geometric Brownian motion, mean-reversion, and jump-diffusion processes. Several examples and exercises are provided from the petroleum industry.
Mount Auburn Hospital is preparing to introduce a physician order entry (POE) system throughout the hospital, starting with the labor and delivery ward. POE systems replace paper-based and oral medication ordering processes with an information system; the physician uses the system to enter medication orders, which are then transferred to the hospital's pharmacy. This is Mount Auburn's first experience with POE systems, and the implementation team must determine how best to introduce the technology to the physicians and other personnel who will use it.
Putnam Investments uses technology to enable many of its frontline service providers to work routinely and permanently from their homes. This case explores issues related to this strategy, from conceptualization to implementation and highlighting continuous improvement.
Covers the evolution of the Gates Foundation's multibillion dollar effort to influence reform in the U.S. public education system since 1999, particularly the foundation's recent decision to invest heavily in the breakup of existing urban high schools and the creation of new small high schools. Examines the merits of that strategy and various implementation issues associated with it. Tom Vander Ark, who oversees the foundation's education initiative, prepares for a meeting with Bill Gates in which he will review the foundation's track record and propose targeting future investments on small high school reform. For background and context, the case covers the contemporary small schools movement in the United States and the consolidation of high schools and districts in the United States since 2000.
During the 1990s, Argentina carried out an ambitious program of economic reforms, including the privatization of its telephone system and other state-owned utilities. In 2002, however, a severe economic crisis forced Argentina to default on its foreign debts, devalue its foreign currency, and freeze bank accounts. As part of the emergency measures, the government ordered the freezing of telephone and other utility tariffs and the renegotiation of all utility concession contracts. HKS Case Number 1678.0
McDonald's, one of the world's strongest and most recognizable brands, intends to extend its "world's best quick service restaurant experience" brand into the hotel industry by launching a hotel in Illinois. An industry observer examines the hotel venture's positioning options and the McDonald's brand extension into a different product class.
Presents a full-scale business plan for the launch of an Internet service provider (ISP) for the Pacific Rim. Set in 1993, the case has a short introduction, followed by the business plan for PacNet. Dr. Kevin Wong, PacNet's founder, plans to take advantage of the exponential industry growth by becoming the dominant provider of Internet services to Pacific Rim businesses. PacNet's growth strategy depends on acquisition and consolidation of ISPs and the development of proprietary software through partnerships.
Tesco, a supermarket chain, has been transformed from a third-rate retailer to a global leader in the past ten years. This case describes how that was accomplished. Interviews with Tesco employees explain the company's approach to understanding customers, motivating employees, succeeding on the Internet, and creating an international strategy.
By 2002, the euphoria that accompanied the grandest achievement to date of Europe's 50-plus years of integration--full monetary union--was fading fast. European policy makers completed the historically unprecedented monetary integration of 12 countries, and then they turned their attention to an equally challenging issue: enlarging the European Union (EU). By the beginning of the 21st century, 13 countries clamored for membership in this most exclusive club of rich, democratic, European states. With so many prospective members knocking on the door, European policy makers were forced to decide quickly whom to let in and under what conditions.
Illustrates how Four Seasons manages hotels in countries with strong and distinct national cultures. Focuses on how the chain meets its exacting service standards in a variety of settings worldwide, with special attention on France.
Examines a hotel chain's attempt to use information technology to achieve market dominance and build customer loyalty during a period of global industry decline.
Global Healthcare Exchange Canada is a business-to-business exchange that connects hospitals and their major suppliers through an electronic procurement process. Founded as a subsidiary of its global parent, the exchange has become the leading health-care exchange in the country, but it is still far short of break-even. To drive adoption among hospitals and suppliers to the target levels, Global Healthcare must develop a compelling value proposition. This requires overcoming considerable inertia among hospitals that are often reluctant to change their frequently inefficient purchasing processes. Despite the major benefits to be realized from automating supply chain operations in the industry, the adoption decision process among hospitals is highly complex and idiosyncratic. In confronting these challenges, the exchange must also re-examine its own business model, in particular its pricing strategy for both suppliers and hospitals.