Illustrates the budget planning process at a Japanese firm. Also describes a highly traditional cost accounting system, and shows how variances are used for performance measurement.
Campbell Soup, like most food manufacturers, faced grocery chain and wholesale demand for its goods driven by Campbell's own promotional pricing structure rather than retail consumer demand. Former policies to encourage overstock created huge swings in production and inventory levels. Campbell's introduced continuous product replenishment (CPR) under which they would manage inventory for their customers, enabled by electronic data interchange to link supply to actual demand. Implementing this channel shift required a restructuring of relationships with its customers and a radical restructuring of its promotional policies.
The case describes operations at a skiwear design and merchandising company and its supply partner. Introduces production planning for short-life-cycle products with uncertain demand and allows students to analyze a reduced version of the company's production planning problem. In addition, it provides details about information and material flows that allow students to make recommendations for operational improvements, including comparisons between sourcing products in Hong Kong and China.
In mid-1993, representatives of Rhone-Poulenc, a leading nationalized French firm, worked with the French government to plan the imminent privatization of the firm. One aspect of the privatization was to create incentives for employees to buy and hold shares in the firm. A partial privatization earlier in 1993 proved that workers were reluctant to hold equities, even after receiving discounts and subsidized financing. The key financial officers of the firm received a proposal from Bankers Trust that would offer employees a unique investment in the firm, which might increase employee participation in the share offering. This alternative would guarantee employees a minimum rate of return yet allow them to enjoy appreciation of the firm's shares. The financial officers have to decide whether to propose this employee stock ownership alternative to the French government and to Rhone-Poulenc's board for inclusion in the forthcoming privatization.
Several members of a consulting firm work to develop ways to build and nurture a more diverse work environment while reflecting on personal experiences that help them to become leaders in issues of diversity.
Traces the evolution of RCI as a master distributor from the time it was founded in 1946 until 1994. The second-generation owner of the distribution company faces several challenges unique to the 1990s environment that his father did not face. As Danny Schwartz attempts to grapple with those issues, he has to answer the long-term strategic question of the viability of his distribution business.
Goodyear's transition to radial tires from bias and bias-belted tires was difficult and expensive, but successful. Afterward, in 1983, the company embarked on a major diversification program. Three years later, after investments exceeding $1 billion in oil and gas pipelines and reserves, Goodyear was attacked by a corporate "raider" and is considering abandoning its diversification program in favor of a highly leveraged restructuring.
The president of Image Processing Systems has plans to expand but is facing the challenge of obtaining financing. After considering and rejecting the use of venture capital, he is actively considering a proposal put forward by McDermid, St. Lawrence, Chisholm; a mid-sized Canadian investment company. The proposal involves a private placement of equity followed by an IPO.
Increases in orange tree production led to an orange juice surplus. How does one manage price risk in the orange juice industry under these conditions?
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Heavy Machinery rescued its plant from the labor riots of 1987 to make it the fastest improving shipyard in the world by 1994. With its competition in Korea making huge investments in additional capacity in anticipation of the end of the recession, Daewoo instead has to decide if its strategy of continuous investment can provide the needed capacity.
There is a very personal and dramatic confrontation between the chairman and the CEO of the board of directors. This circumstance will offer the students the opportunity to analyze corporate governance and the authority and accountability issues that arise when role descriptions are unclear. The case also examines the escalation of conflict and resolution alternatives.
Describes a set of challenges facing Otis Elevator's joint venture in China as it seeks to expand to other regions of the country. A rewritten version of an earlier case.
Describes what happened and presents the perspectives of the three executives who played key roles in the process. A rewritten version of an earlier case.