Focuses on the recommendations and implementation strategy made by the organizational development group for the electronic product division's problems.
Courts increasingly frown on companies' efforts to keep markets separate. To avoid conflicts and problems that can arise along the channel or in the laws under which a business operates, and understanding of the various possible combinations of markets, channels, and products is essential. Sellers sending their products through both captive and independent outlets may face the problem of discrimination during periods of supply shortages or a possible "price squeeze". A company that uses separate channels to sell the same product to different markets must often deal with price differentials and contracts. Suppliers using different types of channels when selling in different geographic regions are subject to government intervention through price controls and tax differences.
Poor communication can cause the breakdown of negotiations with foreign governments, and the multinational manager who deals with developing countries often needs guidelines. Negotiators must understand local economic and political problems. Negotiators should avoid self-praise, ensure equal safeguards for the foreign government and consider a variety of investment arrangement structures. Negotiators may not adequately represent their government or company and negotiating styles may vary due to cultural differences.
A large diversified company must develop a strategy for a division whose performance has deteriorated due to its aging product. Alternatives range from liquidation to a major investment in a new product. The formal capital budgeting system is compared with the informal process by which projects are identified and presented. This case is a consolidation of MRC, Inc. (A) and (B) by R.W. Moore.
Briefly describes in management terms the three social motives: Need for achievement; need for power; need for affiliation. Also briefly reviews the implications of the work of David McClelland, David Winters, and others for motivation within organizational settings. The power motive is described in terms of both "personalized power" and "socialized power."
Supervisory practices and social structure in an electronics company assembly room. To be used with the (B) case. Based on American Radiatronics Corp. (A) by M.J. Steckler and P.R. Lawrence.
Describes an elaborate approach to strategic planning for diversified business operations. Includes the use of the BCG experience curve and growth share matrices and of PIMS profit-factor data. (Both sets of ideas are described in appendices to the case.) Also describes a specific strategic problem concerning the coated abrasives business requiring a management decision. Permits students to describe what action Norton should take with respect to its coated abrasives business and also to evaluate the Norton strategic planning system.
Computerized information systems do much more than save managers time and money. They also improve managerial effectiveness. Management decision support systems range from systems that retrieve and analyze data to systems that evaluate decisions using accounting, simulation, optimization, or actuarial models. Managers use these systems as tools of persuasion, as tools of communication, and as a means of increasing organizational control. A study of 56 systems shows that a system has a greater probability of being successful if the end users participate in its development and implementation.
For some time now, accountants, economists, and executives have been engaged in debate: Given the inflationary economy we are in, do balance sheets, income statements, and other financial statements based on historical-cost accounting give a valid picture of a company's operations and financial position? If not, what form of replacement-cost, or price-level-adjusted, accounting should be used instead? The United States' continued high rate of inflation has convinced many people that statements based on historical-dollar conventions are no longer realistic indicators of financial position or operating results. Mr. Anthony is not one of those people, and in this article he makes the case for keeping the traditional historical-cost method.
New products should be priced and repriced over their life cycle to fit the changing competitive environment. In the pioneer stage manufacturers must estimate demand, decide on market targets, design promotional strategies, and choose distribution channels. Manufacturers must decide between a high initial price which takes advantage of inelastic demand and helps bear the burden of financing and a low initial price which can penetrate mass markets early and raise entry barriers to competitors. Manufacturers must recognize when a product is entering its mature stage so that prices can be reduced promptly to forestall the entry of private-label competitors.
Good planning is the key to the creative management of supply and demand in service industries. The two extreme strategies for matching demand for services with capacity to supply them are "chase demand" and "level capacity." Service managers alter demand with the following demand-leveling options: pricing, developing nonpeak demand, developing complementary services, and creating reservation systems. They adjust capacity to fluctuating demand by using part-time employees, maximizing efficiency, increasing consumer participation, sharing capacity, and investing in expansion. The challenge to the service manager is to find the best fit between demand and capacity.
A case history illustrates how a supplier cut into the sales of his competitors' identical products by devising a new promotional strategy. Advertising expenditures should be directed toward helping the customer to sell his end products. Successful implementation requires: selection of the right product, product manager, and customer; careful marketing research; and an adequate budget based on new account and volume goals. By spending time and money to help customers sell finished products, managers effectively market even the most prosaic industrial commodities.
Concerns the 1975 strike of the pressmen against the Washington Post. Illustrates the importance of past practices of both unions and management and collective bargaining. Also illustrates implementation problems associated with new technologies as well as problems associated with managing a newspaper during a strike. The decision point is in the tenth week of the strike when pressure from a variety of sources is increasing.
Centers on the question of whether Raytheon should enter the electronic component distribution industry in the context of its broad diversification approach and acquisition criteria. This industry represents a vertical integration area for Raytheon, so the analytical issues raised by vertical integration decisions can be explored as well. Used in a section of a business policy course on diversification strategy, or to motivate the comprehensive analysis of the electronic component distribution industry earlier in a policy course. Designed for use with Note on the Electronic Component Distribution Industry.
Designed to be the second day of a two-day series on the electronic component distribution industry, following a day spent discussing Note on the Electronic Component Distribution Industry and Raytheon Co.: Diversification. The important teaching themes which this case is designed to highlight are: 1) to practice the diagnosis of the strategic health of an industry leader, with emphasis on applying the tests of consistency for an effective strategy; 2) to provide practice in both qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of a company's resources, and the relating of these to strategic priorities; 3) to examine the strategic difficulties in attempting to be a large firm in a fragmented industry; and 4) to explore the difficulty of limiting growth and turning away opportunity as a strategic alternative. The series can be positioned either early in a course on strategy formulation, highlighting industry analysis and strategic testing, or later in such a course with the focus on strategic reaction to innovation, responding to a changing industry and assessing strategic alternatives.
A chemical engineer who has set up a company to manufacture and market one of his inventions is trying to prepare his state of the corporation report. This case is designed to serve as a vehicle to introduce students to basic bookkeeping and accounting functions.
Federal Express is a small-package airline operating throughout the United States. After initial heavy losses it is now profitable. Management is examining the services offered by the firm and believes that there is great potential for "Courier Pak", an overnight delivery service with presently limited sales. Is it appropriate to devote special emphasis to Courier Pak? If so, what is the appropriate role of advertising and personal selling?