Management of one of the leading Japanese camera manufacturers is faced with the problem of unauthorized shipments from the low-price markets of Hong Kong and Japan to high-price markets of Europe and North America. Control of distribution, change of prices, model designations, and warranty policies are considered as solutions to the problem.
The introduction of hard, soft, or hybrid technologies into service areas is the beginning of the industrialization of service. The key point is to increase the volume of service to a magnitude sufficient to achieve efficiency and to employ systems and technologies which produce reliable, rapid, and low-cost service results. Various cases illustrate problems of paperwork, service repairs, selling, and specialization, when implementing this management rationality. Service industrialization requires a set of processes and management that is much different from that used in the functional production of goods.
A strategic planning system is a structured process that organizes and coordinates the activities of managers who plan. A strategic planning system develops an integrated, coordinated, and consistent long-term plan of action, and facilitates adaptation of the corporation to environmental change. The following six issues influence development of a strategic planning system: communication of corporate performance goals, the goal-setting process, environmental scanning, subordinate managers' forces, the corporate planner's role, and the linkage of planning and budgeting.
Deals with a transfer pricing problem in a complex, international situation. A broad range of issues are present in the case, or are needed for a thorough case analysis. Such issues include: relevant costs; the appropriateness of profit centers; the appropriateness of decentralization; international funds transfers; and the measurement of integrated profit.
Serves two roles: first, provides a reasonably comprehensive description of an ongoing budgeting and reporting system for the international operations of a large American company. Second, allows the student to focus on and critically analyze a series of specific complaints about the system which have been voiced by the management of two of the firm's foreign subsidiaries.
Designed to serve two roles: first, it provides a reasonably comprehensive description of an ongoing capital budgeting system for the international operations of a large American company. Second, it allows the student to focus upon and critically analyze a series of specific complaints about the system which have been voiced by the management of two of the firm's foreign subsidiaries.
Outlines the components of Texas Instruments' low-cost digital watch. Focus is on getting the assembly line running smoothly and efficiently in order to meet production cost and delivery requirements.
Presents the estate plan worked out by the son to deal with an estate planning issue. The plan involves the use of deferred compensation employment contract with the family business, a key-man life insurance policy, and a split-dollar life insurance policy.
Describes the sudden appearance of the large industrial enterprise in the 1880s. Reviews the three types of mass-production industries in which the new form came: those producing perishable products; those making low-priced semi-perishable products; and makers of machinery, the sale of whose products required specialized marketing services. Asks questions and suggests answers as to why the first American big businesses came in these industries and in the single decade of the 1880s.
Explains some of the dynamics of what actually happens in an effective or ineffective group. Also mentioned are a number of interventions which can be taken on by any group member to help change an ineffective group to one which operates more effectively.
Describes a division of Corning Glass Works that finds itself with deep financial and organizational problems. Severe conflict and lack of coordination exist between functional groups. Employees do not have a sense of direction and morale is low. Provides sufficient data to determine that the cause of these problems is a change in business environment that had been followed by change in organization and management. Can be used for analysis of organization-environment relationships and action planning for change and environment.
Family businesses frequently face an agonizing experience when the entrepreneur watches while others take over the business. While bitter power struggles peak, the fortunes of the company may slide downhill. To avoid problems a critical network of family managers, employees, relatives, and outsiders must focus upon facilitating family and business transitions through mediation, dialogue, and future role building. The healthiest transitions involve those old-versus-young struggles in which both the family managers and the business change partners.
Present performance appraisal techniques evaluate behavior by making subjective and impressionistic judgments rather than quantitative judgments and providing inadequate information about performances. Static job descriptions contribute to the inadequacy of appraisal systems as they do not define the subtleties of the relationships which will influence employees' roles and careers. Employees need to develop political skill in addition to professional competence and this need demands a dynamic job description, a critical incident process, and a psychological support system.
The left hemisphere of the brain controls logical thinking processes and the right hemisphere controls simultaneous processing. Human tasks often activate one side of the brain while leaving the other largely at rest. There may be a fundamental difference between formal planning and informal managing corresponding to differences in these two hemispheres of the brain. Educators will have to revise their notions regarding management education in order to bring about a balance between developing analytic and intuitive thought.
Describes Kodak's long-awaited challenge to Polaroid in the field of instant photography. Provides technological and company background of both Polaroid and Eastman-Kodak and their respective product lines. Discusses Polaroid's claim that Kodak infringed on 10 Polaroid patents.
Test marketing should be conducted to provide a dress rehearsal for launching of a new product by a company. Test marketing gives information to improve marketing productivity and avoid disasters. It should be used in conjunction with other marketing information. Recent technological developments allow laboratory simulation of test marketing which can reduce test marketing costs significantly. Researchers may use mathematical market simulation models.
Briefly describes the process of case writing, the general nature of cases, and the advantages to students of learning by the case method. An approach to studying a case, individually or as a group member, for classroom discussion is outlined. Also summarizes the basic characteristics of a case discussion.
Helps students fully capitalize on the case method. Succinctly introduces the benefits, format, and process while offering lots of "how-to" advice. Widely used as an introductory handout for executive, MBA, and undergraduate courses. Describes how case discussion enables the exchange of managerial experience and knowledge. Emphasizes the need to identify the real issues and do rigorous analysis in the course of reaching a management decision and that there is typically more than one "right" answer.