This case explores a new board director who asks a detailed question about a footnote in the lengthy board packet distributed to directors by management. The case allows for discussion about the amount of information and level of detail provided by management, the level of preparation directors engage in prior to board meetings, and the appropriate strategic focus of the board. This case is part of a series of vignettes that capture different dilemmas faced by directors as they join boards of companies and understand the dynamics of the new boards that they join.
This case focuses on a new director who was invited to the board specifically due to her expertise in a technical area. The case allows for discussion of the board director's appropriate role: to advise and direct management, or to ask thoughtful questions about proposed approaches and outline the inherent risks in recommended approaches so that management can "own" the issue and the solutions. This case is part of a series of vignettes that capture different dilemmas faced by directors as they join boards of companies and understand the dynamics of the new boards that they join.
This case focuses on a new director who, along with fellow directors, struggles with the inappropriate behavior of an otherwise competent-even brilliant-founder and CEO. This case is part of a series of vignettes that capture different dilemmas faced by directors as they join boards of companies and understand the dynamics of the new boards that they join.
This case focuses on a new director who is must help resolve a disagreement between two generations of leaders in a family business. The case raises questions of the proper role and approach for a director trying to manage a legitimate disagreement between shareholders with different time horizons and specific interests. This case is part of a series of vignettes that capture different dilemmas faced by directors as they join boards of companies and understand the dynamics of the new boards that they join.
The director of sales for the detergents arm of LDFL India Limited (LDFL) had to develop a 2019 sales strategy with the objective of reducing the inter-channel conflict that had resulted in the general trade (GT) channel’s destocking of LDFL products and a loss of market share in 2018. The cash and carry format was the biggest challenge for the GT business, as it provided a cheaper, on-demand supply source alternative to the GT retailers that dominated the total detergent sales in the industry. The sales strategy options were to demarcate specific channels for sales of specific stock-keeping units; focus on stricter price control across channels, which could ensure a level playing field for GT; customize market offerings for targeted customer segments; or make changes pertaining to organizational structure and performance metrics. Every option had benefits, pitfalls, and implementation challenges.
This case describes the immense success of Chick-fil-A in the United States and its first major international expansion efforts in Toronto, Canada, and Reading, England amid increased competition in the United States. Although Chick-fil-A had become the third-largest fast-food chain in the United States in 2018, a public relations controversy that had simmered since 2012 over the company’s conservative Christian values still dogged the company’s expansion attempts in 2019. How should the company address the backlash from supporters of LGBTQ rights and ensure the success of Chick-fil-A outside the United States?
The director of sales for the detergents arm of LDFL India Limited (LDFL) had to develop a 2019 sales strategy with the objective of reducing the inter-channel conflict that had resulted in the general trade (GT) channel's destocking of LDFL products and a loss of market share in 2018. The cash and carry format was the biggest challenge for the GT business, as it provided a cheaper, on-demand supply source alternative to the GT retailers that dominated the total detergent sales in the industry. The sales strategy options were to demarcate specific channels for sales of specific stock-keeping units; focus on stricter price control across channels, which could ensure a level playing field for GT; customize market offerings for targeted customer segments; or make changes pertaining to organizational structure and performance metrics. Every option had benefits, pitfalls, and implementation challenges.
This case describes the immense success of Chick-fil-A in the United States and its first major international expansion efforts in Toronto, Canada, and Reading, England amid increased competition in the United States. Although Chick-fil-A had become the third-largest fast-food chain in the United States in 2018, a public relations controversy that had simmered since 2012 over the company's conservative Christian values still dogged the company's expansion attempts in 2019. How should the company address the backlash from supporters of LGBTQ rights and ensure the success of Chick-fil-A outside the United States?
Walmart miscalculated when it entered China using its "Every Day Low Prices" strategy. It struggled with value proposition, local regulations, staff incentive schemes, logistics, and significant economic and cultural differences between regions. After two decades it developed successful operations in China. With Chinese led disruption labelled as "New retail," that meant full integration between online and offline commerce, Walmart had to ensure its continued success in this new environment.
In 2018 Intel celebrates 50 years in business amidst "a corporate transformation as we grow beyond our traditional PC and server businesses into data-rich markets addressing the explosive demands to process, analyze, store, and transform data." In this case, we will look into the history of Intel and the semiconductor Industry background, which provide a starting framework to compare the business models and value chain of Intel and one of Its competitors, ARM. A closer look at previous moves shows that Intel has made bets in many different fields which today are successful and yet is still struggling. Competitors such as ARM seemed to have a more agile value chain and reaped its benefits In [he past. However, ARM also seems to be stagnating, thus raising doubts whether its model is really a map to follow. In this context, it js unclear whether Intel is agile enough to respond to changes in the industries it operates in. Considering the industry environment, what strategy should be chosen based on challenges in environment and existing resources and capabilities? Robert Noyce, one of the company's founders, advised: "Don't be encumbered by hist01Y, go off and do something wonderful." So what will the next wonderful thin be for Intel?
The "Amazon in B2B - Friend or Foe" case describes a possible entry of Amazon B2B to the European Heating Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) industry. The case addresses questions like core competencies, Industry attractiveness, disruption, building and sustaining a competitive advantage. The readers can discuss how Grundfos should react to the growing online distribution channel and if the current Grundfos distribution model sustainable. Where the main objective is to come up with fourdistribution model alternatives that Grundfos can implement and choose the one that Grundfos shall pursue and argue why the model is chosen.
The Opendoor case follows head of market operations Megan Meyer as her team develops a strategy to enter Los Angeles, a substantial departure from the existing real estate markets the company had worked in through 2018. Particular issues explored include market segmentation, new market entry strategy, and quantitative analysis of unit economics and addressable markets.
The case charts the creation and development of ObEN, a Los Angeles start-up that offers two kinds of personal artificial intelligence avatars - consumer avatars that can be created by individuals on their smartphones, and avatars that recreate a celebrity persona (requiring more data). It explores the challenges facing the company: building prototypes, recruiting staff, identifying markets, dealing with public acceptance issues, and attracting funding, while developing new technology and exploiting innovations such as blockchain (the commercial applications of which are still to be identified).
Cloud computing, a concept unknown until relatively recently, has been adopted by organizations around the world, both large and small, as part of their computing strategy. Many companies have experienced the cost and flexibility advantages of cloud computing and are using various cloud computing models to solve their business problems. The case is focused on four key players and the strategies they have adopted in cloud computing: (1) Amazon AWS, (2) Microsoft Azure, (3) Google Cloud, and (4) Alibaba Cloud.
In July 2017, a financial analyst from an Indian investment bank was assigned the task of identifying a suitable company from the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector for the bank's portfolio. The bank wanted to expand its investment portfolio from the mobile Internet, information technology, health care, financial technology, and e-commerce sectors into the FMCG sector. After researching three significant players in the personal care segment and comparing these companies' key ratios, the analyst determined that one of them, Bajaj Consumer Care Ltd., was a suitable candidate for valuation. Now, he had to perform a buy-side valuation of the company using the discounted cash flow technique to determine whether Bajaj Consumer Care Ltd. would be the right fit for his company's investment plans.
YFY Inc., a Taiwan-based global multinational firm with its origins in agriculture and paper products, had recently become an innovator in environmentally-friendly packaging material-producing nPulp, paper pulp made from straw. The company's visionary leadership choices had shaped its technological choices through various institutional changes and helped it overcome a number of technical and organizational obstacles in order to commercialize this innovation. However, like all green innovations, nPulp still faced serious challenges, such as unsupported policies and regulations, and unstable supply. In 2017, the company's leadership needed to find other applications for this product to increase its market adoption rate and maintain and expand its operation. At the same time, they wondered if the previous generation's vision of creating a business ecosystem including organic farming, proper waste treatment, non-chemical paper manufacturing, energy and resource recycling, and new materials was even feasible.