Launched in 1981 as an "all occasion" sparkling water brand, LaCroix Sparkling Water has had a number of ups and downs as a brand. After being purchased by National Beverage in 1996, the brand was re-positioned as a new, colorful, fun alternative to the other sparkling water players at the time. As time passed; however, the brand was faced with internal turmoil as well as shifting customer expectations. How did LaCroix react to change both within the company and within the industry?

In 2018, Henri Seydoux, CEO and Founder of Parrot, believed that his company was at an inflection point in its history. Parrot had been a European leader in consumer electronics since the 1990s, first developing Bluetooth kits for cars before moving on to electronic toys and, significantly, the AR Drone in 2010 - a remote-controlled quadcopter that was way ahead of its time. In the years that followed, Parrot's sales volumes and popularity quickly increased. But new players were entering the market. Giant Chinese rival DJI, in particular, aggressively lowered its prices, forcing weaker companies out of the market. If Parrot was to survive the shakeout, Seydoux would have to figure out how to compete in an industry where even well-capitalized companies were collapsing. The questions that he faced were both strategic and urgent. Where to compete and how to win?

This case provides an overview of the founding and scaling of Chinese artificial intelligence-enabled adaptive learning company Squirrel AI. The case details founder Derek Haoyang Li's struggles to build and scale a comprehensive cutting-edge product and accompanying business model for China's large and growing after-school education industry.

On March 29, 2012, the chief executive officer of London Mining, an iron ore mining firm based in the United Kingdom, was considering an innovative financing offer from BlackRock World Mining Trust, an investment firm owned by asset manager BlackRock. The offer was a royalty agreement that would see BlackRock pay US$110 million to London Mining in exchange for 2 per cent of iron ore revenues from the Marampa mine in Sierra Leone. The company was looking at raising $250 million in debt and funding the remainder through a combination of free cash flow, convertible debt, or an equity issue. The opportunity to sell a portion of the revenues as part of a royalty agreement seemed appealing. The chief executive officer's challenge was to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of agreeing to the royalty arrangement.

In 2015, the director of the Lebanese non-governmental organization Arcenciel felt a surge of pride knowing that his organization's bottle caps project had created grassroots awareness of the importance of recycling. In recent years, Arcenciel had grown from an organization that supported people who were disabled and disenfranchised to become the largest recycler in the region. The organization had managed to create a synergy between its engagement on behalf of people who were marginalized and its activities to dispose of garbage in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. The Lebanese public was encouraged to collect plastic waste; and in exchange for each tonne of collected bottle caps, Arcenciel would donate a wheelchair to a person with a disability who was in need. This initiative engaged thousands of people in joint collection efforts. The director wondered how the trust that Arcenciel had gained through the bottle caps project could be harnessed to bring about political change, and to place environmental and social issues in Lebanon on the national agenda.

In January 2017, the Midea Group Co. Ltd. (Midea), a China-based large manufacturer of electrical appliances, completed its acquisition of German-based KUKA AG (KUKA), a large manufacturer of industrial robots. To ease concerns about technologies falling into foreign hands, Midea entered into an alliance with KUKA that ensured KUKA's independence until 2023. However, within less than a year, KUKA experienced problems in its European and Asian markets. In China, it needed to lower costs. In Europe, a price war slowed down the orders, and the company had insufficient workers to meet demand in the United States and Asia. Some German automotive clients were losing trust in KUKA, and German employees worried about their job security. How could the two companies operate sufficiently independently to maintain their clients' trust, while being integrated enough to improve their efficiencies? How should they be prepared for the expiration of the alliance in 2023?

In 2018, a dealership facilitator needed to decide whether to continue implementing the Thumbs Up application (app) at Lakeside Automotive Ltd., a family-owned car dealership in the Greater Toronto Area. The Thumbs Up app was a digital tool that enabled employees to recognize each other's good work by sending digitalized badges. The dealership facilitator had introduced this app in an effort to "future-proof" the organization by leveraging information technology such as digital communications. The move toward more digital communication was also a strategic activity in light of the company's upcoming relocation and expansion. While some employees acknowledged the value and convenience of this digital tool, others believed it was "a waste of time." How should the dealership facilitator decide on the future of the Thumbs Up app? If she decided to retain the app, how could she improve its effectiveness?

In November 2018, a co-owner of House of Lasagna, a chain of casual dining restaurants in the Philippines, was considering different marketing strategies to increase customer awareness of the chain's brand and unique menu. The company had seven restaurants in November 2018 and a target of 25 restaurants by 2020. She was concerned about the customer satisfaction survey that the company conducted every year. The survey reported high customer satisfaction but comparatively low brand awareness. The co-owner knew that high brand awareness was critical for growth. What marketing strategies could House of Lasagna use to increase its brand awareness? Future growth and expansion strategies were most important. Would a loyalty program help increase customer retention?

Vazirani Automotive Pvt. Ltd. debuted its first electric hypercar, the Vazirani Shul, in July 2018 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England. The Shul was promoted as the first electric hypercar from India; however, although the company was headquartered in Mumbai, India, its manufacturing and design hubs were in California, United States. The Shul was considered unique because the car offered a blend of art and science, in contrast to other hypercars that were designed to appear aggressive and driven completely by science. If successful, the Shul has the opportunity to become the world's first electric car with a jet turbine-electric powertrain, expected to hit Indian roads by 2021. Could the Shul be successful in India and in the global markets? With design and manufacturing centres in the United States, should the Shul be positioned as an Indian car? Was the strategy of blending art and science in a car unique, and was it a recipe for success?

In November 2017, Jerry Xie, executive vice-president and corporate secretary of China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (CGI), the only overseas-listed subsidiary of China National Gold Group (CNG), a Chinese state-owned gold company, was expected to report his plan for the future development of CGI to the chairman of the board of both CNG and CGI in a week's time. CGI was perceived as the international flagship company of CNG and was listed in both Canada and Hong Kong, yet it had two mines in China and none in Canada. The parent firm needed Xie's help to answer a question from the global capital market: should CGI be kept in operation in Canada?

This technical note outlines the differences between financial accounting standards and tax law that affect the valuation of potential targets depending on the deal structure employed. Valuation models typically rely on financial accounting information to estimate the value of the deal; but tax laws, not financial accounting standards, affect the after-tax cash flows attributable to the deal. The note provides steps to determine a target's tax basis from information in the financial statement, which allows for a better assessment of after-tax cash flows.

In January 2017, the Midea Group Co. Ltd. (Midea), a China-based large manufacturer of electrical appliances, completed its acquisition of German-based KUKA AG (KUKA), a large manufacturer of industrial robots. To ease concerns about technologies falling into foreign hands, Midea entered into an alliance with KUKA that ensured KUKA’s independence until 2023. However, within less than a year, KUKA experienced problems in its European and Asian markets. In China, it needed to lower costs. In Europe, a price war slowed down the orders, and the company had insufficient workers to meet demand in the United States and Asia. Some German automotive clients were losing trust in KUKA, and German employees worried about their job security. How could the two companies operate sufficiently independently to maintain their clients' trust, while being integrated enough to improve their efficiencies? How should they be prepared for the expiration of the alliance in 2023?

In November 2017, Jerry Xie, executive vice-president and corporate secretary of China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (CGI), the only overseas-listed subsidiary of China National Gold Group (CNG), a Chinese state-owned gold company, was expected to report his plan for the future development of CGI to the chairman of the board of both CNG and CGI in a week’s time. CGI was perceived as the international flagship company of CNG and was listed in both Canada and Hong Kong, yet it had two mines in China and none in Canada. The parent firm needed Xie’s help to answer a question from the global capital market: should CGI be kept in operation in Canada?

On March 29, 2012, the chief executive officer of London Mining, an iron ore mining firm based in the United Kingdom, was considering an innovative financing offer from BlackRock World Mining Trust, an investment firm owned by asset manager BlackRock. The offer was a royalty agreement that would see BlackRock pay US$110 million to London Mining in exchange for 2 per cent of iron ore revenues from the Marampa mine in Sierra Leone. The company was looking at raising $250 million in debt and funding the remainder through a combination of free cash flow, convertible debt, or an equity issue. The opportunity to sell a portion of the revenues as part of a royalty agreement seemed appealing. The chief executive officer’s challenge was to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of agreeing to the royalty arrangement.

In 2018, a dealership facilitator needed to decide whether to continue implementing the Thumbs Up application (app) at Lakeside Automotive Ltd., a family-owned car dealership in the Greater Toronto Area. The Thumbs Up app was a digital tool that enabled employees to recognize each other's good work by sending digitalized badges. The dealership facilitator had introduced this app in an effort to future-proof the organization by leveraging information technology such as digital communications. The move toward more digital communication was also a strategic activity in light of the company’s upcoming relocation and expansion. While some employees acknowledged the value and convenience of this digital tool, others believed it was “a waste of time. How should the dealership facilitator decide on the future of the Thumbs Up app? If she decided to retain the app, how could she improve its effectiveness?

In 2015, the director of the Lebanese non-governmental organization Arcenciel felt a surge of pride knowing that his organization's bottle caps project had created grassroots awareness of the importance of recycling. In recent years, Arcenciel had grown from an organization that supported people who were disabled and disenfranchised to become the largest recycler in the region. The organization had managed to create a synergy between its engagement on behalf of people who were marginalized and its activities to dispose of garbage in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. The Lebanese public was encouraged to collect plastic waste; and in exchange for each tonne of collected bottle caps, Arcenciel would donate a wheelchair to a person with a disability who was in need. This initiative engaged thousands of people in joint collection efforts. The director wondered how the trust that Arcenciel had gained through the bottle caps project could be harnessed to bring about political change, and to place environmental and social issues in Lebanon on the national agenda.

Vazirani Automotive Pvt. Ltd. debuted its first electric hypercar, the Vazirani Shul, in July 2018 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England. The Shul was promoted as the first electric hypercar from India; however, although the company was headquartered in Mumbai, India, its manufacturing and design hubs were in California, United States. The Shul was considered unique because the car offered a blend of art and science, in contrast to other hypercars that were designed to appear aggressive and driven completely by science.<br>If successful, the Shul has the opportunity to become the world’s first electric car with a jet turbine-electric powertrain, expected to hit Indian roads by 2021. Could the Shul be successful in India and in the global markets? With design and manufacturing centres in the United States, should the Shul be positioned as an Indian car? Was the strategy of blending art and science in a car unique, and was it a recipe for success?

In November 2018, a co-owner of House of Lasagna, a chain of casual dining restaurants in the Philippines, was considering different marketing strategies to increase customer awareness of the chain’s brand and unique menu. The company had seven restaurants in November 2018 and a target of 25 restaurants by 2020. She was concerned about the customer satisfaction survey that the company conducted every year. The survey reported high customer satisfaction but comparatively low brand awareness. The co-owner knew that high brand awareness was critical for growth. What marketing strategies could House of Lasagna use to increase its brand awareness? Future growth and expansion strategies were most important. Would a loyalty program help increase customer retention?

The case describes the challenges and opportunities of airport retailing in the confectionery category from both manufacturers' and retailers' perspectives. It is based in 2012, when Mondelez planned to launch a new flavour of its flagship brand, Toblerone, the first in 15 years, at Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur international airports. The airport retail market was significant for Mondelez, and in particular, for the Toblerone brand, given that 23% of its sales came from the airport retail market. Distinctive consumer and shopping behaviour at airport confectionery stores, market segmentation by type of passenger and purchase motivation, importance of promotions, personal selling, display and sampling, and regional differences in the three airport markets were the key considerations for Mondelez while planning the launch of the new variant. Moreover, the timing of the proposed launch coincided with the upcoming festival season, a peak time for confectionary retailers at airports. The main takeaway from the case is a detailed understanding of how multiple factors influence airport retailing of confectionary brands and how it is significantly different from supermarket or city-side retailing.

In the summer of 2016, ARM Holdings (ARM), a British semiconductor IP licensing firm, has been acquired by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. The acquisition is a strategic leap for Softbank to expand its market outreach into the Internet of Things (IoT) market. Share prices of ARM have soared by 63% just prior to the acquisition. Co-founder of ARM, Jamie Urquhart was, however, worried if this move would be beneficial for the company in the long run? ARM has flourished in the semiconductor industry and paved the pathway for intellectual property (IP) Licensing to become a celebrated business model, further strengthened by an ingenious partnership model and an eco-system. So far, ARM has primarily operated in the processor and consumer electronics industry which typically has a few large players in the market. However, the company's strategic shift towards the IoT market poses a new set of risks and challenges. The IP Licensing business model and strategy that has worked for ARM in the processor market may not necessarily work for the firm in the IoT market. In the IoT space, applications are diverse, there is no clear leader, and there are many smaller individual players. IP licensing model works well when the processor firm can monitor the sales of end products of large licensee organisations with huge revenues. However, in the IoT market, licensees will likely be a large number of smaller firms with smaller production volumes. Under this scenario, the IP licensing model can introduce prohibitively high monitoring costs. Can ARM continue to use its existing IP licensing business model for the IoT market? How should ARM reinvent its strategy and business model to adapt to its new strategic focus?