The Hach subsidiary of global science and technology leader Danaher Corporation was about to introduce an innovative handheld water quality testing device: the SL1000 Portable Parallel Analyzer. There were, however, some critical decisions left regarding how best to bring it to market. Olaf Boettger, the Business Unit Director of Hach's Laboratory Solutions division, needed to decide on the exact timing of the launch and how the PPA would be priced and promoted. Boettger's decisions would impact a wide range of stakeholders inside and outside of the company, and he must carefully weigh a series of tradeoffs and concerns. Danaher's Business System, a culture emphasizing continuous improvement as well as a set of tools or structures that drive performance, provides him with the structure to frame these decisions. This case was used successfully as an introductory case at the start of the Darden Business School MBA program and would be useful in any class to emphasize the need for an "enterprise perspective."
Due to an increase in the number of wealthy individuals the demand for artwork had increased, and artwork was considered an investment asset. Artwork was listed as a "treasure asset" or an "investment of passion" by investment industry publications, recognizing its importance in the portfolios of the wealthy. The financialization of the art market went hand in hand with a growing understanding of the investment properties of art. Developing this knowledge took time because measuring the returns to a heterogeneous and illiquid asset like art-or real estate-was challenging.
The owner of a designer handbag company, 442 McAdam, found she could no longer manufacture in-house the quantity of handbags required to meet existing orders. Manufacturing would need to be outsourced, and the owner would have to choose between a local manufacturer and an overseas manufacturer. Local manufacturers offered the same quality as overseas manufacturers but charged higher prices. International manufacturers, while offering lower prices, required larger minimum order quantities. Regardless of the manufacturing option she chose, the owner wondered whether the minimum levels of inventory she needed to order could be sold within the upcoming six-month style season.
In 2004, bids were invited from airport developers and operators for the development and operation of Mumbai's Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. On January 31, 2006, a consortium led by GMR Group (GMR) was selected as the only technically qualified bidder. However, in order to avoid a monopoly in Indian airport operations, GMR was asked to choose between the two airports and match the financial bid of another bidder that was not technically qualified for the work. The Delhi airport, the pride of the National Capital Region, would serve as a gateway for participants, dignitaries, and other guests arriving for the upcoming Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi in October 2010. However, the Mumbai airport was the gateway to business investments in India. GMR faced a difficult choice between a mission-critical airport in the National Capital Region or an airport in India's commercial capital. Which airport would give GMR an edge in the global aviation sector? Which choice was in line with GMR's vision?
By 2016, two-sided online platforms (or marketplaces) were pervasive among the highest growing internet startups around. These marketplaces sought to match suppliers of assets for rent, physical products or services with customers demanding them. Among the most notable two-sided platforms in terms of their tremendous early growth were Airbnb, Etsy and Uber. They offered short-term property rentals, handcrafted goods, and car rides, respectively. As two-sided markets grew to scale, network effects kicked in as more consumers bred more suppliers and vice versa. But how did these platforms acquire their first customers, at the time when they had so few providers? How exactly did they go about acquiring their first thousand customers?
The owner of a designer handbag company, 442 McAdam, found she could no longer manufacture in-house the quantity of handbags required to meet existing orders. Manufacturing would need to be outsourced, and the owner would have to choose between a local manufacturer and an overseas manufacturer. Local manufacturers offered the same quality as overseas manufacturers but charged higher prices. International manufacturers, while offering lower prices, required larger minimum order quantities. Regardless of the manufacturing option she chose, the owner wondered whether the minimum levels of inventory she needed to order could be sold within the upcoming six-month style season.
The Boeing Company, one of the dominant players in the aerospace industry, aimed to construct a supply chain architecture that was effective both domestically and globally, while simultaneously building its capacity to enter into agreements with small and diverse suppliers. A top executive at Boeing, who was responsible for both corporate supplier relationships and small business liaisons, needed to determine the approach that would yield the most optimal results for the company. Should she adapt supply chain principles to incorporate diversity, or should she view supply chain management as one element in an overall drive to increase diversity at the company?
Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad was founded in 1841. The brand reached new heights in 1969, when astronaut Neil Armstrong used a Hasselblad camera to take the first photos on the moon. For decades, Hasselblad was renowned for making the world’s best high-end, medium format cameras for professional photographers. Faced with the paradigm shift from film-based to digital imaging, the company launched digital cameras and also diversified into the luxury digital camera market through a strategic partnership with Sony. On November 5, 2015, Hasselblad announced a minority stake investment by Shenzhen-based DJI, a global market-leader in aerial camera photography. Changes to Hasselblad were inevitable. Was Hasselblad poised to take its core competency in medium format photography to the next level?
Analyzing an organization using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) framework generates crucial insights for decisions on major new initiatives. For example, when considering an acquisition or launching a new product or service, a SWOT analysis can raise warnings about customer sensitivities or gaps in expertise; alternatively, it can reveal new lines of business and unmet needs that may lead to new business opportunities. A SWOT analysis also serves as a typical first step in a broader strategic planning process. This technical note focuses on the use of a SWOT analysis in the healthcare sector, including recommendations for key questions to ask when initiating a SWOT analysis and advice for arranging information in a way that supports strategic decision-making.<br><br>The SWOT approach has gained importance in the healthcare sector in recent years due to both market and policy shifts. Healthcare is a site for major reform as policy-makers seek to reduce costs and encourage innovation. Across the developed world and in many developing countries, better strategic decision-making is essential to healthcare providers and finance organizations as they care for ageing populations, seek to reduce the impacts of lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, and work to manage expenses associated with treating chronic diseases. This technical note is ideal for use with product no. 9B16M084.
The eHomemakers project was founded in 1998 to provide skills and employment for disadvantaged women in Malaysia. The women worked from home, weaving baskets out of recycled magazines from which they could generate income. This means of self-support was particularly beneficial to stay-at-home mothers and disabled women who were unable to work. By 2011, the enterprise was struggling for viability in Malaysia, which led the founder to consider crossing the border to Singapore to explore opportunities in that country to avoid having to give up on her social enterprise altogether.
In 2015, the new chief executive officer of Wichita County Health Center (WCHC) was evaluating his organization’s strengths and weaknesses in light of a changing environment for health-care delivery in rural Kansas. WCHC faced three key issues: whether to sign a service agreement with Colorado-based Centura Health; whether to hire additional full-time nursing staff instead of paying high fees to an external staffing company; and identifying opportunities to grow its patient base. To assist with these three decisions, WCHC needed to conduct a strategic planning process using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) framework. For the related technical note, please see product no. 9B16M076.
The two co-founders of India’s online retail aggregator Baggout needed to come up with some ideas that would create new growth for their company. Baggout’s e-shopping website had been operational for two and a half years, and during that time, the start-up had enjoyed considerable success in the highly competitive and rapidly growing online retail market. The two partners wanted to establish a strategic growth plan for the upcoming year in 2016, but they knew they would first have to address some important questions if they hoped to identify ways to capture a larger share of the digital marketspace: What technical and digital capabilities would Baggout need for success in the future? What were the possible scalability issues for Baggout? What marketing strategies could the company implement to ensure increased adoption of the Baggout mobile application?
In the summer of 2015, India-based Amtek Auto Ltd., one of the country’s largest companies in the manufacturing of automotive components, was on the brink of financial ruin. After more than a decade of being immersed in a spending spree on acquisitions to build capacity and expand its clientèle in both the European and Asian auto markets, Amtek’s stock plummeted by 50 per cent within two days as nervous investors worried about the company’s ability to make its scheduled debt payments. Tensions were high as the company faced mounting pressure over its liquidity issues, and after reporting a net loss for the first time in two decades. With rumours of bankruptcy on the horizon, what steps could the company take to decrease its debt burden at a time when the automotive industry was in a slump? Should Amtek consider selling off some of its assets to raise the needed cash, or should it look to banks and investors?
In early 2013, an analyst at an insurance company was examining whether IndusInd Bank, a mid-size bank in India, would be a good investment for the insurance fund’s equity portfolio. From January 2008 until March 30, 2013, the bank’s stock had tripled under its new management. The analyst wondered whether deploying funds in the bank would yield any significant returns. He decided to use the available financial information and the residual income valuation method to forecast the company’s stock price.
In early 2013, an analyst at an insurance company was examining whether IndusInd Bank, a mid-size bank in India, would be a good investment for the insurance fund's equity portfolio. From January 2008 until March 30, 2013, the bank's stock had tripled under its new management. The analyst wondered whether deploying funds in the bank would yield any significant returns. He decided to use the available financial information and the residual income valuation method to forecast the company's stock price.