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Front-end activities largely influence the outcomes of new product development processes, because it is here that firms create new ideas, give them direction, and set them in motion. We show that the front end can be understood as comprising three core activities: idea/concept development, idea/concept alignment, and idea/concept legitimization, which allow firms to create corroborated product definitions. This article provides important implications for managers interested in front-end management. It devotes specific attention to the differences between incremental and radical front-end development and to the front end in the light of increasingly open innovation processes.

Crowdsourcing is typically associated with the incorporation of company-external stakeholders such as customers in the value creating process. This article proposes a framework for a company-internal application of crowdsourcing methods. It presents a set of five goals companies can pursue employing internal crowdsourcing. The practical approach of an Austrian medium-sized technology company is described in detail, including insights on software design and appropriate procedures.

Strategically aligned and efficiently implemented spare parts logistics can differentiate a business from its competitors, lower costs, increase revenues, and thus help firms generate greater value for customers and ultimately increase profits. Based on multiple case studies with manufacturers in the machine and plant construction industry, this article examines the key components of a superior spare parts logistics strategy. The study suggests that an efficient spare parts logistics strategy can be developed with a three-step model that consists of nine components.

This article looks at the relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for engaging employees, including its impact on their motivation, identity, and sense of meaning and purpose. It explores three different ways that companies engage their employees through CSR: a transactional approach, where programs are undertaken to meet the needs of employees who want to take part in the CSR efforts of a company; a relational approach, based on a psychological contract that emphasizes social responsibility; and a developmental approach, which aims to activate social responsibility in a company and to develop its employees to be responsible corporate citizens.

Existing frameworks on growth do not distinguish between the managerial challenges of different growth contexts; they place considerable emphasis on the overall quality of companies' portfolios of strategic units, but less on how different units should be managed according to the growth context they are in. The managerial challenges of generating growth in low-growth contexts are very different from those of managing growth in high-growth contexts. This article introduces a matrix framework that incorporates four growth scenarios, which firm-units can map themselves on to, and then outlines the major barriers they face in each of these scenarios as well as the actions needed to overcome them. The results are based on longitudinal research on cross-national samples of small, medium, and large organizations.

The SpeedSim case study focuses on how mergers and acquisitions work in startup and entrepreneurial environments. It describes how an intelligent East Coast engineer built an extremely frugal company with a goal for acquisition and how the SpeedSim team masterfully executed and maximized their return by starting, growing, and selling a company. The case analyzes how small companies position themselves to be acquired and how an acquirer assesses a company. The case can be used for mergers and acquisition and exit discussions, as well as for culture and organizational behavior discussions for entrepreneurship curriculums.

Management of a company with extensive palm oil tree plantations questions the usefulness to management and investors of IASF1's requirement to value palm oil trees at their fair value.

This case is intended to be part of a first-year MBA marketing course, or a second-year elective in advertising, integrated marketing communications, market research, or marketing analytics. The case provides students with examples of two real advertising experiments and the challenges involved in executing the experiments. It allows for a discussion of the need for advertising experiments, and also, at a more general level, the need to measure the return on marketing. Biases surrounding the field experiments allow for a discussion of the problems with establishing a causal relationship between advertising and sales.

Ohio Art is shifting its advertising and distribution strategy for a new line of construction toys aimed at adults called nanoblock. Distribution is focused on toy and hobby outlets, avoiding mass merchandisers, but Amazon.com also stocking and selling the nanoblock line. Digital marketing strategies are being developed for both promotion through Amazon.com and social media. In the midst of its efforts to shift marketing to new media, management is distracted by the media storm over an aide to presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, who commented that Romney's platform is "almost like an Etch a Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and we start all over again." The case describes a number of digital marketing strategies, including temporary price reductions implemented through Amazon's "Gold Box" deals. The case is a sequel to the A case, which describes more traditional advertising experiments for toys distributed through mass merchandisers.

Mary Spencer was putting the final touches on her personal financial plan before graduating from the Richard Ivey School of Business HBA program in spring 2012. Generally, Mary was happy with her plan. Her goals, investment policy statement, and financial budget all made perfect sense to her. However, she kept returning to one number - a 43 per cent tax rate! It did not seem fair that just when she started to make some serious income, she would have to give 43 per cent of it to the government. During one of her courses, Mary had spent some time learning about tax strategies available to Canadians. They all seemed to involve three- and four-letter acronyms - TSFA, RSP, RHOSP, etc. - but she wondered which ones would have the optimal impact on her tax situation, and if there was a combination that would work best together.

Snehalaya is a non-governmental organization giving care to HIV-positive individuals in Maharashtra, India. The case provides a background of the sex trade in India before discussing the founder's upbringing and how it influenced him to serve society through working towards inclusion and rehabilitation for HIV-positive individuals and former prostitutes. The case then outlines various problems that the founder faced in securing resources and cooperation from commercial sex workers. It emphasizes his motivations in forming a dedicated team for Snehalaya, then explains various initiatives taken up by Snehalaya over the span of 21 years and how it expanded to create a bigger impact on society. It also discusses various challenges that Snehalaya faced involving quality, funding, and societal involvement, touching upon aspects of team-building and succession-planning. Finally, it summarizes evaluation parameters being used by Snehalaya to gauge its performance.

A financial analyst is asked to appraise the value of Netflix stock at a time of unprecedented turmoil for the company. This case introduces customer lifetime value (CLV) as a useful metric for subscription-based businesses.

The Thompsons have fulfilled their dream of running their own business, but after two years continue to borrow money from their parents, and are facing an angry landlord looking for back rent. Opening a 2nd location in a more prosperous mall seems to have helped revenues, but they are facing high year end inventory levels necessitating markdowns and reflecting the risks of the "fashion" oriented children's retail clothing business. Having their own business had put a strain in their lives and relations with their family. Her parents provided initial and ongoing funding and their son, a lawyer, has voiced his concern about the local attorney's competence, who was suggesting they consider bankruptcy. As they face the peak Christmas season, they realize that they may lose their "dream child" and are not sure if it is the way they are running the business, the financial reports or their locations.

Supplements the (A) Case, 813043 Deborah Denenberg reflects on the results and actions taken during the 12 months following her first 6 months on the job.

Eric Weston is struggling to keep his garden supply business alive. Revenues are up slightly from last year but profits are down in a poor economy as he attempts to integrate an expensive recent acquisition. The deal he struck with the old owner restricts a number of his options and the banker has turned the loan over to the workout division. He feels that his suppliers are willing to work with him and his employees depend on him for their livelihood. At the banks request, an outside consultant has been brought in to make their recommendations. He has made personal guarantees to the bank, loan payments to the old owner are about to come due and Weston is faced with some unanticipated expenses. The company's cash situation is very tight and he is forced to evaluate the liquidation value of the company as he considers the actions to take to avoid failing in his dream to have his own business. The case is a rewritten version of a previous case 899-212, updating the dates and financial data to 2012 timeframe.

The Simplex Solutions multi-media decision scenario outlines the evolution of a software venture with a new technology that could find application in very diverse markets. The two co-founders (who have a technical background) decide to expand the entrepreneurial team by bringing in financial and marketing expertise to propel the venture to the next stage. The specific strategic decision facing them is to choose a candidate from the shortlist for the positions of chief financial officer (CFO) and chief marketing officer (CMO).

The Simplex Solutions multi-media decision scenario outlines the evolution of a software venture with a new technology that could find application in very diverse markets. The two co-founders (who have a technical background) decide to expand the entrepreneurial team by bringing in financial and marketing expertise to propel the venture to the next stage. The specific strategic decision facing them is to choose a candidate from the shortlist for the positions of chief financial officer (CFO) and chief marketing officer (CMO).

In November of 2011 Transatlantic Holdings, Inc., a global property and casualty reinsurance company, announced it had agreed to sell itself to Alleghany Corporation, ending "the most frenzied takeover battle" of 2011, which involved competitors, Warren Buffett's National Indemnity, and private equity investors. The agreement with Alleghany came after Transatlantic's failed effort at a merger of equals, and a several other unsuccessful bids for the company, one that was hostile.

This case explores the reputational and legal issues that arise as Barclays Capital attempted to manage client conflicts by following established industry practice in the face of changing legal norms. In February 2011, Judge Travis Laster granted a preliminary injunction that delayed for 20 days a shareholder vote on the sale of Del Monte Foods Co. (Del Monte) to a consortium of three private equity firms. In his opinion, Laster was critical of Del Monte's board, noting that the directors may not have properly exercised their fiduciary duties, and the private equity firms. However, he saved his most severe criticism for an organization that was not even a party to the suit: the company's financial advisor, Barclays Capital. He suggested that Barclays had placed its own interests ahead of the company's in its actions and advice.

The case can be taught in an introductory corporate finance course or to more experienced students or executives to spur a discussion about share repurchases and corporate financial strategies in general. If used in an introductory course, the case is most effective if preceded by a traditional dividend class. It follows a portfolio manager of Johnson & Associates, Mark Johnson, who was reviewing his holdings, including his position in AutoZone in early 2012. A prominent shareholder, Edward Lampert, had begun liquidating his position in AutoZone, and Johnson was concerned that Lampert's reduced position could lead the company to stop using share repurchases as a method of distributing cash flows to shareholders. The case lists a number of alternative uses for the cash flows and asks students to assume Johnson's role as an analyst and assess the likely impact of those alternatives on AutoZone's stock price. The case can be taught in an introductory corporate finance course or to more experienced students or executives to spur a discussion about share repurchases and corporate financial strategies in general. If used in an introductory course, the case is most effective if preceded by a traditional dividend class.