個案總覽

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the underlying framework that begins with the customer perspective. The authors introduce the basic concepts and several case examples illustrating the principles that underlie the development of effective growth strategy. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (© 2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 3 explains a frame for capturing in language the goal of a growth strategy. The goal combines the statement of a particular company unit (product, service, brand, product/service line, etc.), the customer segment, and the competitor: "My goal is to grow COMPANY UNIT by creating more value for CUSTOMER SEGMENT than COMPETITOR does." The authors illustrate their concept of context with numerous company and product examples. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 4 is an in-depth study of customers, exploring the value customers seek and the means by which existing competitors get credit for the value they create. Following a review of concepts and background ideas, the authors present six basic lessons regarding customer-value dynamics and competition. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 5 examines customer value in terms of response to the attributes of a product or product idea, then goes on to enumerate seven kinds of customer evaluation when confronting competing product concepts: better than competitor, same as competitor, worse than competitor, both below expectations, etc. The authors embed these ideas in the 3-circle model that dominates the book. At the end of chapter 5, the authors present a value map as a means of determining where a specific offering lies in a value space, defined by price on one axis and perceived benefits on the other. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (© 2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 6 examines the growth strategies that evolve from the seven categories of value explained in Chapter 5. Topics include Value and Positioning, Growth Implications for Value, and Exploring Five Growth Imperatives. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 7 examines issues of execution. The authors prod readers to consider their own organizations and products by asking "Do we have the skills and resources necessary to pursue these ideas" underlying the 3-circle model. A presentation on identifying and evaluating a firm's resources - financial, physical, human, technological, and reputational - leads to a discussion about applying those resources. Several case examples illuminate the chapter. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (© 2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 8 focuses on the dynamic aspects of markets. Market dynamics require a constant search for differentiation that can, paradoxically, lead to "sameness," as producers revise their products to neutralize the advantages of competing products. The authors explain how value moves through the 3-Circle model by demonstrating how markets and competitors change and how competitive advantage shifts over time. They also offer guidance on how to anticipate market changes. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

In their book Grow By Focusing on What Matters (2010 Business Expert Press), Professors Urbany and Davis start from the premise that growth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Through nine chapters they explain how to build positioning using a "3-circle model" that facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in a demanding and uncertain competitive environment. Chapter 9, the final chapter, summarizes the book by presenting the 10-step process in which a growth strategy project is defined and executed. There are really three big elements underlying these 10 steps. The first involves the management team formally laying out the scope of the project and then their hypotheses about customer value. The second involves gathering data directly from target customers and analyzing it by breaking it down into the categories defined in the 3-circle model and deeper analysis via laddering. The third involves developing particular growth strategy ideas and testing them via (a) an assessment of alignment and capabilities required and (b) an evaluation of the competitive dynamics of the marketplace. The book's outline: Chapter 1 The Challenges of Growth Chapter 2 Introduction to 3-Circle Analysis Chapter 3 Defining the Context Chapter 4 The Meaning of Value Chapter 5 Sorting Value Chapter 6 Growth Strategy Chapter 7 Implementation: An Inside View of the Organization Chapter 8 The Dynamics of Customer Value and Competitive Advantage Chapter 9 Summary: Growth Strategy in 10 Steps

Driven by the 2009 global economic crisis, Dacia Romania designed and built the Dacia Duster sport utility vehicle (SUV) to be the ideal SUV at an affordable price. After the successful introductions of the cheapest modern sedan on the international market in 2004 and among the cheapest modern seven-seaters in 2006, Dacia planned to introduce what it hoped would become the cheapest modern SUV on the international market. The main challenges Dacia was facing in 2009 were not only how to sell the car to existing customers and how to conduct an extensive public communication campaign in order to convince other drivers to change their cars for the cheaper, more efficient Dacia SUV that was going to be available in spring 2010.

The case was written for an introductory business course, particularly the section on operations. It deals with managing capacity and demand. In early 2008, McKenzie Scott, manager of administrative services at Nipissing Bank (Nipissing) in Ottawa, Ontario, was trying to decide how to carry out a management initiative to add additional marketing materials to client mail-out packages. In particular, Scott was considering upgrading the bank's current envelope stuffing equipment, replacing it or outsourcing the activity entirely.

This case describes a user-centred approach to public services and is a result after a pioneering collaboration between Hongkong Post and Hong Kong Design Centre. Since operating as a Trading Fund in 1995, Hongkong Post has managed to reinvent itself as a dynamic, customer-focused and market-oriented service organisation. Leveraging its extensive retail and distribution networks and a strong brand, Hongkong Post has grown beyond the traditional postal service to providing a wide and comprehensive range of services in the logistics supply chain, at the same time diversifying into new markets. Hongkong Post recognizes that the current design of the post offices at the retail level may not be able to meet the growing needs and changing patterns of its users. The collaboration between Hongkong Post and Hong Kong Design Centre is an attempt to adopt the user-centered design research approach to public services and to apply the concept at the Mongkok Post Office with a view to understanding users' needs, providing a better user experience and improving operationally efficiency of the Mongkok Post Office. Users in this context, include both customers and post office staff. Case (A) focuses on the internal design, while Case (B) focuses on the external design.

This case describes a user-centred approach to public services and is a result after a pioneering collaboration between Hongkong Post and Hong Kong Design Centre. Since operating as a Trading Fund in 1995, Hongkong Post has managed to reinvent itself as a dynamic, customer-focused and market-oriented service organisation. Leveraging its extensive retail and distribution networks and a strong brand, Hongkong Post has grown beyond the traditional postal service to providing a wide and comprehensive range of services in the logistics supply chain, at the same time diversifying into new markets. Hongkong Post recognizes that the current design of the post offices at the retail level may not be able to meet the growing needs and changing patterns of its users. The collaboration between Hongkong Post and Hong Kong Design Centre is an attempt to adopt the user-centered design research approach to public services and to apply the concept at the Mongkok Post Office with a view to understanding users' needs, providing a better user experience and improving operationally efficiency of the Mongkok Post Office. Users in this context, include both customers and post office staff. Case (A) focuses on the internal design, while Case (B) focuses on the external design.

Emerging markets are being pursued by large multinational companies. With radical changes in the lifestyles of consumers and proliferation of categories and brands, the Indian context offers unique marketing challenges to marketers. The case deals with the perspective of how cultural values can provide the differentiation platform for brands in the categories of hair oil and fairness creams, the ritualistic categories used in the grooming habits of consumers in the country.

In this role play case, you are the new general manager of the Elmwood Group and have scheduled a meeting with your direct report, Darcy Gallagher, who is a sales manager. Gallagher, who had been consistently rated as an exceptional performer over his career at Elmwood, excels in business development, problem solving and customer focus and delivers strong results. However, Gallagher has significant gaps in his leadership competencies and skills, and in your view, he meets, not exceeds, current job requirements. Gallagher's prior managers have vaguely referenced his need to improve his "soft skills" but have not followed up with him. For a proud, over-rated manager like Gallagher, recognizing and accepting the gap between perception and reality will not be an easy pill to swallow. Gallagher, who believes that he has sponsors in higher places, may challenge the general manager's authority.

This role play case follows the case "Darcy Gallagher: Performance Coaching Discussion." You are the new general manager of the Elmwood Group and four weeks ago you conducted a performance review with your direct report, Darcy Gallagher, who is a sales manager, and outlined three leadership gaps that Gallagher needed to address. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss Gallagher's career aspirations at Elmwood Group. In advance of your meeting, Gallagher has submitted his career development plan to you and he aspires to be a vice-president at Elmwood, which is unrealistic. In this career coaching discussion, Gallagher needs a reality check about his career plan, and his capability and motivation to develop the strong skills in leading and developing people that are required in leadership roles.

Although demand for enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in China has been steadily increasing, many such implementation projects have ended in failure. Keda Industrial Co. Ltd. (Keda), a manufacturer of large-scale machinery in China, had successfully deployed its ERP solution. This case study documents Keda's ERP initiative from conception to its deployment and offers insights into the factors and practices that contributed to its success in the Chinese cultural context.

Wildcat Capital Investors is a small real estate private equity company. Its MBA intern, Jessica Zaski, is asked to develop a financial model for the purchase of Financial Commons, a 90,000 square foot office building in suburban Chicago. By simple metrics, the property seems to be a good value, but with credit conditions tight, Jessica must consider whether outside investors would be comfortable with the risks of investing in the midst of a severe commercial real estate downturn. Wildcat is designed to give students exposure to both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of investing in commercial real estate through a private equity structure. Beyond the numbers, the case allows for a discussion of the process of finding suitable real estate investments. The importance of the simultaneous negotiations that Wildcat must have with the seller, the lender, and the outside investor can be emphasized.

One of the leading publishers of textbooks and other educational materials for the U.S. K-12 educational instruction market has suffered a dramatic decline in sales and profits in the wake of the 2008-2009 financial market crisis and economic recession and is now overburdened with debt. To regain its competitiveness, the company has to significantly reduce its debt by billions of dollars. Company management is trying to decide which of several options is best for achieving this goal, including filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, restructuring its debt out-of-court, or filing a "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Talent Partners' CEO was very successful at growing the business and establishing its leadership position. He was compensated with a mix of salary and options and he did not own any equity in the company. The options were set so that if Talent Partners achieved its financial plan over the next five years, about half of his total compensation would come from the options.

2010 Healthcare Reform Act eliminates Medicare Part D subsidy and Caterpillar recognizes a $100 million change.