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Green Dot was a charter management organization (CMO) based in Los Angeles, California (L.A.), a city that housed the second-largest school district in the country. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was known for its largely ethnic student population (75 percent Hispanic and 11 percent African American) and multiple challenges ranging from poor performance to violence to low graduation rates. High school graduation rates in the district were only 45 percent (compared to 68 percent nationally), with Hispanic students graduating at a rate of only 39 percent. Gary Orfield of the Harvard Civil Rights Project called the city's high schools "dropout factories." By 2008, Green Dot had opened 12 charter high schools in some of the highest-need areas of L.A., hoping to demonstrate "that public schools can do a far better job of educating students if schools are operated more effectively." Founder, Steve Barr and his team had their own ideas about the tipping point and its metrics, which were both quantitative (e.g., 10 percent market share of schools within LAUSD) and qualitative, in terms of gains in political influence. As Barr and his Green Dot team worked towards opening of new school, Locke in the fall of 2008, Barr was both nervous and optimistic. He knew the future of Los Angeles students, parents, and their communities depended on the success of his team. He wondered if his new transformation strategy was the optimal strategy. He also wondered if his thinking about the tipping point would give him and his team the best chance for success.

Rising food prices threatened an unprecedented number of people around the world with malnutrition or starvation in 2008. The new Executive Director of the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP)--the world's largest food relief agency-- must not only address this challenge but also must rethink the WFP's strategy in the rapidly-changing world of humanitarian assistance.

For several months, founder-CEO Evan Williams has felt trapped, unable to control Odeo and its strategic direction. He longs for the "simple" days of Blogger, the previous venture he had co-founded. Although his Blogger experiences had included a major blow-up with his co-founder that had resulted in legal proceedings, a brush with near-bankruptcy, and the laying off of his entire team, Williams has become even more disillusioned with his current venture, Odeo. Odeo, a podcasting pioneer, had debuted almost two years before and had gotten off to a very strong start, with a high-profile debut at a prominent industry conference, coverage on the front page of the New York Times' Business section, and the raising of a large round of financing from a top-tier venture capital firm. His attempts to find an acquirer have failed, layoffs have begun, and he is now facing a meeting with an increasingly hostile board of directors. At that meeting, he is very tempted to resign so he can move on to his next project and regain the thrill of being an entrepreneur.

For several months, founder-CEO Evan Williams has felt trapped, unable to control Odeo and its strategic direction. He longs for the "simple" days of Blogger, the previous venture he had co-founded. Although his Blogger experiences had included a major blow-up with his co-founder that had resulted in legal proceedings, a brush with near-bankruptcy, and the laying off of his entire team, Williams has become even more disillusioned with his current venture, Odeo. Odeo, a podcasting pioneer, had debuted almost two years before and had gotten off to a very strong start, with a high-profile debut at a prominent industry conference, coverage on the front page of the New York Times' Business section, and the raising of a large round of financing from a top-tier venture capital firm. His attempts to find an acquirer have failed, layoffs have begun, and he is now facing a meeting with an increasingly hostile board of directors. At that meeting, he is very tempted to resign so he can move on to his next project and regain the thrill of being an entrepreneur.

In December 2008, in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Rosetree Capital Management was evaluating the purchase of a pool of U.S. residential mortgages. The firm had formed an investment vehicle to acquire troubled residential mortgages from banks and other motivated sellers. The idea was to purchase mortgage loans at a discount and to work with individual borrowers to restructure their debts. Performing mortgages could then potentially be resold in the secondary market. The case provides cash flow projections in various economic scenarios that are revealing of the economics of troubled mortgages and home foreclosure. Rosetree needed to decide whether and how much to bid for the loans.

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 209088

This case examines the proposed purchase by Paul Capital Partners of a limited partnership (LP) interest in a private equity fund. Paul Capital has a fund dedicated to buying these "secondary" LP interests. The case is intended as a vehicle for discussing the secondary LP market as well as the valuation of LP interests.

In January 2004, the chairman of the India-based Tata Group, announced that the Tata Group would focus its efforts on international expansion to become globally competitive. This largely domestic vehicle manufacturing firm subsequently acquired a leading established South Korean firm, Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company (DCVC). This case focuses on the background of the firms and the acquisition, and the bidding and acquisition process. It provides information on the interests of the acquirer and target, and how both came to see the value in the acquisition. The Tata Group acquisition presents an uncommon situation of how an Indian firm acquired a firm in South Korea while overcoming a series of cultural and other barriers. An analysis of this case provides the basis for determining what criteria should be considered to guide a successful acquisition. A companion case to Tata Motors' Integration of Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company, #908M95.

In January 2004, the chairman of the India-based Tata Group, announced that the Tata Group would focus its efforts on international expansion to become globally competitive. This largely domestic vehicle manufacturing firm subsequently acquired a leading established South Korean firm, Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company (DCVC). This case complements the case "Tata Motors' Acquisition of Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, #9B08M094. Commencing from the successful completion of the acquisition of DCVC, this case details the strategic, organizational and operational changes implemented to integrate the two firms. The value of this case is twofold: 1) it demonstrates how firms can effectively integrate an acquired firm, particularly in terms of the wide range of strategic and tactical actions; and 2) it provides an example of a firm that takes an unorthodox approach to integration. Students have an opportunity to evaluate the factors that determine the success of a post-acquisition integration.

McDonald's, the world-famous American fast food franchisor, entered mainland China in 1990, when Chinese franchise law did not even exist. In this once-closed country whose market only opened up to foreign investors in 1978, McDonald's had to adapt to an unfamiliar and rapidly changing environment. Not only was food culture in China vastly different from that in the West, but food culture, lifestyles and legal structure were altering as a result of surging economic growth and massive urbanization. Competition was also intensifying as local and foreign restaurants sought to capitalize on China's increasing affluence. As the growing middle class demanded higher standards from these companies, McDonald's local business practices in terms of food healthiness, employee welfare and other socio-environmental issues were put under close scrutiny in China. While the nation's booming economy provided environmental conditions suitable for fast-food culture, the environment also posed challenges to the survival of fast-food operators in the country. Would McDonald's be able to sustain its momentum as China transformed into a developed nation?

Brief political, economic and social timeline of China from 1949 to present to give context on and provide overview of modern Chinese history.

This case is meant to be used in conjunction with the extant "Cola Wars" case studies. It outlines the global positions of Pepsi and Coca-Cola as of 2008 in the soft drink market, and then provides an overview of their competitive situations in three markets: Mexico, China, and India. The case raises the issue of whether any or all of these markets are a) structurally attractive for soft drink firms, and b) if so, how can Pepsi best "catch-up" with Coca-Cola in a given market.     

The case examines one of the most significant infrastructure projects in southeastern Europe during a time when the legal and financial environment for project financing was in its infancy (early to mid-1990s). Athens needed a ring road to support its bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games. The road was technically-as well as logistically-complex, involving 33 municipalities and construction that involved a major metropolitan area (Athens) populated by more than 3.5 million inhabitants. The case examines the economics of the project, how private-public partnerships (PPP) are structured, and the broader field of infrastructure finance.

Henrietta Mercer, the senior vice president for human resources at LaSalle Chemical, is facing a challenge unprecedented in her career: Steve Ambler, recently appointed the company's group sales director, has decided to change his gender identity. Before Henrietta can finish crafting a corporate response, someone slips a copy of her confidential memo to the executive committee to one of Steve's colleagues, whose outraged reaction suggests the difficulties that may lie ahead. How can she help him transition in a workplace where not everyone is on board with the plan? Three experts comment on this fictional case study in R0811A and R0811Z. Linda E. Taylor, the director of work life, equity, and inclusion at Raytheon Missile Systems, advises Henrietta to offer lots of gender identity training. When Raytheon employees question the morality of condoning transgender choices, she replies that the company doesn't pass judgment on its employees' private lives and that working for Raytheon means adhering to its policy of inclusion. Ronald K. Andrews, a vice president and head of human resources at Prudential, says it is crucial to work very closely with the person transitioning and points out that the individual's courage may be what most strikes colleagues. Prudential held a meeting to educate account executives and provide them with talking points before they spoke directly to key clients - not one of whom was lost. Stasha Goliaszewski, a scientist and engineer at Boeing, started her gender transition after four years with the company. HR support helped with other employees, and her professional expertise helped when she called on customers. She advises large companies to prepare their gender-identity policies and not be caught off guard, as Henrietta was. Statistics show that, sooner or later, they are bound to encounter the issue.

In 2004, Fiat was a laughingstock. It seemed that whenever you opened a newspaper in Italy, there was another embarrassing story: Fiat had lost more money; a new car had flopped; a strike was on somewhere. The company had gone through four CEOs in three years. Then Sergio Marchionne, an industry outsider, came on board. Today, Fiat's bottom line is solidly in the black and the automaker's latest car, the Cinquecento, is the talk of the industry. In this article, Marchionne describes how he changed the way the company was run. He abandoned the "great man" model of leadership that had long characterized Fiat and created a culture where everyone is expected to lead. The CEO details how he made four particularly effective improvements. First, he searched the company for hidden leadership potential - such as people far from headquarters and young talent in marketing and other functions that hadn't been considered high-potential career paths. Once Marchionne found those potential leaders, he engaged with them in myriad ways - such as through formal performance assessments, informal conversations, and text messages - demonstrating his commitment to them and improving the corporate culture. Second, he set ambitious goals and actively guided managers toward achieving them, in part by challenging long-held assumptions. The time to market for the Cinquecento was whittled down from four years to just 18 months once engineers and designers started questioning and streamlining their processes. Third, he pushed the organization to be less inward-looking, adopting benchmarks from Apple, for instance, and hiring people from outside the car industry. And fourth, he showed respect for Fiat's employees by making adjustments - such as opening kindergartens and grocery stores near plants - to help them cope with work/life balance.

Why is it so difficult for established companies to pull off the new growth that business model innovation can bring? Here's why: They don't understand their current business model well enough to know if it would suit a new opportunity or hinder it, and they don't know how to build a new model when they need it. Drawing on their vast knowledge of disruptive innovation and experience in helping established companies capture game-changing opportunities, consultant Johnson, Harvard Business School professor Christensen, and SAP co-CEO Kagermann set out the tools that executives need to do both. Successful companies already operate according to a business model that can be broken down into four elements: a customer value proposition that fulfills an important job for the customer in a better way than competitors' offerings do; a profit formula that lays out how the company makes money delivering the value proposition; and the key resources and key processes needed to deliver that proposition. Game-changing opportunities deliver radically new customer value propositions: They fulfill a job to be done in a dramatically better way (as P&G did with its Swiffer mops), solve a problem that's never been solved before (as Apple did with its iPod and iTunes electronic entertainment delivery system), or serve an entirely unaddressed customer base (as Tata Motors is doing with its Nano-the $2,500 car aimed at Indian families who use scooters to get around). Capitalizing on such opportunities doesn't always require a new business model: P&G, for instance, didn't need a new one to leverage its product innovation strengths to develop the Swiffer. A new model is often needed, however, to leverage a new technology (as in Apple's case); is generally required when the opportunity addresses an entirely new group of customers (as with the Nano); and is surely in order when an established company needs to fend off a successful disruptor (as the Nano's competitors may now need to do).

Sustaining innovation, many agree, is crucial for a company's long-term success. But truly innovative people are rare: They have excellent analytic skills, never rest on their laurels, and can identify the solutions likeliest to win over top leadership. They are socially savvy and can bring a diverse group of constituents into alignment. They tend to be both charming and persuasive. The right talent-management procedures can help in spotting potential innovators. Reuters, for example, interviews candidates one-on-one and gives them complex, real-world scenarios in which they must reach and defend decisions, accommodate new information, and convincingly sell their point of view. Starwood and McDonald's require would-be innovators to lead cross-functional teams in developing promising ideas and then present those ideas to senior management. One global industrial products company in the UK insists that they do a stint in the sales department. Developing breakthrough innovators requires mentoring and peer networks. Mentors provide insight into the motivations, goals, mind-set, and budget constraints of managers in a variety of relevant functions. At Allstate, for example, the CEO coaches and supports the mentors themselves, sending a strong signal about the importance of the program. Peer networks provide a sense of solidarity and a uniquely fertile environment in which to exchange ideas, impart information, and instill hope. Companies that excel in developing innovative leaders often remove them from revenue-generating line positions and plant them in the middle of the organization, where they form "innovation hubs," with easy access to influentials, more autonomy, and broader job responsibilities. Practices like these keep companies open to new ideas and prepare them to respond nimbly to innovation from elsewhere in their industries.

Firms with ill-considered globalization strategies, say Alexander and Korine of London Business School, are poised to become targets for breakup or overhaul by activist shareowners. Yet many businesses (particularly in deregulated, service, and manufacturing industries) have made complacent assumptions about the need to go global and moved full steam ahead toward failure. If they had paused to answer three simple questions, they might well have avoided their missteps. Are there potential benefits for our company? Moves that make sense for some firms won't necessarily work for others. UK-based roof tile maker Redland learned that lesson when it tried leveraging its technical know-how beyond its home market - without realizing that building practices in certain countries provided very little demand for concrete roof tiles. The company was fully able to transfer the relevant technology, but there was no value in doing so in those markets. Do we have the necessary management skills? Even if potential benefits do exist for a company, it may not be in a position to realize them. Although industrial conglomerate BTR had developed a presence in many countries, each business unit was run more or less autonomously. As its customers globalized, they came to expect coordinated supply and support across borders. BTR was well positioned to deliver, but its ingrained culture blocked attempts at global integration. Will the costs outweigh the benefits? Global efforts can be rendered counterproductive through unanticipated collateral damage. TCL, a Chinese maker of electronics and home appliances, has expanded rapidly into the United States and Europe through a series of acquisitions and joint ventures. Along the way, the company's infrastructure has become unwieldy; the cost of managing it has outweighed the benefits of increased scale and resulted in large losses.

Nowadays, virtually no companies innovate alone. Firms team up with a variety of partners, in a wide number of ways, to create new technologies, products, and services. But what is the best way to leverage the power of outsiders? To help executives answer that question, Pisano, of Harvard Business School, and Verganti, of Politecnico di Milano, developed a simple framework focused on two questions: Given your strategy, how open or closed should your network of collaborators be? And who should decide which problems to tackle and which solutions to adopt? There are four basic modes of collaboration, say the authors. An elite circle is a closed network with a hierarchical governance: One company selects the participants, defines the problem, and chooses the solution. For instance, Alessi, an Italian home-products company, invited 200 outside experts in postmodern architecture to contribute ideas for new home-product designs. An innovation mall is hierarchical but open: Anyone can post a problem or propose solutions in it, but the company posting the problem chooses the solution. An example is InnoCentive.com, an eBay-like site where companies post scientific challenges. An innovation community is open and decentralized: Anyone can propose problems, offer solutions, and decide which ideas to use - as happens in the open-source software community Linux. A consortium is a private group of participants that operate as equals and jointly select problems, decide how to conduct work, and choose solutions. IBM has set up a number of consortia with other companies to develop next-generation semiconductor technologies. No one approach is superior; each involves strategic trade-offs. When choosing among modes, firms must weigh their advantages and challenges, and assess which will work best with their strategy, capabilities, structure, and assets.

As U.S. nonprofits take on an increasing share of society's work, they face mounting pressure from stakeholders - donors, boards, employees - to show results. To make the greatest possible impact, they need to explicitly state the outcomes they're aiming for and how they plan to accomplish those goals. The authors, of the Bridgespan Group, say organizations should start by rigorously addressing a few interdependent questions: Which results will we hold ourselves accountable for? How will we achieve them? What will the results really cost, and how can we fund them? How do we build the organization we need to deliver those results? Together, those questions provide a framework for developing pragmatic, specific plans of action. Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families stepped up its performance by using such a framework. Ten years ago, the agency offered a host of programs - including an initiative called the Harlem Children's Zone - designed to improve the lives of poor children in devastated U.S. communities. Despite Rheedlen's efforts, supported by a $7 million budget, the prospects for Harlem's children appeared to be getting worse. So the organization changed its name simply to the Harlem Children's Zone, and linked its mission to a concrete statement of intended impact: namely, that 3,000 children, ages 0 to 18, living in the zone should have demographic and achievement profiles consistent with those found in an average U.S. middle-class community. HCZ's leaders discontinued or transitioned out of activities that were not in line with that outcome and took on new ones that were. They also diversified HCZ's funding, shook up and expanded the management ranks, and invested money in evaluating results. Over the past five years, HCZ has added 10,500 children to the population it serves and almost $40 million dollars to its budget.