個案總覽

Examines the growing tensions between strategies of national development and the rules of international business. At issue is how increasing globalization is changing the rules of national development for both developing and developed countries. The comparative focus on aquaculture, and the catfish industry in particular, also offers a window into a growing international industry and its potential as a source of poverty alleviation around the globe. Also discusses the U.S. antidumping policy and its processes of investigation.

In 1999, the automotive industry was in a difficult situation: overcapacity and customer demand for faster delivery and better service drove executives to explore the potential business value of the internet. The authors provide a teaching case, which is based on an analysis of the DCXNET initiative which bundled all e-business actions taken by DaimlerChrysler to exploit the opportunities of this then new technology. The teaching case describes the strategic planning process for e-business at DaimlerChrysler, resulting organizational structures and an outline of the components of DCXNET. Furthermore, the authors provide results of the initiative, success factors and lessons learned.

In 1995, Sumio Abekawa, Daiwa Bank's president, received a letter on July 18 from Toshihide Iguchi, vice-president of the bank's New York branch. In that letter, Iguchi confessed that over the course of 11 years, he lost nearly $1.1 billion (approximately 123 billion yen) through the unauthorized trading of United States Treasury Bonds and had sold securities the bank had in custody to cover losses. Two months later, Daiwa's senior management reported the loss to the Federal Reserve Board of New York (FRB) and the New York State Banking Department. The bank directors faced several questions: Had the bank taken the appropriate steps to comply with U.S. reporting requirements? What was the potential liability of the directors? Would the Japanese bank directors be held liable for violating the law of a foreign country? How could the Japanese Ministry of Finance help?

An abstract is not available for this product.

In 2003, industrial manufacturer Eaton, the NGO Environmental Defense, and shipping giant Federal Express formed a partnership to develop a hybrid electric delivery truck. While Environmental Defense had experience setting up successful partnerships with corporations, this was the first time that a product with a significant high tech component would be launched in the commercial marketplace. Eaton fulfilled its goal of delivering a working prototype on time and FedEx began a small pilot program with the hybrid truck in 2004. Media coverage of the new truck was positive and the project won the Roy Family Award for Environmental Excellence at the Kennedy School of Government in May 2005. However, the path to full-scale commercialization of the vehicle was both costly and complex. HKS Case Number 1820.0

On May 24, 2005, Warren Buffett, the chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., announced that MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, would acquire the electric utility PacifiCorp. In Buffett's largest deal since 1998, and the 2nd largest of his entire career, MidAmerican would purchase PacifiCorp from its parent, Scottish Power plc, for $5.1 billion in cash and $4.3 billion in liabilities and preferred stock. The acquisition of PacifiCorp renewed public interest in its sponsor, Warren Buffett. In many ways, he was an anomaly. What were the key principles that guided Buffett? Could these be broadly applied in the 21st century, or were they unique to Buffett and his time? From an understanding of these principles, analysts hoped to illuminate the acquisition of PacifiCorp. What were Buffett's probable motives in the acquisition? What did Buffett's offer say about his valuation of PacifiCorp, and how would it compare with valuations for other regulated utilities? Would Berkshire's acquisition of PacifiCorp prove to be a success? How would Buffett define success?

Set in June 2004, this case invites the student to assess the financial performance of FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service, Inc (UPS). The two firms have competed intensely for dominance of the overnight express package industry. This case is intended for use in an introductory discussion of corporate value creation and its sources. The case requires no numerical computations from the student; rather, the tasks for the student are to interpret the results and to reflect upon their implications.

This note provides a guide to dealing with the President's administration from the perspective of the nuclear energy industry.

This case serves as part of an introduction to estimating investors' required rates of return. It should follow one or two class sessions covering the techniques for estimating WACC. The numerical calculations required are light, although some of the subtleties about the use of risk-adjusted hurdle rates will require time for the novice student to absorb. The case is about the CFO of a telecommunications company who must respond to a corporate raider claiming that a major business segment of this company should be sold because it is not earning a satisfactory rate of return. The case examines the use of a single hurdle rate to evaluate all segments of the company versus a risk-adjusted hurdle-rate system. The tasks for the student are to resolve the debate, estimate the weighted-average costs of capital (WACC) for two business segments, and respond to the raider.

The case presents the student with financial ratios for eight pairs of unidentified companies and asks them to mate the description of the company with the financial profile derived from the ratios. The primary objective of this case is to introduce students to financial ratio analysis-in particular, the range of ratios and the insights each one affords. This case presumes that students have already been introduced to the definitions of various financial ratios through other readings or lectures. The structured exploration of pairs of companies within an industry affords a number of important insights into strategy and financial performance. First, the economics of individual industries account for significant variations in financial ratios because of differences in technologies, product characteristics, or competitive structures. Second, financial performance results from managerial choices: within industries, the wide variation in financial ratios is often a result of the differences in corporate strategy in marketing, operations, and finance. For those reasons, this case is a good springboard into subsequent classes, which deal with the interaction of strategy and financial performance.

In early 2002, an analyst, Tom Baumann, must propose terms for leasing one of his company's advanced factory-automation systems to a major customer. From the lessor's standpoint, the challenge is simply to design an annuity stream that yields a present value equal to, or greater than, the value of the asset being leased. Certain factors, however, serve to complicate the analysis. The tax exposure and debt rating of the customer are uncertain, leaving the analyst to estimate the impact of alternative lease terms under different tax and interest-rate assumptions. Also, the customer is considering leasing competing systems from companies in Germany and Japan; these competing proposals limit Primus's flexibility in tailoring its proposal. In short, the student's task is to design lease terms that exploit the lessee's tax and interest-rate exposure within constraints set by competitive terms.

Describes the process, components, and detailed action steps involved in using scenario planning in any organization. Provides detailed examples that use the process.

In March 2005, CEO Michael Eskew has asked the Corporate Strategy Group to recommend changes to the strategic process to ensure it allows United Parcel Service (UPS) to continue to transform itself over the next several years. Describes the evolution of UPS's strategic process, with special attention on the company's use of scenario planning techniques, as well as other critical elements of the process: the development of the company charter, strategic planning, strategic decision making, and strategy implementation. Also discusses the roles of the various players in the process, focusing especially on the CEO and corporate strategy staff.

A young female manager must decide whether to terminate two poorly performing managers who work for her. Shows the practical and ethical issues involved in firing decisions.

Supplements the (A) case.

Massachusetts General Hospital is considering selling its royalty interest in Enbrel, Amgen's blockbuster drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In assessing whether to sell, and at what price, the hospital must determine its value to a potential buyer as well as its own value of the royalty income.

Illustrates the underlying forces that erode a company's competitive advantage and are instrumental in converting its success into failure. Focuses on Motorola's strategic evolution in China, and shows how, over time, divergences emerged between the company's competence and basis of competition, and between its strategy and action. Provides an opportunity to examine how Motorola should strategically re-position itself in China to attain sustained competitive advantage.

Paul Walsh, CEO of Diageo, must evaluate bids received in an auction of the Burger King restaurant unit. Describes how Diageo came to own Burger King, the attempts to turn the unit around, the strategic reasons for its sale, the auction process, and various bidders' tactics to gain advantage in the auction. Four bids with quite complex terms arrive by the auction deadline. Walsh is facing the task of ranking the bids and determining what enhancements to the inferior bids would make them equivalent to the first-ranked bid.

An abstract is not available for this product.

The highway logo signing program has existed for over 20 years. Since its inception, most motorists have become accustomed to relying on these blue signs to provide information on services available at each highway exit. However, there is little, if any, literature that examines the program as an advertising source and no formal literature that addresses the signing program from the perspective of the independent business owner. Provides service business owners with information about the highway logo signing program. Describes a five-step process that owners can follow to determine whether the venue is viable and the investment value added.