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The Denver office of Clarion Co., a $30 million, full-service marketing firm, has always been a politics-free zone. Nonwork conversations revolve around families, romances, and the state of the powder at Aspen. If the office sometimes seems detached from the wider world, no one cares. But that all changes with the arrival of Marcus Lippman. A senior project manager hired away from a rival firm in Chicago, Marcus is both charming and aggressive about meeting his new colleagues. During morning encounters in the mail room or kitchenette, he often alludes to the day's headlines. In particular, Marcus follows the presidential campaign with an avidity his colleagues reserve for the fate of contestants on American Idol. Those informed enough to respond, generally do so. Over time, others join in. Politics soon enters the office bloodstream. Employees sense a new energy, a feeling of engagement that intensifies as the campaign season progresses. Many employees make contacts in the business community as they pursue extracurricular political activities. But there are downsides as well. Out-of-control e-mail debates sap productivity. Feelings get hurt. And general manager Joan Mungo discovers that political views play an important part in determining who rises to power in the company. As tensions mount, Joan wonders: Should she do something to stanch political debate and, if so, what? Commenting on this fictional case study in R0410A and R0410Z are Brian Flynn, the CEO of Schlossberg:Flynn, a business development consulting firm; Frank Furedi, a professor of sociology at the University of Kent in England; Paula Brantner, the program director at Workplace Fairness, a nonprofit organization; and James E. Rogers, the CEO of Cinergy, a diversified energy company.

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 199001

At the end of 2001, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and Barclays Bank PLC were in advanced negotiations regarding the potential merger of their respective retail, corporate, and offshore banking operations in the Caribbean. Some members of each board wondered whether this was the best direction to take. Would the combined company be able to deliver superior returns? Would it be possible to integrate, within budget, companies that had competed with each other in the region for decades? Would either firm be better off divesting regional operations instead? Should the two firms just continue to go it alone with emphasis on continual improvement? A decision needed to be made in the coming week.

Presents a detailed account of power dynamics that unfold in the firm when one of its best and brightest threatens to leave. Focuses on the dynamics of attracting, retaining, compensating, negotiating, and leveraging a star performer in a professional services firm. A manager and a star performer fight to improve their relative bargaining power. Specifically traces the detailed events from the resignation threat to the research director's struggle over deciding whether to counteroffer, to promote a junior, or to hire from outside the firm. Teaching Purpose: To discuss issues ranging from managing talent to resignation dynamics, power and influence, compensation, negotiation strategies, and managing a professional services firm.

Describes the start-up, growth, organizational design, and operations over the first 10 years of a professional services firm. Focuses on the creative use of organizational purpose and values as an integral part of strategy and alignment of organizational activities.

What is a moral challenge? Explores four main types of moral challenge: the challenge of survival, the conflict between "two rights," a moral dilemma--or situation in which it is impossible to satisfy conflicting moral obligations and commitments--and the challenge of "new principles" that raise questions about our values and beliefs. Explores these topics through literature, history, biography, autobiography, and background readings in moral philosophy.

QUALCOMM, Inc. had transitioned from a fledgling startup into a Fortune 500 wireless technology leader. Its CDMA technology was considered the preeminent technology and was the world's fastest growing wireless communications technology. CEO Irwin Jacobs had a number of concerns as he determined how to sustain the company's success. How should the company allocate its resources among products? How could QUALCOMM encourage other countries--China and India in particular--to move to CDMA-based systems? How should QUALCOMM defend its position against other new technologies?

The Bacardi Southampton case series (A - D) follows the transition from a push-based supply chain to an agile, pull-based system. The (B) case demonstrates the paradox in operational thinking and delineates the unique relationship a company has with one of its suppliers and its customer for European exports. Students can see that this agile program cannot exist in isolation from important stakeholders. Discussion about an opposite point of view is enriched by facts in this (B) case.

This case introduces students to the design of artificial agents and evolutionary tournaments through W. Brian Arthur's minority game. Following Arthur, the game is motivated by the story of El Farol, a popular music bar in Santa Fe, California. The bar tended to attract large crowds with its programming of Irish music on Thursday nights. The venue offered only a limited amount of space which detracted from the enjoyment of music programs when the audience outgrew the bar capacity. Moderately attended events were highly successful with most patrons. A crowed bar, however, would diminish this enjoyment to the point where most patrons would have preferred not to attend the event. Since El Farol did not pre-sell tickets, patrons had no information about the evening's attendance until they arrived at the restaurant. Although there was no information about attendance at upcoming events, patrons could learn attendance levels in previous weeks by word of mouth and, over time, formed expectations about future attendance based on their knowledge of past attendance figures.

As Bruce Taub, founder of Fernwood, strolled past some of New York City's finest galleries, he pondered the unique challenges that Fernwood faced. Where others had seen the inefficiency of imperfect markets, Taub saw an opportunity to revolutionize the very nature of how Americans related to the fine art market. As its chairman and founder, Taub had built Fernwood to serve as a vehicle for his vision: to democratize investment in art such that "even my secretary could someday own (shares of art) in her 401(k)." As Taub walked through the doors at Christies, he knew that in the near future, he was going to decide the path that would initially guide Fernwood toward investors. He also knew that at least in the short-term, he needed the support of the art community, and he wondered what else he could or should do to win that support.

Answers some of the most common questions managers ask about potential corporate and individual liability for corporate misconduct under U.S. law. Describes a few general principles of liability that managers should be aware of. A rewritten version of an earlier note.

In January 2003, West Marine (the nation's largest boating supply retailer) was on the verge of acquiring its biggest competitor, BoatU.S. Several years earlier, the company had acquired E&B Marine, another boating supply company of a similar size. However, that transaction proved to be too much for the organization to bear. Having nearly doubled its number of stores overnight, West Marine's systems and processes, as well as the experience level of its management team, could not withstand the rapid growth. West Marine's supply chain was especially hard-hit: The company was unable to keep all 72 West Marine and 63 E&B Marine stores amply stocked during the critical peak season. Following the E&B Marine transaction, the company charted a new course, bringing in a deeply experienced management team, initiating a significant cultural change, and repairing systems and processes across the company. On the eve of another major acquisition, West Marine was proud of all that the company had accomplished through its collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment program, particularly in the supply chain arena. As the company prepared to ramp up its growth engine again on its way to becoming a $1 billion business, West Marine's executive team wondered what "soft spots" might be discovered within its new and improved infrastructure.

This case presents the challenges the Coca-Cola Company faced in Brazil. Not only was Coke up against its nemesis, Pepsi, it also had to compete with hundreds of local brands, many of which did not pay taxes. These local brands were generically called tubaίnas. The case provides background information on the history of Cake in Brazil, trends in the Brazilian soft drink market, and on competition by Pepsi and the many local soft drink firms. In addition, Coke's strategies for competing are outlined. The student is asked to analyze the information presented in the case and to make recommendations to Coke on how to better compete in Brazil.

Focuses on a major transformation of Otis Elevator's infrastructure. Led by the CEO, this transformation represents a remarkable long-term reengineering of all the processes of the firm to drive its operating costs down and service image up. The transformation is the continuation of a process that has been going on for more than 20 years.

After inheriting the leadership of their family's land and lumber companies, Matt and Kevin Hancock struggled with how to revise their internally focused governance system.

Brazil has just won a cotton case action against the U.S. cotton agriculture program at the World Trade Organization. What does this mean for future agricultural programs in the United States? For future trade policies of the United States, Brazil, and others in the global agribusiness system? The future role of the WTO? Negotiation through litigation? Developed versus developing country trade policies?

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 105021.

Mondavi Winery is facing a shortage of its Chardonnay wine. This shortage will disrupt its positioning in wine outlets and impact earnings. Allows students to discuss how to communicate such temporary--but financially important--shocks to the capital markets and Mondavi's other stakeholders. Mondavi's subsequent problems in meeting prior earnings forecasts also allow for a discussion of earnings guidance policies.

Tells the story of the Czech transition from a centrally planned to a free market economy, describing the first economic reforms, the fixed-exchange rate regime, and the voucher privatization. Also explains why, in the middle of the 1990s, the Czech Republic liberalized its capital account and how this affected the Czech banking system, leading to a massive credit boom. Explores why Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka (CSOB), the country's fourth largest bank, decided not to participate in the credit boom and how CSOB determined and pursued its expansion strategy. Students assume the position of Pavel Kavanek, CSOB's CEO who, in June 2000, must decide whether CSOB should acquire IPB, another large Czech bank on the brink of bankruptcy.