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Keeping up with technology is getting more difficult for companies as the pace of innovation quickens. Today innovations are increasingly coming from outside industries--a textile company that develops a new fiber, for example, can revolutionize the building materials industry. By fusing technologies, companies can create new products, markets, and industries, and remain ahead of their competitors. Technology fusion blends several previously separate fields of existing technology. Three fundamental principles can help companies implement a fusion strategy. First, let the market drive R&D, not the other way around, through a process called "demand articulation." Second, develop a strong intelligence gathering capability both as a defense mechanism against competitors and as a source of new ideas. Third, and most important, take part in cross-industry R&D projects.

The boardmembers of Minute Publishing must decide the fate of the company's three-year-old national newspaper, America Today. They can either follow the advice of CEO Neil Harcum, who implores them to continue the paper's publication, or CFO Peter Rawson, who wants to shut down the presses. Both sides have convincing arguments. Harcum has a proven track record of making newspapers profitable. He argues that Minute "cannot allow the beancounters to set policy." Rawson, on the other hand, explains that America Today is losing $100 million a year and has broken Minute's 20-year string of earning gains. In making its decision, Minute's board will also be choosing a new CEO. Harcum is retiring at the end of the year and doesn't want Rawson to take his place.

America, a nation once celebrated for its irrepressible optimism, now appears to be obsessed by "declinism"--the idea that something is fundamentally wrong with the U.S. economy, and until it is fixed, America will neither compete effectively in global markets nor provide an adequate standard of living for its citizens. The real challenge facing American society is not reversing economic decline; it is addressing the social implications of the new economy--in particular, how to reinvent America's double commitment to economic opportunity and social equality. Ironically, too great a preoccupation with decline may keep American society from getting on with the job.

An introduction to the vocabulary and methodology of bookkeeping and accounting records.

In the annual report, Welch indicates a new priority for the company--developing a cadre of managers who can lead GE in implementing its strategy in a new organizational context. The question facing Welch is whether his bold new human resource vision is realistic and achievable.

Two partners, Anne Salpryn and Tom Hilliard, successfully develop a creative software company. While Anne becomes more managerially oriented, Tom wants to remain a software project creator. The partnership becomes jeopardized as Tom's personal life begins to fall apart and he is faced with sexual harassment charges at work. Anne seeks to buy him out. Examines the perils of partnership, man/woman business relationships, and the tensions posed by creativity and organization.

Two sisters begin a bakery/cafe and have difficulties organizing the work and defining their roles. The case is written from the mother's perspective as she tries to figure out how to keep the business from falling apart.

An introductory case in cash flow analysis and the preparation of statements of cash flows. Based on the 1991 income statement and balance sheet at a ski resort company, the case provides additional information which allows a student to prepare both a direct and an indirect statement of cash flows. A rewritten version of an earlier case.

The CFO of Fleetwood Enterprises is considering whether to recommend a large share repurchase to the board of directors. Fleetwood's core businesses, manufactured housing and recreational vehicles, are very sensitive to business cycles and oil prices. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, Fleetwood's stock price dropped more than 20%, but Fleetwood appears strong enough to both survive a severe downturn and repurchase a large block of shares. Designed to permit a thorough review of basic capital structure, dividend payout, and share repurchase theories, in the context of a large firm facing both a potential crisis and a valuable opportunity.

An investment manager notices a large apparent discrepancy in the prices of two nearly-identical bonds issued in conjunction with a major leveraged buyout. The manager must figure out whether the instruments are mispriced relative to one another, and if so, how to capture arbitrage profits from the temporary anomaly. The case introduces students to a wide variety of instruments ranging from very simple treasury strips to P-I-K debentures. Encourages students to devise "arbitrage" positions and understand the degree to which these positions are riskless.

Parker Co., a U.S. based agricultural chemical company with $4 billion in sales, has agreed to a joint venture with Spencer, Inc., a smaller U.S. based company, to develop and market a new herbicide for corn. The two companies must consider marketing, tax, and liability issues to decide whether the new entity will be a corporation or a partnership. Demonstrates how various tax and non-tax factors affect the legal form of joint venture.

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 192155

A group of investors is considering buying the sequel rights for a portfolio of feature films. They need to determine how much to offer to pay and how to structure a contract with one or more major U.S. film studios. The case contains cash flow estimates for all major films released in the United States during 1989. These data are used to generate estimates of the value of sequel rights prior to the first film's release. Designed to introduce students to real options and techniques for valuing them. It clearly illustrates the power of option pricing techniques for certain types of capital budgeting problems. Also illustrates the practical limitations of such techniques.

Multinational professional services firm Coopers & Lybrand has decided to enter the Hungarian market and weighs its strategic options in light of the environment in which it will operate and its resources.

Coopers & Lybrand open an office in Hungary.

Coopers & Lybrand open an office in Hungary.

Describes five years of development in a centralized data processing activity serving a highly decentralized corporation. Data processing manager discovers that a major software system conversion is a full year behind schedule, and subsequently makes several managerial and organizational changes. Raises issues of leadership style, human resource management, conflict, and organizational change.

Provides an update to the case.

Provides an evaluation of the "Leadership Through Quality" effort at Xerox. The assessment includes both negative and positive factors based on extensive interviews and surveys. Based on this assessment, a plan of action is determined and presented which was endorsed by senior management. Students will be asked to consider whether these mid-course corrections are appropriate. Allows students to see how long major changes take to occur and how much effort is involved to sustain and deepen change.

Reveals the course of action that Xerox took after discovering that its Leadership Through Quality program had not met all expectations. Reinforces the message that change is an ongoing and continuous effort, and that companies never achieve all of their change goals.