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An introduction to the design of questionnaires administered in surveys undertaken in management and social science research. Outlines a multistep process for developing a questionnaire.

Addresses repercussions of the accident on the company including ongoing clean-up efforts, litigation, and organizational changes.

Describes the rise of the German chemical industry and the specific country-based factors that contributed to the rise. Focuses on the German firm Hoechst: its history, its position after World War II, and its subsequent internationalization. Set in 1986 when Hoechst was considering a multi-billion dollar acquisition of Celanese Corp. in the United States. In considering the merits of this acquisition, students will explore the extent to which Hoechst's competitive advantages still stemmed from its home base in Germany, or from other sources. May be used with Hoechst in the United States (A) and (B).

Very early in the history of biotechnology (about 1979), Monsanto made a major commitment to move into this field. This case recounts the history from the point of view of the eminent scientist hired to head up corporate R&D. He took Monsanto from a very traditional agricultural chemicals technology base to one of the world's finest biotechnology centers and oversaw the purchase of Searle Pharmaceuticals. Raises a number of issues: How can a company move into a totally new technology? What are the advantages and disadvantages of sourcing technology from small firms and universities? How should research be organized? Emphasizes the very long-term view that Monsanto took in justifying their huge investment.

Examines whether product proliferation can be used as a preemptive device--as alleged in the FTC's 1982 complaint against four manufacturers of ready-to-eat cereals.

MSA has commissioned a major market research study to assess demand potential for a computer software system designed for aerospace and defense contractors. Students must evaluate the results of the study (including a conjoint analysis) to assess whether MSA should invest in R&D to upgrade the technology or build a sales organization.

This case series involves a crisis in business ethics and management decision making, when one of the company's diesel fuel storage tanks collapses, releasing nearly one million gallons of oil into the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. Divided into four cases guiding the reader through the sequence of events as they occur and their eventual repercussion on the company. The cases involve formulating a corporate response to the accident, the communities affected, government agencies and other corporate stakeholders. This case concentrates on the hours immediately following the spill and identifies key issues as they emerge. These facts influence how the CEO will address the public in his first statement three days later.

Recounts the financial difficulties and management changes experienced by American Red Cross Blood Services: Northeast Region (NER) during the 1980s. After summarizing industry-wide changes in the collection, testing, and distribution of blood and blood products, the case describes the way in which NER management responded to those changes. The types of changes highlighted include: the transition from non-financial to financial planning and monitoring systems; organizational restructuring; increased dissemination of financial information among line management; and conversion to a cost accounting system based on cost center accountability. The primary teaching objective is to illustrate both the need for and the challenges of changing management control systems in response to changes in an organization's marketplace and strategy. The case reveals various factors that must be considered to implement major control changes including management training, differing management styles, information systems capabilities, corporate culture, and a continually changing market.

Contains a general description of a large international retailer. Focus is on the major financial risks facing the company: exchange rate risk and commodity price risk. This case is an introduction to financial risk management. It poses some of the major problem areas.

Describes the Mexican subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive as it sets its strategy for coping with hyperinflation and the November 1987 devaluation of the peso.

Provides a brief analysis of issues in the design of an effective compensation system, with particular emphasis on incentives. Provides an analytic framework for thinking about compensation. Topics covered include the composition of the pay package, fringe benefits, and training. The analysis of incentives discusses the trade off between incentives and risk, the problem of performance measurement, and the use of promotions as incentive compensation. Designed for use with a teaching module on compensation.

Examines the pricing policy for a firm that is a monopoly supplier of a durable good. Lowering price over time in an attempt to increase market penetration seems desirable. But doing so may also cause some buyers to postpone their purchases. Describes these considerations in the context of a specific example that can be analyzed numerically.

Examines the choice of optimal product positioning in a differentiated goods market.

All forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) are designed to save time and money and to soften the sharp edges of the adversarial system. Variations and hybrids of ADR are limitless. In picking the method best suited to your circumstances, consider: the extent to which both disputants are committed to ADR, the closeness of the business relationship between the two parties, the need for privacy, the urgency of reaching a settlement, the absolute and relative financial health of both parties, the importance of the principles involved, the complexity of the case, the size of the stakes, and the ability and willingness of company executives to get involved.

Four truths apply to every business situation: 1) it is essential to be a lower-cost supplier; 2) to stay competitive, the inflation-adjusted cost of producing and supplying products and services must trend downward; 3) the true cost and profit pictures for each product/market segment must always be known; and 4) a business must concentrate as much on cash flow and balance sheet strengths as it does on profits. Various costs must be carefully isolated and assigned; expense categories such as R&D, sales, general, and administrative costs must not be ignored. Also gross margins should usually not be less than 40% and assets should not be over 60% of annual sales.

From the head of market research at GM comes a guide, in the form of a series of foldout tables, to help managers determine the dimensions of the task, resources needed, data required, and other key elements. The research effort comprises five major stages: assess the market information needs; measure the market place; store, retrieve, and display the data; describe and analyze market information; and evaluate the research and assess its usefulness. Augmenting the tables are a glossary of technical terms and a list of references.

Managerial hierarchy is the most natural and effective organization form that a big company can employ. As organizational tasks range from simple to complex, there are jumps in the level of responsibility. As the time span of the longest task assigned to each managerial role increases, so does the level of experience, knowledge, and mental stamina required.

Accuracy in manufacturers' advertising budgeting is hampered by reliance on the case rate system. A better measure is a brand's market share compared with its share of voice (its share of the total value of the main media exposure in that product category). The interrelationship between market share and share of voice is not usually considered when determining ad budgets.

The publicly held corporation has not outlived its usefulness. Though LBOs release much of the untapped value and correct many of the inefficiencies of large public companies, they also have a limited demand and a limited life. The public corporation is inherently flexible and self-renewing. A four-point plan to maximize shareholder value will help public companies to: 1) find the highest valued use for all assets; 2) limit investment to opportunities with credible potential to create value; 3) return cash to shareholders when such investments are not available; and 4) establish incentives for managers and employees to focus on the critical drives that create value.

Because of globalization, the U.S.-owned corporation headquartered in the United States is no longer the vehicle for achieving U.S. competitiveness. Foreign-owned corporations that invest heavily in U.S.-based production facilities and their workers may actually contribute more. U.S. government policy should open the borders to foreign investment and promote human capital rather than assuming that corporations will lead the way. This is true for a number of reasons: corporate ownership is less important today; control is less important; work force skills are critical; and foreign-owned corporations help U.S. workers add value.