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This case set challenges students to consider the upcoming free agency decision-making of an NBA team by conducting some basic statistical analyses of three possible targets, all of whom are upcoming unrestricted free agents-Danny Glover, David Bowie, and Mike Meyers. Each of these players could potentially fit the team's need to find a shooter and versatile defender at the forward position. Students are asked specifically to evaluate what each of these three players might be worth paying to acquire based on their past performances. The C case puts students into the role of a team representative responsible for leading negotiations with players and their agents to get the best contract for the team.

On November 4, 2020, the group chief financial officer of Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited was tasked with determining the cost of capital in preparation for the corporate response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In planning for 2021, the company would need to make considerable investments throughout its franchises in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Europe. The cost of capital would be integral to these investment decisions. In the previous year, Domino's Pizza Enterprises Limited had made A$98.9 million in investments, so the difference of a few per cent in capital costs could mean a swing in millions of dollars in expenditures. The chief financial officer had all background information including balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, common stock data, financial ratios, market return data, peer firm data, and an itemized list of debt obligations. Based on this information, he had to derive the company's cost of capital using a weighted average cost of capital methodology.

Student Spreadsheet for Case W25568

Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon) India expanded Amazon Food into the food delivery market in March 2021 amid a pandemic and the ensuing lockdown. The move surprised the industry, especially considering that Swiggy and Zomato Ltd. (Zomato), the two key players in the food delivery business, were facing an all-time slump and that restaurants were seeking to move away from aggregators to create their own ordering platform. Zomato and Swiggy, a duopoly in the food service aggregator (FSA) space in the country, had been struggling to keep cash burn low, squeezing delivery-executive commissions, executing mass layoffs, and scaling down profit-draining cloud kitchens. Although the timing of the launch appeared risky, Amazon India's confidence to take on the established players and challenge the status quo stemmed from its size, reach, resources, technological prowess, reliability, trust, and goodwill. In a market scenario where safety and hygiene standards were set to change forever and the odds were stacked against FSAs, the industry and consumers were expecting a tough battle. Amazon had to reassess whether its strengths would be adequate to help it make satisfactory inroads into the industry, confront the obstacles, and overcome the ongoing slump and make good on its decision to be the new entrant when the established players were bearing the brunt of not only the pandemic but also a deeply divided restaurant industry.

NTL is an Indian company that earns much of its revenues from exports. Its hedging activities had become increasingly sophisticated under a treasury that was incentivized to generate profits. As a rising rupee reduced NTL's competitiveness in global markets, it has come to rely more and more on treasury income to remain profitable. NTL's treasury under Thomas has responded to this challenge by embracing highly complex leveraged structured products. As the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) hit in 2007 and 2008, exchange rates and interest rates started moving in ways that Thomas had never anticipated, inflicting serious losses on NTL. Seth, the founder Chairman of NTL is upset after a bank wrote to him demanding payment of the loss incurred by NTL on a derivative product that NTL had bought from the bank. Seth has no knowledge of the rest of the hedge book and is unaware of the seriousness of the problem. One of his banker friends has suggested that he should hire a more professional CFO to replace the current CFO, Rao. From Seth's point of view, the case presents interesting issues of risk governance and risk management policies. Rao is immersed in firefighting, figuring out the gravity of the problem and managing the liquidity needs of NTL. Thomas is the only person who understands the derivative book in its entirety, but is obviously not keen to let his superiors know how big the problem really is.

The case documents the efforts by Lone Stubberup, Global Director of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) to convert her employer, Danish wind-mill nacelle and nose cone producer Jupiter Bach, to the highest sustainability standards through all its activities as a means to differentiate in a highly competitive, cost-driven industry. Deeply committed to the need of address issues such as material recycling and CO2 emissions, she set out to convince the executive board and the firm's VC investors to push sustainability to top of the agenda. A surprising feature of the case is of course the realization that the windmill industry, a much-acclaimed key player in the much-anticipated energy transition, has very much been operating so far as if exonerated from doing its part thanks to the very nature of its activities. Wind turbine producers have been lambasted not only for their extremely poor sustainability footprints but also their total disregard for most social and environmental impacts. Cost has been the single focus of attention, in a mad drive to run down the cost of energy production to levels competitive with other energy sources. Lone Stubberup knew from the beginning she was in for a rough ride, but she was committed to making the case for sustainability at Jupiter Bach. In her mind, this was perfectly in line with the firm's positioning as a leading Denmark-based nacelle and spinner cover producer for off- and onshore wind turbines, and a most legitimate value addition that would set the company up for further success in the future. She spent months putting together a solid sustainability strategy showing a clear path forward, at a pace the company could handle, that was completely aligned to the firm's core value of "We Care". She received the support she needed but reality intruded in 2020 with the COVID crisis, and a sudden return by most clients to a pure cost-driven agenda. Jupiter Bach initially lost significant business because of its higher

Dick Marty was a Swiss Parliamentarian and former state prosecutor. In 2015, Marty led the Swiss Coalition for Corporate Justice (SCCJ), an alliance of Switzerland-based NGOs, in launching the Responsible Business Initiative (RBI) campaign. The proposed initiative aimed to introduce legal requirements for companies to undertake human rights and environmental due diligence under the Federal Constitution. If passed, corporations based in Switzerland could face legal risks for violations committed abroad. Numerous large corporations adamantly opposed the RBI, including Swiss cocoa giant Nestlé. The company had been at the center of multiple lawsuits and investigations, accused of aiding and abetting the enslavement of child laborers on cocoa plantations in West African countries since the 1990s. Yet, despite multiple efforts to reform Nestlé's supply chain, the child slavery problem persisted. In November 2020, the RBI was narrowly rejected in a national referendum. Marty and the SCCJ pondered how they could strive for corporate accountability in Switzerland. This case delves into concepts of business ethics, business law, corporate accountability, supply chain management, and modern slavery risks in global business environments. Students will explore the complex and pervasive issue of child labour in the global cocoa supply chain, discussing how and why the problem remains, despite broad public pressure, national and international laws, and even companies' own commitments to eradicating child labour. This case will encourage students to contemplate the problem of child slavery and accountability of multinational cocoa giants from diverse stakeholder perspectives.

This case profiles Ford Foundation president Darren Walker and his goal of reimagining philanthropy in order to build a more just and fair world. Specifically, it looks at how the Ford Foundation has reorganized so as to catalyze leaders and organizations who are driving social justice and building movements across the globe.

In April 2020, the chief executive officer of Xiaoxiandun E-Commerce Co. (Xiaoxiandun), faced a tough choice. Founded in 2014 in Beijing, China, Xiaoxiandun focused on birds' nests-an extremely popular traditional Chinese tonic product-and advocated the benefits of nourishing Chinese medicine. Low-temperature technology and timely delivery helped consumers to nourish the bird's nest on time and in standardized amounts. The "Expert of Fresh Stewed Bird's Nest" strategy during 2017-2019 helped Xiaoxiandun surpass the original leader in the bird's nest industry and became number one in sales on Tmall Double Eleven in 2019. In the same year, the leader regarded Xiaoxiandun as the main competitor, and adopted similar fresh stew technology. Faced with this challenge, how should Miao move forward: adhere to the "expert" strategy, diversify and expand, or make strategic changes to become a leader?

The case documents the original mattress leasing program initiated by François Pugliese, the owner of premium mattress firm Elite in Etoy (Switzerland). Since the beds he sold targeted the higher end of the market, it quickly dawned on him that customers could be tempted by a leasing offer instead of a standard purchase arrangement. In 2012, François launched the Smart Lease program: Mattresses were equipped with connected pressure sensors that could identify occupancy and relayed the information to a centralized system that monitored mattress usage and invoiced the client accordingly. Smart Lease was an immediate hit, earning some distinguished innovation awards in the process. On the financing side, though, François faced a dilemma. Smart Leasing was so successful that it created serious issues in his finances, made worse by the fast growth of his flagship stores. How could he raise a large, flexible line of credit to finance these strategic endeavors without diluting himself? He engineered a very original affinity financing solution, a convertible loan program offered to friends and family, with conversion possible under conditions to non-voting participating shares. DAMICI was a triple win: Money raised at favorable variable interest rates, a chance for friends and supporters of the firm to get involved in its future success, and a balance-sheet strengthening move. The case documents in great detail the operational and financial features of the Smart Leasing program and the DAMICI affinity financing model used to provide the funding both for leasing and for general growth options for the company. It offers rare insights into an original financial engineering montage that offered cheap, flexible financing to a high-growth entrepreneur.

The global beer industry took an unprecedented hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the world, governments implemented restrictive coronavirus containment measures such as national lockdowns, curfews and social distancing mandates. Bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs were shuttered. Concerts, festivals and sports events were cancelled or postponed. Global tourism came to a standstill. The beer industry, which was largely tied to the hospitality sector, suffered furloughs, layoffs and steep declines in sales, as countries went in and out of (partial) lockdown in staggered stages throughout 2020 and 2021. While some companies had managed to offset on-trade losses with off-trade gains, overall, e-commerce and supermarket sales weren't enough to prevent the market from significantly contracting during the pandemic. Despite government support in certain countries, bankruptcy was a looming threat for many breweries, potentially giving way to a reconfiguring of market share around the world. The global beer industry was in distress even before the disruptive events of COVID-19, but the pandemic accentuated major vulnerabilities and accelerated key trends. What would define the beer industry during its COVID-19 recovery and beyond? How could players bounce back and thrive after the crisis? What lessons could be taken into the post-pandemic future? Elizabeth, a young associate at a top consulting firm, grapples with these questions while working for a leading client in the beer industry.

AB InBev had been the world's number one brewer since 2004, a position largely attributed to its aggressive strategy of pursuing large, international mergers and acquisitions. The disruptive events of the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to upend the existing market share distribution, as well as the outlook of the global beer market. Breweries frantically worked to pivot to capture retail sales in supermarkets and online to offset the shutdown of the hospitality sector. Many had suffered furloughs and layoffs; some faced the risk of bankruptcy. Even as lockdown measures began to relax for certain countries, the global economy and the beer industry were beset with uncertainty. In the midst of it all, Michel Doukeris, previously the President of AB InBev's North America division, took the helm as the beer conglomerate's new CEO in the summer of 2021. He had big shoes to fill; the reins were handed over by Carlos Brito, the "king of beers" personified, who had served as CEO for 15 years and was credited with transforming the company from a regional giant to a global titan. Doukeris was charged with leading AB InBev through its COVID-19 recovery and beyond. As he transitioned into his new leadership role, he began grappling with difficult and vital questions for his company: Which lasting changes and trends would shape the global beer industry coming out of the COVID-19 crisis? How could AB InBev become future-proof in a post-pandemic world? What would be imperative to defending AB InBev's status as the world's number one beer company?

This case highlights how corporate philanthropies are distinct from other philanthropic institutions in terms of motivations, incentives and giving models. The case focuses on how Google.org leverages their assets to support the missions and initiatives of the organizations they fund. It also aims to explore how the team at Google.org thinks about the tradeoffs and challenges of aligning the company's business strategy with their social justice strategy. Focus is placed on Laura how an internal grantmaking program within a corporation operates, providing benefits both to beneficiaries and the corporation. The goal is for the case to be as tactical as possible, so students can really understand how corporate strategy can shape grantmaking or initiatives related to its non-financial assets, how value to Google and to society is measured, and the unique challenges that Google.org faces, given its hybrid structure. Within this, a section of the case focuses on the Racial Justice/Criminal Justice Reform program and profiles Google.org's grants to Equal Justice Initiative's Lynching in America Memorial and Museum and the Center for Policing Equity.

Harambe was a non-profit organization whose mission was to build an ecosystem to identify promising young African entrepreneurs and provide them access to training, markets, capital, and support networks. From 2007 to 2021, Harambe had grown to a network of 367 entrepreneurs, known as "Harambeans". They had collectively raised over $800 million in capital, created more than 3,500 jobs, and claimed three of the six African startup unicorns in 2021. There was mounting pressure for Harambe to evolve to take advantage of its momentum, the changing entrepreneurship landscape in Africa, and increasing investor interest. Given this, Okendo Lewis-Gayle, founder and chairman, pondered the next steps for Harambe to maximize its impact in Africa. He considered three options: scale the current non-profit model, pivot to a for-profit venture capital model, or develop a hybrid model with a non-profit and a for-profit investment arm. Another important question was, "How should Harambe define impact?"

The case explores the promises and challenges of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the Indian Healthcare system. India has a high maternal mortality rate, poor doctor-to-patient ratio, rising C-section rates, absence of last-mile access to quality maternal healthcare. In this context, Dr. Fernandez, a veteran in maternal healthcare, believes that midwifery is a workable solution to these widespread problems. However, to have an impact both in terms of and financial sustainability, government support is essential. Dr. Fernandez thinks that a PPP may be the best way to create many well-trained and professional midwives in the country. However, given India's complex healthcare structure, it is not easy to get acceptance and commitment from all the states for government schemes. Problems such as frequent changes in the bureaucratic leadership often disrupt the implementation of schemes. Another challenge is the mindset of birthing mothers, the obstetric community, and family members who view the medicalization of birthing as acceptable. Dr. Fernandez has to overcome multiple challenges. She has to address obstetricians' pushback while changing birthing mothers' mindsets and continually motivate the midwives her team had trained. Regarding the PPP, she has to evolve a plan to fast-track the rollout of the PPP model, ensure that the complex PPP involving multiple stakeholders works effectively, she has to address the roadblocks to the implementation of the PPP initiative, and design mechanisms to monitor progress.

The Indian Railways (IR), the country's largest transporter, is considering a plan to fully electrify its network. The move will cut its fuel expenditure by a whopping 50%. However, the project will require a capital investment of INR 350 billion (approximately USD 4.9 billion1). The investment is beyond the normal capital that is available for annual investment, as the IR is not run with a profit mindset and has limited retained earnings. Therefore, the IR has to consider potential financing options. The proposed investment also requires the IR management to overcome numerous operational changes in areas such a rolling stock, crew, usage of fueling depots, training, disposal of usable diesel locomotives, etc. The electric-based platform appears to be where the industry is headed worldwide, and potential future cost savings may also be possible if the IR moves to this platform. The project would make India the first country in Asia to move to complete electrification, establishing it as a pioneer in the rail industry and boosting national pride. It would reduce the country's reliance on imported fuels and help with the nation's balance of payments, thereby advancing its economic agenda. A third non-financial but national objective of the project would be a significant reduction in carbon emissions. The board of the IR is tasked with examining various aspects of the proposed electrification project and deciding whether or not to approve the idea. The case requires students to make a decision as to whether or not the savings are worth the investment and resource allocation.

Spreadsheet Supplement for Case ISB278