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The president and the general manager have to make some quick decisions about how to deal with the media after an advertisement has offended the black community and caused angry complaints of racism. The company also wants to develop plans to avoid similar problems in the future.

The new vice-president for Kentucky Fried Chicken in southeast Asia, must weigh the growth benefits of investing in China with alternative opportunities in the region. He is at the exploratory stage of market research and is focusing his attention on four possible locations in China. He must also balance his own personal ambitions with the possibilities for failure, not only in China, but the rest of southeast Asia. (A 31-minute video is available with this case, Kentucky Fried Chicken in China - Video.) A follow-up case Kentucky Fried Chicken in China (B) is also available.

The vice-president, corporate and public affairs, at an insurance company has to prepare the next year's internal communications program at a time when the company is undergoing a revolution - an effort to improve service and profits through a radical organizational and cultural change. The small communications department has played a key role and tried new methods in the company's move toward empowerment and increased accountability. At this point, creating a communications strategy on a limited budget means choosing among priorities, but a recent survey of employee attitudes has provided some input into needs.

An expansion in the bottling plant of a brewery leads to a reassessment of the manual palletizing operation. It is possible to purchase expensive automatic equipment and a choice of makes is involved.

The newly-appointed general manager of Butler Metal Products was considering changes to his firm's shop floor organization. About two years earlier, his predecessor had switched from a traditional functional hierarchy to focused factories. Although the changes were accompanied by 35% reductions in inventories, throughput times and defect rates, there was concern that they would not be enough to assure Butler's survival in the economically-stressed automotive industry. The focused factories were struggling with conflicting demands for shared equipment and human resources. Did the factories need to be refocused, left alone, or reverted back to the old organization?

This case is an up-close look at the management of a large mining and smelting alliance in Australia. One partner is American, the other Australian. Although it is an equally owned venture, the Australians are the lead partners, but they are not doing a very good job. The Americans are frustrated by this, but uncertain as to how to influence their partner. The Americans also have been frustrated in their attempts to introduce a new technology to the mine and expand it. The case is an excellent vehicle for exploring the issue of management control and influence in joint ventures. Does having a lead partner make sense? What should be the role of each company vis-a-vis operating issues? Strategic issues?

This business game allows participants to make 12 scheduling decisions under conditions of demand uncertainty. It is played with groups of 3-5 participants and does not require a computer.

About 15 operators work in a simple hybrid batch-flow environment to produce the Earth Buddy novelty product. The case introduces the topic of process analysis. Sufficient information is presented to introduce and discuss the following concepts in an 80-minute class: capacity, throughput time, cycle time, bottleneck identification and resolution, and work-in-process inventory accumulation and draw-down. Issues that can be explored during the discussion include: shift scheduling, the impact of cross-training, batch versus flow production, rush orders, and the impact of defects on capacity. (An Extend simulation file is available for this case, Earth Buddy - Extend Simulation file.)

The business development manager for General Electric (GE) Canada, met with executives from GE Supply, a US-based distribution arm of GE. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss new business opportunities in energy management and efficiency. The business development manager had identified some opportunities for business development in Canada, while leveraging GE's strategic capabilities did not fit well with GE's corporate structure. He was keen to work with GE Supply but wanted to retain a high level of operating autonomy. The challenge was to put together an appropriate organizational structure and find a home for the new development idea. (A sequel to this case is available, titled GE Energy Management Initiative (B), case 9A94G006. A 12-minute video may also be purchased with this case, video 7A94G005.)

The assistant engineer in the Thermal Treatment Department of a state-owned enterprise in China has received approval for the formation of a new quality control group to reduce the high defect rate of a critical part. The total quality concept is presented within the context of a specific quality problem, which encourages students to both assess the company's quality system and apply quality improvement tools to this particular problem. This case is the first of a three part series that applies the principles and tools of total quality management in a Chinese setting. This case can either be used independently or in combination with the (B) case, 9A98D002 and (C) case, 9A98D003.

A renowned manufacturer and designer of niche vehicles for major automobile companies has traditionally competed on flexibility using a highly skilled design and manufacturing workforce and low levels of automation. However, the European auto market is threatened with a shakeout. The director of operations must decide whether to accept an offer from Mitsubishi to become the exclusive European manufacturer of a sport utility vehicle. The order would more than double the company's manufacturing volume and relieve pressure to replace models currently in production. However, the fit of the order with existing manufacturing strategy is poor, and major changes in facilities and equipment as well as people and systems would be required. The case is suitable for use in an operations class to introduce or apply basic concepts in operations strategy or to discuss operations capability and strategy with executives.

Unicon supplies pre-cast concrete products to the flourishing construction market in Hong Kong. The deputy managing director, is evaluating an opportunity to pursue a blanket regulatory approval for Unicon's custom-designed concrete products with its largest customer, the Hong Kong Housing Authority. This opportunity promised to offer cost savings to both Unicon and this customer, although questions remain about the broader implications for Unicon's manufacturing operations and other customers. At the same time, management must develop a plan to expand its manufacturing capacity if Unicon hopes to capitalize on the rapidly expanding market and fend off new competitors from mainland China.

The general manager of COM DEV's Chinese facility which assembled satellite components, was trying to decide whether the plant should seek ISO 9000 certification. Not only did ISO 9000 registration have a number of advantages and disadvantages, but as well, the decision in the Chinese plant would have some implications for COM DEV's other facilities in Canada and Europe. In addition, if the general manager decided to seek ISO 9000 certification for his plant, he would have to decide which level of certification to seek.

The chief executive officer of Brent-Harbridge Developments had just received confirmation of several upcoming property auctions. Brent-Harbridge Developments was currently asset short after some successful recent disposals, which made the CEO keenly interested in three of the properties being auctioned. She needed to prepare a bidding strategy in order to try to acquire at least one or perhaps more of the development properties being auctioned. (A Microsoft Excel data file is available for use with this case, product 7A98E042.)

Management at PCB Manufacturing, Inc. was concerned that a significant number of faulty printed circuit boards were reaching their customers. Should the testing system be changed so that the number of bad boards being shipped decreases? (A Microsoft Excel model is available for use with this case, product 7A98E043.)

The CEO of Northern Napa Valley Winery must forecast aggregate sales of red table wine for the product year, as well as month-by-month sales for the same period. This case provides the student with the opportunity to try to forecast a time series characterized by distinct trend and seasonality with almost nine years of monthly data available. (A Microsoft Excel data file is available for use with this case, product 7A98E046.)

The newly appointed division head must examine organizational or communication problems within a division of a billion dollar semiconductor manufacturer. The manager made a decision, which an employee emotionally responded to, creating the potential for conflict within the department. Cross-cultural issues come into play given that the manager, although originally from China, was educated and gathered extensive experience in the West and was thus considered an expatriate by his employees. The manager must also examine the effect of organizational culture on an employee's behavior.

Alpha Gearing Systems Shanghai Co., Ltd. (Alpha Shanghai), a joint-venture between Alpha Gearing Systems of Illinois, USA (a large producer of gearing products), and Kai Li Machine Systems (one of China's largest manufacturers of gearing systems for mopeds and motorcycles), had invested several millions of dollars in tooling in the hope of winning a major contract. The general manager of Alpha Shanghai had made the decision that the next round of negotiations would either significantly advance, or sever, the relationship between Alpha Shanghai and San Yu Mopeds, a large Chinese moped producer, and a customer which Alpha Shanghai had hoped would become one of its largest. The case decision revolves around Alpha Shanghai's senior management perspectives, strategy and assumptions which affected the negotiating process, and specifically how their communication patterns were effected by their experience and culture.

It had been almost a decade since the first article surfaced in the media alleging that factories sub-contracted by Nike in China and Indonesia were forcing workers to work long hours for low pay, and for physically and verbally abusive managers. The article was the seed of a media campaign that created a public relations nightmare for the company. A financial crisis in Asia and intense competition in the domestic market contributed to a decline in Nike's revenue and market share after three years of record performance. Though no direct correlation could be proven between the consumer's negative perceptions of Nike and the company's decline in market share and stock, it certainly did not help in their efforts to establish themselves as the global leader in a hotly competitive industry. A linear overview of the adverse publicity that Nike received, and the perspectives of Nike senior management, demonstrates to students the importance and elements of the timely development of an effective media and consumer relations campaign.

The newly appointed general manager of Alfonso's Department Store has initiated a review of Alfonso's newspaper marketing, in part to gain familiarity with the store's marketing practices, but also to look for ways to enhance both sales and market share. (A Microsoft Excel data file is available for use with this case, product 7A99E002.)