In its first two years as a direct response retail bank in Canada, ING Bank of Canada attracted more than 160,000 customers and assets of Cdn$1.6 billion. Several other direct banks have entered the marketplace with similar services and the management team needs to consider the company's next strategic move. The team must decide whether to recommend an alliance that would place ING automated banking machines in Canadian Tire stores nationwide. This case is a supplement to ING Bank of Canada (A), product 9A99A010.
Nintendo Co. Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the retail video game industry. In 1998 the color version of Nintendo Game Boy would be launched simultaneously in North America and Europe and would be one of Nintendo's most important launches. The president of Nintendo, Canada must develop a marketing plan that would generate the most profit.
Top management at Research in Motion (RIM) were considering a significant change in strategic direction. RIM manufactured two-way pager, wireless PC card and OEM radio products. With the anticipated convergence of wireless and Internet e-mail, RIM saw an opportunity to sell end users a two-way, e-mail end-to-end solution, including both hardware and telecommunication service. Management had to assess whether this was an attractive opportunity. If they did enter the market, RIM would have to decide whether to target individual users or corporate information technology departments and select channels to reach its targeted customers. RIM also faced some challenging marketing communication issues, since about 50 per cent of potential users showed no interest in a mobile e-mail solution.
This is an abridged version of Compaq Computer Corporation 1995, case 9A95A011. The case describes the evaluation of Compaq's marketing strategy in the personal computer industry from its founding in 1982 up to 1995. The market environment and the strategies of key competitors and Intel are discussed. Compaq management must decide how to respond to the changing market and competitive environment.
The new CEO of Compaq Computer, the world's second largest computer company, is facing some difficult decisions about how to combat the increasing threat posed by Dell Computer Corporation. The case describes the strategic moves made by Compaq in the late 1990s under the leadership of a previous CEO who was dismissed by Compaq's board earlier in the year. It also describes in some detail the history of Dell Computer and the evolution of the Dell Direct model. Compaq's new CEO faces some major issues, one of which is the resolution of the channel issues, particularly in the commercial personal computing segment. It is clear he faces some very tough strategic and marketing choices. The power of information technology and standards that have allowed Dell to build a powerful ecosystem with its customers, suppliers and complementers are illustrated in this powerful teaching case. With the support of these other players, Dell has been able to topple one of the great companies of the late 20th century from its leadership position. It also illustrates how difficult it is for a market leader to effectively respond to such a challenge.
Augat Electronics Inc. was finalizing its plan to launch a new line of connectors and tools for cable television service technicians. While the line was being developed, a major new U.S.-based competitor launched a new product line at a premium price and captured the leadership position in the Canadian market. Key decisions facing Augat were how to price its products and what the supporting marketing strategy should be. The new Augat connector appeared to offer customers significant economic benefits.
The management team at ING Bank of Canada was preparing to launch Canada's first discount bank. Initially, the bank planned to serve its customers using mail and telephone. Later, it planned to supplement the telephone banking service with an interactive voice response system and an Internet-based service. ING hoped to attract customers by offering significantly higher interest rates on its savings products than any of its competitors. There was some skepticism about the viability of the proposed business model. At the time of the case, the president and CEO of ING Bank was reviewing the proposed launch strategy.
The executive vice president, Investor and Trust Services Division, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, and chairman, Green Line Investor Services, was trying to decide whether he should request the authorization of the bank's top management to begin negotiations to acquire Waterhouse Investor Services Inc. Waterhouse was the fourth largest discount brokerage firm in the United States, and the acquisition, if consummated, would be the largest acquisition in the history of the bank. The case describes the major strategic moves of Green Line from its establishment in 1984 to the proposed Waterhouse acquisition in 1996. During this period Green Line became the dominant discount broker in Canada. The Waterhouse acquisition would represent its first major move into the global discount brokerage market. One of the issues in the case is trying to understand the reasons for Green Line's success in Canada and the potential transferability of its customer value and profit creation model to the highly competitive U.S. market.
FastLane Technologies was a young entrepreneurial software company that had developed a powerful language that could help organizations manage, administer and control large enterprise networks. In late 1996 they received an infusion of capital from Newbridge Networks and Celtic House, a venture capital firm. In May 1997, the new vice-president of marketing at FastLane must make his first presentation to the Board of Directors about his proposed marketing strategy for FastLane. The company faced a number of important issues, including whether to focus on the language or application tools based on the language and the most effective strategy for rapidly moving its products into a dominant position in its segment of the emerging market for Windows NT services. Developing effective channels to reach the large organizations that were its target customers was a particularly challenging issue. The case can be used in business-to-business marketing, marketing strategy, strategic market planning courses or in small business or entrepreneurship courses. (A 43-minute video can be purchased with this case, video 7A98A006.)
The management team at Electrohome's projection systems division must decide what to do in response to a surprise new product introduction by Sony Projection Systems. The new product threatens Electrohome's position at the high end of the market. The case focuses on competitive analysis as three players from three different regions of the world vie for profitable positions in the industrial projection system market. This case presents Electrohome's perspective of the same event documented in the Barco Projection Systems (A) case (HBS 9-591-133). Two follow-up cases Electrohome (B): The Phoenix Project and Electrohome (C): The Marquee Launch are available.
This case follows Electrohome (A): Projection Systems Division, and discusses the key events that have taken place among the competitors since the (A) case date. Electrohome is developing a new projection system which has the potential to be the best projector on the market. Of key importance is an understanding of the likely actions and reactions of the major competitors in the market. If the Phoenix project fails, Electrohome will likely go bankrupt.
This case follows Electrohome (A): Projection Systems Division, and Electrohome (B): The Phoenix Project. The Phoenix project is on track for completion before a critical trade show in January 1993. It is now August and the management team must decide whether or not to pre-announce the product or delay the announcement for maximum impact and surprise.
Logitech was one of three companies that dominated the global market for pointing devices for computers. While Logitech had captured a large share of the Original Equipment Manufacturer mouse market, Microsoft was the clear leader in terms of industry standards and dollar share of the retail market. KYE, with a strong presence in Europe, was poised to compete aggressively in North America. Faced with the intensifying competition and eroding margin, Logitech was considering the introduction of an innovative line of ergonomic mice, which promised to change the competitive dynamics of the industry.
By mid-1988, Aldus Corporation was the market share leader in the global desktop publishing market. Top management was faced with the decision of whether to split Aldus's product family into two distinct product lines. Each product line would be targeted at different segments of the market: the business market and the creative graphics professional market.
In early 1989, with growing concern among Canadians about the impending solid waste problem, Grad Schnurr, the brand manager for Downy fabric softener, was considering the launch of a more environmentally friendly form of packaging. These Enviro-Paks would reduce the amount of plastic used in a standard 3L package by 85%, resulting in a 15% saving in total manufacturing costs. Although a similar type of packaging had already been introduced in Europe, the Enviro-Paks would be the first of their kind in North America. Because of this, Grad Schnurr faced many strategic issues and had to make decisions relating to the pricing, promotion and national launch of the paks.