個案總覽

Three generations of the Rubin family gathered around the dinner table for their usual Friday evening get-together. It was a perfect opportunity to discuss everything and anything about the business, the family and the world. The discussion quickly turned to the changing channels available to consumers. There had been many radical shifts before, and the family relished its agility and ability to regenerate itself regularly. Stephen's parents had arrived in Liverpool on ships from Eastern Europe and in 1932 set up a shoe wholesaler. Later, the Rubin family ventured into shoe manufacturing, first locally then became one of the first European companies to outsource production to Asia. Savvy investments, like the acquisition and divestment of a majority stake in Reebok, financially enabled them to progressively build a unique collection of sport brands, such as Speedo, Ellesse, Berghaus, Canterbury, Mitre and others. But venturing into retail with JD Sports Fashion was a radical departure from the family's B2B roots, and they still had to figure out all the implications of the move. Other topics of discussion included how digitalization and big data would impact the future of Pentland, the impact of global political shifts and the family generational transition, with the 2nd generation turning 80.

The case examines a number of critical episodes in the growth of SodaStream International Ltd., an Israeli maker of home beverage carbonation products. In particular, the case centers on the role of CEO Daniel Birnbaum in a series of highly public confrontations with competitors, critics, and government officials that highlight issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and CEO activism. While other published case studies have chronicled Birnbaum's early efforts to turn around the century-old company following its acquisition by a venture capital firm in 2007, the current case delves into the more recent - and more turbulent - history of the company with particular emphasis on the role of business in society and issues faced by senior business leaders in reconciling personal values with the pursuit of business results. The case also considers the specific context of SodaStream as an Israeli company confronting a unique and complex set of societal, political, and geopolitical challenges. The case asks readers to consider the impact of the events described on the company, its business performance, and various stakeholders. The case also invites a discussion on the evolving role of corporations as agents of business and societal change and prompts participants to consider the role of business leaders in confronting complex moral and social issues. In particular, the case explores the growing phenomenon of 'CEO Activism' and the potential clash between individuals' moral or political beliefs and the responsibilities of public company executives to deliver business results.

François Pugliese acquired Elite Beds in Etoy in a small buy-in in 2006 and then proceeded to re-invent completely its business, first by pivoting its business model and introducing Smart Leases and then by digitizing it, turning the mattress into a true technology platform, with dozens of innovative projects in the pipeline. As he proceeded to the conference room for the Board meeting in April 2017, François wondered whether it would help to prioritize the projects, and if so how? Did these projects effectively represent another pivot for the company again? Was it time to force change again? Learning objective: Managing growth, engineering a buy-in, financing deals, strategic pivots, business model changes, innovation management, digitalization of the mattress, technology platforms, growth management, innovation portfolio management.

As a French engineer, nothing predestined Patrick Hoffmann to ever launch and lead a small pig empire in Russia. What had started out as an ambitious high-technology pig multiplication facility in the region of Lipetsk had evolved over the period 2005-2018 into one of the country's premier multipliers, at the leading edge of genetics and pig raising techniques. The company expanded to cover multiple stages in the pig industry, from manufacturing concrete floor slats for the pig farms to farming 12,000 ha of land, producing high quality animal feeds, slaughtering animals, and further processing meat all the way to running eight French-style butcheries. The company now truly operated "from pitchfork to fork". But the journey was never over. The vertical integration had happened more by default than by strategic choice, and it was fair now to question the whole montage. Patrick had just been presented with the chance to integrate backward into genetic selection as their Danish supplier restructured. Retail and meat processing had been unqualified disappointments; should they continue to be involved? On the positive side, Patrick had just fielded a call from the governor of the region, informing him of another 12,000 ha of farm land for leasing. Unfavorable price evolutions in the industry also suggested some less efficient competitors would soon face financial distress, creating interesting acquisition opportunities. Learning objective: Doing business in Russia, agro-industries, vertical integration strategies, building teams, managing the value chain, technology as barrier to entry, innovation, genetics, growth management, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial leadership, managing stakeholders, capital budgeting, business models, project management, growth financing.

OCTOBER 20 15, ZURICH (SWITZERLAND). Michel Galeazzi and Felix Ackermann, the two co-founders of the private equity firm Evoco AG, were pondering their next move for Kyotec, one of their portfolio companies which just underwent a drastic restructuring. Evoco itself was at an interesting junction: Was it time to plan an exit from the investment? A strategic sale would surely strengthen Evoco's credibility and validate its original business model. As a new private equity manager focused on fixing Abstract: two related, well-known industry issues (the lack of l iquidity and serious conflicts of interests when a fund was not perform ing) through active ownership, it definitely could use some good, early performance numbers. But the turnaround was still in its early phases, and maybe it made more sense to keep Kyotec and actively drive the value-enhancing initiatives. The underlying question was how much more va lue Felix and Michel could still bring to the table. Finally, was their precious time and limited resources better spent trying to generate value in the other companies in Evoco's portfolio?

The headline "Quinoa Genome Sequenced" caught the eye of Diego Pelaez, CFO of Coronilla S.A., a gluten-free pasta producer. Scientists had successfully sequenced the genome of the quinoa plant, hailed as a superfood because of its outstanding nutritional value. Quinoa, originally cultivated by the Inca Empire in the Andes, had become hugely popular in the last two decades and it was now grown in over 70 countries. It also happened to be the star ingredient in Coronilla's organic pastas and snacks. Coronilla was established in 1972 in Bolivia by Diego's grandfather, Guillermo Wille. After 25 years, he handed the reins to his daughter, Martha Wille. Unfortunately, the transition happened in difficult circumstances, with the company teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Under Martha's leadership, the company successfully pivoted from a traditional wheat pasta manufacturer focused on the local market to a global exporter of gluten-free pastas and snacks made from organically-grown Andean grains. Coronilla not only transformed its business model but also wholeheartedly embraced social responsibility: it established Fair Trade sourcing with local indigenous farmers, hired mostly women and handicapped people in its workforce, and created multiple social programs for staff and their families.By 2017, Coronilla was finally reaping the rewards of its radical change program, with healthy profits and fast growth. But what was next? The news of quinoa's genome sequencing confirmed that Coronilla needed to renew itself and establish sustainability. Three strategic areas required decisions soon: branding; establishing a new production facility abroad; and negotiating a new strategic partnership. Furthermore, Diego's mother Martha was nearing retirement age and the family board had just officially designated Diego as her successor. It was now up to him to set the compass for Coronilla's next phase.

Singapore, Sept 2016. For the Jebsen and Jessen families, Asia had been an adopted land for over 120 years, not counting the years their ancestors, as Danish seafarers, had plied the treacherous Asian waters. In 1895, two of them had set roots in Hong Kong and established a first trading house, one of the original foreign Hongs in the colony. From those modest beginnings emerged a powerful group with over US$4.5 billion in sales and over 7,700 employees, with four principal entities: Jebsen & Co., based in Hong Kong; Jebsen & Jessen (SEA), based in Singapore; Jebsen & Jessen Hamburg, their global trading house; and GMA Garnet, the world leader in mining, processing, distributing and recycling of industrial garnet. The family enterprise survived many near-death experiences because of wars and revolutions, progressively evolving from a pure trading house, first establishing themselves as partners of choice for leading global companies such as Porsche or Demag, then having greater involvement along the value chain through vertical integration and diversifying their geographic footprint into frontier markets such as Indonesia and Myanmar. For the third generation, the future looked promising, but history had taught the family never to rest on its laurels. The governance structure meant that ownership and control were concentrated in a limited number of hands. Would the current leaders be able to identify, groom and incentivize those from the next generation? How could they keep the family at large involved? From the business side, how far should vertical integration and geographical diversification be pushed? How should they react to the recent slowdown in China? Was there a natural limit to CSR activities?

The Coco-Mat case tracks the development of the bedding brand from its initial concept in 1989 to the iconic status it had achieved by 2016. During that time, it went through a progressive refining of its customer proposition and brand values, developed a global retail network and expanded into hotels and wood bikes, among other areas. Back in 1989, Paul and Mike Efmorfidis embarked on a wild journey to develop an original, Greecebased sleeping system company. At the end of 2015, Coco-Mat was running stores in 14 countries, employed 250+ people, most of them in Greece, and this was nowhere close to the end of the story, barely an appetizer. They had started on a beach with virtually nothing, invented new concepts in an industry they knew little about and they could only be described as fairly resistant to change. They withstood one of the worst economic crises ever seen by a country, and they were now discussing further international expansion and accelerating growth. Could they continue to operate with their initial business model? Was it time to solidify the company and install more systems and structure? How could they retain their agility? What kind of culture did they want to establish for the company and leave behind as a legacy? The past had been nothing short of amazing but where should they take the company next?

May 2016, Singapore. Umesh Shah, the head of Unilever International (UI), was pleased with what his team had been able to achieve since the business unit was created at the beginning of 2012 by merging the operating companies' export units with the purpose to better exploit the "white spaces," i.e. business opportunities created by new global trends and marginal areas not given proper focus and support by Unilever operating companies (OpCos) because they did not belong to key core brands, consumers, channels and geographies. By late 2015 UI had grown into a very profitable business, doubling the turnover it had inherited in 2012, by pushing the envelope of Unilever sales and filling some cracks within its existing markets and channels. This included, for example, growing Unilever's presence in smaller markets like the Pacific Islands, increasing the sales of non-core brands in fringe markets, targeting original subgroups of consumers (such as immigrants, religious and other ethnic categories) in traditional markets or focusing on non-traditional channels such as airports and tax-free outfits. UI faced strong resistance from the OpCos initially, but gradually won them over. He still faced critical questions about UI's future. Would its ambition to almost double turnover by 2020 require making bigger bets and accepting more risk? What was the optimal scale of UI business in the long term? Should it review the working arrangements with the OpCos to remain mutually beneficial? Would the next generation of UI leaders come from within or outside the business? Were changes in the way staff were evaluated and compensated required? Learnong objective: Developing a white space organization, nurturing the internal entrepreneurs, managing fast growth, new business models, intrapreneurship, managing incentive programs, managing brands on the margin, niche marketing, expansion strategies on the fringe.

Supplement to case IMD820. The case series is based on extensive interviews with key executives at adidas Russia/CIS in charge of implementing the radical IT, supply chain and omnichannel initiatives that transformed adidas Russia/CIS from one of the poorest performers to the new standard within the Group. The initiatives included pioneering the rollout and implementation of key new technologies such as click-and-collect, ship-from-store, endless aisle and RFID - all of this in the face of the massive economic crisis that embroiled Russia. With some 1,200 company-owned stores - the Group's largest direct retail footprint globally - adidas Russia/CIS was critical to the financial success of the Group as a whole. The case provides an opportunity to discuss the key challenges in the rollout and implementation of cutting-edge IT, supply chain and omnichannel initiatives in one of the most challenging retail and logistics environments, i.e. Russia during the latest economic crisis.

The case series is based on extensive interviews with key executives at adidas Russia/CIS in charge of implementing the radical IT, supply chain and omnichannel initiatives that transformed adidas Russia/CIS from one of the poorest performers to the new standard within the Group. The initiatives included pioneering the rollout and implementation of key new technologies such as click-and-collect, ship-from-store, endless aisle and RFID - all of this in the face of the massive economic crisis that embroiled Russia. With some 1,200 company-owned stores - the Group's largest direct retail footprint globally - adidas Russia/CIS was critical to the financial success of the Group as a whole. The case provides an opportunity to discuss the key challenges in the rollout and implementation of cutting-edge IT, supply chain and omnichannel initiatives in one of the most challenging retail and logistics environments, i.e. Russia during the latest economic crisis.

Yosef Akhtman, CEO and cofounder of Gamaya, and Igor Ivanov, Gamaya's business development manager were elated at the latest news coming from Brazil. After a year of field tests, things were finally falling into place and Gamaya was now able to demonstrate credibly the contributions its drone-born miniaturized hyperspectral cameras could bring to local sugar cane farmers. It was not only the hardware that made Gamaya so special, but also the data analytics that converted the rich data images into valuable crop management information that could immediately be converted into field actions. The client in this case was also an investor in the venture and, as one of the most visible and acclaimed Swiss entrepreneurs, his validation was worth a lot to the company, and that could be a turning point for the company. Even though it had won prizes in venture competitions and research grants from the University lab, this was the first significant investment from a professional investor, and Yosef knew it would open doors for further funding rounds. Questions abounded though: Should they continue to focus on sugar cane farmers or should they move to other crops and geographies? Was the business model appropriate for their activities? How long would it take for the delivery medium, various drones at this point, to be replaced by mini-satellites offering almost real-time monitoring on a larger scale?

The Dallara Automobili case describes the success of a family run company that designed and built chassis for racing and sports cars. Established in 1972 by the legendary Gian Paolo Dallara, the company provided winning chassis for almost all major racing formulas. Initially the company's success was based on two core capabilities: aerodynamics and carbon fiber manufacturing, a combination that allowed the company to produce fast, light and safe chassis. In 2007, when the founder turned 70, he brought on board a new CEO, Andrea Pontremoli (former CEO of IBM Italy), to support and develop the company's long-term vision. Pontremoli led the company through an innovation journey that transformed Dallara from a pure high-end craftsmanship company into a modern engineering firm. Dallara pursued its original vocation and capabilities but it also developed new revenue streams, entering new customer segments beyond motorsports. The case describes the steps of this journey, focusing on how innovation impacted the traditional workflow within Dallara, opening up new business opportunities while maintaining the lead in its core business.

Atera Restaurant, New York City, February 2015. Jodi Richard closed the door behind her with a ton of questions. She had just come out of the final meeting with Matthew Lightner, the executive chef of her two-Michelin-star restaurant in lower Manhattan. Matthew had just announced he was quitting to "pursue new opportunities." This was the final straw in a long string of events that had unfolded before her eyes. The departure of the multi-starred chef would leave a huge vacuum in the restaurant's organization. Worse, they has agreed that Matthew's departure would be effective very rapidly, by end of March. The situation was critical: finding a new star chef for a fashionable restaurant in the competitive lower-Manhattan food scene was going to be a huge challenge. Several other crucial questions preoccupied Jodi. Should she just close down the restaurant and rent the space out to somebody else? Should she change the restaurant concept completely, moving to something easier like a sushi restaurant? Was a trip to Japan to find a young ambitious chef an option in that respect? How would the staff feel about the chef's departure? Would they follow the exit sign as well? Learning objective: Hospitality management, culture, secure-based leadership, incentives, crisis management, entrepreneurship, restaurant management, service marketing, social networks, public relations.

Supplement to case IMD818. Atera Restaurant, New York City, February 2015. Jodi Richard closed the door behind her with a ton of questions. She had just come out of the final meeting with Matthew Lightner, the executive chef of her two-Michelin-star restaurant in lower Manhattan. Matthew had just announced he was quitting to "pursue new opportunities." This was the final straw in a long string of events that had unfolded before her eyes. The departure of the multi-starred chef would leave a huge vacuum in the restaurant's organization. Worse, they has agreed that Matthew's departure would be effective very rapidly, by end of March. The situation was critical: finding a new star chef for a fashionable restaurant in the competitive lower-Manhattan food scene was going to be a huge challenge. Several other crucial questions preoccupied Jodi. Should she just close down the restaurant and rent the space out to somebody else? Should she change the restaurant concept completely, moving to something easier like a sushi restaurant? Was a trip to Japan to find a young ambitious chef an option in that respect? How would the staff feel about the chef's departure? Would they follow the exit sign as well?

Supplement to case IMD818. Atera Restaurant, New York City, February 2015. Jodi Richard closed the door behind her with a ton of questions. She had just come out of the final meeting with Matthew Lightner, the executive chef of her two-Michelin-star restaurant in lower Manhattan. Matthew had just announced he was quitting to "pursue new opportunities." This was the final straw in a long string of events that had unfolded before her eyes. The departure of the multi-starred chef would leave a huge vacuum in the restaurant's organization. Worse, they has agreed that Matthew's departure would be effective very rapidly, by end of March. The situation was critical: finding a new star chef for a fashionable restaurant in the competitive lower-Manhattan food scene was going to be a huge challenge. Several other crucial questions preoccupied Jodi. Should she just close down the restaurant and rent the space out to somebody else? Should she change the restaurant concept completely, moving to something easier like a sushi restaurant? Was a trip to Japan to find a young ambitious chef an option in that respect? How would the staff feel about the chef's departure? Would they follow the exit sign as well?

Umicore's CEO Marc Grynberg had been appointed chief executive officer in the last quarter of 2008 in the early stages of a global economic crisis, an ominous start of sorts. As a member of the executive committee, he had been part of the core team that transformed the company from a stagnant mining company - Union Minière - into a true global leader - Umicore Group - in the emerging global circular economy. As a result, the company was named the most sustainable company in the world in the 2013 annual Corporate Knights rankings. This was no small feat for a company that was born in 1805 as Vieille-Montagne. Umicore's complete transformation was effected in less than a decade. The copper and zinc businesses were spun-off and listed separately, leading to the adoption of a radically new business model. The old mining-refining approach to developing material solutions was replaced by a leading-edge recycling-based model that relied on chemistry and metallurgy. By adopting the new business model, the company had become a leader in terms of innovation and sustainability. It now needed to reformulate its strategy to reap the fruits of the heavy investments. Grynberg and his team were also increasingly challenged to demonstrate how the company could monetize its non-financial performance with key stakeholders. Can sustainability really create value? If so, through what mechanisms? Learning objective: Monetizing the circular economy, managing sustainability, stakeholder management, responsible management, change leadership, innovation.

Lieshout (NL), October 2015. Bavaria N.V., founded well before 1680 and based in Lieshout (Netherlands), was the second largest brewery in the Netherlands. It symbolized fierce independence and a high degree of entrepreneurship, always balancing legacy with innovation. Five cousins from the Swinkels family were at the helm of the operative business; the company's shared leadership model was one of its many ingredients for success, as was the family's unquenchable ambition for the company. But the path to global enjoyment was anything but smooth. Western beer markets had been stagnating for years, some even declining, and competition was fierce. To generate growth, brewers had to rely mostly on acquisitions. The challenge for the seventh generation of Swinkels' family owners had clearly been to leverage the company's exceptional brewing skills. To stay relevant and continue to thrive for the next generations, Bavaria needed to identify new growth niches and maintain excellence in product quality while optimizing its manufacturing and entire value chain. Should it continue to rely on technology to create new products and brands addressing ever finer niche markets? Should it reach out for new frontier markets where beer consumption was still on the uptrend? Could it really do both effectively with its original governance and management structure, keeping the family connection and values? Learning objectives: Family governance, culture, growth management, expansion strategy, sustainability, Ethiopia, affinity financing, emerging markets, product portfolio management, venturing, entrepreneurship.

MAY 21, 2014, MANILA. For the first time, the World Economic Forum (WEF) had come to the Philippines. Ayala Corporation, one of the nation's oldest and most successful conglomerates, hosted an evening reception that brought together the "Who's Who" of the Philippines. Jaime Augusto and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, the seventh generation chairman and president, respectively, of the Ayala Corporation, were inspiring and natural ambassadors, promoting the Philippines as an up-and-coming market to global investors and potential business partners, investing time and effort in nation-building activities. Just after the East Asia Forum, Ayala's biannual executive strategy meeting was held, with some eighth generation family members attending for the first time. Among the topics discussed were how to strategically allocate resources to grow the corporation inside and/or beyond the Philippines and how to venture beyond the traditional business models. The next generation had to consider fundamental questions. What were the keys to Ayala's success over the past 180 years? Would they still be relevant in the future? Would inclusion and nation building continue to serve as reliable pillars for the business? Finally, how should they best prepare themselves to become the next generation of responsible stewards?

As Serena Shamash opened the doors to her newly renovated restaurant, the last thing she was expecting to see was two inches of water covering the floor of the bar. Yet, this was just another day in the life of an entrepreneur. She had overcome many obstacles over the emotionally charged three years it took to give birth to her business dream - Eat Me, The World on Small Plates®. Now that she had achieved this goal, what was next? Her main preoccupation recently was how to extract herself from the day-to-day operations of the restaurant in order to start the next phase of her business. Eat Me was expected to reach operating breakeven at the end of the year, a major milestone in its short life. Did Eat Me still require her full attention? Or was it time to move beyond the first unit and consider scaling up? What about launching a new concept? She had already started developing new ideas and was getting anxious not to get stuck in the daily grind of this industry. But how would she decide on which direction to pursue? Learning objectives: Entrepreneurial careers, starting a restaurant, affinity financing, managing growth in a service industry, managing relationships while starting a company, setting strategy, creating a value proposition in the restaurant industry, personnel management, key success factors in hospitality.