Spreadsheet for Case 027SMU.

This case has been written to illustrate the pros and cons of asset-light and asset-heavy strategies. China has seen a rise in the use of asset-heavy strategies over the last few years, particularly with heavy asset users. By using financial tools such as sale and leaseback, fund management business models, and capital recycling, users can build asset-heavy real estate and capture lucrative real estate development profits. The users can then lighten the balance sheet by employing various financial techniques, thus achieving the economic benefit of the asset-heavy strategy while eventually enjoying the lower financial burden and higher flexibility of the asset-light strategy. This real industry case focuses on cold chain logistics real estate (refrigerated warehouses), which is developing in a similar manner to that of the ambient logistics real estate sector over the last 20 years. The company's name has been disguised for confidentiality purposes and the shipment data has been randomly re-generated, but it retains its overall statistics profile for greater realism. The case is written primarily for corporate strategy discussions, but the strong quantitative element also allows it to be used as an operations management network optimisation case as well.

In May 2004, Temasek Holdings (Temasek) initiates the divestment of Changi International Airport Services (CIAS), following the issuance of a third ground handling license to Swissport. Since its inception in 1977, CIAS had built a reputation of a successful and competitive operator at Changi Airport, despite having a competitive incumbent like Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS), which had almost 80% market share. Should Temasek sell its stake just because there is going to be a new player in the industry? The long-standing senior management team at CIAS will be key to the divestment process - Temasek would be relying on them and their team to produce financial forecasts for the potential bidders to estimate the price they would pay for this business. However, could the current management be replaced by the new owner? What motivation would be senior management team have to help sell the company and potentially end their career at CIAS? With Temasek divesting their stake, would the other shareholders - Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, China Airlines and Garuda - also follow suit? If so, how would that change the dynamics of their relationships with these airlines, and would they cease to be customers after exiting from the business?