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Google Skybox designed and managed small satellites that captured high-definition images of the Earth's surface. The company then sold the images or the analysis of the images to commercial and government customers.<br><br>The founders initially intended to use the satellites for societal purposes, such as monitoring carbon emissions, but quickly refocused on profit-making applications when they realized that the viability of the project depended on the ability to sell products to commercial customers. Over time, the company has been increasingly diverging from its original purpose. The dilemma facing the founders is how to do the right thing, but also make a profit.

Excel spreadsheet for students, use with 9B14N028.

Nypro, Inc., a global leader in manufactured precision plastic products headquartered in Clinton, Massachusetts, had one of the largest employee stock ownership plans in the United States and was often held up as an example of best practices in that area. However, in early 2012, its president and chief executive officer became increasingly concerned that a market downturn might turn into a liquidity crisis. During the 2008 recession, a small percentage of the company’s employee shareholders had decided to cash in their shares, which the company was required to repurchase. Although the stock redemptions were draining the company of the funds needed to pursue valuable market opportunities, it somehow still managed to outperform many of its competitors. However, some believed that the company’s current trajectory was unsustainable. Its visionary leader had vowed never to sell the company or take it public, but when an offer was made to buy the company, many felt it was time to make this move. See supplements 9B14N029, 9B14N030 and student spreadsheet 7B14N028.

Supplement to 9B14N028.

Supplement to 9B14N028.

In May 2013, the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, proposed to create the Churches’ Mutual Credit Union as an alternative to payday lenders. His chief target was Wonga.com, an online provider of short-term loans that was founded in 2006 in the United Kingdom and quickly grew to become the largest payday lender in the country. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, short-term lenders saw a rapid increase in business as banks tightened their lending standards. However, they often charged as much as 5,000 per cent interest or more. Customers were frequently unsophisticated borrowers, and Wonga’s advertising appeared to be directed to vulnerable populations and children. The archbishop did not feel that regulation was the answer to payday lenders and instead sought to compete with them. Is his strategy viable?

Supplement to 9B14M091.

Knauf Gips is a global leader in gypsum and related products. In 2009, the country manager for Iran was arrested for participating in anti-government protests during the “Green Revolution.” At the time, news media were reporting an increasing number of cases of imprisonment, torture and death of anti-government activists at the hands of Iranian security forces. Shortly afterward, Knauf’s regional director received a communique from Iranian officials demanding that Knauf direct all its employees to refrain from anti-government activities. In exchange, the country manager would be released. Also available is case supplement 9B14M092.

MassChallenge Inc. is a large non-profit startup accelerator that connects new ventures with other stakeholders within an established business ecosystem. For this new company to engage stakeholders in the numbers envisaged and create a crowd-sourced deal management system, the founders need to develop a model that brings in as many quality or attractive startups as possible. Instead of taking equity in participating ventures as traditional accelerators do, MassChallenge focuses on developing a marketplace for stakeholders to gain access to startups and for startups to access the resources provided by investors and other stakeholders, including government; angel investors, venture capitalists and lawyers; and businesses, foundations and universities. The founders also need to find ways to build MassChallenge through possible expansion and funding opportunities.

This is a supplement to MassChallenge, Inc.: Launching a Non-Profit Business Accelerator (A), product 9B13M013.

In 2012, Apple, Inc. won the largest patent infringement case in history against Samsung Electronics for Samsung’s willful copying of Apple’s iPhone and iPad. Samsung, which recently overtook Apple as the leading smartphone maker, must now devise a strategy to address the court verdict and its potential impact on new product development.

The chairman and chief executive officer of a manufacturer of entry-level musical instruments decides to take advantage of the popularity of music video games by creating a gaming division. After spending $30 million on product development, the company launches its first music video game just as the market for this subgenre has fallen into a steep decline. The case discusses the specific attributes of this music video game that may have doomed it, both despite the decline in music video games and in the context of the broader background of music video games, their success and the reasons behind their decline.

This case examines two of the leading video rental services in the United States, Blockbuster and Netflix, and how each adapted to changing technology and market forces. At the end of the case, Blockbuster has declared bankruptcy and Netflix has seen its first decline in subscribers since its founding in 1997. Netflix also faces a number of new threats, including illegal file sharing, rental kiosks, and new low-cost video-on-demand (VOD) services. Netflix responds to these threats by announcing that it will split the company in two — Netflix will focus exclusively on streaming content, while a new subsidiary called Qwikster will be restricted to providing DVDs by mail. Customers overwhelmingly react negatively to the announcement, and Netflix’s stock price plunges by more than 50 per cent.

This case examines two of the leading video rental services in the United States, Blockbuster and Netflix, and how each adapted to changing technology and market forces. At the end of the case, Blockbuster has declared bankruptcy and Netflix has seen its first decline in subscribers since its founding in 1997. Netflix also faces a number of new threats, including illegal file sharing, rental kiosks and new low cost video-on-demand (VOD) services. Netflix responds to these threats by announcing that it will split the company in two. Netflix will focus exclusively on streaming content, while a new subsidiary called Qwikster will be restricted to providing DVDs by mail. Customers overwhelmingly react negatively to the announcement, and Netflix's stock price plunges by more than 50 per cent.

The case takes place in Peru in the aftermath of the worst mercury spill in history, by a transportation contractor for Newmont Mining Corporation. BHP Billiton, which has no connection to Newmont but is affected by increased hostility toward mining companies, enters into an agreement with Oxfam to conduct training on sustainability and “the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects on communities.” Executives from the company’s various international business units are selected to participate in the program, to be held each year in Orissa, India. One of the first managers selected to attend the program is the general manager for BHP Billiton’s Tintaya copper mine in Peru. The case discusses the process, objectives, and outcome of the resulting dialogue between BHP Billiton and local indigenous residents.

The case takes place in Peru in the aftermath of the worst mercury spill in history by a transportation contractor for Newmont Mining Corporation. Newmont's senior vice president and chief administrative officer is sent to Peru to assess the situation. The subsequent audit revealed that Newmont's mining operations in Peru met neither U.S. nor Peruvian mining standards. There were water issues, there were air issues, there were road issues, there were health issues - all arising out of the mining operation, the report concluded. The investigation also found that Newmont executives could be subject to criminal prosecution and imprisonment for the company's actions in Peru. More importantly, the company had violated its social license with local communities, putting in jeopardy its ability to conduct business in that country.

This background note discusses the history and current state of mineral mining in Peru. Topics include stakeholders, government policies, corruption, regulation, conflicts, social costs, remediation, and the advocacy role of NGOs. The note can be used with two case studies on mining in Peru, Newmont Mining Corporation and BHP Billiton. The note also discusses the current debate on how to procure greater compliance to international standards by mining companies and the potential impact these decisions may have on the future of mining in that country.

The case takes place in Peru in the aftermath of the worst mercury spill in history by a transportation contractor for Newmont Mining Corporation. BHP Billiton, which has no connection to Newmont, but is affected by increased hostility toward mining companies, enters into an agreement with Oxfam to conduct training on sustainability and "the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects on communities." Executives from the company's various international business units were selected to participate in the program, to be held each year in Orissa, India. One of the first managers selected to attend the program is the general manager for BHP Billiton's Tintaya Copper Mine. The case discusses the process, objectives, and outcome of the resulting dialogue between BHP Billiton and local inidigenous residents.

The case takes place in Peru in the aftermath of the worst mercury spill in history by a transportation contractor for Newmont Mining Corporation. Newmont's senior vice president and chief administrative officer is sent to Peru to assess the situation. The subsequent audit revealed that Newmont's mining operations in Peru met neither U.S. nor Peruvian mining standards. "There were water issues, there were air issues, there were road issues, there were health issues - all arising out of the mining operation," the report concluded. The investigation also found that Newmont executives could be subject to "criminal prosecution and imprisonment" for the company's actions in Peru. More importantly, the company had violated its "social license" with local communities, putting in jeopardy its ability to conduct business in that country.

This background note discusses the history and current state of mineral mining in Peru. Topics include stakeholders, government policies, corruption, regulation, conflicts, social costs, remediation, and the advocacy role of NGOs. The note can be used with two case studies on mining in Peru, Newmont Mining Corporation and BHP Billiton. The note also discusses the current debate on how to procure greater compliance to international standards by mining companies and the potential impact these decisions may have on the future of mining in that country.