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In the fall of 2002, the directors of process engineering at Rogers Cable had discovered that a significant portion of Rogers Cable's installations and service activities had been followed by repeat visits within the following 30 days. This meant that services were not properly completed the first time. If high numbers of repeat and rework problems continued, customers would readily take their business elsewhere in the highly competitive environment. Eliminating repeat visits is the focus and driving force behind the First Time Right initiative, aimed to satisfy customers on the first try. The directors must devise an action plan that will motivate and retain behavioral change among field service technicians.

The spring of 2002 had been grueling for the owner of Pet Care Veterinary Services, a small-animal veterinary practice with two clinics in Southwestern Ontario. Everything seemed to be going wrong at Pet Care's Avery, Ontario location. Profitability was disappointing, medication had disappeared, and the owner had serious concerns about her associate veterinarian's quality of animal care. The owner wondered what would be her best course of action. She could afford to keep the clinic open for another year and try to either fix the operational issues or leave things as they were and see if the problems resolved themselves. The owner wondered whether it would be best to sell and avoid future problems. What price would she ask for the clinic if she chose to sell? Whatever her choice, she knew she had to make a decision quickly, because the uncertainty and stress of running two clinics were beginning to take their toll.

A non-profit organization, partnered with a microfinance organization would send undergraduate students from a business school to teach entrepreneurship in Third World countries: Kenya, India and South Africa. The case requires students to develop fairly straightforward cash budgets and to consider sensitivity analysis based on exchange rate fluctuations. Students are introduced to the concept of micro financing as an effective tool for improving the socio-economic status of entrepreneurs in Third World countries. Students are encouraged to think about relevant issues in gaining sponsorship for a non-profit venture.

A young entrepreneur with a family background in the Thai restaurant business examines whether to open his own Thai food restaurant. Students are asked to assess his capabilities as a restaurant manager/owner. Students must perform a qualitative size-up of the market and examine whether the chosen location is a good fit. A seating plan is to be designed. Students are to project an income statement and balance sheet and to determine the impact on financial statements if sales increase or decrease 20 per cent from the original forecast. Based on their analysis, students are asked to determine if the restaurant should be opened.

A young entrepreneur with a family background in the Thai restaurant business considers whether to open his own Thai restaurant. Students are asked to assess his capabilities as a restaurant manager/owner. Students must perform a qualitative size-up of the market and examine whether the chosen location is a good fit. A seating plan is to be designed as well. Students are to project an income statement and balance sheet and determine the impact on financial statements if sales increase or decrease 20 per cent from the original forecast. Based on their analysis, students are asked to determine if the restaurant should be opened.

The customer care team lead at Hospital Software Solutions was becoming increasingly distressed in her workplace. Her supervisors were not managing her or the department effectively; her responsibilities did not align with her job description; she was being blamed for computer system failures; and she felt she was being viewed as the office slacker. The case provides for the application of theoretical concepts surrounding leadership, power/influence, motivation, corporate culture and conflict. The supplement case, Hospital Software Solutions (B), product # 9B07C019, follows the events after the customer care team lead attends a town hall meeting to air her concerns about computer systems problems.

The customer care team lead (team lead) decides to attend a town hall meeting with the company's president and publicly air her concerns about computer system problems. This action appears to help resolve the system's problems but her supervisor rates her poorly on a performance review, possibly motivated by the team lead's actions at the town hall meeting. She must find a way to resolve her issues at Hospital Software Solutions without ruining her career. This is a supplement case to Hospital Software Solutions (A), product # 9B07C018.

A research team has discovered a treatment to reduce the severity of spinal cord injuries and improve the injured victim's long-term quality of life. The director of the team fears that the biopharmaceutical company that owns the patent for the antibody used in the treatment will not pursue the development of this application, and she must develop a strategy to garner the firm's support. If the patent holder chooses not to move forward with the treatment, the director has the option to continue development herself, but she is not convinced she has the business skills to do so. Students consider the ethical dilemma of balancing the necessity of a business to generate profits for its investors with the needs of society.

A small family-oriented recreation park owned by the Corporation of the City of London, Ontario, has received $6 million for improvements. Of this amount, $1 million has yet to be spent. Students are asked to (1) analyse the industry and competitive conditions for a family-oriented theme park; (2) organize and analyse survey results; (3) perform a straightforward sub-unit evaluation; (4) perform a vertical analysis; (5) complete two differential analyses (with varying difficulty); (6) project a statement of earnings; (7) recommend a financing alternative and (8) devise a promotional plan within the constraints of a budget.

Students must analyse the marketing, operating and financial aspects of a personal fitness training centre to be located in London, Ontario, to determine an appropriate pricing and promotion strategy and the resulting projected financial success of the venture. Students need to develop cash budgets based on their assessment of the information provided. The analysis points to the financial uncertainty for a start-up company without hands-on experience from past years of operation. The case is suitable for class or as a report on business plan evaluation.

Students must analyze the marketing, operating and financial aspects of a personal fitness training centre to be located in London, Ontario, to determine an appropriate pricing and promotion strategy and the resulting projected financial success of the venture. Students need to develop cash budgets based on their assessment of the information provided. The analysis points to the financial uncertainty for a start-up company without hands-on experience from past years of operation. The case is suitable for class or as a report on business plan evaluation.

The snack bar supervisor of The Waterview resort in Northern Ontario just had another argument with his boss. He was angry and hated the thought of finishing the remaining four weeks of his summer contract. It was obvious to the supervisor that his boss held a personal grudge against him that was growing in intensity. He wondered how to finally settle their differences. Students will analyse a set of complex issues.

Students are asked to assess a potential purchaser's personal goals and skills, as well as: financial feasibility, operating capacity and current promotional strategy to determine if a legal courier company should be purchased. Students are expected to develop detailed cash budgets, evaluate current pricing and promotional strategies, and to make recommendations about financing and the number of employees to hire under different volume assumptions.

A machine tools distributor is planning to build an extension on to its warehouse. The owner is concerned over how to source the $200,000 required to finance the expansion. This case is intended to introduce students to financial analysis. The concepts of ratio analysis, projected statements and debt repayment are central to the case. The case requires students to draft a set of projected statements to determine the amount of required financing, assess the financial health of the company and its ability to take on more debt.

The owner of Tutti Matti, a new restaurant specializing in authentic Tuscan cuisine, opened only four months before the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Toronto, Canada. Tutti Matti had a successful first six months, and the early performance was encouraging. However, to continue the restaurant's success and to overcome the added challenges created by SARS, a strong and creative marketing plan was necessary.

A machine tools distributor is planning to build an extension on to its warehouse. The owner is concerned over how to source the $200,000 required to finance the expansion. This case is intended to introduce students to financial analysis. The concepts of ratio analysis, projected statements and debt repayment are central to the case. The case requires students to draft a set of projected statements to determine the amount of required financing, assess the financial health of the company and its ability to take on more debt.

The snack bar supervisor of The Waterview resort in Northern Ontario just had another argument with his boss. He was angry and hated the thought of finishing the remaining four weeks of his summer contract. It was obvious to the supervisor that his boss held a personal grudge against him that was growing in intensity. He wondered how to finally settle their differences. Students will analyze a set of complex issues.

Three business partners had finally secured the $15-million purchase of the Meadowlark Shopping Centre, a struggling mall located a few minutes away from West Edmonton Mall. The 60-day due diligence period, during which the partners had to decide whether to go through with the deal, was about to commence. If they were to go forward with the purchase, the partners had to consider changing the concept of the mall, demolishing a portion of the mall, demolishing a portion and changing the mall's concept or keeping the mall's current strategy.

Two young entrepreneurs are considering forming a business that provides new and innovative forms of advertising. Students are required to evaluate the venture, including whether the available financing is sufficient or if additional financing will be needed. Students are required to perform both a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the proposed business. Qualitatively, students must evaluate the partners' relevant capabilities as well as the business concept itself for potential success. Quantitatively, students must prepare a projected cash budget and projected financial statements for the first year of operations to gain a better understanding of the operation's cash needs and potential for financial success. This quantitative analysis will also provide students with answers to the partners' ability to make withdrawals from the business, the need for financing and the level of additional financing required, if any.

A non-profit organization, partnered with a microfinance organization would send undergraduate students from a business school to teach entrepreneurship in Third World countries: Kenya, India and South Africa. The case requires students to develop fairly straightforward cash budgets and to consider sensitivity analysis based on exchange rate fluctuations. Students are introduced to the concept of micro financing as an effective tool for improving the socio-economic status of entrepreneurs in Third World countries. Students are encouraged to think about relevant issues in gaining sponsorship for a non-profit venture.