The case focuses on Haier Europe, a branch of Haier Smart Home and part of the Chinese Haier Group, and how it applies RenDanHeYi, a unique management model that explains the group's extraordinary rate of growth amidst fierce competition, with an intense focus on the local customer and keeping costs low. The challenge is to implement the system in Europe following the acquisition of Candy, in a post-Covid environment marked by soaring inflation, conflict in Ukraine, and mounting pressure on the home appliances industry to become more environmentally sustainable.
This is a follow-up to case A, which describes Operation "Lava Jato" (Car Wash) in Brazil, one of biggest anti-corruption investigations in the world. It laid bare the shady relationships between government contractors, political campaign agencies and high-profile politicians in what were known as 'pay-for-play' schemes - bribes and campaign contributions paid by major corporations to officials and political parties in exchange for lucrative government contracts that were over-invoiced to 'cover the costs'. Case B describes the latest developments until the end of 2020, including how former Judge Sergio Moro joined, then resigned from President Bolsonaro's government, corruption scandals related to Covid-19, and discusses the changes that Operation Car Wash brought to companies in Brazil, namely Petrobras and Odebrecht.
The case describes how the Italian multinational Enel Group, one of the largest power utilities companies in the world, embraced the transformation of the energy sector, combining open innovation with sustainability - or what the company calls "Innovability"). CEO Francesco Starace believes that technology and business model innovation are the key to reducing CO2 emissions and creating a more sustainable future by boosting renewable energy production. From 2014, he makes innovation and sustainability his strategic pillars, embracing the notion of 'open innovation' - harvesting ideas externally (rather than just in-house) from an ecosystem of start-ups, SMEs, universities, researchers, suppliers, other corporations, and employees.
The case discusses the globalization of fashion and the trajectory of Fashion Forward Dubai. Since its inception in 2013, FFWD had striven to offer an alternative to traditional fashion weeks by showcasing collections of local designers to fashion buyers, journalists and customers on the catwalk and on internet. Over 15,000 attendees came to the show and more than 100,000 followed it online. In 2018, FFWD's co-founder, Ramzi Nakad, has to decide whether to continue the B2B+B2C event showcasing emerging brands in Dubai Design District, or create a digital fashion platform to sell direct-to-customers and give brands instant international exposure and access to e-commerce without the high costs of runway shows. The case asks to what extent the global fashion industry is ripe for digital disruption.
The case describes Operation "Lava Jato" (Car Wash) in Brazil, one of largest anti-corruption investigations in the world. Operation Car Wash brought to light the shady relationships between government contractors, political campaign agencies and high-profile politicians in what were known as 'pay-for-play' schemes - bribes and campaign contributions paid by major corporations to government officials and political parties in exchange for lucrative government contracts which were over-invoiced to 'cover the costs'. By March 2018, 123 defendants had been convicted (their cumulative prison sentences amounting to 1,861 years), many from the highest echelons of government and business.
Jean-Marc Frangos, Managing Director of Products & Services Research and Open Innovation at BT Group is looking to optimize the London-based telcom company's external innovation process - scouting for new technologies from Silicon Valley, Israel and Asia. Having taken on responsibility for some of BT's internal research labs in 2017, he needs to boost synergies between internal research and external innovation, and to evaluate how these will play out in the future for telecom companies and the implications for BT. Please visit the dedicated case website (https://cases.insead.edu/bt-group/) to access supplementary material.
The case presents the "leapfrogging" opportunities for Latin America brought by the digital revolution and innovation. It examines the region's economic and commercial achievements made possible by the huge penetration of mobile vs fixed broadband. In addition, digital transformation is helping to address social issues such as financial exclusion, unemployment and healthcare. Also, by improving transparency in the system, digital has the potential to reduce corruption, one of the biggest obstacles to doing business in Latin America.
Thirty years after being founded by CEO Marco Stefanini, Stefanini is one of the largest providers of ICT services in Latin America. Unlike most Brazilian (and Latin American) companies, Stefanini has focused on international markets for many years. As a truly global company with presence in 41 countries it is one of the most globalized companies in Brazil, with 21, 200 employees and over US$800 million in revenues. In 2017, Stefanini is helping many companies with their digital transformation/journey, while at the same time being transformed itself as traditional sources of revenue diminish/disappear. Hence digital is both a great opportunity (in terms of new business) but also a challenge. How Stefanini will transform itself? What avenues to growth exist, and what alternatives in terms of new business models, new geographies, acquisitions?
The Swiss company TAG Heuer, maker of luxury watches, is part of the LVMH group (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton). In 2015, CEO Jean-Claude Biver is deciding whether to launch its first-ever fully connected Swiss watch, manufactured in partnership with Google and Intel. Entering this new market presents an unprecedented challenge: making a watch based on a technology (microprocessors) that the Swiss have not mastered. Is TAG Heuer ready to compete in the digital space - and potentially without the traditional 'Swiss Made' label? Case B takes up the story following the successful launch of the TAG Heuer connected watch. Sales are beyond all expectations for the luxury Swiss watchmaker and its partners Intel and Google. There are a few surprises too - the consumers are older than they expected and the watches sell out far quicker than anticipated - hence the company runs into some supply chain issues. Please visit the https://cases.insead.edu/tag-heuer dedicated case website to access supplementary material.
The Swiss company TAG Heuer, maker of luxury watches, is part of the LVMH group (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton). In 2015, CEO Jean-Claude Biver is deciding whether to launch its first-ever fully connected Swiss watch, manufactured in partnership with Google and Intel. Entering this new market presents an unprecedented challenge: making a watch based on a technology (microprocessors) that the Swiss have not mastered. Is TAG Heuer ready to compete in the digital space - and potentially without the traditional 'Swiss Made' label? Case B takes up the story following the successful launch of the TAG Heuer connected watch. Sales are beyond all expectations for the luxury Swiss watchmaker and its partners Intel and Google. There are a few surprises too - the consumers are older than they expected and the watches sell out far quicker than anticipated - hence the company runs into some supply chain issues. Please visit the https://cases.insead.edu/tag-heuer dedicated case website to access supplementary material.
Banco do Brasil, a leading Brazilian bank and one of its most established institutions, has a number of growth options. After a long but timid internationalization trajectory, it foresees various foreign expansion opportunities based on Brazil's accelerating economy and international visibility. These economic and social improvements also open up tempting domestic opportunities.
The case presents a situation in which Merck's World Wide Licensing (WWL) division needs to make important organizational decisions to increase the speed, the breadth and the efficiency of its global licensing and partnering activities.