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Argentina has flourished under a fixed exchange rate system, yet there are large income and employment fluctuations. The social cost of unemployment is threatening the viability of the economic model. Building a welfare state is one alternative, but this may be a return to the populist policies of the past.

This series presents the challenges facing the board of directors of a small merchant-banking company in London that is trying to get into the New York market. After hiring an American to develop the business, the board has become concerned about his operating style and his requests for additional authority. The A case ends after the American has made substantial improvements to the business and reports to the board, leaving the board to decide what to do with him. See also the B case (OB-0666). The two cases can be used as a team role-playing exercise.

Describes the concept of postponement of product variety and how it may be used to match supply and demand better while lowering inventories. Discusses situations where postponement is more or less valuable. Also looks at several industry examples of postponement.

In the midst of a sales slump brought on by a recession in Spain, Antmobel's managers are presented with an opportunity to sell a substantial quantity of furniture in Uzbekistan. Management must decide whether the order fits with the company's strategy, capabilities, and internationalization plans.

Antmobel is presented with a plan to enter the French market. The company must weigh the costs and potential benefits of such a move in the context of its international strategy and the firm's capabilities.

Product "robustness" is a function of good design. Still, most traditional quality programs concentrate on the factory. Zero Defects says that when parts come in within tolerances, the product will be fine. But parts just within tolerances have no advantage over those that just miss; it is better to miss a target consistently than to hit it haphazardly. Robust products maximize "signal-to-noise" ratios of component parts. Product designers can maximize these ratios by running experiments according to orthogonal arrays, which reckon the average effect of each variation on all other variations.

Gold Toe has an exclusive distribution policy. Its men's socks are sold only through one department store per city. Executives are trying to decide whether, and how, to widen distribution and to determine what impact broader distribution would have on the nature of the business. Key teaching issues: distribution channel management; links between distribution strategy, competitive strategy, and cost structure; nature and replicability of branding; and the appropriateness of high-profit goal in face of increasing competition.