A cup of Starbucks was a middle-class symbol in China. Since the opening of its first store in China in 1999, Starbucks had conquered the Chinese coffee market with its experience driven philosophy. Nonetheless, a few ambitious and well-funded Chinese tech entrepreneurs had decided to challenge Starbucks. Founded in October 2017, Luckin Coffee expressed a desire "to be part of everyone's life, starting with coffee." Leveraging its core competence in technology and a business model focused on delivery and heavy discounts, Luckin scaled up rapidly. By 2020 it operated more stores in China than Starbucks. But Starbucks was responding to the new threat, forging an alliance with Alibaba backed Ele.me. In this situation, what should both firms do to do to win the war for China's coffee consumer?

This case chronicles the rise of Meituan Dianping, the third largest company in China's hyper competitive e-commerce industry. Best known for its food delivery service, the company was changing the lives of hundreds of millions of consumers and millions of merchant through a suite of smartphone apps. To reach this point, the company had gone through several live or die competitive battles including the so called "Thousand Groupon War". Well positioned to ride the fast-growth wave of China's service e-commerce, there was no room for complacency. Competition was fierce and so was the pressure coming from merchants and consumers spoilt for choice. What strategies should the company implement to sustain long-term growth in the fast-evolving market?

In November 2019, almost a year after it went public, Tencent Music Entertainment Group ("TME") announced its third quarter financial results. Market investors had had high expectations for TME since it was the strategic music arm spun out by Tencent Holdings Limited ("Tencent"), one of the world's most valuable technology, gaming and social media companies. When TME made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange in late 2018, many individual investors were mystified by its "music-centric social entertainment" business model. Was it just the Chinese version of Spotify, which operated the world's most popular music app? Or was it a truly different business model which might generate more lucrative and diversified business revenue than its international counterparts? Some market analysts and investors also wondered if TME presented a more attractive investment opportunity than similar music streaming platforms in the world, including the global leader Spotify. As the global and domestic market became more competitive, how could TME sustain its competitive advantage by leveraging its synergies with Tencent's dominant position in social networking? Would TME's atypical music and social entertainment business model be easily replicated by its industry rivals or adopted beyond the music industry? What role would music streaming platforms play in driving the growth of the music industry and how would it affect the ecosystem of the global entertainment industry?

As a global company based in Hong Kong, Techtronics Industries (TTI) is sitting on top of the world. Since its incorporation in 1985 as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), TTI grew into a leading producer and brand-owner of power equipment and floor-care products in North America, Europe and Australia. At an investors meeting in 2015, it boasted of an unbroken 4-year growth of sales revenues and double digit net profits. TTI attributes its success to its passion for product innovation, manufacturing excellence, and unwavering devotion to specific markets. To sustain its growth, TTI was convinced that the Asian region would be its next frontier. How should it go about deciding which countries to target? What are the challenges and risks in introducing TTI's premium products to emerging markets?

On 11 September 2001, Edwin Lee, a young investment banker from Hong Kong, survived the World Trade Centre attacks in New York City. His office in lower Manhattan, however, and his prestigious job with Credit Suisse were lost as a result of the tragedy. Jobless, Lee decided to take a chance and use his personal savings to start HKBI, Hong Kong's first business brokerage. In the six years that followed, the business went through different stages ultimately establishing itself as Hong Kong's prime business brokerage for small enterprises with a 61% market share and revenues exceeding HK$68m. For 2008, Lee expected revenues to exceed HK$84m. To reach this target he had launched a number of new initiatives including a deal with a local bank to provide prospective buyers with financing. Would Lee be able to grow HKBI at the desired rate?

This case study concerns Choi & Leng Paper Ltd ("C&L") , a Hong Kong-based company that falls into the category of small- and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs"). The company consists of a paper recycling business in Hong Kong and a paper mill in Huizhou, China. The case explores the challenges faced by SMEs conducting cross-border business. The aim is to show the importance of strong internal control procedures and how top management should endeavor to make sure their businesses are run ethically.

This case study concerns Choi & Leng Paper Ltd ("C&L") , a Hong Kong-based company that falls into the category of small- and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs"). The company consists of a paper recycling business in Hong Kong and a paper mill in Huizhou, China. Part B of the case looks at the sale of paper through an open-tender bid. The sale is being investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption ("ICAC"), which suspects a staff member of the buyer of a possible corruption offense.

This case was written for the "Ethics-The Core Value of Leadership" forum (2007) organized by Hong Kong's Independent Commission against Corruption. Attended by over 200 directors of listed companies, the forum aimed to educate directors of listed companies on issues of ethics and corporate governance. Set on the eve of a friendly takeover, the Manfold case introduces a wide variety of ethical and corporate governance issues faced by the (independent) directors, accountant, company secretary and management of the company.

Incorporated in 1978 as a joint venture between Biocon Biochemicals Ltd, Ireland and a company led by Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, a young Indian entrepreneur, Biocon had long depended on revenues from the production of enzymes and generic drugs. However, competitive pressure from within the country as well as from other developing economies like China was quickly eroding price levels in these lines of business. Moreover, the 2005 adoption of WTO TRIPS in India meant that the generics-based strategy that many of India's pharma and biotech companies had followed might not be viable anymore. To continue on its current growth path, Biocon needed to consider moving from being a producer of biogenerics to becoming a global biopharmaceutical innovator. Concerned with strategy in an emerging industry, sheds light on the effects of clusters on strategy, as well as the effects of national and supranational factors on strategy. Leadership issues and low-cost strategies for diversification are also addressed.