In late 2010, Michael Tsamaz was appointed CEO and Chairman of Greek telecommunications company OTE. OTE still exhibited many traits of a large incumbent organization, with high personnel costs, crippling bureaucracy, lack of customer-centricity, a dull brand, and eroding profitability. Tsamaz was taking over the reins at a time of deep economic crisis in Greece, which would impact the options available to him to transform the company.
As 2016 was approaching its end, Rakesh Kapoor, CEO of RB, one of the world's major fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, envisioned the prospect of a major acquisition that would add a line of health-related products that promised growth in the developing markets of Asia. The acquisition would also move RB closer in size to its better-known rivals, such as Unilever or P&G. RB, formerly Reckitt Benckiser, produced health, hygiene and home products and its strategy revolved around 19 top-selling global brands known as Powerbrands, such as antiseptic Dettol or sore throat medicine Strepsils, and cold remedy Mucinex. In 2016, the company recorded sales of $13.4 billion and a market capitalization of $62 billion. Kapoor wondered whether the moment was ripe for a major acquisition or if the organization needed more time to adapt to its new health and hygiene oriented strategy and some key organizational changes. Could Kapoor keep what made RB so unique among its FMCG peers intact through this transformation, and would an acquisition advance or jeopardize what distinguished RB?
PFA Pension was the biggest commercial pension provider in Denmark. At the end of 2015, the company had decided to boost its investments into the alternative asset class, an area where it was lagging behind its competitors. The aim was to privilege direct investments and co-investments rather than allocations through funds. One year later, PFA could count on an expert alternative investment team, a defined investment process and a number of successful direct investments. Still, a number of questions remained: How could PFA better access attractive deal opportunities? Should PFA try to build a formal deal sourcing model? What resources and skills would be necessary to add to the alternative investment team?
Describes how Deutsche Bank, a leading bank in Europe, is deciding whether or not to launch a new structured retail product in Germany: an auto callable note. Will this product find a market and how does it fit into the bank's product portfolio? The case investigates how Deutsche Bank manufactures and distributes its structured retail products, and more broadly explores the opportunities and challenges of offering financial products to households. The case also dwells on the scale and scope of business of retail banking in an increasingly regulated environment.
Describes the detailed inner workings of a high performance Formula One (F1) racing team. It shows how Lotus F1 Team has been able to battle bigger rivals in a very fast-moving, highly regulated, and ultra-competitive environment, where winning races can come down to split seconds. The case explores all elements a of their high performance system: strategy, innovation, leadership, technology, engineering, and operations. Emphasis is placed on the interplay of these elements and how they confer competitive advantage to teams. Management dilemmas that are explored: retention of high performing individuals, response to disruptive technological changes, and regulatory design in competitive environments.
A Swedish newspaper reveals that IKEA has erased all images of women from its catalog for Saudi Arabia. The article sparks criticism of IKEA from the Swedish government and its customers in the West. Critics contend that IKEA is not living up to its own commitments to gender equality. Some threaten a boycott. IKEA must respond. Reissuing the catalog with women included risks running afoul of Saudi censors who can impose harsh penalties. The company has had a presence in Saudi Arabia for nearly 30 years.
Supplement to case 116015. A Swedish newspaper reveals that IKEA has erased all images of women from its catalog for Saudi Arabia. The article sparks criticism of IKEA from the Swedish government and its customers in the West. Critics content that IKEA is not living up to its own commitments to gender equality. Some threaten a boycott. IKEA must respond. Reissuing the catalog with women included risks running afoul of Saudi censors who can impose harsh penalties. The company has had a presence in Saudi Arabia for nearly 30 years.
Supplement to case 116015. A Swedish newspaper reveals that IKEA has erased all images of women from its catalog for Saudi Arabia. The article sparks criticism of IKEA from the Swedish government and its customers in the West. Critics content that IKEA is not living up to its own commitments to gender equality. Some threaten a boycott. IKEA must respond. Reissuing the catalog with women included risks running afoul of Saudi censors who can impose harsh penalties. The company has had a presence in Saudi Arabia for nearly 30 years.
In the midst of the financial crisis, Barclays (the world's 4th largest bank by assets) is forced by UK regulators to raise more capital. Should it take up the UK government's offer to invest, or take funding from investors from the Middle East? Students may price the two deals to determine which is more expensive, and must decide whether avoiding the constraints of government ownership is worth the extra cost.
For Kai Teckentrup, the owner and co-CEO of the German "Mittelstand" door manufacturer Teckentrup, balancing competitive pressures, demographic realities and values were at the heart of the diversity program that he had started and championed at the company. Beyond this, attracting skilled workers to Germany was a national imperative; as the native population aged and its numbers in the workforce shrank, it would be critical to find new workers to fund and maintain the retirement and social service programs provided by the government. The company had made significant progress, and Kai was a recognized leader in German business for his attention to and success in managing diversity, but he knew there was much more to do.
By 2014, IKEA Group was the largest home furnishing company, with EUR28.5 billion of sales, and planned to reach EUR50 billion by 2020, mainly from emerging markets. At the same time, IKEA Group had adopted in 2012 a new sustainability strategy that focused the company's efforts on its entire value chain from its raw materials sourcing to the lifestyle of its end consumers. The plan especially centered on wood, which represented 60% of IKEA Group's total procurement in volume and constituted a key lever for the company to increase its positive impact on sustainability. IKEA Group Management therefore had to decide how to manage its portfolio of wood sustainability initiatives, especially in the context of the company's aggressive growth plan.
Created in 1900 by the tire manufacturer Michelin, the Michelin Restaurant Guide was widely considered the international benchmark of food rating, and, by 2013, boasted paper editions in 23 countries, and had recently expanded to the United States and Asia. Paper sales however had dropped, following the emergence of free, online guides, global players, and more broadly, the wider diffusion of the Internet. In 2012, the Guide had launched a new range of services targeting restaurateurs. The Director of the Guide was contemplating developing the Guide even more internationally and on digital formats, but also knew he needed to limit costs.