Tracks Merck's efforts to adapt to changes in the pharmaceutical industry. Key challenges include adapting Merck's internally focused, science-led culture to a more open environment, where marketing performance has become increasingly important. Examines Merck's efforts to adapt to the external changes without compromising its internal values and capability architecture.
Although the explicit problem presented in the case concerns pricing a block trade, the real issue involves the decision-making and oversight processes used to arrive at a price that is appropriate for both the client and Goldman Sachs. Asks students in assignment questions to map the decision and control processes used in this core activity and then to reflect on whether these processes are sustainable and scalable as Goldman Sachs grows from 5,000 employees to 20,000 employees within a 5-year period. Goldman Sachs' decision and control processes are based, at root, on trust, so the question becomes whether and how a culture based on trust is scalable.
This case describes the unique underlying economics of a start-up Internet retailing company. It highlights the fact that costs in that setting have a component that varies with volume and thus seriously impacts profitability.
Insteel implements an activity-based costing (ABC) system in 1996. It finds pallet nails to be its most profitable product and decides to expand the number of cells making pallet nails from two to four. A repeat of the ABC study in 1997 shows pallet nails have become the least profitable product.