In 2018, after ten years at the helm of the Festival Aix-en-Provence, Bernard Foccroulle had passed the reins to Pierre Audi, leaving behind him a uniquely positioned festival with a distinctive artistic vision renowned for its policy of accessibility and audience diversification. It was also distinguished by being firmly anchored both in its region and in the Mediterranean. In addition to the artistic and economic objectives that generally characterize such organizations, the Festival also had societal objectives. This case unfolds a few months before the passing of the torch.

One fall afternoon in 2018, Bertin Nadeau, chair of the board and owner of Casavant Frères, was wondering how to ensure the sustainability of his company. Since its 1879 founding in Saint-Hyacinthe (Quebec, Canada), this world leader in the manufacture, delivery, and installation of new pipe organs had built more than 3,900 organs for churches, concert halls, music schools, and private homes on all five continents. The firm was also active in the restoration, renovation, maintenance, tuning, and moving of organs. Despite this international success, Casavant Frères could not rest on its laurels. Its national and international business environment had changed dramatically over the years, requiring strategic positioning to ensure its survival. Several opportunities had already been exploited, explored, or studied. Students will be asked to consider Nadeau's various possible options based on the company's current situation, its history, its objectives, and the international organ market. They will have to understand the key success factors for an SME facing sustainability challenges in a cutting-edge sector with a strong artisanal component.

In October 2016, a merger between the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) was announced. CCS was the largest cancer charity in Canada (revenues of $184 million in 2016), offering support programs and information services to patients and their families throughout Canada. CBCF was a large site-specific cancer charity (revenues of $36 million in 2016) and Canada's third-largest charity funder of cancer research. With declining donations and increasing administrative costs, both charities were facing financial challenges. This merger between the two charities was the largest in Canadian history. The leadership of both organizations hoped it would solve their financial problems by helping them to gain operational efficiencies and increase market power. Students are asked to decide whether the merger made strategic sense for both organizations. The answer lies in how well it addressed the financial, leadership, and brand awareness challenges facing each organization, while enabling them to remain relevant and impactful in an increasingly competitive market.

This case series focuses on the challenges faced by prestigious arts organizations when confronted with new cultural arts consumption modes, especially those created by the explosion of digital consumption opportunities. In 2012/13, the Wiener Staatsoper (the Vienna State Opera) enjoyed a 99 per cent occupancy rate but, apart from the national broadcasting network, lacked a presence in the digital arena. In contrast, performances by New York's Metropolitan Opera could be viewed in movie theatres around the world. The Staatsoper also faced financial challenges shared by opera houses around the world. Should the Staatsoper enter the digital arena? If so, what adaptations would be required in its business model?

This two-part case looks at the issues related to the Metropolitan Opera's decision to start transmitting its productions in high definition (HD) to movie theatres after the arrival of its new general manager, Peter Gelb, on August 1, 2006. Part A provides students with all the details needed to assess this decision. It outlines the Met's general and competitive position within the performing arts at the time Gelb took over management, explains the Met's business environment (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological (PEST) analysis, its direct and indirect competition in New York and from other major opera houses in the U.S. and around the world), and the facts needed to analyse the various distribution methods available to the Met. It allows students to determine the viability of Gelb's plan to take the Met into movie houses, considering its implications for the company and the changes it would require to the Met's traditional business model as well as its competitive environment. Part B introduces students to the factors underlying the Live in HD project implemented by Gelb and its commercial and financial success. It concludes with a discussion of the possible next steps in the wake of this technological innovation, given that some challenges remain (such as lowering the average age of Met audiences) and their implications from a competitive perspective.

This two-part case looks at the issues related to the Metropolitan Opera's decision to start transmitting its productions in high definition (HD) to movie theatres after the arrival of its new general manager, Peter Gelb, on August 1, 2006. Part A provides students with all the details needed to assess this decision. It outlines the Met's general and competitive position within the performing arts at the time Gelb took over management, explains the Met's business environment (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological (PEST) analysis, its direct and indirect competition in New York and from other major opera houses in the U.S. and around the world), and the facts needed to analyse the various distribution methods available to the Met. It allows students to determine the viability of Gelb's plan to take the Met into movie houses, considering its implications for the company and the changes it would require to the Met's traditional business model as well as its competitive environment. Part B introduces students to the factors underlying the Live in HD project implemented by Gelb and its commercial and financial success. It concludes with a discussion of the possible next steps in the wake of this technological innovation, given that some challenges remain (such as lowering the average age of Met audiences) and their implications from a competitive perspective.