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Provides an overview of business corruption in China, placing it in a context that takes into account various political, economic, legal, and cultural elements. More specifically, it examines corporate ownership and structure in China, identifies sources of corruption, and analyses the impact of corruption on the country's social and economic stability. Closes with a set of recommendations for countering business corruption in China.

Asian Paints, recognized as one of the best managed companies in India, has recently embarked on a significant push to internationalize its activities. The president of the international division is faced with the challenge of simultaneously meeting sales volumes expected, and to contribute to the company's goal of becoming one of the top five decorative paint companies in the world.

The founder of Skadurz Pro, a skateboard, snowboard and clothing store has a tough decision to make regarding the future of his business and its two retail stores. His mother is ready to retire from her position as his business partner, and a large national competitor is about to open a franchise in direct competition with one of his outlets. It appears that the new competition will have severe impact on the company, and he must decide how he will face the challenge. Should he turn his attention to other ventures that spur his imagination, or try to maintain the unique position his business has carved for itself.

A business school is contemplating a major shift in strategy. The case examines the critical structural performance management, cultural and organizational issues associated with the change. Students will understand the difficulties of change with multiple stakeholders and constraints.

Dana Hall is a private all-girls school in New England facing a crisis in its mission. As social norms shift away from single-sex education, the school's enrollment is falling and deficits are becoming the norm. At the same time, the modern vision for girls' education requires an even greater investment in science and sports--at a time when Dana Hall's resources are lower than ever before. Can the school stay true to its mission? How will it find the funding? Through the story of Blair Jenkins, head of school, this case examines the difficult mission and funding decisions facing many nonprofit organizations.

Supplements the (A) case.

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Activplant is a software firm specializing in monitoring, measuring and analysing the performance of factory automation systems in London, Ontario, Canada. It is a pioneer of the industry, and has installations in most of the largest automobile manufacturing firms in North America as well as some clients in consumer goods. Activplant is considering the opportunity of expanding their business to include a much more aggressive sales and service approach in Europe. An entrance into Europe involves how both sales and service will be delivered to clients, which could be done through a number of different channels including: consulting partners, value-added resellers, a joint venture or fulltime Activplant staff. The case allows students to evaluate both the dollar costs and benefits of each choice as well as qualitative concerns like product quality and maintaining contact with customers.

The vice-president of human resources of the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) had just concluded negotiating the first collective agreements for two separate bargaining units with the association's union, who represented about 25 per cent of BCAA's workforce. BCAA's senior management wanted to find a way to reconcile with its unionized employees while still carrying on with the biggest cultural change in the company's century-long history. They wondered how best to proceed. The case serves as a discussion vehicle for how companies can manage labor relations post-strike, while attempting to implement strategic change.

The co-founder of NEWAD, a media company, is considering expanding the company's scope of operations from traditional place-based postcard and board advertising to digital signage. Digital signage offers the opportunity to expand NEWAD's business. However, the co-founder wondered about the high fixed costs of entering this type of advertising business and how much the company would have to charge to turn a profit.

This case presents the situation faced by three people in the United States as they exit a restaurant in California. They are discussing whether tipping is a form of private sector corruption, similar to public sector corruption that pervades many countries worldwide. Discussion ensues on what constitutes corruption, and whether private and public sector corruption are required and ethical business practices.

Pharmaxis is a new biotechnology venture based in Sydney, Australia. The case brings to light the important stages in the growth of the company and the commercialization decisions the company faced. It also highlights both the uniqueness of some of the managing team's decisions and their understanding of the industry. The case underscores the point that good decision-making can overcome apparent barriers to growth. The company is now at a key decision point. It needs to determine the best approach to commercialize its first diagnostic product. The wrong decision could waste scarce financial resources, divert the time of managers and researchers, and jeopardize the reputation of the firm with potential investors.

Monsanto is a large chemical manufacturing company specializing in chemical products for agricultural use. This case explores the company's attempt from 2002-2004 to launch a version of genetically-modified wheat in Canada. It details opposition to the launch from farmers and environmentalists, and focuses on how these groups used communications to resist Monsanto's product launch.

A senior partner in a healthcare consulting firm has to decide what to do in the face of accusations from the chief executive officer of a major healthcare firm. The CEO, reading a prepared statement at a press conference, has accused the senior partner at Kohlberg Associates of a serious, unreported conflict of interest. The senior partner has to consider several issues, including if he should respond, how to respond, who to contact first, and most importantly, what he should say. Adding to his problem is the fact that he is in a state of shock and may not be in an optimum mental state.

In January 1997, Sir John Craven, a highly respected investment banker and chairman of the investment bank Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, was offered the chairmanship of Lonrho, a conglomerate with headquarters in London, England, and operations primarily in Africa. Lonrho's more significant interests were in hotels, mining, agribusiness and trading. The company was experiencing financial trouble, and was no longer respected by the financial community in London. Tiny Rowland, the tycoon entrepreneur who built the firm, had recently been fired. The firm lacked the leadership and direction it needed to remove itself from its current financial troubles and prosper in the future. Sir John needed to decide whether he should accept the offer of the chairman position, and if he did, what direction Lonrho should take. Supplements From Lonrho to Lonmin (B): Restructuring a Conglomerate, product 9B05M068 and Lonrho (C): Lonmin, product 9B05M069 look at the Sir John's decision and the company's focus.

In this supplement to Lonrho PLC (A): An African Conglomerate, product 9B05M067, Sir John Craven discusses his decision to accept the chairman position. It also looks at the general direction taken by Sir John, and how Lonrho had faired as it took this new direction. Lonrho has decided to focus on mining in Africa and dispose of non-mining related assets.

A highly respected investment banker was offered the chairmanship of Lonrho, a conglomerate headquartered in London, England with operations primarily in Africa as outlined in Lonrho (A): An African Conglomerate, product 9B05M067. The investment banker's decision is discussed in From Lonrho to Lonmin (B): Restructuring a Conglomerate, product 9B05M068. This supplement looks at the next step in the firm's strategy development, to consider whether the company should focus on a particular type of mineral extraction, and if so, what kind.

This case describes the history of a non-traditional business group, Semco, starting from the 1980s, when Ricardo Semler assumed responsibility for the company and triggered a genuine revolution in terms of management practices. Since then, Semco's workforce has grown from 90 to 2,500 employees and its annual turnover climbed from US$4 million to US$160 million in 2001. The secret for transforming a conventional workplace into an unconventional hive was given: giving up control.

The proposed takeover of Noranda Inc. (one of the biggest mineral players in the world) by the Chinese state owned enterprise, China Minmetals Corporation, was cause for Canadian government concern as it required some understanding about the workings and objectives of state owned enterprises. There was particular concern around the labour issues and human rights violations in China, and the possible impact of these on the proposed takeover. Equally important, Canada ran the substantial risk of sending the wrong message to the People's Republic of China if it was to block such a takeover, and in some respects, to be seen as shutting its doors to one of the world's largest and most powerful emerging economies.

By 2006, in spite of lack a of significant reforms, the Russian banking system had recovered from the 1998 crisis, and its indicators such as capital, assets, and loans greatly exceeded the levels prior to 1998. The Russian economy had expanded rapidly, largely as a result of higher energy prices. However, many analysts were concerned about the large role played by oil and gas, and feared that energy exports were keeping the value of the ruble so high that non-energy manufacturing was being hurt. V. Bank had survived the 1998 crisis, and was considered one of the top 25 banks. In spite of this progress, its financial reports emphasized a series of concerns. Furthermore, Russia's political situation seemed precarious, as illustrated in the Khodorkovsky crisis, as a result of which Gazprom and the Yukos assets returned to majority state ownership. Some analysts pointed to a revival of authoritarian and arbitrary state intervention, and debated the possibility of a liberal political reaction in Russia similar to the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine.