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Two-party intra-organizational discussion between a newly-promoted manager and her division vice-president over work performance, responsibility for a new computer game project, and office environment issues. Confidential Instructions for Jamie.

Explains why sales management has become an increasingly important and complex topic for top managers. Demonstrates the financial impact of a superior salesforce and then describes a way to gain superiority. The focus is on a salesforce that is responsive to customer needs and competing imperatives. Organization and management receive careful attention.

Describes the Darwinian internal and external processes that lead to poor performance from a previously well performing company. Demonstrates why any business design eventually fails and the role of organizational calcification and poor leadership in the failure. Also provides prescriptions to prevent and alleviate the problems.

Describes the first major joint venture between a U.S. and Vietnam rice company with reqard to the world rice trade. What are the opportunities and what are the challenges?

1994 was a turnaround year for pulp prices and the Aracruz company. How does the company respond to environmental pressures and to new types of competition in the industry? Teaching Purpose: Indicates how to position oneself in the value-added timber/pulp industry in an environment-friendly manner.

TV Guide is the largest magazine in the United States and is attaining record profitability. This case details the economics of TV Guide's success by studying its advertiser and reader relationships. Presents a detailed look at how a large magazine manages all aspects of its business in the face of emerging competition.

In the last ten years, products have proliferated in every category of consumer goods and services, and the deluge shows few signs of letting up. Most companies are pursuing product expansion strategies--in particular, line extensions--full steam ahead. But as John Quelch and David Kenny argue in "Extend Profits, Not Product Lines" (September-October 1994), evidence indicates that such aggressive tactics can be hazardous. Quelch and Kenny offer several guidelines for avoiding the pitfalls of wanton line extensions and sharpening product line strategies: improve cost accounting, allocate resources to popular products, research consumer behavior, coordinate marketing efforts, work with channel partners, and foster a climate in which product-line deletions are encouraged. In this issue's Perspectives section, nine experts offer their views on product-line management and the logic of line extensions.

Nestle Co.'s Refrigerated Foods Division has very successfully launched its Contadina brand pasta and sauces. The new product has achieved nearly $100 million in sales in three years. The division now considers an extension into the pizza line. This case provides a detailed look at the use of simulated test markets to forecast a new product's potential.

Spreadsheet Supplement for case 595-035.

The Marsh chain of supermarkets is challenged by the entry of Meijer Supercenters into the Indianapolis market. Marsh management must decide how to select, price, promote, and merchandise its products in order to retain the loyalty of its customers and maintain profitability.

Designed as a follow-up to American Airlines' Value Pricing (A).

Traces the evolution of RCI as a master distributor from the time it was founded in 1946 until 1994. The second-generation owner of the distribution company faces several challenges unique to the 1990s environment that his father did not face. As Danny Schwartz attempts to grapple with those issues, he has to answer the long-term strategic question of the viability of his distribution business.

Describes and examines from its inception Benetton's long-running and increasingly controversial image advertising campaign. Initiated in 1985, the highly visual campaign runs internationally primarily in print and on billboards. In its early years, it was widely praised as creative and socially aware. More recently, especially in the United States, many observers, including some Benetton customers and retailers, have been critical of the advertising; some criticisms point to the advertisements as "shocking." Details of the campaign are described, along with reactions to it from observers and retailers. In addition, the rationale of the program is articulated, as well as Benetton's philosophy behind the communications. In mid-1994, management is reviewing the campaign in the wake of particularly vocal criticism of the most recent ads. Teaching Purpose: Focuses on the pros and cons of the advertising strategy over time--particularly in terms of objectives with consumers, the trade, and other stakeholders. Among the major elements for analysis are customer and media responses, as well as the fit of the advertising in various cultures, markets, and customer segments. Includes color exhibits.

In June, 1994, the Senior Vice President of BayBank's Investment Management Group is preparing a strategic plan for her organization's line of mutual funds. Sixteen months earlier, BayBank, Massachusetts's leading retail bank, had entered the mutual fund business by successfully launching BayFunds, a family of proprietary mutual funds. Now management faces a new set of marketing challenges to develop the business further. How can the mix of funds offered be extended to meet changing market and economic conditions, and what combination of proprietary and third-party funds would be most effective in attracting and retaining customers? In addition, management must also find ways to integrate the mutual funds business further into BayBank's core operations and systems while coping with a complex and uncertain regulatory environment.

Consumer Bank pondered the possibilities of launching a credit card in the Asia Pacific region. The bank's New York headquarters, and several of its country managers in the region, were not enthusiastic. But others were supportive because of the opportunity to expand the bank's customer base from the limited branch expansion allowed by local law. Students make a decision, and if a "go" decision is made, they work out a comprehensive launch plan.

Documents the decision taken by Citibank managers in 1989 regarding a new product.

Spreadsheet supplement for case 595-026.

This case concerns the promotional activities of Nashua Photo, the nation's largest mail-order photofinishing firm. Discount-price mailers (inserted in local newspapers, for example) were used to generate new customers, but also allowed existing customers to pay a lower price. Students must evaluate not only the results of last quarter's 125 separate promotions in light of this "leakage," but also the appropriateness of discount-price mailers within Nashua's marketing mix.

The director of marketing of a recently acquired trust company is faced with preparing a marketing plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Historically, the trust company has not had a marketing or sales function. The director faces some major challenges: establishing marketing's role in the trust company; helping the trust company be more accepted by the bank that acquired the company; helping the trust company move from its unprofitable start-up mode to a profitable operation. She wondered how to begin.

In this fictional case study, Caroline Portal knows that La Shampoo is in trouble. Introduced in 1975 and targeted at women between the ages of 15 and 30, La Shampoo has a stylish image that had immediately become popular. Its slogan, "La Shampoo: For the Look and Feel of France," had remained the same since day one. In 1989, however, the line had begun a slow descent, but the company hadn't really addressed the problem until two years ago, when it named Caroline brand manager. At first, Caroline requested a new packaging design. The ad agency backed her up and called for a modest "new look" campaign. But the repackaging caused tension in the office and had no positive effect on sales: the numbers continued their slow decline. Caroline calls a meeting to examine proposals submitted by product sales manager Eric Woolf and a representative of the ad agency that held the La Shampoo account, Beth Hanson. Eric recommends a price cut, while Beth wants a relaunch. The tension grows in the meeting as Caroline weighs the options. A decision has to be made soon in order to save the brand. Which marketing plan should Caroline choose? Five experts examine the challenges of rebuilding a brand.