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The founder of the Lakkard Leather Company was proud of his business, and attributed much of its success to his own leadership style, which did not allow for anyone else’s participation in important decisions. When he was badly injured in a car accident, his son stepped in and kept the business going. Without any intention to take over, the son altered the leadership and operations of the company in the space of a few months, so that by the time the founder returned, the company had changed and his role was significantly reduced. The son, in the meantime, grew to like his interim position and believed he did a better job than his father. Both men became locked in a power struggle; yet the company faced several key decisions that had to be taken in terms of expansion, product offering, and sale opportunities.

PremiumSoft had been a competitive player in the SQL software market for 10 years. Like many software companies, PremiumSoft's business model required that it continuously evolve its current successful product lines through research and development. At the core of the business was its creative people: they were the company's largest asset. PremiumSoft had created a team-centric, informal work environment that promoted creativity and innovation and attracted the best candidates. As a small company, PremiumSoft had a mix of formal and informal controls when dealing with recruiting, retention, roles, and responsibilities. It had achieved success with hiring, retaining, and managing its current employees and wanted to ensure that it could maintain this success with future growth. In 2010, PremiumSoft's owners were looking to grow the business through the development of new software. This growth required an expansion of its staff by 25 percent and the addition of a new product line.

Sumeru Software Solutions was a software development consultancy firm headquartered in Bangalore, India, with offices in Washington, D.C., Dubai, and London. It began operations in July 2001 as a single project with two employees, and grew over 10 years into an organization with approximately 200 employees. The founding objective of Sumeru Software Solutions was to support Art of Living’s social development initiatives through profits earned from delivering high-quality services. Art of Living (AOL) was founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji as a not-for-profit, educational, humanitarian non-governmental organization engaged in stress-management programs, including yoga and meditation. Sumeru had developed a unique culture that combined corporate culture with the Art of Living principles of Seva, Satsang, Sadhana, and positivity even in the face of adversity. In line with the AOL principles, the four pillars of Sumeru culture were ethics, caring, sharing and trust. It purported to follow a peaceful yet aggressive way of doing business called “Serene Dynamism.” Harish Ramachandran, CEO of Sumeru Software Solutions, had created an enterprise that was different from other IT organizations. He was wondering how he would sustain the culture of the organization and make Sumeru a high-performing company over the next 10 years as it expanded its business and hired new employees.

In March 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Sweet overturned 30 years of legal precedent and ruled that unaltered human genes could not be patented. This case reviews patent law and how it relates to our increasing knowledge of the Human Genome. The case issues deal with the potential implications of Judge Sweet's decision for biotechnology entrepreneurs and investors.

Chris Exline founded Home Essentials, a furniture rental business targeted toward expatriates, in Singapore but rapidly moved the base of operations to Hong Kong. The company was highly successful in Singapore and Hong Kong and then pursued rapid global expansion. Lacking frameworks for deciding upon countries to enter and services to deliver in each country, Exline used gut instinct. Lacking control systems and information, he failed to identify problems early and had trouble understanding the root cause of failures. The global financial crisis intensified the problems. The case ends by describing how Exline was able to turn around the troubled company and develop necessary governance systems. The question of whether to once more attempt to grow beyond Hong Kong and, if so, the approach to take in selecting countries, is a central issue Exline faced at the time of the case.

The case describes the creation of Turkey's largest business group by Vehbi Koc. The foundation of this group in the interwar years, and its subsequent diversification into many industries, including automobiles, household goods, and services, are analysed. The case serves as a vehicle to explain why diversified business groups are so important in emerging markets such as Turkey. It explores the role of market imperfections, government policies, and entrepreneurial ambition in their creation, as well as the organizational challenges posed by managing such diversified firms owned by a family. Much of the firm's growth came from licensing and joint venture agreements with multinational firms that were unable, or unwilling, to invest directly in Turkey because of political risk and government restrictions. The case ends in 1988, when the founder has received a report from the management consultancy Bain calling for the firm to reduce the range of activities it undertakes because of the competitive challenges resulting from the liberalization of the Turkish economy.

This is part of a case series. 'Everyone says entrepreneurship is about risk-taking. But it's not: it's about minimising risks and taking careful risks.' Terry Rhodes' own words resonated with him as he reflected on the most critical decision of his career at Celtel International. Since its inception in March 1998, Celtel, a wireless service provider, set out to change the way business was done in Africa and to prove the transformative effects business could have on the continent and its people. Rhodes, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Celtel, had successfully mitigated the risks and overcome the challenges that deterred other businesses from investing in and contributing to the region. 'We were lucky that our business - mobile telecommunications - was seen as raising money in the West to bring to Africa and build infrastructure,' he explained. As Celtel expanded and moved into more and more markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, its corporate values were continually tested. Up until now, Rhodes had managed to avert corrupt situations using simple but creative tactics. However, the market entry into Guinea in late 1999 had posed a different story. Despite his multiple efforts, negotiations with the Guinean government were now at a standstill and it had become clear to Rhodes that the government expected substantial bribery payments for the deal to move forward. It was now late September 2001 and to add to the dire situation, Celtel's CFO had informed him that losing the Guinea deal might lead the company towards bankruptcy. Rhodes now sat outside the door of the boardroom, waiting to be called in and present his recommendation to the Board concerning the Guinea deal. As he reflected on his available options, Rhodes knew he would have to defend his decision to the Board and would need their full support.

Bhasin was the head of GE Capital in India when, in the late 1990s, he had a vision for the future of a small division that was providing back-office services such as processing car loans and credit card transactions for the local market. GE Capital was the first foreign-owned financial services company that had been allowed into India, and as an experiment by the government, it was hypervulnerable to changes in policy and philosophy. Bhasin wanted to find a safe and sustainable means of growth. The eager, ambitious talent pool he could see all around him, both inside the company and across India, gave him an idea: Why not take advantage of it to offer support services to GE Capital all over the world? The people he turned to for advice were uniformly discouraging. How, they asked, could he build a facility on the scale he would need, hire huge numbers of people and train them to Six Sigma standards on products they knew nothing about, and gain access to telecommunications and infrastructure at a level then unheard of in India? Undaunted, Bhasin pressed on, and today Genpact, which was spun off from GE Capital in 2005, directly employs 43,000 people and serves 400 other companies in 13 countries.

Location choice is a critical decision for entrepreneurs. This note explores how entrepreneurs should think about different city options through a systematic framework that encompasses professional and personal issues. We use the intellectual frameworks of the cluster and industry agglomeration literatures to organize these factors. We then provide some tactical advice and worksheets for entrepreneurs to consider when selecting the location for their new venture.

Mountain Hazelnut Venture Limited ("Mountain Hazelnuts") was founded with economic, social, and environmental objectives. It planned to distribute young hazelnut plants at no charge to a large number of subsistence farmers in Bhutan. The farmers would plant the trees in fallow or degraded land, tend them, and sell the resulting nuts to the company at a price negotiated between the Bhutanese government and the company. If successful, this would generate a financial return for investors, greatly increase the cash income of participating farmers, help preserve rural Bhutanese communities, and improve the environment by stabilizing hillsides, reducing erosion, and providing other benefits. Mountain Hazelnuts was the first 100 percent foreign direct investment company in Bhutan. By early 2011, when the case is set, Mountain Hazelnuts had successfully established a nursery in rural eastern Bhutan, with a capacity to produce millions of plants. It was preparing to distribute its first trees to Bhutanese farmers-a project that would involve 10 million trees over five years, and involve about 15 percent of the country's population. This case is intended for use in a course on supply chain management, but can be used in classes focused on the environment, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship (for instance, within a philanthropy course), global business, or business in developing economies.

Suitable for MBA, EMBA, and GEMBA courses, this case describes the organization and structure of a small European firm providing technical solutions to the defense industry. It combines crucial issues from strategic management and organization and management. The firm was founded by Magnus Sjöland and Rune Thyselius in Stockholm, Sweden, mainly working in the Swedish defense industry but also serving civilian customers. Having received the first large international order, the firm now stood to market itself on a broader international market. An open question is what resources the firm requires to compete in a global arena that differs in many ways from its well-known Swedish defense industry. At the same time, the firm structure demands too much of the owner managers leaving them unable to offer sufficient support for each division to prosper. The case offers unique possibilities to discuss the complex interaction of market forces, the control and management of valuable resources, and organization, in particular its structure and culture.

Electric motorcycles’ features of zero emissions, light weight, high efficiency, low energy costs, and almost no pollution contribute to the increasing popularity of and substantial growth potential for the worldwide electric motorcycle industry. However, Zero was facing competition from Brammo, which, though positioning its products differently from Zero, adopted a similar international growth strategy. How could the chief executive officer of Zero position its products so that Zero would be able to offer a unique value proposition and establish clear dominance in the electric motorcycle industry?

After working together on a university business plan, two entrepreneurs worked for three years to develop their venture: Shutout Solutions Inc. Their start-up venture was established in response to an issue familiar to most hockey players: notoriously smelly equipment. While their familiarity with hockey equipment helped them identify a specific problem, subsequent research revealed a much broader issue: the need to clean products made of micro-fibre. Utilizing a technology that addressed the micro-fibre odour issue, they believed they had a five-year opportunity window to develop and profit from the business before it was imitated or superseded. As they considered their options, they realized that they might have to choose to focus their resources on a single product line rather than continue to develop their current portfolio of a detergent, body wash, and spray. They also questioned whether they were using the right channel - gyms and sporting goods stores - to reach customers. The opportunity to pursue bulk institutional sales was also intriguing, though it would require a different sales, pricing, and distribution strategy. Also, they considered how they might respond to an offer to sell the company in its current form.

John Calhoun, one of two brothers who own Stratton Auto, of Stratton, Vermont, has been contacted by Tyler Mann, the owner of one of the firms that wholesales Stratton's unwanted used cars. Mann has been asked for a kickback in return for receiving good-condition used cars from Stratton Auto at a discount, by Blake Power, a Sales Manager at Stratton Auto. Mann had previously provided a small kickback for the purchase of one car, but Power was now asking for much more. Calhoun investigates the situation, reviews a past precedent, and talks to a senior sales manager. After discussing the situation with his brother John Calhoun confronts Blake concerning the situation. Blake admits to the facts as stated, but does not apologize for his actions. Calhoun is concerned that firing Power might be a problem since it is now close to Christmas. He is also concerned with the impact any decision will have on his employees. Both brothers pride themselves on their ethical, employee, and community oriented practices. The case concludes with Calhoun wondering what to do.

Carolina Pad had received several requests for cash payments from internet bloggers in exchange for product reviews. The requests were for relatively small amounts (none more than $1000). The company believed that paying the bloggers' would offer a significantly higher rate of return on their promotional dollars than traditional advertising or other forms of promotion. Like many other companies, Carolina Pad provided review products to bloggers, but questioned whether cash payments were somehow different. The case examines the ethics of making cash and in-kind payments to bloggers for product reviews. The case also examines the question of whether bloggers are journalists and should adhere to the same journalist standards as news reporters or simply writers of internet infomercials.

The price of pharmaceuticals in the Philippines is second only to Japan within Asia and is among the highest in the world, despite the Philippines being a less developed country with nearly half of its population living on US$2 a day. The case illustrates how The Generics Pharmacy, a local pharmaceutical company, challenged the existing industry business model and became the largest pharmaceutical retailer in the country within a period of only three years. Under the strategic leadership of CEO Benjamin Liuson, The Generics Pharmacy succeeded in formulating a superior value proposal by focusing on the supply- and demand-side constructs at the bottom of the pyramid and bringing affordable high-quality medicines within reach of low-income individuals. Superior leadership, management, and strategic initiatives succeeded in integrating and balancing tenets of corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurial foresight, and resource-based strategy to catapult the company into a leadership position.

After three years of rapid growth in a relatively young industry, the affiliate and payment-processing company RevenueWire.com found itself operating in a very different environment. Sales growth in the company’s affiliate network service had leveled off, and orders for Q1 2010 looked just like those for Q1 2009. New competitors, low entry barriers, and a plateau in the affiliate market meant few opportunities for growth across the industry. Despite these conditions, the company’s owners had set aggressive revenue targets for 2010 to 2012. The general manager needed to evaluate options for growth, including new markets and new products, to determine how to meet her targets. Because RevenueWire.com’s competitors were privately held, there was little public data on the state of their finances or the size of various markets. The general manager had learned how to use surrogate data to gauge the market and make strategic decisions, and the students must do the same to develop an effective three-year plan that will hit or exceed the owners’ expectations.<br><br>The case exposes students to decision making in a global industry dominated by privately held companies. It also exposes students to the affiliate marketing industry from the viewpoint of an entrepreneurial company that serves as an intermediary between merchants and affiliates. It describes many of the challenges facing an intermediary in an industry that includes not only legitimate merchants but a vast array of scam artists and phony products.

Founded in 1994 when the Internet was still a "toy for techies," the case is set in 1998 when Internet IPOs were red-hot. Internet Securities provides hard-to-find financial, business, economic, and political information on emerging markets. Information from over 600 information suppliers in more than 25 emerging markets (e.g., China, Russia, Poland, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Turkey) is provided to over 650 institutional clients, including J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, KPMG, and ING Barings. After ruling out seeking another round of VC financing, the cash-strapped founder of this Internet information service provider must decide whether to IPO or accept an offer to be acquired by Euromoney, a global publishing and information content provider that is eager to launch an Internet information service. The case contains a term sheet that can be reviewed to support analysis and decision making.

This case examines the management of home and host country risk by Beiersdorf during the interwar years. It can be used both in business history courses and more generally to teach political risk management by multinational corporations. Beiersdorf, a German personal products company, expanded globally before 1914, but had its foreign factories and intellectual property expropriated during World War 1. After 1919 ceo Willy Jacobson rebuilt the international business, and sought to protect it by "cloaking" the ultimate ownership. Following the appointment of Adolf Hitler, as German Chancellor in 1933, Beiersdorf and Jacobson personally also came under attack by the anti-Semitic Nazi regime in its home country. The case can be used as a vehicle to understand the rise of both host and home country risk by companies during the interwar years, and more generally to explore the strategies which firms can follow to attempt to manage such risks.

Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. (OTH) was established in 1998 in Egypt and had grown exponentially to become one of the major players in the global telecommunications market. OTH was considered to be among the largest and most diversified network operators in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy) was launched in February 2002 and it grew to become the market leader in terms of both subscriber numbers as well as the quality of telecommunications services provided. Djezzy served more than 14.7 million subscribers on its network and had a 62.9 per cent market share. After the great success Orascom had realized in Algeria, Orascom wanted to further expand. The manager thought that India could also be a great opportunity in which Orascom could expand its business. In 2006, OTH agreed to acquire a 19.3 per cent stake in Hutchison (HTIL) to penetrate the Indian market. India was an excellent opportunity as there were strong complementary similarities between Orascom and Hutchinson Telecom: both were successful operators offering mobile services in countries with large populations and low penetration levels of telecommunications services. However, despite this appearing to be an excellent opportunity, Orascom was not able to complete this operation because it did not consider the expenses in an accurate way and many factors were ignored, concentrating only on the positive aspects.