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In January 2020, the human resources (HR) head of MAGIS Infotech (MAGIS), a software solutions provider to banking and financial firms, was asked to come up with a set of new HR measures to resolve problems related to coordination between employees at MAGIS’s two locations—in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Coimbatore, India. The Abu Dhabi location had all of the client-facing roles and support functions such as HR and finance, whereas Coimbatore had the back-end roles related to software development and testing. The HR head, located in Abu Dhabi, was responsible for HR matters for both the Abu Dhabi and Coimbatore locations. Within the next two months, MAGIS would recruit and onboard a large batch of employees to double the workforce at the Coimbatore location, which faced a lack of cohesion between employees at different levels. In addition, there was friction between the Abu Dhabi and Coimbatore teams. The HR head had to come up with HR measures to resolve these issues before the new employees were recruited.

In February 2021, the managing director of The Shakti Plastics Industries (Shakti) was facing challenges related to the Indian government's announcement of a complete ban by 2022 on single-use plastic-a key item that Shakti had been recycling through technological innovations over the previous few decades. The company was eager to support the government's vision of enabling a circular plastics economy. However, changes in the regulatory landscape were likely to impact millions of people who were directly or indirectly employed in the unorganized Indian plastic waste sector. The time frame for plastic waste processors and manufacturers to adapt to the changes was short, particularly during the pandemic-induced resurgence of single-use plastic in the form of medical waste. Moreover, there were several other challenges, including price volatility of plastic waste, influenced by disruptive intermediaries in the supply chain; low awareness levels among consumers about waste segregation at the source; and a lack of eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic. Shakti needed to make decisions to maintain and advance its competitiveness in the plastic waste recycling sector, in line with the government's proposed vision for a circular plastic economy.

In April 2021, the giant US automaker Ford Motor Company was facing a decision regarding its Indian operations, which were struggling. It had brought in a new global chief executive officer—its fourth in the past decade—who was tasked with making this choice. The company could remain invested in India, either operating on its own or in a joint venture. It could also decide to manufacture for export or choose to exit the Indian market entirely. Ford Motor Company had to decide on an international corporate-level strategy, all while considering the factors influencing the changing Indian market and the rise of new technology. What would be the best path forward for the automaker?

This annually updated exercise assesses one’s exposure to the rest of the world’s peoples. A series of worksheets require respondents to check off the number and names of countries they have visited and the corresponding percentage of world population that each country represents. The summary of a group’s collective exposure to the world’s people will inevitably be the recognition that together they have seen much, even if individually some have seen little. The teaching note provides discussion questions that consider why there is such a high variability in individual profiles, the implications of each profile for one’s business career, and what it would take for respondents to change their profile.

In October 2018, Yehuda Katzman, vice-president of marketing and business development at design house Inbal Dror, was attending the 2018 New York Bridal Fashion Week event, where Inbal Dror and its direct competitors revealed their spring lines to distinct buyers. As in previous years, Katzman had lined up meetings with interested retailers and wanted to make sure they appreciated the unique nature of Inbal Dror's designs and the quality of its craftsmanship and the raw materials it used. Katzman also wanted to ensure that the couture brand was recognized for its dependability, sincerity, and understanding of different cultures. Travelling from Israel to participate in international bridal shows was a costly undertaking, and it was critical for Katzman to identify new retailers to continue expanding Inbal Dror's global reach. His challenge this time was to successfully penetrate the vast markets of China and the Far East-a challenge that could, if successful, generate incredible growth.

The case study titled "Ace Micromatic Group: A Hidden Champion in the Indian Machine Tools Industry" details the journey of Ace Micromatic Group (AMG): how a mid-sized Indian company founded in 1979 and headquartered in Bangalore grew to become India's largest machine tools company by 2005, a position it held until 2020. The case highlights how the group's cofounders have stayed together and committed to managing the group by adopting professional practices. With 700 on-field employees and over 55 service centers, AMG became the undisputed market leader in India. However, 2020 was a challenging year, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting businesses worldwide. The case describes the concerns of the Managing Director and CEO of Micromatic Machine Tools (MMT) Private Limited, T. K. Ramesh, regarding the changing manufacturing map of the world. Ramesh wanted to envisage how this would affect AMG's expansion strategy and how the group should allocate resources between different markets. Another development that Ramesh and his team followed closely were the disruptive technologies- electric cars and car-sharing platforms-that had already created waves in the automobile sector. The emergence and growth of automobile hiring and sharing economy platforms such as Uber and Ola meant that the public, especially the younger generation, preferred the convenience of on-demand automobiles on a pay-per-use basis to vehicle ownership. With the number of automobiles being produced and sold declining over time, how should AMG respond?

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, faced a unique challenge in the manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to its major stakeholders. SII had COVID-19 vaccine manufacture and supply commitments to COVAX, a joint initiative ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries and a transfer technology (licensing) agreement with AstraZeneca PLC to supply its COVID-19 vaccine. However, a sudden surge of COVID-19 cases in India during the second wave of the pandemic sharply increased demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the country, forcing the government of India to temporarily ban the export of vaccines from India. At the same time, a ban imposed by the United States on the export of critical raw materials and components used for vaccine manufacturing threatened to bring the vaccine production process at SII to a halt. SII’s chief executive officer had to now juggle meeting domestic demand within India and fulfilling SII’s international supply commitments. Failing to deliver on the commitments would not only spell legal trouble but also pose long-term reputational and business risks for his company. He had few options to navigate the situation.

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, faced a unique challenge in the manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to its major stakeholders. SII had COVID-19 vaccine manufacture and supply commitments to COVAX, a joint initiative ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries and a transfer technology (licensing) agreement with AstraZeneca PLC to supply its COVID-19 vaccine. However, a sudden surge of COVID-19 cases in India during the second wave of the pandemic sharply increased demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the country, forcing the government of India to temporarily ban the export of vaccines from India. At the same time, a ban imposed by the United States on the export of critical raw materials and components used for vaccine manufacturing threatened to bring the vaccine production process at SII to a halt. SII's chief executive officer had to now juggle meeting domestic demand within India and fulfilling SII's international supply commitments. Failing to deliver on the commitments would not only spell legal trouble but also pose long-term reputational and business risks for his company. He had few options to navigate the situation.

Located in southwest China, Bosai Minerals Group Co., Ltd. (Bosai) has been engaged mainly in the bauxite and manganese business since 1997, and by 2010, it had successfully completed acquisitions of three large overseas mining companies. By incorporating the traditionally mild and inclusive neo-Confucianism into its management philosophy, Bosai’s overseas branches had successfully integrated themselves into local communities and cultures. In March 2016, shortly before the acquisition of Guyana Manganese Inc., the board of directors was debating how to deal with employees of the acquired company. Newer directors proposed laying off inefficient local employees and granting incentives through an improved performance appraisal mechanism. This proposal was fiercely opposed by directors who had been on the board longer. Bosai’s chair and managing director had to decide how to proceed, ensuring a smooth transition and sustainable development of the subsidiary.

In 2017, Tim Kleinebenne, managing director of Unilever Ethiopia, and Buks Akinseye, senior global sustainability manager in Unilever's Rotterdam headquarters, had collaborated to develop and launch a Shakti initiative, creating a last-mile distribution channel that targeted rural Ethiopia. While serving rural Ethiopia presented Unilever with a substantial market opportunity and the promise of achieving greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in its business strategy, the rollout had proved challenging. To facilitate the initiative, Unilever Ethiopia's search for a partner had led to Kidame Mart, a local social enterprise founded by Shani Senbetta. With funding from Unilever, Senbetta and her team recruited economically vulnerable women in rural Ethiopia to be Shakti entrepreneurs and provided them a basket of goods to sell locally. This basket included mainly Unilever products, along with a few non-competing items from other companies. But, creating demand for Unilever products and in rural markets was difficult.

Located in southwest China, Bosai Minerals Group Co., Ltd. (Bosai) has been engaged mainly in the bauxite and manganese business since 1997, and by 2010, it had successfully completed acquisitions of three large overseas mining companies. By incorporating the traditionally mild and inclusive neo-Confucianism into its management philosophy, Bosai's overseas branches had successfully integrated themselves into local communities and cultures. In March 2016, shortly before the acquisition of Guyana Manganese Inc., the board of directors was debating how to deal with employees of the acquired company. Newer directors proposed laying off inefficient local employees and granting incentives through an improved performance appraisal mechanism. This proposal was fiercely opposed by directors who had been on the board longer. Bosai's chair and managing director had to decide how to proceed, ensuring a smooth transition and sustainable development of the subsidiary.

This annually updated exercise assesses one's exposure to the rest of the world's peoples. A series of worksheets require respondents to check off the number and names of countries they have visited and the corresponding percentage of world population that each country represents. The summary of a group's collective exposure to the world's people will inevitably be the recognition that together they have seen much, even if individually some have seen little. The teaching note provides discussion questions that consider why there is such a high variability in individual profiles, the implications of each profile for one's business career, and what it would take for respondents to change their profile.

Most managers in an international business are likely to be involved with international joint ventures (IJVs) during their career. IJVs have a greater chance of success if the businesses involved have good advisers on their teams. However, it can be a challenge to know what advisers to hire and how best to utilize their expertise. Drawing on their extensive career experience, the authors recommend best practices for hiring and working with international joint venture advisers based on three perspectives: legal, business, and academic. The possible roles of advisers, value versus cost of advisers, and what to look for and avoid when hiring advisers are outlined and framed within specific business examples.

Many people thought of knitting as a hobby for grandmothers, but the time-honored craft had evolved into a booming business with loyal, passionate, and interactive customers worldwide. The Spanish e-commerce business We Are Knitters (WAK) spent the last decade growing into what investors called the “world leader in online knitted kit sales,” a segment of the global $100 billion knitting industry. WAK’s sales soared by 240 per cent between April 2019 and April 2020 due to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. By February 2021, while WAK’s co-founders were still grappling with pandemic-related challenges, ahead of WAK's 10-year anniversary, they also started to look ahead to consider plans for further growth and internationalization while maintaining their business model and competitive advantages.

Ace Micromatic Group (AMG) was established in 1979 and is a well-known machine tools (MT) manufacturer in India. Under the leadership of Shrinivas Shirgurkar, Managing Director, the firm has been ambitiously seeking new opportunities. It is a ""niche entrepreneur"" company that focuses on MT and computerized numerical control (CNC) machines. MMT China was founded in 2007 as AMG's wholly owned foreign enterprise (WOFE). The overwhelming support of the local government impressed AMG. The structure of the MT market has shifted from pyramidal to diamond shaped. MMT China has successfully focused on small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Its focus has been aesthetics, automation, customer experience, and dealer relationships. Despite this, it has encountered several challenges. One set of challenges was financing the purchase of its goods. Another concern was the gulf between its organizational ideals and Chinese business practices and culture norms, such as giving gifts and favors (guanxi, personal networks not related to business). MMT China has been able to overcome these challenges by providing high-quality products at competitive prices, supported by efficient after-sales service. It has overcome overwhelming odds and reaped the rewards of investing in China. The founders are hopeful and optimistic about initiatives such as "China Plus One" and "Make in China2025." Careful planning will be necessary to make the most of these changes.

A new entrepreneur planning to start a new exports and/or imports business is confronted with the issue of managing and mitigating various risks in international trade. Risks are inherent to any business, be it domestic or international. However, when business becomes international, the dimensions, complexities, and quantum of risks get amplified. This technical note discusses the nuances of various risks faced by the exporters, such as; credit risk, country risk, and currency risk faced by the exporters, popularly known as the three C’s of international trading risks, and the strategies of mitigating those risks. The note also discusses the various risks encountered by the importers, such as; currency risk, supplier risk, and product risk and the methods of managing such risks.

In February 2019, Tim Hortons, Canada's iconic coffee franchise, opened its first coffee shop in China in Shanghai, thereby extending its international footprint to China. To accomplish this entry, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), the parent company of Tim Hortons, formed a joint venture (JV) Tim Hortons (China) Holdings Co., Ltd. (Tims China) with Cartesian Capital, a private equity fund that had operated in China for more than twenty years. As the minority owner, RBI granted Tims China the master franchise rights, covering the use of trademarks, core products, store management procedures, and so on. Cartesian Capital, on the other hand, held majority ownership and would manage the strategy and daily operation of the joint enterprise. A veteran of Cartesian Capital was dispatched to the JV to be its chief executive officer. The fast-growing coffee market in China presented enormous opportunities, but Tim Hortons was a latecomer compared with foreign brands like Starbucks and numerous local coffee providers. In this situation, how should he best position and expand Tim Hortons in the new market?

In October 2018, Yehuda Katzman, vice-president of marketing and business development at design house Inbal Dror, was attending the 2018 New York Bridal Fashion Week event, where Inbal Dror and its direct competitors revealed their spring lines to distinct buyers. As in previous years, Katzman had lined up meetings with interested retailers and wanted to make sure they appreciated the unique nature of Inbal Dror’s designs and the quality of its craftsmanship and the raw materials it used. Katzman also wanted to ensure that the couture brand was recognized for its dependability, sincerity, and understanding of different cultures. Travelling from Israel to participate in international bridal shows was a costly undertaking, and it was critical for Katzman to identify new retailers to continue expanding Inbal Dror’s global reach. His challenge this time was to successfully penetrate the vast markets of China and the Far East—a challenge that could, if successful, generate incredible growth.

On July 8, 2019, Barry Robinson, president and managing director of International Operations for Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific (Wyndham Destinations AP), and Liam Crawley, chief financial officer, were in receipt of a report provided by law firm Baker McKenzie’s Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions team. Wyndham Destinations AP was in the process of acquiring the privately held Resort Frontier Co. Ltd., the management company for Sundance Resort Club. Through an affiliated corporate entity, Wyndham Destinations AP would also acquire all the forfeited and unsold points of Sundance Resort Club. This acquisition would represent the vacation ownership and exchange company’s first foray into the Japanese market. Crawley and his team would need to undertake comprehensive external and internal financial analyses and discounted cash flow analysis of Sundance and multiples valuations of comparable firms to help Robinson determine a fair offer price.

Instructor Spreadsheet to accompany W25640.