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In 2019, the three Do sons, Nam, Hoa and Giang were shocked when their parents, Mr Hanh and Mdm Nghi, announced that they would hand over the joint running of their two companies-Dai Viet (DV) and Chien Thang (CT), to them. Since 1999, the Do family had consecutively founded and operated multiple sanitary- and porcelainware factory businesses that included Mdm Nghi's CT in 2002, and the family's DV Group, in 2013. CT and DV were vastly different in their employee base, organisational cultures, and operational processes. Unfortunately, given their proximity at work, cracks soon appeared when family disputes started affecting company operations, and vice versa. This disrupted decision-making at times and escalated to the point of shouting matches in front of employees. Eventually, by early 2019, Mr Hanh and Mdm Nghi were adamant that the brothers had to learn to work with one another to eventually merge and manage the two companies together. Giang however, being the only son who had worked with his father through complex financial and operational challenges, felt the crushing weight of responsibility bearing down on him. He wondered if the two companies ought to be merged despite the cultural, operational, and personal differences. Alternatively, he could hire professional consultants to help iron out the various issues in both companies. The most drastic measure would be to consider selling one of the companies. If so, which of the two companies should the family sell? Their parents had worked hard to grow DV and CT-what would they think if their sons sold off the embodiment of their legacy in the sanitary- and porcelainware industry?

In 2019, the three Do sons, Nam, Hoa and Giang were shocked when their parents, Mr Hanh and Mdm Nghi, announced that they would hand over the joint running of their two companies-Dai Viet (DV) and Chien Thang (CT), to them. Since 1999, the Do family had consecutively founded and operated multiple sanitary- and porcelainware factory businesses that included Mdm Nghi's CT in 2002, and the family's DV Group, in 2013. CT and DV were vastly different in their employee base, organisational cultures, and operational processes. Unfortunately, given their proximity at work, cracks soon appeared when family disputes started affecting company operations, and vice versa. This disrupted decision-making at times and escalated to the point of shouting matches in front of employees. Eventually, by early 2019, Mr Hanh and Mdm Nghi were adamant that the brothers had to learn to work with one another to eventually merge and manage the two companies together. Giang however, being the only son who had worked with his father through complex financial and operational challenges, felt the crushing weight of responsibility bearing down on him. He wondered if the two companies ought to be merged despite the cultural, operational, and personal differences. Alternatively, he could hire professional consultants to help iron out the various issues in both companies. The most drastic measure would be to consider selling one of the companies. If so, which of the two companies should the family sell? Their parents had worked hard to grow DV and CT-what would they think if their sons sold off the embodiment of their legacy in the sanitary- and porcelainware industry?

In 2019, the three Do sons, Nam, Hoa and Giang were shocked when their parents, Mr Hanh and Mdm Nghi, announced that they would hand over the joint running of their two companies-Dai Viet (DV) and Chien Thang (CT), to them. Since 1999, the Do family had consecutively founded and operated multiple sanitary- and porcelainware factory businesses that included Mdm Nghi's CT in 2002, and the family's DV Group, in 2013. CT and DV were vastly different in their employee base, organisational cultures, and operational processes. Unfortunately, given their proximity at work, cracks soon appeared when family disputes started affecting company operations, and vice versa. This disrupted decision-making at times and escalated to the point of shouting matches in front of employees. Eventually, by early 2019, Mr Hanh and Mdm Nghi were adamant that the brothers had to learn to work with one another to eventually merge and manage the two companies together. Giang however, being the only son who had worked with his father through complex financial and operational challenges, felt the crushing weight of responsibility bearing down on him. He wondered if the two companies ought to be merged despite the cultural, operational, and personal differences. Alternatively, he could hire professional consultants to help iron out the various issues in both companies. The most drastic measure would be to consider selling one of the companies. If so, which of the two companies should the family sell? Their parents had worked hard to grow DV and CT-what would they think if their sons sold off the embodiment of their legacy in the sanitary- and porcelainware industry?

This case, a follow-up to "WillowTree: Project Driven with a Product Mindset (A)" (UVA-S-0338), examines WillowTree, a digital products company that is navigating the implications of employees returning to the office after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and also coping with increased employee desire to continue working from home. It explores the shift in client contract preferences toward more flexible, team-oriented models and the subsequent adjustments in team formation and collaboration strategies. The case also delves into how WillowTree measured and responded to client and team sentiment, and the effect transitioning back to office work had on WillowTree's employee satisfaction and organizational culture. The case highlights the resilience and adaptability of digital businesses that previously relied on colocated teams to develop and deliver its products. The managerial dilemma posed by this follow-up case is: What is an optimal policy for returning to work in the office? This decision will define the company's future.

Little more than a year had passed since Chrissy Taylor, granddaughter of the company's founder and daughter of its longest-serving CEO, had been promoted, in December 2019, to CEO of Enterprise Holdings, the parent company of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Taylor had spent her entire career in the family-owned business, but like all Enterprise employees, she started as a management trainee at a branch office. "Just like everybody else in our upper management, I started behind a rental counter," Taylor said in an interview at the time of her promotion. "I worked my way up in various roles, learning the job by doing it: washing cars, picking up customers." She was determined to continue the legacy of her family's company, which her father famously described as being committed to three things: "listening to and satisfying our customers, creating opportunities for our employees, and achieving long-term, sustainable growth."

This case examines the leadership challenges faced by Nathalie Wappler, the new CEO of SRF, a public media company that operates in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and is part of the largest media company in Switzerland, SRG. The study spans the period from 2019 to 2021, capturing the seismic shift in corporate identity, disruptive changes in consumer behavior and the emergence of new players in the media industry. The central challenge revolves around two key questions: First, how to lead a traditional media organization towards the future while also maintaining its core amid industry disruption? And second, what leadership qualities are required to effectively navigate such a dual transformation? Drawing on a combination of internal strategy documents, along with publicly available information, the case highlights the strategic journey undertaken by Nathalie amidst the turbulence of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the broader challenge of leadership in the face of an unpredictable black swan-style event that becomes the new normal. It reveals that strategic decision making should not be paralyzed by incomplete data and emphasizes the importance of a robust and bold strategy combined with the right type of leadership. The findings underscore that Nathalie's leadership style, characterized by collaboration and inclusivity, was complemented by a clear vision and strong conviction. This framework enabled her to effectively navigate the transformational journey and overcome potential short-term derailments. Unique and unfiltered access to Nathalie and the SRF organization provide valuable insights, enabling students to explore the complexities of decision making in dynamic industries. The case prompts students to consider when to persevere, adapt or pivot, and encourages self-reflection on their own leadership adaptability in similar challenging scenarios.

AMAG is Switzerland's premier automotive retail and service company, holding exclusive rights to import Volkswagen Group car brands such as Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, Cupra and Seat. In 2022 AMAG had 7,300 employees and a revenue of CHF 4.4 billion. The electrification of the automotive industry and the introduction of the agency model by the Volkswagen Group are major challenges for the traditional Swiss company. The case describes AMAG's traditional business model, including recent changes, its vision and ambitions. Follow Frank Boemerle, the head of strategy at AMAG retail, as he develops new business models and captures insights about the company's transformation journey. New business models like Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Retail as a Service (RaaS) are elaborated and described. Existing and future profit pools are analyzed, and new business opportunities and threats are discussed. The EV transformation and digitalization require up to 50% fewer employees in the after-sales service business, and the impending agency model questions the current infrastructure and capital employed. Therefore, AMAG is searching for new mid-term revenue streams and new employment for the workforce. Change management and up-skilling of the employees are additional challenges after the changes in the financial transactions of future business models on a subscription base. Shall AMAG invest in renewable energy to offer electrification packages to customers next to EVs? Shall AMAG expand to Italy and France? Shall AMAG expand the EV portfolio with new brands from China and potentially risk its exclusivity with Volkswagen? Support Frank in the analysis and make your conclusions on how AMAG can stay in business in Switzerland beyond 2030, given that the electrification of mobility and the new agency model disrupt the main revenue streams of AMAG's current business model.

Over its 20 years in existence, Tesla had become nearly synonymous with electric vehicles, and the company assumed an enviable market position. By 2023, however, Tesla faced intense competition. Traditional carmakers and EV upstarts were expected to introduce close to 50 new EV models in 2023 alone. Tesla had to decide how to re-position itself in this drastically altered business landscape.

This note lays out a process that students and business leaders can follow to make well-integrated sets of strategic choices.

What does a university owe to the community where it is based? The idea of an anchor institution reflects the relational dynamics between a large entity and the often-lower-income community where it is located or does a significant portion of its business. This field-based case examines the social responsibility of the University of Virginia (UVA), a public university founded in 1819 in Charlottesville by the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. UVA's significant growth has led to shortages in affordable housing, as UVA has purchased large swaths of land for its use and UVA students occupy much of the remaining lower-cost rentals near the university. As a result, local residents often find themselves pushed to outlying areas and lacking the public transportation necessary to commute to work. In the Charlottesville community, many have been calling on UVA to remedy the situation for over a decade. This issue is particularly salient in an environment where the president and board chair at the University of Pennsylvania was forced to step down for decisions related to sociopolitical issues beyond the campus. The case presents three different frameworks for considering social responsibility: as an anchor institution, as an entity exempt from property and income taxes, and as a public university subsidized by the state. The case guides students to policies underlying current socioeconomic conditions, the ethics of disproportionate use of limited resources, the obligations of tax exemptions, and the responsibilities of anchor institutions. It provides rich data for students to consider questions including the following: Is it fair for universities to enroll students without supplying housing for them? Does a public university have responsibilities that would not apply to a private university? Are UVA's actions aligned with its culture and, by extension, the Jeffersonian ideal upon which it was founded?

Eric Hughes, advertising sales manager at Regional Broadcast Network (RBN), needs to avoid a takeover by increasing revenue from ad sales. Currently, ad plans are created for advertisers by combining ad spots from a fixed inventory of shows, making an effort to meet requirements such as a preferred split of prime/non-prime shows and views (impressions) in target demographics. Ad plans are priced using rate cards (RCs) based on industry norms, and are often discounted to meet budget requirements. Revenue is not usually optimized using this system because the RCs do not accurately reflect the value of inventory. In this case, Hughes first creates a model that allocates available inventory (i.e., 30-second ad spots) across 10 representative plans. He performs an optimization calculation that recreates the sequential allocation that his salespeople generate when advertisers approach the network one at a time. Next, he creates a model that optimizes the allocation of ad spots across all plans, assuming all customers request their plans at the same time. Hughes realizes that the bid prices revealed in the sensitivity table of the second model can also be interpreted as the opportunity cost associated with one incremental ad spot in each show. When the sequential allocation model replaces RCs with bid prices, which are dynamically adjusted for remaining inventory and expected future demand as each new customer arrives, the resulting revenue is closer to the value produced by optimizing all plans simultaneously. In the B case, "TV Advertising Pricing at Regional Broadcast Network (B)," Hughes uses the full historical sales dataset to conduct a multivariable regression analysis and better understand what drives the price of a plan. Students are challenged to create their own analysis and rationale, and to develop a guide for pricing each advertiser's plan. This case set presents emerging best practices in maximizing revenues in the ad industry.

Spreadsheet Supplement for Case UV8868

Eric Hughes, advertising sales manager at Regional Broadcast Network (RBN), needs to avoid a takeover by increasing revenue from ad sales. Currently, ad plans are created for advertisers by combining ad spots from a fixed inventory of shows, making an effort to meet requirements such as a preferred split of prime/non-prime shows and views (impressions) in target demographics. Ad plans are priced using rate cards (RCs) based on industry norms, and are often discounted to meet budget requirements. Revenue is not usually optimized using this system because the RCs do not accurately reflect the value of inventory. In this case, which builds on "TV Advertising Pricing at Regional Broadcast Network (A)," Hughes uses the full historical sales dataset to conduct a multivariable regression analysis and better understand what drives the price of a plan. Students are challenged to create their own analysis and rationale, and to develop a guide for pricing each advertiser's plan. This case set presents emerging best practices in maximizing revenues in the ad industry. Students are given supplementary Excel workbooks containing sample data and use the Solver module and regression analysis to complete the assignment. This case set is suitable for use when teaching pricing analytics, decision analysis, statistics, quantitative analysis, or operations management. It may be used with a graduate, undergraduate, or executive education audience.

Spreadsheet Supplement for Case UV8872

In the late 2010's, 5G emerged as a new standard in communication technology. 5G was designed to enable ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), massive machine-type communication (MMTC), and enhanced mobile broadband (EMBB) (see Exhibit 1 for a detailed explanation), all while reducing power consumption by 90%. Whereas previous generations of mobile standards such as 2G, 3G, and 4G were deployed by mobile network operators (MNOs) such as AT&T and Verizon and provided broad coverage, the emergence of 5G technology saw the emergence of organizations building their own private 5G networks to provide coverage for a specific building or area.

Two years later, on September 7, 2023, Verizon officially launched their Private 5G network, Verizon's Managed Private Wireless Solution, across all 30 NFL stadiums for the 2023 season. The Managed Private Wireless solution underwent an initial pilot during all five international NFL games in the 2022 season, encompassing the deployment and management of private wireless technology, testing and coordination, and in-game operational support, persisting through the 2023 pre-season. Verizon's Private Wireless network provided on-field, full in-game support for coach-to-coach communications. According to Kyle Malady, CEO of Verizon Business, "In every NFL stadium, coach-to-coach communications will run on a dedicated Managed Private Wireless Solution." The introduction of this solution in NFL stadiums for the 2023 season was lauded by Gary Brantley, Chief Information Officer at the NFL, as a "significant milestone" in the collaboration between Verizon Business and the NFL, affirming the commitment to enhancing and innovating the in-stadium experience. How would the NFL navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by this technological leap? Adopting a Private 5G network introduced a multifaceted dilemma, forcing the NFL to weigh the potential benefits against the risks and uncertainties associated with this initiative. As the NFL navigated the balance between enhancing fan engagement and managing the intricacies of technology adoption and network management, it created a narrative that demanded exploration. The decisions made by the NFL in this context would not only influence the in-stadium experience but also have far-reaching implications for the future of sports broadcasting and fan interaction. Did the NFL correctly navigate its intricate web of challenges and decisions faced by the league and member clubs? Did the NFL correctly unravel the complexities and strategic considerations at the intersection of sports, technology, and fan expectations?

Two of the most important computer science principles in the technology industry are abstraction and platformization. Our aim with this note is to explain these concepts in an approachable way that brings managers and computer scientists a little closer together.

Spreadsheet to accompany product W34149.

In 2022, Elon Musk, known for his innovative ideas and often compared to Steve Jobs, made a big move by buying Twitter for $44 billion. He then started transforming the microblogging platform, rebranding it as "X." His goal was to turn Twitter into a super app like WeChat in Asia, combining many services like messaging, shopping and payments into one platform. This change was aimed at making Twitter more than just a place to post short messages, but a hub for various digital activities. The case study explores why Musk decided to take this bold step. It looks at the benefits he expected by bringing different digital services together. However, Musk faced many challenges during this transformation. The study discusses the impact of his decisions, including cutting down the workforce, changing policies and the reactions from users, advertisers and regulators. These issues show how difficult it is to change a well-known social media platform. Additionally, the study examines the problems Musk encountered in trying to make Twitter like WeChat in Western countries, where the digital environment is different from Asia. It considers what this big change could mean for the future of social media, online privacy and e-commerce, suggesting how this kind of transformation could change the way people use digital platforms. In short, "Has Elon Musk X'd Out?" provides a detailed look at Elon Musk's attempt to reshape Twitter. It gives insights into the challenges of creating a super app in the West and discusses the transformation's possible effects on the digital and social media world.