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Discusses the Asian crisis and economists' opinions and solutions.

After three years of investments, Bristol Compressors' performance in Asia-Pacific has been disappointing. The lack of management bench strength is perceived as the number one problem for the company. This case focuses on the challenges of building a high performance organization in a short period of time in Asia.

In the late 1940s, officials at the U.S. State Department began campaigning for the creation of an International Trade Organization (ITO). This new organization would oversee global negotiations on trade liberalization, foreign direct investment, cartels, and commodity agreements; and it would complement the IMF and the World Bank, both of which were founded at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 to address international financial flows. Together, the IMF, the World Bank, and the ITO would comprise a comprehensive system for the management of international economic affairs. As it turned out, however, the proposed ITO proved extremely controversial both within the United States and around the world. When President Truman finally sent the ITO Charter to Congress in 1949, lawmakers there had to decide whether to endorse this product of three years of intense international negotiations or simply to let it die an unceremonious death in Washington, D.C.

Under the direction of President Museveni, much of the world has heaped praise on Uganda for transforming its economy from devastation to growth and managing the ethnic and racial strife that has divided the country in the past. Following a decade of reforms, Uganda is finally reaping some of the benefits brought by economic austerity. Indeed, Uganda presents a textbook case of IMF structural adjustment. President Museveni must now decide the best way in which to govern his country into the next century. Chief challenges include: how to diversify the export base and attract foreign investment; how to manage the burden imposed by external debt; and how to distribute scarce resources (balancing competing demands for investment in human capital, spending on social and economic infrastructure and health services, along with a whole host of other demands).

In 1996, Unocal Corp. joined forces with the French Total company to construct an ambitious natural gas pipeline from the Andaman Sea across the southern tip of Burma and into Thailand. At an estimated cost of $1.2 billion, the pipeline was designed to bring sorely needed energy supplies into both Thailand and Burma, and to serve as a linchpin for Unocal's expanding Asian strategy. Soon after the deal is launched, however, officials from Unocal find themselves entangled with far-sweeping political forces and activist groups that span national borders. Because of its involvement with the SLORC, Burma's military leadership, Unocal is being accused of complicity in a whole series of human rights abuses, including slavery and possible genocide. Chairman John Imle must decide how to respond to these accusations, and whether Unocal needs to rethink or restructure its operations in the face of growing international pressures.

After 20 years of strong economic performance, economic czar Zhu Rongji considers whether it is time to rethink China's development strategy. The case reviews China's development strategy since 1978 and considers the challenges facing the country as it enters the 21st Century. Teaching purpose: To develop familiarity with China, its distinctive development strategy, and the immense challenges it faces in the next 10 years.

Five years after economic liberalization, reform in India was stalled. Palaniappan Chidambaram had been recently appointed finance minister and was responsible for developing an economic plan. This case examines the economic and political impact of liberalization programs.

Bill Lancaster, the new president of Black & Decker-Eastern Hemisphere, attempts to introduce a new performance appraisal and management development system. Black & Decker is a relatively weak player in the Eastern Hemisphere and Lancaster is convinced that he needs to significantly increase the number and quality of managers in the region. To assist in the development process, Lancaster is considering introducing a U.S.-designed Appraisal Development Plan (ADP) in the region. ADP uses 360-degree feedback from peers, subordinates, and supervisors to assist employees in building managerial skills and in increasing personal accountability. Despite a successful track record for ADP in Black & Decker North America, members of Lancaster's top management team are concerned that ADP will be a failure in the Eastern Hemisphere. They argue that the system faces huge cultural hurdles and that Lancaster is flirting with disaster if he proceeds.

Supplements the (A) case.

Presents a compilation of primary and secondary sources as well as a set of data exhibits on the German hyperinflation of 1923. The hyperinflation represented a defining moment in German history and certainly one of the two or three most important economic events of the 20th century. Memories of it continue to shape economic policy in Germany to this day. Equally important, the story of the world's most spectacular hyperinflation is rich in lessons about the many interconnections between money, prices, production, and politics in a modern capitalist economy.

In early 1998, William and Victor Fung had to review their business, the Li & Fung Group, to plan for the next three years. Examines strategic and organizational issues including company culture, international expansion, and venture capital projects. A rewritten version of an earlier case.

What ever happened to Japan? In the early 1990s, it lost its status as an economic juggernaut and found itself a beleaguered nation in its worst recession since World War II. Two new books help explain why the country has been struggling: Japan: A Reinterpretation, by Patrick Smith, and Inside the Kaisha: Demystifying Japanese Business Behavior, by Noboru Yoshimura and Philip Anderson. The books demonstrate that Japan achieved its prominence by playing follow the leader. In other words, Japanese companies, or kaisha, copied the West's high-growth industries and caught up with the United States more through competitiveness and efficiency than through innovation. How can Japan rebound? It may be that effective change can be led only by Japan's younger generation. Japanese students are likely to demand a higher standard of living than their parents had. The growth of a consumer culture, Crawford says, could encourage individuals to develop a healthier sense of self--which, in turn, could help the country spawn the innovative culture needed to succeed in a fast changing global economy.

"There are occasions when matters go beyond satire and indeed beyond a joke. Things have become so ridiculous that the laughter is incredibly painful. The UK electricity privatization and regulation business has now reached this point." Thus began an article in the March 1995 edition of the Energy Economist. This quote captures the depths to which the credibility of the British program to regulate its electricity distribution companies had fallen. What had happened to a system of regulation touted as a model for the rest of the world-a model most experts felt was a major improvement over rate of return regulation, widely used in the USA? The core of the British system-performance based rates had either been adopted or were being considered in over 30 countries. It was the new wave of regulation. Yet in Britain, it had run smack into one of the largest political and financial furors in recent times. HKS Case Number 1619.0.

In 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice, together with 19 state attorney generals, filed an antitrust action against Microsoft Corp. for anticompetitive conduct and violation of the Sherman Act. Details the Department of Justice's allegations and the case presented to the court, as well as Microsoft's position on the issues and line of defense. Describes the sequence of events, starting with the trial court, the judge's ruling and remedies, Microsoft's appeal, the court of appeal's decision and, ultimately, the settlement reached by both parties in November 2001.

Supplements Tax Cut of 1964.

Citibank was the first U.S. bank to establish operations in China when it opened a branch in Shanghai in 1902. From the early 1940s until 1984, Citibank was absent from China, but since 1984 it had gradually reestablished an active presence. In 1997, Citibank had reached a crossroads. It had to decide how best to participate in the rapid growth of the Chinese economy and the huge inflow of foreign direct investment. Citibank had many competitive advantages on the basis of which it had established a unique strategy that excluded joint ventures. In 1997, a wide variety of new potential services included credit cards, RMB (Chinese currency) banking, and various fee-based services. Government regulations still severely restricted the types of loans foreign banks could make, but it was expected that these regulations might soon be liberalized. How should Citibank, N.A. in China best position itself for the future?

California has long been a lead state in terms of population growth, income, and societal norms. In the 1990s, California voters approved referenda to restrict benefits to immigrants and to prohibit affirmative action. Is this likely to be another leading indicator for the country as a whole?

Presents a character sketch of Herbert Hoover, along with Hoover's views on the cause of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Illustrates the political economy of the period and presents different interpretations of the course of the Great Depression. A rewritten version of an earlier case.

Angelo Tsakopoulos wanted to convert grazing land to crop agriculture. He received different advice from different government agencies and became involved in legal battles.

Presents a character sketch of Herbert Hoover, along with Hoover's views on the cause of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Illustrates the political economy of the period and presents different interpretations of the course of the Great Depression. A rewritten version of an earlier case.