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This case presents a thinly disguised account of Andersen's collapse, followed by a tightening of the oversight of audit firms. It raises questions on who lost and who gained, as well as the long-term implications of the changes for the accounting profession and society. It is distributed toward the end of class discussion on consulting by auditors.

Discusses techniques entrepreneurs use to manage risk and reward in the early stages of the venture.

This case argues that central to being a professional is the pledge to manage conflicts of interest such that client interest is placed foremost.

Discusses the historical context of the global beer industry, followed by a discussion of the industry in each major world market, including North America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. The U.S. market has only seen growth in crafting brewing and microbrewing, and some major U.S. brewers have sought growth through access to international markets. However, companies that have been most successful internationally are those that have small domestic markets. These include South African Breweries, Interbrew and Heineken.

Describes how the lack of incentive alignment between retailers and their vendors can lead to stockouts. Also describes various means to reduce incentive misalignment and hence stockouts.

This note discusses the impact of immigration on attitudes and government policy in Western Europe's three largest countries, Spain, France and Germany. It also examines how the histories and political structures of these countries have influenced immigration policy and the integration of immigrant populations. Finally, it predicts the impact that immigration policy will have on employment and productivity in what some observers have dubbed Fortress Europe.

Describes in detail customer management strategies in business markets, including selection decisions, design and management of customer relationship strategies, monitoring the health of customer relations, and linking the vendors' customer management effort to customer profitability.

Articulates a simple supply-demand framework to understand why people immigrate and focuses attention on the specialized cross-border intermediaries that facilitate such movement. Analyzes a series of important effects, primarily economic, of the diaspora communities that result from immigration over time and, again, focuses attention on the cross-border intermediaries that facilitate the realization of these economic effects.

Develops a framework linking structural diagnosis and strategy design in complicated (complex and ambiguous) negotiations. To develop good strategies, negotiators must rigorously diagnose the structure of their negotiating situations. Equivalently, strategy follows structure. At the same time, they must work to shape the structure in favorable ways, both before and while they are playing it. So strategy shapes structure too. Superior negotiation strategies, therefore, consist of a mix of moves to bargain within the existing structure of the game and moves to shape that structure in favorable ways.

Provides a framework for influencing key outside players--businesses, governments, and NGOs--in support of business strategy. This could mean negotiating contracts with major customers and suppliers, concluding acquisitions and alliances, and securing financing from investors and banks. It could also mean building coalitions to influence government rule-makers, working with institutional shareholders, and influencing key opinion-makers in the media and analyst communities. Illustrates how effective corporate diplomats skillfully employ the tools of diplomacy--negotiation, coalition building, and public relations--to shape the business environment favorably.

Public professional service organizations (PPSOs) are professional service organizations that serve the public. This case describes the unique challenges facing PPSO leaders.

Focuses on the strategic and organizational challenges that confront growing enterprises and the entrepreneurs who lead them.

The growing impact of toxic chemical use is a major issue corporations face in the 21st century. This note offers an overview of the effects of toxins on human health and the natural environment: Cancer, nervous system disorders caused by workplace exposure. Impaired endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems. Impeded physical nad intellectual development. All are attributed to toxic exposure-sometimes even at very low levels. Toxic chemicals-ubiquitous in industrial processes and consumer products-represent both challenges and opportunities for business. One approach reduces a company's use of chemicals identified as problematic for human and ecosystem health. A second approach designs hazardous materials out of products or recaptures toxins in closed-loop cycles to be productively used again. Companies moving from a reactive stance to the redesign of products and processes not only reduce liability but differentiate their products and brands for competitive advantage.

Describes the investment strategy of risk arbitrage.

A new frontier of innovation exists where economic and population growth collides with natural systems (the environment). This note details the changing character of environmental issues and outlines the opportunities for entrepreneurial thinkers. It provides excellent fodder for discussion of sustainability as an opportunity for corporate innovation.

Provides an overview of antitrust law as it relates to competitive strategy. Discusses the problem of managing antitrust risk and provides a guide to business actions that pose antitrust risk.

This case discusses why economies (and diseconomies) of scale and scope exist in professional service firms (PSFs) and how they influence the amount and range of services that PSFs offer. It is distributed with a case that focuses on determining the optimal scale/scope of a PSF.

Waiting lines, sometimes called queuing situations, are encountered widely in business operations. Improvements to the waiting-line process would result, in many cases, in better use of labor, equipment and facilities, and a greater capability to provide customers with a level of service that matches the business objective. This note presents methods for determining the resources needed to provide particular service attributes in waiting-line situations.

This note which describes the architecture and processes that characterize effective teams, begins by detailing the steps involved in designing a team, from diagnosing the complexity, interdependence, and objectives of the task to harnessing the key resources teams need from their environment. It describes the qualities to search for when selecting team members, including finding the right number of people, individual skills along both technical and interpersonal dimensions, and a mix of skills appropriate for the task. Once the team is designed, team leaders and members need to shape and monitor team processes, starting with the team launch. Describes how to diagnose emergent team processes such as information exchange, collaboration, decision making, impression formation, and underlying identity dynamics. Includes steps managers can take to improve dysfunctional team processes such as restructuring and shaping the social forces within the team. Ends with a discussion of bridging differences in teams across both geographic and cultural divides.

Introduces the issues attendant to valuing privately held portfolios and distributing thinly traded stock. Although they have existed since the beginning of the formal venture capital industry, they have received increasing amounts of attention as the money invested in private equity has grown. Presents the perspectives of the many participants in the industry.