個案總覽

Dendrite International is a $23 million (1992 revenues) supplier of sales automation software to pharmaceuticals companies in Europe, Japan, and the United States. The firm's strategy has depended on being a full-service supplier to multinational firms. Impending changes in the pharmaceuticals industry, as well as technological and competitive developments, have raised issues concerning the best means of future growth and accompanying account-management procedures.

A medical supplies sales representative discusses how to identify potential managers and what he considers to be an organization's responsibility for developing its people. This interview offers students an intimate view of how an outstanding salesman thinks and feels about himself, his job, his company, and what motivates him.

This case deals with the termination of a sales representative, Dick Hobart, who claims that he was unfairly terminated and sues both the company and the man that fired him. The case raises issues related to the criteria for discharge, probationary practices, termination policies, discharge techniques, and the legal implications of firing someone. Students should take away from a good discussion of this case an improved understanding of good termination procedures and of the techniques and timing involved in such action. Although the case is a classic example of how not to do it, the situation is sufficiently ambiguous to provoke a rich discussion of the key issues involved in terminating an unsatisfactory employee.

Furthers understanding of, and familiarity with, nonfinancial incentives. Describes major elements that go into making a high-performance sales force; the practices, policies, and philosophies that are revealed about ways to motivate people provide a basis for discussion. Also gives the instructor an opportunity to teach students about the unexciting but necessary side of managing a sales force with its quotas, contests, and sales standings.

Discusses the management practices of William Aramony at the United Way of America (UWA). First, the case describes the United Way movement, focusing on both the local chapters and the national organization. Second, it sets forth the Washington Post reports that lead to the UWA scandal. Third, it shows how the board of governors, the local chapters, Aramony, and donors responded to the scandal.

A young investment banker returns home one night to find that her roommate and best friend has been laid off from Universal Bank because Universal is shutting down its capital finance group. Her roommate makes her promise to keep this information confidential because the news is not to be disclosed to the market for several days. The protaganist knows, however, that Universal's capital finance group is collaborating with her own investment bank on a leveraged buyout deal and that Universal's withdrawal could have potentially disastrous ramifications for the deal if her own investment bank is not notified immediately. She must decide whether to break her promise to her friend or to remain silent and expose her own company to great risk.

A product manager at a health products company is responsible for marketing sharps containers, which hospitals use to store used needles in order to protect medical workers from being pricked with AIDS-contaminated needles. After hospitals report repeated instances of needles penetrating the container walls, she realizes the defective product poses a health hazard for medical workers. The product manager must decide whether or not to fix the containers when doing so would significantly decrease her profit performance for the year. The company mission statement stresses quality commitment to customers, but all compensation and advancement incentives are geared solely toward profit objectives.

Catalina Marketing is a very successful marketing service firm. Their current customers include major supermarket retailers and consumer products manufacturers nation-wide. Catalina provides a unique way for these clients to distribute coupons for their products via point-of-sale technology at the supermarket register. Catalina is currently trying to decide where and how to expand its operations.

As the third largest economy after the United States and Japan, China's startling economic growth has spurred increasing interest in the economic, social, and political factors that catapulted the country to sudden prominence. This case starts with an overview of the country's ancient and modern history, and then focuses on the dramatic transition in the mid-twentieth century under Communist rule. The case analysis divides recent economic reforms into three distinct phases: reform in the countryside (1978-84), financial and enterprise reform (1984-88), and current efforts at monetary and fiscal reform following the Tiananmen crisis of 1989.

Loctite Corp., dissatisfied with the sales growth achieved by its independent distributor in Hong Kong, is considering whether to find a new distributor or acquire a controlling interest in a wholly owned subsidiary covering Hong Kong and possibly other markets. Loctite has a varied portfolio of international distribution arrangements and experience on which to base this decision.

Rhone-Poulenc, France's largest chemical firm, with revenues of more than $7 billion in 1985, seeks to dramatically expand its presence in the United States. From 1986 to 1990, Rhone-Poulenc undertakes 18 separate acquisitions, ranging from small entrepreneurial firms to large divisions of Union Carbide, Monsanto, and Stauffer Chemicals. Having made these acquisitions, however, the French firm is faced with challenges of integrating many disparate operations into a coherent American affiliate. The problem is complicated by differences in the nature of competition (global agrichemicals versus domestic basic chemicals), differences in the attitudes of the acquired employees, and an initial lack of confidence on the part of the acquiring firm. By the end of the case, Rhone-Poulenc management faces a specific choice regarding the best way to integrate several recent acquisitions in the field of specialty chemicals.

In the over 20 years since Hewlett-Packard (HP) set up a manufacturing site in Singapore to produce calculators, HP has invested managerial talent and resources in developing its licensor into a technology development partner. The case details the growth of high-volume manufacturing capabilities and the setting up of an R&D facility. Various projects are described in which Singapore contributed an increasing amount of skill, leading up to an abortive attempt to completely co-develop a new printer. Singapore now feels ready to develop a printer on its own for the Japanese market, and the case poses the question of whether or not it is ready to do so. There is also an issue of whether the developers understand the Japanese market well enough to proceed.

Deals with an employee who contracts AIDS. The employer, a food-service proprietor, is threatened by an old and valued client with the loss of the account if they do not fire him.

In February 1993, Curran Dandurand, senior vice president of Mary Kay Cosmetics Inc.'s global marketing group, was reflecting on the company's international operations. Mary Kay Cosmetics Inc. products had been sold outside the United States for over 15 years, but by 1992, international sales represented only 11% of the $1 billion total. In contrast, one of Mary Kay Cosmetics' U.S. competitors, Avon Products Inc., derived over 55% of its $3.6 billion sales (at wholesale prices) from international markets in 1992.

During the 1990s, environmental activists became interested in trade issues for the first time. Whereas GATT, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, had previously been the province of trade specialists, a new poster popular among environmentalists depicted the monster "GATTzilla," devouring the earth, dolphins, and democratic institutions. This case describes the conflict between environmental and trade values as it is manifested in various multilateral institutions and treaties: GATT, especially after its controversial ruling on a United States dolphin protection law; NAFTA, the North America Free Trade Agreement, for which environmental matters have become an unexpected stumbling block; the European Community, as it tries to harmonize member regulations; and multilateral treaties such as CITES (the convention on trade in endangered species), the Montreal Protocol on ozone-depleting substances, and attempts to protect tropical timber.

First set of exercises meant to be used with ExtendSim, a simulation system created by Imagine That, Inc. of San Jose, California. These exercises allow students to investigate the impact of variable processing times on the performance of simple in-line processes. Unadvertised per Case Records.

The vice president of operations at Kuman Educational Institute USA is faced with the pressures of transferring a successful Japanese educational service concept to the United States. Kumon, a for-profit after-school supplementary educative center, specializes in teaching math to children. A highly successful model in Japan, Kumon has yet to be profitable in its 10 years in the United States, though significant progress has been made in the past 5 years. The founder is not satisfied with the results thus far and wants faster growth. In light of an upcoming meeting with Japanese headquarters, the vice president reviews potential strategies for positioning, marketing, and franchising to grow Kumon.

Habitat for Humanity, a not-for-profit, volunteer-based home builder, is coping with years of rapid growth and success. They now face a series of options to continue their successful course and must make corresponding organizational adjustments. Teaching objectives involve applying lessons learned in the Service Management course to this unique organization: specifically, can they think of themselves as a customer-focused organization and maintain their mission and culture, what are their best options for strategic growth, and how do they mobilize human resources and a headquarters organization at a grassroots nonprofit?

An entrepreneurial division within Corning, Serengeti Eyewear, has grown rapidly in its brief 10-year history. Now it must decide whether to launch a new line of sunglasses and take on the industry leader. The company has prospered by developing and cultivating relationships with suppliers, customers, employees, and retailers. Its leader, Zaki Mystafa, has created a remarkable, flexible, and responsive organization. The case describes Mystafas's highly informal managerial style, and his skill at managing "up" to his superiors at Corning.

Integrated Siting Systems, Inc. has developed a satellite-based tracking system that continuously updates and displays the location of every vehicle in its network. A recently signed contract presents new technical challenges that may make the normally installed system inadequate. While it is possible to augment the system so that it will definitely work, doing so is costly. Alternatively, it is possible to conduct an imperfect test that will improve the company's information about whether the normal system will work. An alternative to this system is Emergency Vehicle Positioning, Inc. (see UV0359). Except for the name, date, final paragraph (which mentions the other conditional probabilities), and the exhibit of conditional probabilities, the two cases are identical.