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Faced with the need to reorganize completely its inefficient advertising art department, the Washington Post's design manager and team introduce new technology while carefully managing critical human resources issues. While downsizing the operation, they integrate typographers and graphic artists into a more effective, higher quality operation that satisfies employees and pleases both customers and management. The case focuses on several decisions the design manager needs to make in the midst of this transition.

Five-party, four-issue internal negotiation among employees of a major engine manufacturer to agree on procurement guidelines in preparation for external negotiations with suppliers. Eagle Aircraft Engines, a manufacturer of engines for military and commercial aircraft, is preparing to negotiate a major five-year procurement for over 1000 parts from its suppliers. Its Airfoils and Casting Division (A&C) is responsible for purchasing roughly 100 of these parts. In preparation for the negotiations with suppliers, the five key personnel within A&C need to generate a "Business-Managed Procurement" policy in which A&C personnel must unanimously agree on four schedule and quality programs. The key personnel involved in the internal negotiation include three engineers, a buyer, and a financial analyst. They have all been sent a memo from the Purchasing Director outlining the overall procurement strategy. The Purchasing Director is putting pressure on them for consensus, emphasizing the importance of certain issues over others in preparation for his/her own negotiations with suppliers.

This composite case explores the managerial, ethical, and logistical issues that arise when a federal employee is diagnosed with breast cancer and has difficulty dealing with her job responsibilities and co-worker reactions. The case ends with the employee on the verge of exhausting her leave options; she and the manager must work out a solution. An appendix discusses the relevance of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. HKS Case Number 1181.0.

Faced with the need for draconian budget cuts, Robert Little was determined to do all that he could to save his agency's struggling Kinship Foster Care Program. Preserving the core of the program would demand two major steps: reducing and restructuring other areas of his agency and shaving the reimbursement rate the city paid to the voluntary foster care agencies. Under his own roof, Little slashed his administrative budget by 20 percent, stripped away all programs not legally mandated, and pared his agency's mandated programs in protective and preventive services to the bone. The mayor's budget office still insisted on cuts within the kinship program, imposing reductions on the program's periphery by stripping down the level of supervisory staff and staff in the unit charged with approving relatives' homes. But Little was able to maintain the core of the program-its caseworkers-almost as he had hoped; although he did have to sacrifice 200 of the most recently hired workers, he did receive a commitment from OMB to rehire that number and more once the current crisis passed. HKS Case Number 1203.1

This case is an in-basket exercise. Sarah Conner has just assumed control of Astral, a successful compact-disc manufacturer with some looming problems. Previously run by an autocratic manager, Astral is paralyzed following Sir Maxwell S. Hammer's death. Sarah Conner must work through a stack of messages, memos, and faxes, and decide where to begin and what to do.

For Jim Carr, marketing manager, Europe, for DuPont's Carpet Fibre Division, there was no alternative: to maintain its European preeminence, the company would have to create a whole new way of dealing with customers. One of the issues that would have to be resolved was who, in fact, was the customer: the mills that purchased the fiber and manufactured it into carpets or the commercial and residential end users? For Carr, the mills were a vital link in the overall industry chain, but unless somebody took the lead in truly meeting the needs of the end user, the entire chain would be weakened. And the problems were formidable--most notably the fact that customers detested having to buy carpets. DuPont would take the lead in designing services applicable throughout the distribution channel, from the mills to wholesalers, retailers, and end users, to enhance the customer's entire carpet buying experience.

Describes BASF's corporate advertising program in the United States. In 1992, BASF's U.S. companies extended an existing corporate advertising campaign to continue to build awareness of the German-based multinational's corporate identity. The core theme of the campaign is "We don't make the products you buy ... we make the products you buy better." The campaign appears only on television. The goals, target audiences, messages, media, budget, and approaches to evaluation are described. Acquaints students with the objectives and detailed program specifics of corporate advertising campaigns. Examines how a non-U.S. based company seeks to build corporate awareness and identity in the U.S. despite having only a single company-branded consumer product.

Describes the approach of the German-based multinational company, Siemens Corp., to establishing an identity in the United States. The specific goals for the 1991-92 corporate advertising campaign are described. Examples of print and television messages are included, using the core theme "That was then--This is now." Target audiences are identified, and the program's media, budget, and methods of evaluating the campaign are also described. Acquaints students with the objective and detailed program specifics of corporate advertising campaigns. Examines how a non-U.S. based company seeks to build corporate awareness and identity in the U.S. despite very limited product exposure to consumers.

Tracks changes in the luxury auto market during the 1980s and early 1990s. Shifts in target consumer behavior--particularly the yuppie lifestyle--serve as the basis for manufacturer modifications of product line, positioning, and advertising. The climax of the case is the 1991 overt effort by BMW to "de-yuppify" itself in the minds of the target market.

Nestle Italy marketing executives are considering options for increasing the sales and market share of Nescafe instant coffee. Forty years after being introduced, Nescafe still has a market share of only one percent.

Describes Dan Gordon's first month on the job as Chief Operating Officer of Club Sports International (CSI), a chain of 7 health and fitness clubs. Describes the company's strategy and organization. The company needs Dan to tighten up its operations and create a base that will permit CSI to grow to 30 clubs. Describes virtually no systems, controls, or mechanisms that are in place to actually manage the business. Thus students must paint this blank canvas with their view of the systems needed to manage the business, and what Dan must do to make it work.

The marketing director for the largest division of a health care products company is reviewing the structure and staffing of the division's marketing organization. The division has authorization to hire an additional marketing manager. Hence, the immediate case decisions are: 1) whether to hire an additional manager; and 2) if so, what should be the role and responsibilities of a new manager within the marketing organization. Industry developments, budgetary considerations, and changing field sales and service requirements make this a complex decision with larger implications for the division's marketing strategy and implementation.

In October 1990, the president of this bank (the 9th largest in Japan and 15th largest in the world) must design a financing plan with which to bring the bank into compliance with the new worldwide Bank for International Settlements' (BIS) capital-adequacy standards. The alternatives include (1) slowing the growth of the bank, (2) issuing equity, and (3) issuing convertible subordinated debentures. The tasks of the student are to compare and contrast the equity and convertibles tactics and to recommend a possible price or coupon rate for the convertible issue.

In April 1992, this multinational consumer foods and beverages company is the focus of takeover rumors, which have prompted an assessment of the firm's returns. The student must choose among the principal methods of estimating the weighted-average cost of capital (WACC) for GrandMet and its three main business segments, and must then produce WACC estimates in order to evaluate the firm's performance.

Focuses on the young general manager of a new cable TV system and on its customer service department. Jeanne LaFrance, the general manager, has an uneasy feeling about the way in which the department is being managed. She sees symptoms of what she suspects are serious problems. It takes too long for customer service reps to answer the phones, and many customers hang up before their calls are answered. There is little in the way of performance standards, measures, or controls. Yet there is not enough data in the case for students to resolve these issues. The objective is to develop a plan for learning about these problems. What are their hypotheses about the issues? What analysis would they need to do to address these issues? How would they get the data to do this?

ImmuLogic Pharmaceutical Corp., a development-stage biotechnology company, is considering making an initial offering of common stock. The rationales for and problems of high-technology start-ups are explored. The challenges posed by "windows" for public offerings are highlighted.

In early 1991, Reynolds Metals, the makers of aluminum products, decided to sell its holding of Eskimo Pie, a marketer of branded frozen novelties. Reynolds had an offer from Nestle to acquire Eskimo Pie. However, Reynolds decided instead to make an initial public offering of Eskimo Pie shares. The case analyzes this decision.

In the several years preceding 1992, there had been a dramatic rise in the public's concern for environmental issues. Yet the Roper Organization reported that fewer than one in ten Americans made personal efforts to help solve environmental problems on a regular basis. The Environmental Federation approached the Advertising Council in New York to develop an advertising campaign to motivate individuals and businesses to modify their actions to restore and protect the environment. The case details three phases of campaign development: research, strategy, and execution.

A state college seeks to boost enrollment in its extension courses and continuing education programs. Competition from other educational institutions is strong. Satellite campuses, developed to offer students greater convenience, have not proved popular. The college president has authorized an enlarged communication budget for the coming year in a last attempt to improve the situation. The dean of extension studies must develop a plan for 1983-87. Exhibits (nine pages) include market research data, a competitive profile, a regional map, and costs and availability of different advertising media. An updated version of an earlier case.

PPG has built a state-of-the-art glass plant in Berea, Kentucky. The plant is pursuing the goal of a "self-directed workforce." The case describes the progress to date and the unresolved issues faced by management. These include questions about shift rotation, promotion opportunities, employee evaluation and supervision, the role of employees in policy setting, and whether or not to introduce a system of peer review. Explores the process of creating a self-directed workforce, the underlying theoretical model, and the difficulties and tensions inherent in that approach.