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Explores the risks and rewards to both the Russian defense contractor (Tantal) and a potential Western collaborator from the United States (Webber Controls) of launching a new product that would be competitive in the European, Asian, and U.S. markets. Questions of quality control, managerial oversight, brand name, cost structures, and political forces beyond the control of either party arise. Written to be used in a negotiation-style exercise, with small teams representing each side to the negotiation.

Explores the risks and rewards to both the Russian defense contractor (Tantal) and a potential Western collaborator from the United States (Webber Controls) of launching a new product that would be competitive in the European, Asian, and U.S. markets. Questions of quality control, managerial oversight, brand name, cost structures, and political forces beyond the control of either party arise. Written to be used in a negotiation-style exercise, with small teams representing each side to the negotiation.

Riots in 1969 bring martial law and a new, more firmly Malay government which sets out to promote redistribution of opportunity, income, and wealth by race-based quotas. Dr. Mahatherl, a Malay nationalist says Malays have a non-competitive alliance which must be forced to change.

In April 1987 the management team of CFM International, Inc. (CFMI) was considering developing a new jet engine for the Airbus A340. The withdrawal of a competitor's engine had created an unforeseen opportunity for CFMI to re-enter a competition it had apparently lost several months earlier. Complicating the decision was the fact that CFMI was a corporation jointly and equally owned by General Electric (U.S.) and the Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation, or SNECMA (France), both of which had to approve any new programs. Both General Electric and SNECMA, the owning companies, had already moved on to other projects. Allows for discussion of international alliances in a high stakes, politically salient, global industry. Also addresses large investment decisions in an uncertain environment.

P.K. Scherle, R.N., founder, president, and owner, struggles with her successful business and focuses on either growth or enhanced profitability.

Conoco faces challenges in formulating a proactive environmental strategy for its proposed oil development in Ecuador's pristine tropical rain forest region. The case outlines the innovative process in which Conoco collaborated with a wide range of often conflicting constituency groups to define and implement its policies, along with Conoco's successes and failures in reaching constituency consensus.

Describes the political and economic situation in Poland in 1989, following the country's first democratic elections and the subsequent establishment of a Solidarity-led government. After examining the legacies left by 40 years of Communist rule, the case lays out the problems that face the new government and the choices it must make. Most centrally, it outlines the Sachs proposal for a rapid "leap to the market" and lays out the arguments for and against such a move. Designed to encourage students to think about the structural prerequisites for capitalism and to realize the difficulties the new Polish government will face as it tries to balance its economic and political objectives.

Brigham and Women's Hospital is a highly successful teaching hospital in 1992. However, the hospital sector is undergoing a major transition and the hospital faces uncertainty about changing demographic trends, new types of competitors, and technological and scientific change. It's premier OB service is declining, and many of the hospital leaders are nearing retirement. How should it craft its strategy for the 1990s?

In 1992, Apple received the only profitable standard other than IBM/Microsoft/Intel in the PC industry. The case examines Apple's dilemma of how to retain its profitability as the structure of the industry deteriorates. Apple's CEO poses the critical question: Can Apple shape the PC industry for the 1990s?

Examines the causes of decline--economic, social, and political--of the Zambian economy since 1974. It takes place at the time of the election of Frederick Chiluba, in October 1991. Examines the problems of economic development in Africa, and especially, of structural reform away from closed, statist systems of government. Also examines the problems of external debt and the reliance on commodity industries to produce foreign exchange.

The board and management of General Cinema has to determine whether the acquisition of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (HBJ), thereby entering the publishing business, makes strategic sense. The case describes HBJ's involvement in several segments of the publishing industry: college, elementary and high school, testing, medical, scientific/technical, legal, trade, and international. Case information and exhibits rely primarily on consultant reports. For each segment, the consultants have identified key trends and key success factors, as well as HBJ's competitive position and performance. Increased industry concentration and technological changes receive special attention.

Covers the period from Steinberg's founding in 1917 through the company's growth to a major firm in 1969.

In an effort to capitalize on the entrepreneurial opportunity presented by the Brazilian government's trade liberalization, a Panamanian automobile trading company launched a business of importing the Russian made Lada cars into Brazil. The company confronts a complex political and economic environment and strong competition from the existing automobile producers. Presents the business challenges and opportunities accompanying trade liberalization. Reveals the competitive dynamics in environments undergoing economic transformation.

Describes the evolution of radio technology and business from the initial days of wireless telegraphy to the advent, growth, and establishment of amplitude-modulated (AM) radio manufacturing and broadcasting. Begins and ends with a description of a decision the Radio Corp. of America (RCA) has to make with respect to the introduction of a new, incompatible frequency-modulation (FM) technology. Illustrates the full spectrum of interests and obstacles a new and incompatible technology and/or product concept has to overcome before it can be accepted. Also useful for discussing how product concepts get established, how patent law works, how industries develop, and the role played by individuals with differing visions, tenacity, and ambitions.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Corp. has an $11 million expansion underway in South Carolina. The company must decide how best to take advantage of the opportunity to issue tax exempt debt. Specifically, the decision involves choices about the maturity and redemption structure of the proposed issue. Designed to let students isolate interest tax shields and subsidies, and to value these elements of a financing package separately, as part of an "adjusted present value" analysis.

A manager of a small investment company has been successfully using index funds for limited market timing. Growth has allowed her to move into picking stocks. She is considering two small and highly variable listed stocks, but is concerned about the risk that these investments might add to her "portfolio." Provides a lead-in to the CAPM. Students learn about total risk, non-diversifiable or portfolio risk, and (CAPM) beta, and calculate variability of the stocks separately, and portfolio variance with and without the stocks, to see how an extremely risky (but low-beta) stock actually reduces risk; and calculate stock betas.

Saatchi & Saatchi, founded in 1970, became the world's largest advertising agency in 1986. It then diversified into consulting and other managerial areas before crashing in 1989. Under a new CEO, the company restructured and refocused on its advertising agencies.

Describes three subsequent generations of product development effort at an equipment firm supplying the semiconductor industry. The firm is partway into the third generation development and must decide whether and how to accelerate product development to respond to competitive pressures.

Describes how Joline Godfrey, an intrapreneur at the Polaroid Corp., introduced and developed a project that could help Polaroid move to a more service- as opposed to product-oriented focus. Also depicts the mentor-protege relationship between Godfrey and Gerald Sudbey, a senior executive in the company. Addresses two issues: intrapreneurship and mentor-protege relationships. Allows the students to explore the process of intrapreneurship, what it takes to effectively be a change agent in an organization. In addition, provides them with a textured understanding of mentor-protege relationships--the various stages they go through, and the challenges and benefits they represent.

Focuses on the strategic issue of how to approach the East German market after the Berlin wall came down in late 1989. Within an unusually rich economic-political and organizational-personal context, the chairman of GM's German subsidiary has to respond to Volkswagen's preemptive move in East Germany. The rapid and unexpected political changes complicate the decision process. How do rapid and unexpected political changes impact this response?