個案總覽

The new vice-president for Kentucky Fried Chicken in southeast Asia, must weigh the growth benefits of investing in China with alternative opportunities in the region. He is at the exploratory stage of market research and is focusing his attention on four possible locations in China. He must also balance his own personal ambitions with the possibilities for failure, not only in China, but the rest of southeast Asia. (A 31-minute video is available with this case, Kentucky Fried Chicken in China - Video.) A follow-up case Kentucky Fried Chicken in China (B) is also available.

The VP's efforts to determine whether and how to proceed with an emerging three-way partnership in China are described. Kentucky Fried Chicken has selected local partners and has been issued a license to operate a restaurant in Beijing. If he is to proceed, the VP must decide how fast he should advance the negotiations and which of three location sites in the city is most desirable. A background case Kentucky Fried Chicken in China (A) and a follow-up case Kentucky Fried Chicken in China (C) are available.

This case presents the start-up of operations in Beijing and discusses the difficulties Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is having with its local partners. By March 1988, KFC has established its largest restaurant in the world in Beijing with sales that are booming and showing no sign of slowing down. Nevertheless, the extent of operational problems and the shortage of hard currency profits is raising concerns over whether further expansion is warranted. Previous cases Kentucky Fried Chicken in China (A) and Kentucky Fried Chicken in China (B) are available.

This is the first case of six cases which will assess the feasibility of starting a brew pub while reviewing various managerial accounting and business decision-making tools. See Kellers' Freehouse (B), Kellers' Freehouse (C), Kellers' Freehouse (D), Kellers' Freehouse (E), Kellers' Freehouse (F)

This follow-up case of the Kellers' Freehouse series provides a comprehensive review of cost behaviour. Specifically, the topics of cost classification, contribution analysis, and break-even analysis are addressed in the context of examining the cost structure of a restaurant. See Kellers' Freehouse (A), Kellers' Freehouse (C), Kellers' Freehouse (D), Kellers' Freehouse (E), Kellers' Freehouse (F)

The third case of the Kellers' Freehouse series focuses on the development of a marketing plan. A marketing analysis framework will be used to make decisions regarding the pricing policies, product offering, place, and promotion of the brew pub. See Kellers' Freehouse (A), Kellers' Freehouse (B), Kellers' Freehouse (D), Kellers' Freehouse (E), Kellers' Freehouse (F)

The fourth case of the Kellers' Freehouse series provides a review of cash flow analysis.This session addresses the importance of cash management and the mechanics of developing a cash budget. In addition, a plan will be developed to finance the new business. See Kellers' Freehouse (A), Kellers' Freehouse (B), Kellers' Freehouse (C), Kellers' Freehouse (E), Kellers' Freehouse (F)

This is the fifth case in the Kellers' Freehouse series. See Kellers' Freehouse (A), Kellers' Freehouse (B), Kellers' Freehouse (C), Kellers' Freehouse (D), Kellers' Freehouse (F)

This is the sixth and final case in the Kellers' Freehouse series. The purpose of this case is . See Kellers' Freehouse (A), Kellers' Freehouse (B), Kellers' Freehouse (C), Kellers' Freehouse (D) and Kellers' Freehouse (E).

The vice-president, corporate and public affairs, at an insurance company has to prepare the next year's internal communications program at a time when the company is undergoing a revolution - an effort to improve service and profits through a radical organizational and cultural change. The small communications department has played a key role and tried new methods in the company's move toward empowerment and increased accountability. At this point, creating a communications strategy on a limited budget means choosing among priorities, but a recent survey of employee attitudes has provided some input into needs.

Examines the entire product development process at a premier German company, focusing on the role of design as a key player in interdisciplinary teams. Braun is embarking on a strategic shift from exclusively high-end products to products suitable for the upper end of the mass market. At an early stage in this process, the company must decide what kind of plastic material is appropriate for a new coffeemaker by analyzing the myriad of implications surrounding this decision. At stake is its reputation and corporate image as represented by its kitchen appliances.

The new vice-president for Kentucky Fried Chicken in southeast Asia, must weigh the growth benefits of investing in China with alternative opportunities in the region. He is at the exploratory stage of market research and is focusing his attention on four possible locations in China. He must also balance his own personal ambitions with the possibilities for failure, not only in China, but the rest of southeast Asia.

Ellen Moore is working for a large multinational financial institution in Bahrain and is offered a promotion to one of two jobs, between which she can choose. When she informs her boss of her choice several days later, he tells her she cannot have the one she chose because it would mean periodic travel in Saudi Arabia, which he believes would not be possible for a woman.

This is a case which might inspire discussion both about political strategy and the relation of marginalized cultural groups to the mainstream. It tells the story of a 1988 attempt via referendum to declare English to be the official language of the state of Florida-an attempt, in part, inspired by tension and jealousy surrounding the arrival and relative affluence of the large Spanish-speaking population of South Florida. The alternative strategies which they conceive reflect both their views about the likely nature of the campaign and their views about how a minority relates to the majority. HKS Case Number 990.0

In April 1988, The Naval Sea Systems Command (NavSea) came under fire from the naval inspector general for its excessive reliance on contractors to carry out day-to-day functions in support of its mission: the acquisition, maintenance, modernization, and deactivation of the Navy's ships and onboard systems. In the course of a routine review, the inspector general found that many NavSea contracts had no clearly stated performance requirements and that contractors were involved in sensitive activities, such as acquisition planning and source selection, that should be reserved to government employees with responsibility for protecting the public interest. The inspector general's report recommended that NavSea reduce its use of contractor support services by 50 percent over the next three years. NavSea officials quietly set about reviewing individual contracts and preparing a response to the report, but the matter was not destined to remain quiet for long. On June 14, reporters broke the story of Operation Ill Wind, a two-year investigation into illegal dealings among Navy and other Pentagon officials, defense contractors, and independent consultants. This case details the various phases of policy that took place within the US Government as pertains to NavSea. It should be paired with HKS827 (Part B). HKS Case Number 997.0.

This hypothetical case is a paradigm of the privatization decision facing many jurisdictions as they struggle with budget pressures. It tells the story of the town manager of a small Texas municipality who has reason to believe that, if she were to accept the bid of a private firm to pick up and dispose of trash, she could balance the town's budget and save enough money to avoid cutting back the hours of the town's lone social worker. Privatization, however, will mean firing two popular long-time town sanitation employees who also do assorted maintenance tasks once they've finished hauling the trash. The case calls on students to take the role of the town manager and decide, after analyzing the town's current budget and costs, as well as the private trash collection bid, whether or not to "go private." HKS Case Number 1033.0.

Early in 1989, prosecutors in Florida charged a woman with child abuse after she gave birth to her second baby born with signs of cocaine dependency. This case briefly summarizes the problem of cocaine use, the effects of prenatal exposure, and the legal issues surrounding the Florida prosecution. The case can be used to raise a variety of issues, such as the frequency with which disputes about policy are often thinly disguised, disputes about objectives and basic values, and the circumstances under which the state is justified in coercing the behavior of individuals. HKS Case Number 944.0

The dramatic story of how the Japanese American community successfully lobbied Congress and the White House for legislation mandating financial compensation for those of their number sent to detention camps in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The case not only tells the inside story of a decade-long lobbying campaign-including a carefully-researched personal approach which changed Ronald Reagan's mind on the subject-but serves as a model of how bills really become laws. Aspects of this process explored in the narrative include internal legislative strategy, the role of the press, the role of grassroots organization, and the structure and nature of coalitions. HKS Case Number 1006.0

In the spring of 1987, Mauritz Sahlin, CEO of SKF, the world's largest bearing company, decided to transform the company to improve profitability and return on assets. Production had already been rationalized and was fully automated, leaving little room for savings. Neither could R&D expenditures be cut, given the company's reputation for technological prowess and quality standards. The only viable long-term solution was to change the strategic orientation of SKF from the production line to the market, which would now be segmented into the before market and aftermarket. The plan required a complex reorganization of the company with far-reaching consequences throughout the organization, but there was no other option. Intended to be the springboard to a new SKF market culture, SKF Bearing Services was created, and Goran Malm was asked to be its CEO. A 1995 and 1997 ECCH award winner.

SKF, the world's largest bearing manufacturer, decided in 1987 to change its focus significantly. Although the Swedish company was still No. 1 in the field, its profitability and return on assets had been going flat since 1985. To remain the industry leader, the company had to give customers what they wanted, not simply what the firm manufactured. Goran Malm was appointed to implement the change process within SKF.