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Avon engineers developed a new type of electric adjustable speed drive. Executives began to make long-range plans for production and marketing. Members of the sales department wondered what pricing recommendations they should make to management on the basis of estimates of market size at different price levels and Avon's market share. A rewritten version of an earlier case.

Involves price negotiation and reciprocity. A rewritten version of a case by W.B. England and J. Landendorf.

Begins with a description of the elements of post-deregulation competition in the commercial airline industry. This should facilitate a discussion of the use of quantitative methods to support a broad range of tactical and strategic airline decisions. The principal thrust of the case is on revenue management. First, there is a description of the principal pricing concepts, followed by two examples of pricing decisions facing American. Next, there is a discussion of the basic yield management concepts and comments on the challenges in their implementation. Finally, there is a brief write-up on the structure and future of the revenue management organization.

Examines the decision by Pharma International on whether to launch an antimalarial product in Nigeria and, if so, how that should be implemented. Involves commercial, ethical, and policy considerations. Rich in situation assessment data, the case refers to criticism of pharmaceutical marketing practices in the Third World and CIBA-GEIGY's Servipharm initiative, one response to this problem.

Multinational company needs an improved cost system to determine the profitability of individual customer orders. Its strategy is to have significant sales and profitability growth without adding additional administrative and support people. The new cost system assesses a charge to each customer order received and an additional surcharge if the item ordered is not normally stocked. The goal is to direct sales resources to the most profitable customers: those who buy standard products in large predictable quantities with minimal demands on technical resources.

Northwest Airlines is evaluating improvements to its revenue management system. This system executes a program of economic price discrimination under which the airline attempts to control the conditions on its discount fare offerings. Students must evaluate the effect of deregulation on the economics of the airline industry, and weigh the importance of aggressive asset management. They must then evaluate price discrimination as a means for airlines to maximize the profit contribution from the fixed inventory of seats on each flight. A secondary issue for the case (though it is crucial for airlines) is the importance of the proposed technology to Northwest's competitive position in the industry.

This case involves the evaluation of a complex financing for Sallie Mae. The financing is a reverse PERL, which is a foreign-currency issue. Sallie Mae must consider the pricing of the issue as well as the effectiveness of the proposed hedging arrangement.

The AUCNET system links buyers and sellers in the wholesale used car market in Japan. Video images delivered via videodisk or satellite along with an inspector's opinion and objective character based data are used to conduct a realtime auction over computers and telecommunications links. Over 1,000 cars are sold in a once-weekly auction. The company is considering exporting the technology to the United States. The following issues are raised: 1) What are the characteristics of markets which are suitable for this technology? 2) What are the important management issues with respect to implementation and operation of such an Electronic Market Access Forum? 3) What is the impact on market structure? and 4) What issues are raised in trying to move the technology to new markets?

Colonial Homes supplies a complete raw materials package to build entire homes. The price of the package is guaranteed at the signing of the sales contract, while delivery (and payment) are not effected for up to six months. In an effort to reduce its exposure to fluctuating lumber prices, Colonial sources the package (mostly lumber) through the only lumber yard that also offers a six-month price guarantee. The lumber yard recently raised its prices, prompting Colonial to look elsewhere (with no or lesser fixed price guarantees).

A start-up video rental business is described to provide a basis for a bookkeeping and financial reporting exercise for an accounting course. Both start-up and operating transactions are included along with situations requiring judgments about depreciation policies and end-of-period adjustments.

Rossin Greenberg Seronick & Hill (RGSH), a New England advertising agency, was keen to secure the account of Microsoft Corp. The case describes the bid for the account, which included the submission of a "flier" referring to knowledge of a competitor's plans, as a result of hiring two new creative people who had worked on the account of Lotus Development Corp. at another agency. Teaching objectives: 1) to examine how agencies bid for advertising accounts, 2) to consider how companies review agencies, and 3) to show how aggressive marketing may lead to allegations of misconduct.

Illustrates the difficulty of effective production planning and production control in a multistage production process affected by seasonal demand. A rewritten version of an earlier case by S.C. Wheelwright.

The Fairfield Inn, an economy hotel venture by the Marriott Corp., has developed a novel method for selecting and measuring the performance of its hotel personnel that fits the company's strategy. Because it faces the need to grow rapidly, questions have arisen as to whether to offer franchises and in what form, considering the need to protect its unique concept.

Describes the means by which management has empowered the sales clerks and part time employees of this chain of 131 department stores. They are responsible for all sales and inventory management. This empowerment has led to fewer stockouts, higher sales, lower inventory levels, less inventory loss, higher profits, higher quality, and higher commitment levels on the part of employees. Also describes how their innovative management has overcome inefficiencies in the Japanese distribution system.

The leading manufacturer of motors in Canada is threatened by a loss of market share in oilfield pumping motors because a major customer, having tested several competing motor brands, finds a competitor's motor to be superior. A central issue is whether to make a special purpose motor for this market, reduce the price on the current design, or contest the test results. A rewritten version of an earlier case, no longer available, by the same author.

James Clabough, marketing vice president at Ingersoll-Rand, has to decide on the distribution policy for a new product. The decision has marketing as well as organizational ramifications.

Jacobs Suchard, the Swiss-based coffee and chocolate producer, is preparing for the common market and EEC 1992. At the time of the case, the company is still organized toward independent, local country markets, and believes it must move toward a more global organization structure. The case covers actions taken to date and plans for the future.

The student must determine the financing requirements posed by growth, change of inventory policy, and introduction of new product and then select the best method of financing them. Has been used as a four-hour exam. A revised and updated version of an earlier case by L.E. Thompson and V.L. Andrews.

Gives students the opportunity to explore issues facing the board of directors in a leveraged buyout. RJR Nabisco is valued under different operating strategies and the source of gains in leveraged buyouts is stressed.

Focuses on the origins of economic decline and the problems of economic management in Great Britain, the oldest industrial state. Reviews the formation of macroeconomic policy, welfare policy, and industrial policy in the postwar period. Examines Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's diagnosis of Britain's ills and explores the effectiveness of her cure.