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A large chemical company has developed a novel industrial maintenance item, for which a marketing program and budget must be prepared. Case requires students to forecast demand at end-user and industrial customer levels to identify elements of the marketing mix, and to prepare a plan and budget.

Various proposals are set forth for expanding the capacity of the hospital. In assessing them, serious consideration has to be given to the culture of the organization and the importance of preserving it in a service delivery system. In addition to issues of capacity and organizational analysis, describes a well-focused, well-managed medical service facility that may well point the way to future economies in the field.

Describes the start up, strategy, organizational design, and operations over the first eighteen months of the airline. Focuses on the creative use of human resources as an integral part of the business strategy.

American Home Products is a company with virtually no debt. Students are asked to analyze the company's debt policy and make a recommendation to the CEO. It is likely that adding debt to the capital structure would create some value for shareholders; the CEO is firmly against borrowing.

Michael Bregman has successfully opened pilot installations of two different restaurant concepts. He now must develop a strategy for growth, including decisions about fast or slow growth, use of company-owned versus franchised units, and how to use the different concepts. To do this, Michael must give particular consideration to the pros and cons of franchising.

Presents an accounting of Ford Motor Company's handling of a product safety controversy (1970-77) surrounding its Pinto subcompact car. May be used as part of a series, Managing Product Safety, that provides an opportunity to compare and contrast the social response strategies employed by companies involved in a catastrophic product safety controversy.

Mat MacGregor took charge of a failing project but failed to turn it around because of a variety of personal, technical, cultural, and political reasons. The purpose of the case is to understand the underlying dynamics and their implications.

HCAs ratio of debt to total capital is approaching 70%, jeopardizing its single-A bond rating. Students must determine an appropriate target debt ratio for HCA in light of its growth objectives, its acquisition strategy and its changing regulatory environment.

Marketing executives at the company are considering the merits of a variety of communications programs designed to increase the effectiveness of the company's sales force of beauty consultants.

Shows how the Borg-Warner Corporation developed a statement of values and beliefs under the leadership of its chief executive officer, James F. Bere. The "Beliefs," a set of general principles intended to guide business behavior, now must be given operational meaning as they are shared and communicated to a very large and decentralized organization. Provides students an opportunity to critique the development of a corporate statement of beliefs and to relate ethics directly to business policy and practice.

Three former classmates are founding a company to design, develop, manufacture, and market industrial robots. Principal issues involve the sources, amount, and form of outside investment, the allocation of equity, and the terms and conditions under which outside funds are to be invested. A glossary is at the end of the case.

Describes a process for forecasting market demand for an emerging technology--cellular radio. The student must critically evaluate the demand model and the market estimates, and modify them as appropriate in order to develop a marketing plan and budget.

A large Ontario ski resort faces a decision about whether to invest in facilities for night skiing. Demand is very uncertain, so the management undertakes a market research study. Day skiers at the facility are surveyed about their potential interest during the months of February and March. The resort's management is suspicious about the validity of the results of the research, but has no time to collect further data.

Bloomfield has to decide what price to charge for fertilizer for the upcoming selling season. He is facing competitive pressure to reduce his price and realizes that if he maintains his price, he will certainly lose volume next year.

Scott's, well-known for Kentucky Fried Chicken, is considering entering the pizza business. The corporate strategist has identified the two most attractive alternatives which he sees as strategically inconsistent: an acquisition would allow the company to penetrate the pizza market quickly with a minimum of innovative development; locating pizza outlets on company-owned land already occupied by Kentucky Fried Chicken stores would make a great use of existing corporate assets. In his recommendations to the Board of Directors, he needs to consider the results of a consumer survey as well as the company's strengths and weaknesses. Two follow-up cases are available Scott's Restaurants (B) and Scott's Restaurants (C).

This case is a sequel to Scott's Restaurants (A). The market research carried out in case (A) indicates that Scott's could establish a pre-emptive position in the take-out pizza market by concentrating on a limited number of basic requirements: cleanliness, product quality, and quality of service. Therefore, the pizza plan is implemented according to the marketing plan. However, early test results are not very promising. A new market survey is conducted for Scott's by a consulting firm.

A large Ontario ski resort faces a decision about whether to invest in facilities for night skiing. Demand is very uncertain, so the management undertakes a market research study. Day skiers at the facility are surveyed about their potential interest during the month of February and March. The resort's management is suspicious about the validity of the results of the research, but has no time to collect further data.

Bloomfield has to decide what price to charge for fertilizer for the upcoming selling season. He is facing competitive pressure to reduce his price and realizes that if he maintains his price, he will certainly lose volume next year.

The Governor of Colorado in 1976, Richard Lamm, called a meeting prior to presenting to the General Assembly to discuss his top priority: guiding and managing the state's growth. The case continues by chronicling Governor Lamm's actions to achieve a growth policy that would be amenable to both democrat and republican congress members. The policy sought to incorporate agriculture initiatives, energy production, and recreational activity areas. The text illustrates the many challenges one can face when writing policy at the state level and provides examples of both successes and road blocks throughout the process. HKS Case Number 535.0.

Two-party negotiation between principals over the sale of a house. 67 Fish Pond Lane, a house in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is for sale. The buyers are two MBA candidates who will both graduate this month. The sellers, two lawyers, have recently moved to Silicon Valley, California, but are in town for a few days.