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Duncan Field, having left employment in the cable television industry, is attempting to find and buy a cable system with a financial backer. Traces Duncan's career path preparing for this move, shows development of his financial backing, follows his search, and describes an unsuccessful acquisition negotiation. Duncan must decide whether or not to place a large, forfeitable deposit on a system he wants to acquire, but on which he has no information from the current owner.

Market leadership and technological innovation have marked Sealed Air's participation in the U.S. protective packaging market. Several small regional producers have introduced products which are less effective than Sealed Air's but similar in appearance and cheaper. The company must determine its response to this new competition. Feasible options range from doing nothing to introducing a new product. Raises product line management issues, particularly cannibalization, and affords the opportunity for the development of a marketing plan for any new product introduction. Software for this case is available (9-587-513).

MacDowell Corp., a producer of construction supplies, terminated its exclusive distribution arrangement with San Fabian Supply Co., its sole distributor in the Philippines for nearly 20 years. Paul Cheng the owner of San Fabian had to decide whether to accept MacDowell's decision or drop the line altogether. The case raises the notion of "relationships" in channels of distribution. MacDowell and San Fabian both felt that they were better positioned to serve the end-user and increase market penetration.

Massey Ferguson began fiscal year 1981 in default on $2.5 billion of outstanding debt. The company's future depends on the ability of lenders, the governments of Canada and Ontario, and management, to agree on a refinancing plan. The case reviews Massey's performance and position in the industry and raises questions about the company's ability to compete in the long run. Provides information on the firm's claimants in order to focus students on the issues of a refinancing.

Set in mid-1978, this case covers all aspects of the U.S. retail coffee market both cross-sectionally and historically. The market is recovering from dramatic price rises and volume drops. The overall issue is the forecast of future market evolution and the implications for the marketing strategy of each major producer. Students have to make explicit 5- and 10-year sales and market share forecasts and draw up BCG-type portfolio matrices. Case is part of a two-day series, beginning with an aggregate view of the entire market and its evolution and narrowing to a view of market strategy for a single brand.

A subordinate who Dan Stewart has recently placed on warning for unsatisfactory performance is suddenly appointed Dan's boss. Involves such issues as the management of disappointment, understanding organizational irrationality, lateral transfer within the same company, and dealing with organizational politics.

Details the moral conflict experienced by Don Taylor, a new high-level executive in an oil drilling firm, when he discovered that the firm was deceiving its investors. What should he do and how should he go about it? Presents the emergence of Taylor's suspicions about the deceptive practices.

Examines the intellectual, political and economic underpinnings of the landmark tax legislation begun by John F. Kennedy and carried through Congress by his successor Lyndon B. Johnson.

Martin Trailers Limited, which has grown rapidly, produces a line of camping trailers, which have a pronounced seasonal sales pattern. Details for the previous year's planning process, staffing levels, production outputs and costs are reviewed by the owner, with the objective of improving the management of materials in the year ahead. Sufficient information is available to perform a quantitative analysis of the aggregate planning decision and its relationship to material requirements planning.

The plant manager for Noram Foods was considering the impact of changing Noram's policy on package weight. Noram Foods in Canada had an enviable record of sound financial performance, although there had been a period of declining profits when the Canadian economy suffered under conditions of high unemployment, high interest rates, and high inflation. Leo Marsden believed the weight control issue represented a major opportunity for re-evaluation and increased performance.

Mr. Stuart Foreman, assistant manager of the London, Ontario branch of the Central Canadian Bank, was reviewing information he had received from Maple Leaf Hardware Limited. Mr. Robert Patrick, president and manager of Maple Leaf Hardware Limited had requested an increase in his line of credit with the bank to cover seasonal working capital needs. Mr. Foreman, who had just received a transfer and promotion to the London branch, realized he would have to evaluate the request carefully.

Noranda is preparing to develop a $400 million copper mine in Chile. The Task Force of Canadian Churches opposes the investment because of the lack of human rights in Chile and has made its presence felt at Noranda's last five annual meetings. Enough data is in the case to analyze the investment on financial and moral grounds. Is Noranda morally right to go ahead? To what extent should the answer to this question govern their decision? What is the role of business ethics in this decision?

On August 20, 1982, Leo Marsden, plant manager for Noram Foods of Toronto, Ontario, was considering the impact of changing Noram's policy on package weight. Noram Foods in Canada has an enviable record of sound financial performance, although the 1981-82 period had seen declining profits as the Canadian economy as a whole was suffering under conditions of high unemployment, high interest rates, and high inflation. Leo Marsden believed the weight control issue represented a major opportunity for reevaluation and increased performance.

Mr. Stuart Foreman, assistant manager of the London, Ontario branch of the Central Canadian Bank, was reviewing information he had received from Maple Leaf Hardware Limited. Mr. Robert Patrick, president and manager of Maple Leaf Hardware Limited had requested an increase in his line of credit with the bank to cover seasonal working capital needs. Mr. Foreman, who had just received a transfer and promotion to the London branch, realized he would have to evaluate the request carefully.

Two-party negotiation between lawyers for an auto mechanic and a customer over a disputed auto repair bill. Susan Garfield has a billing dispute with John Eazer, owner of a local garage, over some work done on Garfield's car. Finding the bill significantly higher than the original informal estimate, Garfield angrily confronted Eazer. Eazer prepared a second bill at an even higher figure. Frustrated, Garfield returned to the garage after closing time with a spare key and drove her car home, without paying anything. Eazer turned to his child-in-law, an attorney, wishing to file a criminal complaint. When phoned, Garfield referred the attorney to her father, a senior partner in a local law firm. Garfield's father is letting one of his young associates handle the case.

Two-party negotiation between lawyers for an auto mechanic and a customer over a disputed auto repair bill. Susan Garfield has a billing dispute with John Eazer, owner of a local garage, over some work done on Garfield's car. Finding the bill significantly higher than the original informal estimate, Garfield angrily confronted Eazer. Eazer prepared a second bill at an even higher figure. Frustrated, Garfield returned to the garage after closing time with a spare key and drove her car home, without paying anything. Eazer turned to his child-in-law, an attorney, wishing to file a criminal complaint. When phoned, Garfield referred the attorney to her father, a senior partner in a local law firm. Garfield's father is letting one of his young associates handle the case.

A two-party conversation between an employee and his supervisor regarding the employee's recent poor job performance and potential termination. Jerry has been a steady worker for the company for four years. During the last three months, Jerry's work and attitude have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Jerry's supervisor does not know the reasons behind Jerry's decline, but the situation has come to the point where the supervisor is prepared to fire Jerry, and is under considerable pressure from management to do so. At the supervisor's instigation, the two are about to meet to discuss this situation.

A two-party conversation between an employee and his supervisor regarding the employee's recent poor job performance and potential termination. Jerry has been a steady worker for the company for four years. During the last three months, Jerry's work and attitude have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Jerry's supervisor does not know the reasons behind Jerry's decline, but the situation has come to the point where the supervisor is prepared to fire Jerry, and is under considerable pressure from management to do so. At the supervisor's instigation, the two are about to meet to discuss this situation.

Two-party, two-issue scoreable negotiation between an office building owner and commercial tenant over the terms of a lease for parking spaces. Super Computer Corp. just signed its second three-year lease for office space at 100 Blue Chip Street. This office building, managed by Prime Properties, houses the regional offices of several global corporations. Tenga Tenier (Super Computer's office manager) and Rom Rosok (Prime Properties' property manager for 100 Blue Chip Street) are about to enter their annual negotiation over parking spaces. There is an executive parking lot underneath the office building, but this lot is not large enough to accommodate all of the building's tenants. Prime Properties offers a limited number of "executive" parking spaces in the underground lot, and a larger number of "satellite" parking spaces in a lot that is about ten minutes' walking distance from the building. Because Prime Properties charges the same lease price for executive and satellite parking spaces, tenants want to lease as few satellite and as many executive spaces as possible, while Prime Properties wants to lease as many satellite and as few executive spaces as possible. Tenga and Ron must negotiate an agreement on two issues: how many parking spaces will Super Computer lease, and how many of those spaces will be in the executive parking lot underneath the office building? Their scores will depend on the final agreement on each of these issues.

Two-party negotiation between agents for an opera singer and an opera house regarding a possible contract for an upcoming production. Sally Soprano is a distinguished soprano who is now somewhat past her prime. She has not had a lead role in two years, but would like to revive her career. The Lyric Opera has a production scheduled to open in three weeks, but its lead soprano has become unavailable. Lyric's representative has requested a meeting with Sally's agent to discuss the possibility of hiring Sally for the production. Neither knows much about the other's interests or alternatives. There is a wide range of possible outcomes.