個案總覽

This is a supplement to Tepperman's Home Furnishings (A), product 9B03C028. Two months after the end of a month-long strike by the warehouse employees, Tepperman's executive board of directors had another key decision to make: should the company lay off 12 warehouse employees in order to reap the benefits of using a contract delivery service? Relationships were still strained within the company and management wondered what they should do.

Supplements the (A) case.

In the Expo98 (A) case, Julio Cardoso, an INSEAD Alumnus, is being asked to design the ticketing strategy for Expo98. He needs to analyse the objectives for the Expo and to decide what pricing strategy will meet these objectives. He can analyse the results from the Vancouver, Brisbane and Seville Expos. But as each one is different, he needs to decide what is the optimal strategy for Portugal. The (B) case gives an overview of the pricing strategy that was chosen and the results of the strategy and the Expo.

Supplements the (A) case.

The case discusses the international expansion efforts of the global coffee retailer, Starbucks. Starbucks had proliferated in several regions of the world, many of which had historical ties to a coffee heritage such as Western Europe. It had also challenged traditionally tea drinking countries such as Japan and China. In implementing its globalization strategy, the company relies on a set of sound principles that call for astute partner selection, real estate management, and managing the brands. While the company had witnessed critical success in most of its major markets overseas, it appeared to be facing significant challenges in every region. For example, in Japan, revenues had declined and so too profitability. New copycat competitors had emerged and many had started questioning the validity of Starbucks' market saturation strategies. In emerging countries, such as Mexico, China and India the company saw very good potential but this rosy picture was somewhat dampened by the ability of the consumer to pay close to $3 for a cup of coffee when local versions retailed at $0.50. The case with several questions related to the future of Starbucks in the global arena: whether it should alter its new store growth strategy, whether it should rethink its uniform pricing policy in emerging markets where affordability was of paramount importance, and where the next major thrust ought to be.

In 1997, Lyle Hubbard, CEO of Gardenburger, a producer and marketer of veggie burgers and meat alternative products, had called together his executive team to discuss Gardenburger's advertising strategy, which until then had consisted mainly of print ads in food service trade publications, trade shows, off-invoice promotions with distributors, in-store sampling, and radio advertising. When Hubbard arrived at Gardenburger, he had wanted to create a rapidly growing, highly profitable company by taking veggie burgers from a small health food niche to the consumer mainstream. He believed that key to achieving this strategy was establishing national distribution in the largest channel, the grocery channel (which Gardenburger had only penetrated 30% by the beginning of 1996); innovating with flavor variety (but generally focusing on the veggie patty vs. expanding into other meat alternatives); and creating broad consumer awareness and trial.

Describes what happens as the trustee reflects on his first several years' experience.

When Dr. Daniel Vasella learned of the early Phase 1 trial results, he immediately decided what course of action Novartis would take. Students will be able to examine and assess the concrete steps, and the rationale behind them, that Novartis took in response to this challenge. Focuses not on morality versus immorality but on principled decision making, action, and the practical implications of making good on a moral decision.

Updates development at eBay, Inc. through June 2002.

The Trend Micro team's discussion of consumer strategy at its quarterly meeting in Germany provides an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the team's decision process.

Supplements Your Next IT Strategy.

In August, 2002, Melody Johnson, the deputy superintendent of the Providence, Rhode Island, School District, was hastily appointed acting superintendent, in the wake of the resignation of her predecessor and close colleague Diana Lam. Lam and Johnson together had been embarked, over the previous three years, on an ambitious reform plan to upgrade the low-performing system. Despite some indicators of improvement, however, Johnson knew that there remained significant resistance to the changes-as evidenced, in part, by a bitter contract dispute recently settled with the system's teachers. This case describes the challenge facing Melody Johnson as she sought to gain rank-and-file support for reform, in the immediate months after her appointment as superintendent in her own right. It focuses on specific steps that she considered to gain that support, without compromising reforms including, radically, a day in which classes would be cancelled so that she and others could address the teaching force as a whole. HKS Case Number 1690.0

Supplements the (A) case.

Supplements the (A) case.

Supplements the (A) case.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who would win the Nobel Peace Prize and galvanize world attention on the brutal military rulers of Burma, was, until 1988, an expatriate for much of her life, with largely historical and intellectual connections to the country of her birth. She was the daughter of Aung San, Burma's "father of independence," assassinated in 1947, and herself the author of a history of the southeast Asian country. This case tells the dramatic story of her transformation from her role as a writer and mother, living in Oxford, England, to that of a political leader who electrified throngs in Rangoon (Burma's capital) and sacrificed much of what she held dear as she became a symbol of resistance to the Burmese military and was forced to live under house arrest. This case is intended to provide a vehicle for discussion of the elements which allow a leader to emerge and to gain deep, emotional support from the public. Aung San Suu Kyi's personal, historical status--being her father's daughter--combined with a series of events that thrust her into the public eye (starting with her return to Burma simply to be at the bedside of her dying mother) and set the stage for her dramatic role. At the same time, the case raises the question of what factors, specifically--from personal characteristics to tactical decisions--made her effective. It raises, too, the ethical question of whether, or how, she should have reached some entente with the military rulers of Burma, as she sought to convert symbolic impact to real political change. See also Part A (1685.0).

This case covers a California-based, venture capital-backed start-up Whistle Communications in 1997 as it seeks to overcome sales growth problems in the US through a number of strategic partnerships in Asia. Whistle Communications is the provider of the Interjet, a device that allows a small business to connect to an Internet Service Provider, gives each employee email, surf the web and create an Intranet protected by a rudimentary firewall. In the A-C cases, Darnaud, Whistle's head of business development, considers three possible partnerships.

This case covers a California-based, venture capital-backed start-up Whistle Communications in 1997 as it seeks to overcome sales growth problems in the US through a number of strategic partnerships in Asia. Whistle Communications is the provider of the Interjet, a device that allows a small business to connect to an Internet Service Provider, gives each employee email, surf the web and create an Intranet protected by a rudimentary firewall. In the A-C cases, Darnaud, Whistle's head of business development, considers three possible partnerships.

It was June 9, 1998, and Charles Elson, a law professor and Director on Sunbeam's Board, had just left a distressing Elson and the other outside directors met with outside legal and public relations advisors on June 13, 1998. After discussion of the events, the outside directors voiced that they had lost faith in Dunlap. They contacted the other directors and then called Dunlap to tell him he was terminated. Because of his apparent failure in his duties, Dunlap was fired without a severance package.

Supplements the (A) case.