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Ji'nan Broadcasting Corporation is a public television broadcaster in one of China's provinces. The company is working on a new market opportunity to provide data and voice telecommunication services to the majority of the province's businesses and inhabitants. Currently, no data services are provided in this province and only one competitor offers voice services. The project is behind schedule, over budget and under specification. The project manager must decide which steps to take next in order for the project to succeed.

Extreme CCTV, a start-up company that specializes in closed circuit television equipment, is looking at purchasing one of it distribution partners, Derwent Systems Ltd - a leading European manufacturer of infrared illuminators. The two companies have been successful in promoting the others products in their respective markets, now Derwent's founder wants to retire. Without Derwent's founder, Extreme CCTV will lose the ability to sell complementary Derwent products in North America and will have to look for another way to distribute its products in the European market. The president and founder of Extreme CCTV has to decide whether or not he should proceed with the purchase of Derwent Systems Ltd. and how he would manage both companies while preparing for an initial public offer.

The president of Piele S.A., a manufacturer of natural leather products, is reviewing the results of the first half of the year. A team of consultants has been working with the firm to restructure the company's budgeting and reporting systems. The new systems have been in place for six months and the president must analyse the results before meeting with the management team to discuss what actions should be taken for the future.

Maple Leaf Foods is a leading global food processing company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia. Under new management and with the desire to substantially upgrade the leadership capabilities throughout the firm, the chief executive officer and vice-president of Six Sigma (an approach and methodology for eliminating defects in any process) embarks on a revolutionary change journey in this previously change-resistant multinational food business. The project has been rolled out to three of the 10 independent operating companies, and he must analyse the launch to determine whether it is on track, and what can be done differently or better. The supplement Maple Leaf Foods (B): Six Sigma in 2002, product 9B03C001, follows the progress of the Six Sigma program a year later.

A student contemplates creating and selling calendars to fellow students in order to raise funds for charity. He must decide the nature of the calendars, the target audience, the pricing, promotion and distribution of the calendars. The supplement (B) case, product 9B02A019, outlines the promotion and distribution of the calendars, and provides a reaction to the calendar. The supplement (C) case, product 9B04A001 discusses the publishing of the third edition of the calendar.

ING Direct Canada is a retail banking operation and a subsidiary of one of the top global providers of integrated financial services, ING Group of the Netherlands. ING Direct Canada needs to meet the operational demands of a growing client base, while maintaining its current staffing levels, physical space and commitment to same-day processing of accounts. The senior vice-president of operations must implement procedures to cope with the immediate challenges of the company's growth, as well as develop a long-term strategy. Options to consider included new technology, increased efficiencies, or relaxing the same day processing requirements.

Ji'nan Broadcasting Corporation, Shandong province's public broadcaster, is entering the data and voice transmission markets. The company is preparing for an initial public offering in 2005 and must show strong, positive growth. The most likely source of that growth is expected to come from Shandong's under-served business sector. Currently, no data services are available and only one company provides voice services. The data and voice project's scope indicates that multiple vendors might be needed. For an upcoming meeting with Nortel Network's account sales manager, the project manager must provide recommendations on vendors, equipment and network specification options.

Global Healthcare Exchange Canada is a business-to-business exchange that connects hospitals and their major suppliers through an electronic procurement process. Founded as a subsidiary of its global parent, the exchange has become the leading health-care exchange in the country, but it is still far short of break-even. It must develop a compelling value proposition if it is going to drive adoption among hospitals and suppliers to the target levels. To do so, it must overcome considerable inertia among hospitals that are often very reluctant to change from frequently inefficient purchasing processes. Although there are major benefits to be realized from automating supply chain operations in the industry, the adoption decision process among hospitals is highly complex, but very idiosyncratic. In confronting these challenges, the exchange must also re-examine its own business model, in particular its pricing strategy for both suppliers and hospitals.

Pharmex Industries is a high-growth pharmaceutical company that has aggressively expanded through acquisitions of financially sound firms. The chief financial officer must decide if their latest potential acquisition, the privately owned Formulex Group of Companies, is strategically attractive, and he must also determine the value of the company and how to finance the acquisition.

The project manager for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario faces store network decisions in southeast Toronto. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario has developed a new five-year strategy in which all of their stores will be revamped into one of the four new formats, which has led to a review of every one of their nearly 600 retail locations. With a store within five minutes of 86% of the population of Ontario, the project manager's task is not about expanding coverage but rather improving the performance of the retail network. The (A) case focuses on what to do about a particular store in the area. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (B): Market Segmentation, product 9B00A021 is a short follow-up about further decisions on store layout and merchandising. (A higher price applies to this case due to color exhibits.)

Stone Group Corp., one of the largest electronics manufacturers and distributors in China, practices transfer pricing, an allocation process that assigns costs, sales revenue and gross profits to each of its five divisions. When a customer approaches the company with an order and requests a recommendation for a multimeter model, the general manager of the Instruments Division is asked to quote a transfer price for the multimeters. He must decide whether to sell some of his stock to another Stone division (losing the sales revenue, but perhaps gaining the gross profit needed to meet the division's monthly profit quota) or to keep the product in stock for possible sales (and greater revenue and profit) during the company's fourth quarter.

Northeastern Mutual Life is a large insurance company. As a result of falling profitability, the chief executive officer has to evaluate the rights of various stakeholders as he plans to reduce staff. He must quantify in dollar terms the moral claims of shareholders and various other stakeholders, and apply ethical analysis where legal requirements are unclear. In particular, he must decide how to manage the layoffs and the implications to the company of the payout of pension benefits.

Tricon Logistics China is the logistics department of Tricon Restaurants International (China) and is responsible for supervising the operations and cost management of supplies to Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut restaurants from 12 distribution centres in China. The market manager of one of the regional companies is concerned about the performance of his company's affiliated distribution centre in Suzhou. The director of Tricon Logistics China must determine why the actual cost of the distribution centre have exceeded the targets by analysing performance, cost variance and internal price negotiation.

As a major player in Western Canada's real estate market, Mainstreet Equity Corp. has a unique strategy for success: instead of simply buying and selling properties, Mainstreet also upgrades and manages them, thereby enhancing their value. In particular, Mainstreet concentrates its efforts on the multifamily sector, acquiring apartment buildings and townhouses to rented or sold at a profit under the Mainstreet brand. The company president and chief executive officer is at a professional crossroads where the future of Mainstreet is concerned. He wants to ride the wave of rapid growth that his young company is experiencing, yet at the same time, he wants to preserve the values of a small entrepreneurial firm. Control over issues such as quality, service, buying and staffing is important to him and easy to facilitate under current conditions. But the opportunity to expand is also tempting and at hand. Mainstreet's board of directors must work towards a decision regarding whether or not to expand the business, and if so, how rapidly and where? Or if not, the board must decide on an alternative course of action that would prepare the company for expansion in the future.

Three years after launching a content-based Web site, a nationwide hard goods retailer invested in software to support Internet shopping. The online component was one element in a multiple channel retailing approach, which also included retail stores, a phone-order service and an annual catalog. Although the company is the country's most shopped retailer, the online retail segment has not turned a profit. The director of marketing must consider the effect of multiple channel retailing on the company's profitability.

The programmer for Camp Happy Valley, a day camp for children, was wondering what he could do to boost the camp's morale and improve its organization. Last summer's disappointing season had resulted in many complaints from staff, campers and parents. Changes would have to be made to ensure that the camp's upcoming season would be successful. The young programmer must examine several aspects of the camp's organization in order to assess where change is needed. Staff selection, staff training and remuneration are some of the obvious areas that need attention. Camp morale and overall environment need a major overhaul as well. The programmer must decide how best to use his own leadership style to influence and motivate his staff to bring about the necessary changes.

A group of international business majors from a large Boston-area university traveled to Spain, France and Germany for a yearlong period of study and work. Some of the students described their initial impressions and reactions to living and studying in another country and functioning in another language. Topics discussed include adapting to life in Europe (including language, pace of life, personal space, smoking, local food, sexual norms, personal appearance, and government and bureaucracy), being away from family and friends during the holiday seasons, academics (including differences in learning and teaching styles), and language. The objective of the case is to help undergraduate students who will be living, studying, and working in another country to prepare for their experience. Supplement cases, The European Experience (B), product 9B02C032, discusses the students finishing their academic term and preparing for their work placement and The European Experience (C), product 9B02C033, follows the experience of one student on his co-op work assignment.

A manufacturer of construction parts spends $150,000 annually on courier services. When the courier threatens to stop shipments because the required $10,000 deposit has not been maintained, one of the company's owners decided to switch couriers. The new courier is late in delivering a vital component, nearly causing a production shutdown. The materials manager wants to recommend that the company return to the previous courier service. He needs to consider that the owner is a principled person, who favored the new courier. As well, the company has had layoffs and pay cuts. Although he had been a long-term employee and is satisfied with his work, the manager needs to determine whether he should approach the issue at the next management meeting or simply allow the situation to be the sole responsibility of the owner.

ING Direct USA is a direct bank operating in the United States. Launched in September 2000, it offers a small menu of simple banking products available to customers online, via telephone, mail or fax. In September 2001, the global head of ING Direct asked the president of ING Direct USA, if he would consider adding e-brokerage to the portfolio of ING Direct USA's direct banking products. The president of ING Direct USA is approaching the decision to add e-brokerage to the ING Direct USA portfolio with care. He first has to decide if it makes sense to add this new service. If he decides to add it, he has to consider if he will build the capability in-house or purchase an existing player.

A student at a large Boston-area university would soon be completing a dual degree in Management Information Systems and Business Administration. She is the oldest child and only member of a Japanese family that spoke English and was learning to represent the family business, Kashiwa Tubing, with its international accounts. It was planned that she would eventually assume leadership of the company. During her studies she became a believer in the potential and reach of the Internet. She immediately set up a Web site for the company. Within six months, the Web site generated its first major sale, a $2.5 million order from Saudi Arabia. Recently, she had begun to negotiate a multi-million dollar deal with a Taiwanese firm. The company's Japanese headquarters recently forwarded an inquiry from Nigeria. The inquiry was from a member of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, proposed a business transaction that would, if successful, represent the largest single Internet order in the history of Kashiwa Tubing. Believing in personally meeting with customers and building long lasting ties, her father suggests that she should meet with this customer, even if that meant traveling to Nigeria.