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Pricing the EpiPen: This is Going to Sting
This case examines the public controversy that erupted over the increasingly high price of EpiPens. Mylan Inc., (Mylan), a generic drug maker, bought the EpiPen product line from Merck in 2007. Since that time, the company both invested in marketing to raise awareness for the drug and dramatically increased the price, lifting it from $100 to $600 per two pack in the U.S. In 2016, simmering consumer anger about the high prices of pharmaceutical drugs finally reached a boiling point and a media firestorm ensued. The case challenges students to think about the role of fairness in pricing. How can Mylan justify the dramatic price increases? How can it justify the variation in prices across countries, as an EpiPen is priced at an equivalent of $85 in France? The case challenges students to think about how they would handle a public controversy. The EpiPen case is well suited for students in MBA, MBA for Executives, and executive education programs. For MBA students, it can be placed in first-year marketing, pricing, or marketing communications courses. For executives, it can serve as a vehicle to discuss both ethical issues of pricing and how to handle a public controversy. -
Facebook's Free Basics: Free in India?
In February 2015, Facebook's Free Basics platform was launched in India by Internet.org, a partnership between Facebook and six mobile service and device companies. The platform was meant not only to enable Internet access on a smartphone but also to deliver low-cost Internet connectivity to the masses. Internet.org had already successfully launched Free Basics for a population of eight million people in nine countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. In India, however, the platform was not well received by a few eminent corporations and, more importantly, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The launch of Free Basics stirred a nationwide debate about whether Internet.org was trying to control Internet services in India, creating an imbalance among the existing telecom service providers and causing a disproportionate development of business opportunities. Would Free Basics succeed in its goal, or would it be banned across India? -
Surgical Care For Low-Income, Rural Populations: An Alternative Delivery Model From Jan Swasthya Sahyog, India
The case essentially describes the evolution of healthcare delivery model developed by Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSS), a non-profit organization established in 1999 with the mission of providing affordable health care to the poor in the tribal and rural areas of Chhattisgarh state, one of the poorest states of India. The case begins with an overview of the demographics and background material on the healthcare sector in India, with particular reference to the gaps in health outcomes between rural and urban India and brings out clearly, the poor state of health of the rural population, even in comparison with some of the low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This is followed by a detailed description of the initial efforts of the founders of the JSS - Dr. Raman Kataria and his team to locate and establish the clinic at Ganiyari village in Bilaspur district belonging to Chhattisgarh state. The case also demonstrates that it is not sufficient to just establish the clinic, but stresses the importance of developing the ecosystem to enable the population to seek and receive health care and take advantage of the facilities. These include development of a referral network, training of local volunteers and educating the public about the importance of seeking health care at the right time. The case also brings out the infrastructural limitations and difficulties encountered in providing even the most basic health care in remote rural settings. This is followed by an overview of the operations at the Ganiyari facility and provides a detailed description of the innovations developed and implemented to minimize the costs of healthcare delivery. It also provides a discussion of the costs and revenues and of JSS operations highlighting its dependence on external funding through donations and grants to keep the organization solvent. -
Ça Va de Soi: A Phoenix Rises from the Ashes of a Failed IT Project - Part A - The Fall
This two-part case study of a Canadian knitwear SME called Ça Va de Soi (CVDS) presents a real-life situation: an IT project failure (part A) and how the project was "resuscitated" and transformed into a success (part B). The case highlights (1) the challenges and risks of IT projects for SMEs, (2) the importance of evaluating and selecting the right IT supplier and managing relationships, and (3) how, during a retrospective, lessons learned from a project failure can be transferred and applied to other IT projects. -
FirstCry.com: Fighting to Lead the Giant Online Baby Care Products Market
Powered by 27 million births a year and a growing middle to upper class, India's baby care e-tailing sector is expected to grow to US $500 million by 2017. FirstCry, established in December 2010 with seed capital of Rs. 25 million (about US $548,000), has gradually emerged as Asia's largest online shopping portal for products for children and expectant mothers with an inventory of more than 90,000 items from over 1,200 top international and Indian brands. Aiming to create a seamless experience focused on constant innovation, improvement, and added value, FirstCry faces challenges related to logistics, payment gateways, and intense competition to gain new customers in this lucrative market. In the tumultuous online baby care products market, which has seen several major businesses close their doors or be acquired by others, how will FirstCry maintain its lead and grow its business in the next few years? -
MBA Entrepreneurs: Crowdfunding Wipebook (A) Year One: Persistence and Success
The Wipebook case follows a start-up company over a two-year period. The company originated from a product idea proposed by a student as part of an MBA entrepreneurship course: an erasable, reusable notebook. Two other students joined him in what was to become the "Wipebook" project. Twelve months into the project, the team had realized one of the most successful crowd-funding campaigns in Canadian history: $424,314 for over 10,000 pre-orders. The partners then went on to appear on a television show, Dragons' Den, where they accepted an offer of $300,000 for a 25% stake in the company. As the reality of the entrepreneurial process set in, following the initial euphoria, a number of challenges arose. -
Building an agile organisation at ING Bank Netherlands: from Tango to RIO
Set in 2016, this case describes ING Bank's implementation of a radical new way of working using agile principles. ING's agile way of working has been written up in Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review and McKinsey Quarterly. This case provides a detailed account of how the new structure was developed and implemented. The case describes the process of change in ING Bank, from the aftermath of the global financial crisis to 2016. It provides background information on two change initiatives (Tango and Less is More) that simplified and rationalised the bank's activities, then it provides a detailed account of the major transformation that became known as RIO ("Redesign into Omnichannel"). It focuses on the choices made by Bart Schlatmann, COO of the Netherlands business, and his team - to pursue an omnichannel strategy (i.e. where all channels to market are linked together and managed seamlessly) and to build an organisation to support this strategy that drew inspiration from digital companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon. The subsequent restructuring into "agile" teams was a groundbreaking move for a company in the rather conservative banking industry. The case provides lots of detail on how this new model works in practice. After 12 months 3,000 staff had embraced the culture of agile methodology. At the end of the case, Schlatmann had to consider two main questions: (1) How to balance the autonomy of tribes with alignment to the company's strategic objective; and (2) How to roll out agile to other parts of the ING. -
An Uncomfortable Encounter: Perceptions of Sexual Harassment
This case explores an ambiguous, public incident of a mature student touching a younger Professor, which created the perception of a hostile work environment for the Professor and for some students in her class. The ambiguous nature of the contact itself, uncertainty about organizational processes, potential career and reputation outcomes, and the impact on the learning environment in her classroom are all considered by the professor as she tries to decide whether to make a formal complaint, attempt to resolve the issue informally, or ignore it. This case does not address sexual harassment from a legal or regulatory perspective, but rather considers the role of perception and attribution in defining harassment, the social and psychological impact of sexual harassment on individuals, and the reasons that sexual harassment incidents continue to occur. -
The Pre-Venture Feasibility Analysis: The Andrea Kaneb Case
Andrea Kaneb had worn hearing aids for thirty years and had extensive first-hand consumer experience with available assistive hearing devices. In her view, the products she had tried were too expensive and underperformed with respect to user needs and desires. From January through August 2015, Kaneb and three of her fellow MBA students completed a two-semester, team-based, capstone project course in their MBA Program, during which they developed and assessed a new venture opportunity; wrote a business plan; and presented it to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs / investors. Kaneb's project team undertook significant primary and secondary research as a basis for analyzing the feasibility of a new venture aimed at commercializing an innovative assistive hearing system that would be superior to competing products. The topics of their feasibility analysis included: (1) The Opportunity; (2) The Micro-Market (customers, particularly initial customers); (3) The Macro-Market; (4) The Macro-Industry (especially competition); (5) The Micro-Industry (sources of competitive advantage); (6) The Business Model; (7) The Entrepreneurial Team; and (8) Projected Financial Performance. In December 2015, she met with her professor to review progress and to discuss next steps in her exploration of the opportunity. She needed to determine the most critical uncertainties that would need to be addressed before she approached investors; to develop alternative approaches for addressing those uncertainties; and to decide which approaches she would implement, and how. The case study is designed to serve as a final exam and / or topic for the case discussion in the final class of an introductory course in entrepreneurship - during which students have explored each of these issues via readings, case discussions and interactions with guest entrepreneurs. -
The Balancing Act: Making Tough Decisions
In early November 2014, Chris Green, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Family Care Canada (Family Care), was preparing for the upcoming board meeting, where Chris would consult with the board about a difficult operating decision. For the past 24 years, Family Care had run a national awareness campaign to reduce violence in Canadian communities. In 2014, the advertising agency hired by Family Care proposed a new approach to the campaign to broaden its reach to young men and women. However, the largest local chapter of Family Care was uncomfortable with this new approach. As a leader, Chris felt torn. It was essential to respond to the beliefs and opinions of the chapters, but at the same time, it was necessary to ensure relevance of the organization with the next generation of men and women. How should Chris lead the volunteers, staff, chapters, and board through this decision? Many students struggle with the concept that they may hold unconscious beliefs inconsistent with their conscious, rational beliefs or assume that implicit bias is something that is experienced by other people, but not themselves. Using a written case and video content, this case is designed to reveal these contradictions to students, encouraging them to reflect on their own beliefs and behaviours. The written case provides information about the organization and the decision to be made, providing context for students to assess Chris Green's leadership. The video provides a closer look at Chris' personal approach to leadership, to allow each student to evaluate Chris as a leader. -
Bubble & Bee Organic: The Need for Pro Forma Financial Modeling
Stephanie Greenwood, founder and co-owner of Bubble & Bee Organic (B&B) was at a crossroads. She wanted to grow her business, but for that to happen she needed an infusion of capital. Because she was passionate about maintaining control of her business and the quality of her products, bringing in an outside investor held little appeal. So, it seemed a loan was in order. But...would she and her partner Steve Thomas qualify for a loan in an amount sufficient to support their growth? What should that growth entail? Should they consolidate their operations by purchasing a building, or should they just rent additional space? They could predict their growth potential, but what if they were wrong? This decision based, undisguised case focused on Greenwood and her partner's need for financial modeling to satisfy the lender, analyze the financial consequences of their options, and to determine if B&B could manage the debt payments without putting the business in financial jeopardy. Four different pro forma modeling scenarios were proposed to facilitate informed decision making at B&B: 1) 15% revenue growth with the loan, 2) flat growth with the loan, 3) 15% revenue growth with additional rental space, and 4) flat growth with additional rental space. An in-depth financial ratio analysis was also required of all four scenarios to evaluate and understand the impact on liquidity, cash conversion, leverage, profitability, efficiency, and return. -
Katie Conboy: Leading Change at Simmons College
The Conboy case can be used to examine the leadership and change strategies and behaviors critical in establishing one's credibility, crafting a vision for change, building agreement across stakeholders, generating urgency, and overcoming resistance. It also uniquely offers the ability to discuss the options available to a leader whose change effort may not be successful after expending significant social capital. While the case is situated in academia, many of the challenges Conboy faces as she becomes the new Provost of a small college in 2013 are salient across most industries. External challenges include a shrinking customer base, changing customer demands, increased demands for a higher ROI on tuition investment, intensified competition and unsustainable price wars. Internally, most employees were largely unaware of those external challenges, and were therefore frustrated by and suspicious of senior administrators' unilateral decisions to cut staffing and change the 'product'. The culture was marked by turf protection and silos. After initially conducting a 'listening tour', Conboy concludes that the general education curriculum, the courses all undergraduates are required to take, needs to be radically transformed. She is also convinced that the college could not afford to wait to build and then launch the change in a "normal" 2-3 year timeline. With plummeting admissions numbers, change had to start with the next entering class of students. The first hurdle in making that happen was to garner the formal approval of the faculty through a vote held December 2014. -
Lunapads: Co-Leadership in a Social Business
It was late August 2012 and Madeleine Shaw (Shaw) and Suzanne Siemens (Siemens) were reflecting on 12 years of operation at Lunapads International Products Ltd. (Lunapads), a company based out of Vancouver, BC, Canada. The social business co-owned by these two women was providing a solution to the environmental and health concerns of disposable feminine hygiene products. Co-leading a social-impact business with a values-based approach had not been without its challenges. Lunapads had recently experienced a flattening of sales and reduced profitability as their niche market was becoming increasingly crowded with entrants whose products were not as ecofriendly, but were well-known brands. The company was committed to staying true to its mission but recognized their website and product offerings needed upgrading if they were going to be competitive with companies who had much deeper pockets and more extensive marketing budgets. Earlier in the week, Shaw and Siemens had met with the Chair of their recently-formed Advisory Board, Bob Elton (Elton), to discuss Lunapads' current organizational structure. They were steadfast on co-sharing the leadership role but had identified inefficiencies and challenges with this model. They had recently revisited their business strategy and roles in the organization and identified areas that needed to shift. Elton asked them to present their ideas for discussion at the quarterly Advisory Board meeting, coming up in two weeks. Tucked away at their regular corner table, steaming lattes delivered, Shaw turned to Siemens her close confidante, and said with a grin, "It's time to bust out of our comfort zones and make some decisions. Are you up for it?" -
Leading Change Through Unprecedented Times: Nancy Sims and The Robert A. Toigo Foundation
The Robert A. Toigo Foundation was created in 1990 "to change the face of finance" by increasing the number of talented underrepresented minorities at the highest executive levels of leadership within the industry. With support from several donors from the financial services industry, the Toigo Foundation offered a comprehensive mentoring program and financial support for Toigo Fellows, minorities who were pursuing finance-related careers at selective graduate business schools. Nancy Sims, a woman of color with extensive leadership experience in the financial services industry, became involved with the Toigo Foundation during its early years: first as a volunteer mentor to several Toigo Fellows, then as a member of the Foundation's Board of Directors, then ultimately as the Foundation's President & CEO in 1998. Over the next ten years, Sims led the nonprofit Foundation through periods of reorganization and growth, applying her business acumen to balance deftly the roles she played in leading the Foundation's efforts while simultaneously justifying the merits and the imperative of underrepresented racioethnic minorities to industry leaders and educational partners. Sims now faced a new challenge: how would the ongoing financial crisis of 2008 affect the Foundation's ability to fulfill its mission? What should Sims do? -
Navigating Change at Alaska's Southcentral Foundation
This case focuses on succession planning for Southcentral Foundation's (SCF) long-time president and CEO, Katherine Gottlieb. The case opens with Gottlieb reflecting on a succession planning meeting with SCF's Board of Directors and on her twenty year leadership trajectory. It then transitions to provide information about the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAIN) health care system and outlines SCF's mission, vision, and key tenants of the organization's culture: customer-ownership, core concepts and continuous improvement. After a subsequent section on SCF's approach to governance and workforce development, the case concludes with Gottlieb's main considerations in selecting the next CEO. Gottlieb is an extraordinary leader who has defined SCF's vision, mission and unique organizational culture for over two decades. Students will consider the challenges a new leader may face in sustaining the existing culture when Gottlieb retires, evaluate the benefits and pitfalls of choosing a homegrown versus external successor for the CEO position, and consider qualities that SCF's next leader must embody. -
An Office Romance Gone Wrong (HBR Case Study and Commentary)
When star salesperson Elizabeth starts dating Brad, the CFO of her company, she has high hopes for the relationship. She doesn't report to him, so there's no conflict there, and he's a smart, interesting guy. But when he dumps her for another coworker and flaunts the new relationship, Elizabeth finds herself in what now feels like a hostile workplace. Her boss tells her to "get over it," but she's not sure she can. Commentators Karen Firestone, author of "Even the Odds: Sensible Risk-Taking in Business, Investing and Life," and Wendi S. Lazar, partner of the employment law firm Outten & Golden, weigh in on whether Elizabeth should stay in her lucrative job or call back the headhunters who've been pursuing her and move on. -
An Office Romance Gone Wrong (HBR Case Study)
When star salesperson Elizabeth starts dating Brad, the CFO of her company, she has high hopes for the relationship. She doesn't report to him, so there's no conflict there, and he's a smart, interesting guy. But when he dumps her for another coworker and flaunts the new relationship, Elizabeth finds herself in what now feels like a hostile workplace. Her boss tells her to "get over it," but she's not sure she can. Commentators Karen Firestone, author of "Even the Odds: Sensible Risk-Taking in Business, Investing and Life," and Wendi S. Lazar, partner of the employment law firm Outten & Golden, weigh in on whether Elizabeth should stay in her lucrative job or call back the headhunters who've been pursuing her and move on. -
An Office Romance Gone Wrong (Commentary for HBR Case Study)
When star salesperson Elizabeth starts dating Brad, the CFO of her company, she has high hopes for the relationship. She doesn't report to him, so there's no conflict there, and he's a smart, interesting guy. But when he dumps her for another coworker and flaunts the new relationship, Elizabeth finds herself in what now feels like a hostile workplace. Her boss tells her to "get over it," but she's not sure she can. Commentators Karen Firestone, author of "Even the Odds: Sensible Risk-Taking in Business, Investing and Life," and Wendi S. Lazar, partner of the employment law firm Outten & Golden, weigh in on whether Elizabeth should stay in her lucrative job or call back the headhunters who've been pursuing her and move on. -
Medical Tourism at Mountain Health Insurance Company
In July 2016, Jennifer Brown, a graduate student at Southwest State School of Public Health, had been asked to staff an Ethics Advisory Group (EAG) meeting at Mountain Health Insurance Company, a large, regional nonprofit health insurance company where she was employed as a summer intern. The mission of Mountain Health was "to improve the health of the people we serve and the health of society." Jennifer had been working with the ethics program director, Robert Jones, to review and update the program's ethical guidelines to reflect emerging ethical challenges in the financing and delivery of health care. This meeting was the first time that Jennifer had been given the responsibility of identifying the ethical issues that EAG should consider and what values should be applied in determining how Mountain Health should address them. -
Financial Services at Falabella (A)
In 2010, the board and senior management team of Falabella, a leading retailer with operations throughout Latin America, faced choices about what to do with its financial services division. More than 4.5 million customers had CMR credit cards that could be used in Falabella stores, and Banco Falabella competed with other banks by offering personal banking services. The case covers many of the key questions the leaders of the firm faced, including whether to allow credit card holders to use their cards for purchases outside of Falabella stores, whether to develop personal banking services further, and whether to make substantial changes to the strategy or to exit the business.