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Sigma Ventures is a venture capital (VC) firm that invests in technology, intelligent manufacturing, healthcare, and consumer services companies in their early and growth stage. In late 2017 Li Yuan, Sigma Ventures' founder and managing partner, needed to decide whether a startup called Isolimit was worth investing in. If so, then Isolimit was to be valued. The case describes how Sigma Ventures assessed Isolimit's team, market, and technology and shows how Sigma used the venture capital method to evaluate its potential investment. Specifically, the case discusses three aspects of early-stage venture capital investments: (1) How should venture capital firms evaluate early-stage startups? (2) What is the logic of the venture capital method? (3) How should venture capital firms apply the venture capital method to determine the percentage stake they should receive in exchange for their investment?

In this field-based case set, the City of Philadelphia's Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability is deciding how best to improve safety and move more people and goods in a way that would provide economic opportunities on a major corridor. The problem-solving opportunities in the city's repaving process set the stage for an exploration of creative problem-solving and introduction of the concept of subtraction neglect. The A case opens with the director of the Office of Complete Streets thinking about all the options for the major corridor and considering tensions around how each stakeholder might perceive change on Washington Avenue. The director's team engages with numerous city departments, businesses, and community members for input around potential changes that would culminate in proposed lane reconfiguration options to present publicly. The team starts going through the transportation planners' toolbox of what is possible: What are the priorities? What will each cost? Will they be easily incorporated into the paving project? And if the team had play money to put toward the different improvements, where would it put it? This B case includes relevant images. This set is suitable for MBA and undergraduate organizational behavior or strategy courses. It could be used at the end of the module about problem-solving, making change, and removing complexity. This case can also be used to teach students about managing stakeholders with different interests and goals. Firms across industries seek managers with skill in problem-solving, and as such, this case could also be used in a broader introductory organizational behavior, innovation, design-thinking, creativity, human resources, or strategy course.

Elsa Blix, (fictitious), a political appointee in the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Sweden, tackles two undersecretary positions. In the first (Case A), she is ignored and has to carve out her own remit in order to make a legitimate contribution to Sweden's chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC). She chooses a subject well known to her and employs an egalitarian approach, taking on much of the work herself. In the second (Case B), she has a defined role, but repeatedly meets resistance from the permanent employees of the division. This time she has to find a way to bring them all on-side in order to deliver a massive amount of data within a tight deadline. The seccond case is set against the background of the Arctic Council which Sweden chaired from 2011 to 2013.

Tina Garg, founder and CEO of a creative agency, Pink Lemonade, reflects upon her entrepreneurial journey of establishing a brand, growing the business from a small to a midsized firm, and partnering and scaling up to become a global firm. While planning for growth and expansion, she was at the critical juncture of rethinking her strategy. Garg faced the dilemma of positioning her firm differently while scaling up consistently across pricing, people, processes, and operations. Case B discusses how Pink Lemonade grew its business model and transformed its organizational structure. Strategy became a part of each vertical and each engagement with clients. Pink Lemonade adhered to the new normal of working with a hybrid workforce. The case discusses the changes introduced by Garg in pivoting the organization and taking business overseas, leaving the reader wondering if this would be a sustainable business model for Garg in the future.

This is Part II of the exercise set: Toyota South Africa Motors: Flood Devastation and A Plant in Crisis (W32218).

This is Part III of the exercise set: Toyota South Africa Motors: Flood Devastation and A Plant in Crisis (W32218).

The Miccosukee Indians, a small tribe of indigenous people in South Florida, have a long-standing interest in protecting the land, waterways, and habitats of the Everglades, their ancestral home, which serves as a watershed for urban areas in Miami-Dade County and a defense against climate change. For many years, the Everglades were threatened by suburban development and oil drilling. Recently, tribal members had engaged in various actions to increase awareness and reduce harm, including a protest march, use of the arts, and restoring habitats for fish, while also lobbying public officials and joining with environmental groups. Now, Curtis Osceola, chief of staff to the newly elected tribal chairman, assessed the value of actions to date and considered wanted what kinds of coalitions the tribe should join or convene for greater impact on Everglades restoration and climate change mitigation.

Three years into their "Ambition" growth plan, in 2022, the management team of Dutch professional service firm Schuberg Philis is taking stock. The global COVID-19 pandemic and other headwinds required adjustments to their growth targets, but they believe that their organization's strong performance throughout these uncertain times, as well as their now more human-centric culture, make them well positioned to meet whatever challenges may lay ahead.

Following Dell's return to the public market in 2018, the company's stock underperformed. In June 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that Dell was exploring various options with respect to its majority stake in the virtualization software company VMware.

The deal is closed; Franck-Erik Flegbo and Cyril Le Terrien become the owners of Drinkotec but discover that the existing team doesn't really have the capabilities or culture to innovate. The Covid-19 pandemic hits, and they discover that their customers need Drinkotec's help.

It is now four years later, and Drinkotec is scaling up fast. They've had to make some tough decisions in order to focus, have the best people and build the culture that they want, but today, major beverage companies are seeking their technology in order to go packaging-free. This case is about leadership, culture, sustainability and taking the leap to follow your dreams.

Case Supplement for Case W33795

Case Supplement for Case W33795

The HH.ru case series tracks the development of a respected NASDAQ-listed Russian technology company as it struggles with the fallout of the Russian invasion ("Strategic Military Operation") of the Ukraine. While the senior leadership team at HH did not welcome the invasion, they face the nearly insurmountable challenges of maintaining the company's values while defending their business in the highly stressed environment of post-invasion Russia. The case series includes five separate linked cases. The HH (A) case is the most comprehensive and covers the company's history and reviews its values. It ends just before the start of the Russian invasion. The (A) case helps students appreciate that HH is a well-run, Western-oriented technology company with values fully consistent with those in the West. The (B) case captures the events in the company immediately after the invasion and raises important questions for how leaders should engage employees on potentially contentious issues. The (C) case jumps forward four months and reviews the company's efforts to bring order and calm to employees who are in trauma. It also captures the actions of an HH leader who has seemingly broken with company protocol and brought the company into potentially direct conflict with State security forces. The (D) case focuses on the impact of Putin's partial mobilization order of September 21, 2022, with the consequence that many of HH's more talented employees are now fleeing the country. The (E) case provides an epilogue and update and reviews some of the lessons learned by HH leaders.

The HH.ru case series tracks the development of a respected NASDAQ-listed Russian technology company as it struggles with the fallout of the Russian invasion ("Strategic Military Operation") of the Ukraine. While the senior leadership team at HH did not welcome the invasion, they face the nearly insurmountable challenges of maintaining the company's values while defending their business in the highly stressed environment of post-invasion Russia. The case series includes five separate linked cases. The HH (A) case is the most comprehensive and covers the company's history and reviews its values. It ends just before the start of the Russian invasion. The (A) case helps students appreciate that HH is a well-run, Western-oriented technology company with values fully consistent with those in the West. The (B) case captures the events in the company immediately after the invasion and raises important questions for how leaders should engage employees on potentially contentious issues. The (C) case jumps forward four months and reviews the company's efforts to bring order and calm to employees who are in trauma. It also captures the actions of an HH leader who has seemingly broken with company protocol and brought the company into potentially direct conflict with State security forces. The (D) case focuses on the impact of Putin's partial mobilization order of September 21, 2022, with the consequence that many of HH's more talented employees are now fleeing the country. The (E) case provides an epilogue and update and reviews some of the lessons learned by HH leaders.

The HH.ru case series tracks the development of a respected NASDAQ-listed Russian technology company as it struggles with the fallout of the Russian invasion ("Strategic Military Operation") of the Ukraine. While the senior leadership team at HH did not welcome the invasion, they face the nearly insurmountable challenges of maintaining the company's values while defending their business in the highly stressed environment of post-invasion Russia. The case series includes five separate linked cases. The HH (A) case is the most comprehensive and covers the company's history and reviews its values. It ends just before the start of the Russian invasion. The (A) case helps students appreciate that HH is a well-run, Western-oriented technology company with values fully consistent with those in the West. The (B) case captures the events in the company immediately after the invasion and raises important questions for how leaders should engage employees on potentially contentious issues. The (C) case jumps forward four months and reviews the company's efforts to bring order and calm to employees who are in trauma. It also captures the actions of an HH leader who has seemingly broken with company protocol and brought the company into potentially direct conflict with State security forces. The (D) case focuses on the impact of Putin's partial mobilization order of September 21, 2022, with the consequence that many of HH's more talented employees are now fleeing the country. The (E) case provides an epilogue and update and reviews some of the lessons learned by HH leaders.

The HH.ru case series tracks the development of a respected NASDAQ-listed Russian technology company as it struggles with the fallout of the Russian invasion ("Strategic Military Operation") of the Ukraine. While the senior leadership team at HH did not welcome the invasion, they face the nearly insurmountable challenges of maintaining the company's values while defending their business in the highly stressed environment of post-invasion Russia. The case series includes five separate linked cases. The HH (A) case is the most comprehensive and covers the company's history and reviews its values. It ends just before the start of the Russian invasion. The (A) case helps students appreciate that HH is a well-run, Western-oriented technology company with values fully consistent with those in the West. The (B) case captures the events in the company immediately after the invasion and raises important questions for how leaders should engage employees on potentially contentious issues. The (C) case jumps forward four months and reviews the company's efforts to bring order and calm to employees who are in trauma. It also captures the actions of an HH leader who has seemingly broken with company protocol and brought the company into potentially direct conflict with State security forces. The (D) case focuses on the impact of Putin's partial mobilization order of September 21, 2022, with the consequence that many of HH's more talented employees are now fleeing the country. The (E) case provides an epilogue and update and reviews some of the lessons learned by HH leaders.

Fama Technologies is an online screening company that uses AI to analyze job applicants' publicly available online content for signs of risk and culture fit. The case opens with Ben Mones, founder and CEO, looking to secure funding from venture firms. He is running into resistance: public opinion of the product, and social media screening in general, is mixed, and HR technology in general is a considered a tough sell to VCs. Could he prove the value of the tool on his next pitch?

Handout for Exercise UV8721