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The case describes an organization's use of the science of improvement to transform their process quality from below average to the top 10% in their industry. The case outlines the protagonist's strategy of developing internal experts who are trained in a common methodology for making improvement and spreading these ideas in their work units.

In the year 2000, the Government of the Autonomous Community of Aragón, Spain, made public a project for the development of a large-scale logistics park in the outskirts of the city of Zaragoza. With an area of nearly 13 square kilometers, PLAZA (an acronym for Zaragoza Logistics Platform) would be by far the largest logistics park either built or under development in all of Europe. This case illustrates the motivations behind such an undertaking, the reasoning used in deciding the feasibility of the location of the park, and also the advantages (and disadvantages) related to the project. The case provides sufficient data to prepare an analysis from the point of view of a potential customer, where the cost advantage or disadvantage of locating a facility in Zaragoza (with respect to Rotterdam, a preferred European location) can be quantified, and where the parameters can be changed to determine the main drivers behind such a decision, and how changes in these drivers can affect the customer's analysis. The results are meant to serve as input for PLAZA management to understand which types of customers to target, and how to address the issues that could hinder the park's projected growth.

Although the federal gasoline tax played multiple roles in financing surface transportation infrastructure in the United States, experts did not agree on the tax's purpose. Some argued that it was essentially a fee for users of the nation's federally supported highways. Others suggested that it should play a more prominent role in environmental, energy, and transportation policy by correcting for driving-related externalities. Still others suggested that it should be used to reduce the federal budget deficit. Finally, the tax itself had remained at the same level since 1993, and with the Highway Trust Fund virtually insolvent, many experts believed it was time for an increase. The case presents a background on the U.S. federal gasoline tax, an overview of the market for gasoline in the United States, and survey of gasoline taxes in U.S. states as well as several other countries around the world.

In January of 2005, Manchester Products Inc., a longtime leader in office furniture that only recently entered into the home furniture market, acquired Paul Logan's Furniture Division (PLFD). The acquisition of PLFD made Manchester an instant market leader in household furniture. A key factor in the value of PLFD has been the name of the company founder -- arguably the premiere name in high-end fashion and accessories, and a true lifestyle brand. However, Manchester has acquired rights to use the Paul Logan brand name for only three years. Jason Adams, VP of Marketing for Manchester, is responsible for designing a plan to transition the brand from the Paul Logan name to Manchester. He must develop the optimal timing and sequencing of the brand transition, assess the implications, and establish the appropriate mix of advertising and promotion programs to support the transition.

For 200 years, there were substantial differences among U.S. regions in per capita incomes and economic growth. Each region had a distinct set of economic activities and, to a major degree, the differences in regional economic performance were linked to the differences in economic structure. Individual states experienced periods of expansion and contraction as the basic business activities dominating their economy expanded and contracted. These changes led to significant migration of people and businesses among regions and to a gradual narrowing, since the 1930s, of regional disparities. Over the period of 1990 to 2007, the United States experienced outstanding economic success. Many analysts expressed the view that this economic success rested on consistently high productivity growth. The public philosophy supported low taxes and low government expenditure for health, education and welfare, with a heavy reliance on the need for each individual to succeed on one's own. In the second half of the 20th century, a general recognition developed that knowledge has a major impact on economic growth, and that increasingly intense international competition is based upon knowledge and innovation. Each nation, as well as each region within a nation, has a distinct "innovation system." At the forefront has been the United States. By the fall of 2008, it was clear that the United States had entered a major financial and economic crisis, and that reforms might be needed to achieve recovery and to prevent a recurrence.

In February 2008, the president of Vacances Paradis Inc. (Paradise) was assessing his options for the company's competitive strategy for the future. Paradise was Quebec's market leader in the tour operating industry but was facing a significant challenge: FunTours Holidays (FunTours) had stolen a sizeable portion of Ontario's market share in only two years and was planning on conquering the Quebec market for the 2008/09 winter season. FunTours' aggressive strategy was to provide large capacity at low prices, thus creating a price war and decreased margins. The president had to consider how to meet FunTours' threat in the face of several challenges: the tour industry was fundamentally changing as a result of shifting from traditional travel agents towards Internet distribution; limited differentiation in product offering forced competing on price; and a growing customer base as more people could afford travel. Price had emerged as the dominant criteria for travelers and a huge consideration for tour operators. The president wondered which strategy would be best for the company's short- and long-term viability.

After 15 years of great performance, Target's faltering performance during an economic downturn led an activist shareholder to initiate a proxy fight. Target Corporation, the second-largest discount store retailer in the U.S., had competed successfully against industry leader Walmart for years by promoting an upscale discount shopping experience in comparison to Walmart's focus on low prices. This strategy worked well for Target in good economic times. The economic crisis of 2008-2009, however, caused shoppers to abandon Target in favor of Walmart. In the spring of 2009, one of Target's largest shareholders initiated a proxy fight to place his five director nominees on the board. Target won the proxy fight, but still faced questions about whether it had a strategy that could work in both good times and bad.

The founder of Kids Market Consulting, a market research firm dedicated to the kids, tweens and teens segment, was faced with increasing competition and slowing revenue, and was exploring a variety of possibilities for the future strategic direction of the business. In particular, she had to formulate the best plan for protecting the niche market and decide how aggressively to pursue expansion. In addition, there was the existing relationship with her business partner, and Kids Market Consulting was part of his group of marketing firms. Any changes the founder chose had to respect this relationship and she was therefore restricted to a limited number of options. The over-arching corporate objective for the company was to defend the market from larger businesses who were trying to increase their share of the market research industry.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro company is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products, with a full range of products for professional horticulture as well. Headquartered in Marysville, Ohio, the company is a market leader in a number of consumer lawn and garden and professional horticultural products. The case describes a series of decisions regarding the ownership and organization of the assets used to manufacture fertilizer spreaders. This case is intended to illustrate the application of and tradeoffs between financial, strategic and operations perspectives in a relatively straightforward manufacturing make-buy decision. The case involves a well-known, easily-described product that most students would assume is made overseas. Sufficient information is provided to roughly estimate the direct financial cost associated with internal (domestic) production, offshored (non-domestic) production and outsourced production. In addition, information is included that may be used to estimate potential transaction costs as well as costs associated with foreign exchange risk.

Describes an IT security crisis, and raises issues of risk management, preparation for crisis, management of crises, computer security, and public disclosure of security risks.

The chief executive officer (CEO) and owner of Alara Agri, a major Turkish cherry and fig producer, wants to convince retailers in Belgium and Germany (and, later, other parts of Europe) to change cherries from a bulk product to a higher-end luxury product packaged in small carry bags. The move from bulk to small packages has been highly successful in the United Kingdom where retailers reduced waste and increased margins. The German and Belgian retailers are resisting the change, claiming greater price sensitivity in their consumer base. The CEO thinks he needs a detailed test marketing plan to offer to selected retailers.

In late May 2009, Albert Bohemier, CEO of Survival Systems Limited (SSL), located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, paced the deck of the training pool at Survival Training Simulation Theatre wondering how best to transition the company to new leadership. During the past five years, attempts at succession planning had been unsuccessful. As the leader of the company for over 25 years, Bohemier was ready to retire, but there were many aspects of succession planning to consider. Bohemier's personal criteria for incoming leadership were threefold: it had to be good for SSL's existing clients, a positive move for the company as a whole and good for the current team.

Taiwan-based HTC Corp. had emerged as the world's fourth largest smartphone manufacturer by 2009. CEO Peter Chou was extremely proud of the remarkable achievements his company had made over the last 12 years since starting off as an unknown manufacturer of PDAs for other companies. Yet Chou faced several decisions in order to move his company forward. Competition for high-end, sophisticated mobile devices was intensifying as HTC faced big name players such as Nokia, Apple, and Samsung Electronics. Many companies were offering their own application stores. What did HTC have to do to become a more powerful global brand? Where should HTC participate in the value chain in one of the most exciting, innovative product categories in the technology world?

The case narrates the story of the Rodamas Group, owned by the ethnic Chinese Tan family in Indonesia. The company started as a trading firm in 1951 and, over time, became a joint venture partner in manufacturing businesses with a range of mainly Japanese partners after Indonesia started to embark on an industrialization program in the late 1960s. In the 1980s, the company was slowly transferred to the second generation leader, and continued to grow and prosper until it became part of the top-20 business groups in Indonesia. The businesses included glass manufacturing (with Asahi), personal care products (with Kao), packaging (with Dai Nippon) and MSG production. The role of Rodamas in these partnerships was to deal with local regulations, hire local personnel and distribute the products in Indonesia. When the then President Suharto was toppled in the Asian Crisis in 1998, Indonesia underwent several drastic changes, including the transition to democracy. Its economy became more open, and foreign firms were allowed to operate in the country without having a local partner. In addition, several global business developments, including the tendency of multinationals to rely on lawyers and consultants rather than local equity partners, threatened the Rodamas business model. In view of this, the current leader, Mucki Tan, is reconsidering the future of his company and weighing a few options. The case ends with these strategic options: 1) internationalize with existing partners; 2) develop own businesses that need little technology, such as property; 3) buy existing manufacturing firms; 4) focus on distribution of products for foreign multinationals; 5) focus on a traditional partnership role with a new wave of foreign direct investment (FDI) from developing market multinationals, more specifically, China. Students are asked to analyze the company and its environment, decide on a strategic direction and reflect on the consequences.

This case highlights the issues around money market mutual funds in the financial crisis of 2008.

An audit committee chair considers how he can help his committee become more effective given the increasing regulatory demands on audit committees. He also wrestles with the lack of specificity in audit committee duties and whether his committee should take on additional responsibilities. In particular, he considers the growing concern over risk oversight and wonders what kinds of risks the audit committee should consider and whether they should be the sole repository for risk management. This case includes a historical overview of the beginnings and evolution of audit committees, and the laws and regulations that have affected its role over time.

Dedicated to offering high-tech solutions for environmental and social problems, a privately-owned Malaysian conglomerate, Petra Group, aimed to innovate the recycling of rubber waste. Since the 1990s, the group had tried to transform rubber waste using its patented DeLink technology to produce reusable rubber, which it branded as Green Rubber. Despite failing to make a sound industrial impact with the technology in the mid-1990s, the company wanted to reintroduce the eco-friendly solution in the new millennium. Through its subsidiary, Green Rubber Global ("GRG"), the group progressively explored partnerships with those wanted to be part of increasing demand for environmentally friendly products. In 2007, GRG opened the first US-based rubber recycling plant in New Mexico, with the support of the state government. Vinod Sekhar, the founder and chief executive of GRG and Petra Group, envisages Green Rubber becoming a global trademark for most rubber-based products, the way "Intel Inside" has for computers. However, there was industrial skepticism not only about the cost-efficiency of DeLink technology, but also the quality of Green Rubber, partly due to GRG's failure in the market a decade before. Would GRG's past failure be a stumbling block for its future business development? Would increased global expectations for corporate environmental and social responsibility be the stepping stone to a lucrative success? Because "green" claims had been over-exploited by marketers in recent years, there was also cynicism about commercial corporations selling green products. How could GRG successfully run a business driven by commercial principles that also aimed to sustain environmental and social progress? And how will GRG benefit from its connection with the parent company?

The New Delhi Water and Power case compares the efforts by the government of the capital territory of New Delhi to privatize its electric distribution company and reform its municipal water company. The case introduces students to problems surrounding the delivery of water and power infrastructure services common in developing countries and the challenges that governments face when they attempt to reform these two sectors. The case can be taught as a technical and financial assessment of designing effective reforms for public infrastructure or as a strategic and political case, exploring the tactical and communication challenges that emerge with efforts to involve the private sector in functions that have historically been provided by the public sector. HKS Case Number 1891.0

The case illustrates a grassroots enterprise path to self-sufficiency in a subsistence market context. It explores the gradual evolution of a business model with strong pro-social mandates (pro-health, pro-women) and asks which growth options may best marry profitability and positive social change. The Mwanza-based Yogurt Mamas emerge as entrepreneurial role models in their communities; with funds from Western donors, and an exciting new technology, they seem set on their way to success. Yet close-up analyses reveal several outstanding concerns, including funding sufficiency, clarity of roles and responsibilities, patent restrictions, kitchen ownership, food safety and quality concerns and liability concerns among others. Despite positive health impact assessments, the venture is struggling to grow - and growth is the key to its future. Focused on a mix non-profit and retail model, the Yogurt Mamas produce and locally distribute a probiotic yogurt to their small community; they are interconnected in a local value chain, and benefit from annual inflows of disciplinary expertise from western partners, including free access to patented technology and free culturing of probiotic bacteria in a local lab. However, as the project funding winds down, business issues come to the fore. The case asks students to critically analyze the hurdles to profitability and suggest working solutions to scaling up the venture. Options include technology/model licensing and franchising, organic growth and expansion along value chain links to gain higher margins and greater control over the milk supply and to extend their distribution reach to neighboring communities. If the Yogurt Mamas cannot find an attractive and feasible growth option, the partners will have to contemplate venture termination once the grant funding comes to an end, or consider alternative exit options, including partnerships or adjacent business models.

The founder and sole shareholder of a financial planning company must decide whether to hire a new adviser or purchase a block of business from another financial planner. Students are asked to perform an industry analysis, a corporate size-up and consumer analysis. Students are also required to complete a statement of cash flows, a financial ratio analysis and a differential analysis. Students must design a marketing plan and prepare projected financial statements.