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In 1997, the U.S. Treasury was deciding whether to proceed with a proposal to issue inflation-indexed bonds. This case explores the challenges facing innovation in the financial markets as the Treasury tries to determine whether to introduce Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is responsible for the country's monetary policy, and its decisions are intended to support the country's overall strategy for sustainable economic growth with price stability. MAS has been very successful in managing exchange rates using a managed float system, which allows more flexibility than a fixed exchange rate but less volatility than freely floating exchange rates. Following the Asian financial crisis, Dr. Khor Hoe Ee and his colleagues must decide whether to continue to manage exchange rates through the managed float or whether alternative monetary policies would be more effective in supporting Singapore's economic goals.

Maxxium (A) covers the creation and growth of the wine and spirits distribution joint venture formed in 1999 by three different producers: Highland Distillers of Scotland, Jim Beam Brands of the USA, and Remy Cointreau of France. It highlights tools and principles that the top management team developed to guide its relationship with its shareholders, as well as with 3rd party brands that use their distribution network.

In the early 2000's, MOL, the newly privatized Hungarian Oil and Gas Concern considers acquiring a controlling stake in TVK, a downstream customer specialized in the production of polymers. The case highlights the tension between long-term competitive/growth strategy and short-term operational issues and cash considerations, in the context of this particular decision. It also provides the opportunity to explore the broader strategic challenges that this company faces, if it wants to stay alive in the consolidating Central European Oil market. This market is particularly interesting and unique after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It faces deregulation, privatization and major consolidation, as the region's economies move into market economies. MOL, in particular, is a very interesting company, which, despite being a small player could successfully challenge Royal Dutch SHELL, Austria's OMV and large Russian oil companies with its bold acquisitions, thus creating one of the first and largest multinational companies of the region.

Students conduct game-theoretic analyses as they examine the situation of Germania Fluggesellschaft MBH at the launch of its first scheduled flight service on the Frankfurt-Berlin route in the fall of 2001. Entry into this market will bring Germania into direct competition with Deutsche Lufthansa AG, which currently holds a monopoly on the route. Students perform strategic analyses from the viewpoints of both competitors, to explore the strategic implications of repeating the same game several times (i.e., explore the difference between games and supergames), to discover the strategic role of reputation in repeated interactions between players, to understand the value of deterrence and evaluate the threat of predatory pricing, and to create a successful business model for entry into a market that is dominated by a large, monopolistic incumbent. See also the B case (UVA-QA-0621).

In May 2003, the president and CEO of Kikkoman Corp. sat in his Tokyo office weighing various options for strengthening the company's long-term growth. Kikkoman was the world's largest producer of soy sauce, largely due to its pioneering role since the 1950s as the leading promoter of the product, particularly in non-Asian markets. But times had changed. The domestic Japanese market was saturated, competition had increased, and Kikkoman needed to think of innovative ways to increase revenue.

Major Steckleson is facing his toughest challenge yet. As an experienced observer-controller at the U.S. Army's National Training Center, Steckleson is responsible for helping leaders of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Squadron learn from a deadly mistake in simulated combat by facilitating the unit's After Action Review (AAR). AARs are structured conversations about recent experience designed to help units learn from both mistakes and successes.

Paul Kennedy, executive director of Fleet's Managed Asset Division, must decide whether to extend further credit to Polaroid Corp. in the fall of 2001. Polaroid's credit rating had been declining rapidly, but it was a major employer in the Boston area with many employees who were Fleet Bank customers.

The largely privately funded $3.7 billion Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project represented the single largest foreign direct investment ever made in Sub-Saharan Africa at the time of its approval by the World Bank in June 2000. This case provides descriptive data about the project, its sponsors, the countries involved (particularly Chad), and the views of some of the project's critics. It is designed to allow the student to gain a modest, but balanced, view of the process of dealing with large natural resource projects in emerging economies.

Home Store, Inc. is a retail chain of home improvement stores catering primarily to middle income female homemakers interested in undertaking do-it-yourself (DIY) and do-it-for-me (DIFM) projects. The company grew rapidly from a single store with sales revenue of $8.8 million in 2001 to 20 stores with total sales of $11.334 million in 2003. Yet, the company's rapid growth in revenues has been accompanied by declining profits and a substantial increase in receivables, inventories, and capital investments in new stores. The resulting cash outflows have been financed by increased borrowing from Bank of America as well as stretching the company's payables, i.e., taking longer to pay suppliers. Bank of America reluctantly increased the maximum amount available to the company under its term loan to $5 million from $2.6 million. In early January 2004, Hermione Granger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Home Store, Inc., and Ron Weasley, the company's chief financial officer, completed a review of the company's financial situation. The company's executives are unsure whether the new credit limit will permit the company to implement its growth strategy since there is only $1.464 million remaining under the term loan at the beginning of 2004.

Since 1981, the U.S. federal government has operated a price support program to help sugar beet and sugar cane producers and processors. This complex program works through a combination of loans, import quotas, and duties. As a result, sugar prices in the United States are significantly higher than world prices. For example, in December 2001, U.S. consumers paid 22.9 cents per pound, while the world price was just 9 cents per pound. The General Accounting Office estimates that the total cost to consumers is $1.9 billion a year. Uses a simple demand-and-supply framework with real-world data to assess the economic and political consequences of the U.S. sugar program.

In early 2000, Asahi's senior management was under considerable pressure to launch its own brand of happoshu, a low-end form of beer that enjoyed certain tax benefits under Japanese law. Unlike its major rivals, all of whom had launched happoshu brands in the previous few years, Asahi steadfastly refused to enter the happoshu category.

Between May 2000 and January 2001, the recently deregulated electricity market in the state of California experienced what many commentators have characterized as a meltdown. Over that period, wholesale electricity prices increased over 500%, power emergencies and the threat of rolling blackouts became daily occurrences, and the state's largest investor-owned utility was thrust into bankruptcy. Details California's attempt to deregulate its wholesale and retail electricity markets.

Chuck Smith, senior brand manager of A.1. Steak Sauce, learns that Lawry's will soon be launching a steak sauce product. He has to determine whether A.1. should defend its business and, if so, what A.1. should do. In formulating the recommendation, he has to consider competitive dynamics and work through the financial implications.

Examines the launch of FluMist, the first significant innovation in influenza vaccines in over 50 years. The head of sales and marketing for MedImmune is working through the launch plan for FluMist. In particular, he is struggling with the question of how best to position FluMist. To determine the correct positioning, he has to consider business objectives, competitive set, differentiation, and pricing.

Examines the launch of Xigris, a breakthrough new pharmaceutical product for the treatment of sepsis. The newly appointed head of marketing for Xigris is reviewing the launch plan.

Looks at the introduction of statistical process control (SPC) into a distribution center servicing a department store chain. Focuses on the receiving process in the distribution center and describes the introduction of SPC methodology. Discusses run charts, pareto diagrams, and control limits.

Assumes an understanding of statistical process control and focuses on highlighting the usefulness of Six Sigma quality. Focuses on the issue of a worn bearing at a tire manufacturer leading to a mean shift (while producing defectives). Shows how a Six Sigma process would quickly detect the mean shift while producing fewer defectives.

Addresses how flow times and capacity calculations can be made for a service process such as the Bariatric Surgery Center at a clinic. Highlights how these calculations can be made for a service process just as in any manufacturing setting. Discusses the notions of critical paths and bottlenecks and what factors affect both time and capacity. Also, discusses the relative profitability of two types of bariatric surgery, the goal being to link product profitability to the process.

Align Inc. is a start-up company with a revolutionary, patent-protected new technology for straightening teeth called Invisalign. Invisalign is a set of invisible plastic aligners made to each patient's specific needs that substitute for metal or ceramic braces in adults (it is not sold for children's orthodontic needs). The company has created tremendous consumer awareness and affect for its product, yet sales results are dismal. Requires the reader to analyze the reasons for such poor sales and what to do to remedy the problem.