Global Reach. Global Knowledge.

2009

Procter & Gamble in the 21st Century (A): Becoming Truly Global

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Matthew Bird
October 2009

Since the 1980s, Procter & Gamble had leveraged its purpose, values, and principles (PVP) to create a global company. When P&G faced difficult times in 2000, the new CEO, A.G. Lafley, leveraged the PVP to drive P&G's turnaround, integrate global operations, and guide decision making in all facets of the business. But the Gillette acquisition posed a new challenge.

Procter & Gamble in the 21st Century (B): Welcoming Gillette

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Matthew Bird
October 2009

A.G. Lafley and P&G leaders decided to approach the Gillette integration differently from previous mergers. Using P&G's purpose, values, and principles (PVP) it treated the acquisition as a merger that sought to take the "best of both" from each company. In the integration's first phase, prior to the change of control, the strategy achieved successes while creating some unexpected challenges. How should the integration leaders address these challenges moving forward?

Procter & Gamble in the 21st Century (C): Integrating Gillette

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Matthew Bird
October 2009

P&G had used its purpose, values, and principles (PVP) to prepare for the physical integration of Gillette prior to the change of control. The execution of these plans posed numerous challenges in global business units as well as in individual country organizations. While managers sought to maintain business momentum during the transition, corporate leaders were intent on continuing to use Gillette as a catalyst of change.

Tenova: Mining for Growth in an Economic Crisis

Pisano, Gary P., Elena Corsi, and Elisa Farri
October 2009

In December 2008, Gianluigi Nova, CEO of Tenova SpA, a technology and equipment supplier to the metals and mining industry, had to choose between two options. The first was to continue growing in the company's core business: equipment for the steel production. The second option offered growth in a related, but nearly new business for Tenova: the equipment for mining, mineral processing, and extractive metallurgy. They only had a small presence in this market. Yet, Nova had to cope with the worldwide economic crisis whose destructive power hit every area of the metals and mining industry. Nova had to decide which option offered the best opportunity to grow in the worst economic crisis since 1929.

Transworld Auto Parts (A)

Narayanan, V.G., and Lisa Brem
October 2009

Transworld Auto Parts had to implement its new strategy flawlessly to survive the auto industry upheaval. The new CEO asked her leadership team to craft strategy maps and balanced scorecards to help each division implement its strategies.

Transworld Auto Parts (B)

Narayanan, V.G., and Lisa Brem
October 2009

Supplements the (A) case

Root Capital

Rangan, V. Kasturi, and Katharine Lee
October 2009

Founded in 1999, Root Capital had loaned $150 million to nearly 250 small and growing businesses, mainly in Latin America. In 2009, as the organization launched a five-year, $55 million capital campaign, it had to determine a strategic path going forward in keeping with its goal of achieving financial sustainability by 2013

Endeavor: Creating a Global Movement for High-Impact Entrepreneurship

Sahlman, William A.
October 2009

This case describes a critical inflection point in the growth of an international development "mentor capitalist" nonprofit, Endeavor. As Endeavor aims to scale its high-impact entrepreneurship model globally, founder Linda Rottenberg must determine what success looks like for the organization and which growth option will most effectively take Endeavor in that direction. The case begins with a panel of business leaders selecting a new class of Jordanian entrepreneurs to join the ranks of Endeavor's prestigious portfolio. Their decision forces them to wrestle with the following questions: "What is high impact entrepreneurship, and how will it contribute to the economic development of a country like Jordan?"

Acumen Fund: Measurement in Venture Philanthropy (A)

Ebrahim, Alnoor, and V. Kasturi Rangan
October 2009

Acumen Fund is a global venture capital firm with a dual purpose: it looks for a return on its investments, and it also seeks entrepreneurial solutions to global poverty. This case examines Acumen's new projects in Kenya. The organization's investment committee and its chief investment officer, Brian Trelstad, must decide whether or not to fund two for-profit ventures. The first provides clean and accessible shower and toilet facilities in urban areas, serving a critical need for low-income populations-its financial sustainability, however, is less clear. The second investment is a network of successful private health clinics that primarily serve middle-income populations but which have the potential to reach low-income markets. On what basis should Acumen decide whether or not to invest? What performance metrics should it use? As the investment committee nears a decision, political and social unrest breaks out in Kenya following a highly contested presidential election. Acumen Fund must now also consider the political risks of investing.

Consumer Lending in Japan: Citi CFJ (B)

Trumbull, Gunnar, and Akiko Kanno
October 2009

As the regulatory environment for consumer lending evolves, CFJ has to decide how to respond.

Publicis Groupe 2009: Toward a Digital Transformation

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Matthew Bird
October 2009

After a series of acquisitions, Maurice Levy, the Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, had created the fourth largest marketing and communications company in the world. His next major challenge was managing the firm's digital transformation. In December 2006, the company acquired Boston-based Digitas, a leading digital agency headed by David Kenny. After the initial merger, which included the unbundling of Digitas capabilities and the global expansion of its agency network, Publicis Groupe launched VivaKi, a new company-wide digital platform, to spearhead the firm's total transformation. But since the June 2008 launch, the global economy had taken a turn for the worse. Could Levy, Kenny, and other leaders change the holding company quickly and effectively enough to make the new model work?

Gucci Group: Freedom within the Framework

Martinez-Jerez, F. Asís, Elena Corsi, and Vincent Dessain
October 2009

Gucci Group's CEO had to decide if his decentralized management style was the most effective philosophy in an economic downturn. The sharing of customer information across units and its use in the creative process are key initiatives analyzed in the case. CEO Robert Polet joined the high-end fashion Gucci Group in 2004, after 26 years at one of the largest consumer goods companies. Since his arrival, the Group had grown both in revenues and profitability. Part of his secret was his decentralized and empowering management style. In 2008, in the midst of the economic downturn following the credit crunch crisis, Polet learned that after four years of growth the Gucci brand-the Group's largest business-would report a slowdown for the year's first semester. He knew that according to his management philosophy he should leave the primary decisions for the Gucci brand to Gucci's CEO. Yet, given the urgency of the situation, Polet wondered if it would be more effective to become directly involved in the brand's decision-making process. To anchor the discussion on Polet's management style, the case discusses how customer information is used in the creative process and whether it would be beneficial for the group to share customer information across stores, regions, and brands.

Citigroup's Exchange Offer (A)

Greenwood, Robin, and James Quinn
October 2009

Citigroup faced considerable distress in early 2009. In late 2008, the bank had accepted $45 billion in preferred equity from the United States government via the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). Yet, the stock had continued to slide in early 2009. In late February, the company announced that it would convert as much as $50 billion of preferred stock into common stock, at $3.25 per share. The case asks students to evaluate the pricing of preferred stock relative to common stock at this time. As the case takes place during a period of considerable uncertainty in global capital markets, and conventional sources of arbitrage capital have been depleted, the apparent mispricing may not be as attractive as it initially seems. In the B and C cases, students must decide whether their view of the appropriate pricing changes, when the apparent mispricing worsens. A final additional teaching point relates to the formation of a synthetic short position using the options markets.

Citigroup's Exchange Offer (B)

Greenwood, Robin, and James Quinn
October 2009

Citigroup faced considerable distress in early 2009. In late 2008, the bank had accepted $45 billion in preferred equity from the United States government via the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). Yet, the stock had continued to slide in early 2009. In late February, the company announced that it would convert as much as $50 billion of preferred stock into common stock, at $3.25 per share. The case asks students to evaluate the pricing of preferred stock relative to common stock at this time. As the case takes place during a period of considerable uncertainty in global capital markets, and conventional sources of arbitrage capital have been depleted, the apparent mispricing may not be as attractive as it initially seems. In the B and C case, students must decide whether their view of the appropriate pricing changes, when the apparent mispricing worsens. A final additional teaching point relates to the formation of a synthetic short position using the options markets.

Citigroup's Exchange Offer (C)

Greenwood, Robin, and James Quinn
October 2009

Citigroup faced considerable distress in early 2009. In late 2008, the bank had accepted $45 billion in preferred equity from the United States government via the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). Yet, the stock had continued to slide in early 2009. In late February, the company announced that it would convert as much as $50 billion of preferred stock into common stock, at $3.25 per share. The case asks students to evaluate the pricing of preferred stock relative to common stock at this time. As the case takes place during a period of considerable uncertainty in global capital markets, and conventional sources of arbitrage capital have been depleted, the apparent mispricing may not be as attractive as it initially seems. In the B and C case, students must decide whether their view of the appropriate pricing changes, when the apparent mispricing worsens. A final additional teaching point relates to the formation of a synthetic short position using the options markets.

Western Union: Our World, Our Family®

Marquis, Christopher
October 2009

In 2006, Western Union spun-off from its former parent, First Data Corporation, and began the process of defining itself as a stand-alone organization. Part of that effort was the creation of a strategic corporate social responsibility program called Our World, Our Family. The case tracks Western Union's earlier CSR initiatives and how they resulted in the creation Our World, Our Family. Key elements of the case focus on understanding the Western Union business model focused on financial remittances, and how its corporate citizenship efforts bring value to the company by satisfying the diverse needs of Western Union's stakeholders.

Verne Global: Building a Green Data Center in Iceland

Steenburgh, Thomas, and Nnamdi Okike
October 2009

Verne Global, a pioneering startup created to build the first large-scale data center in Iceland, faces critical challenges regarding its green strategy. Verne Co-Founder Isaac Kato is tasked with evaluating how the company can most successfully market and sell the green components of its service offering. Using only renewable energy in its data center facility, Verne can drastically reduce customers' carbon emissions, enabling customers to meet emerging government regulations and to capture the financial benefit of public goodwill arising from green initiatives. But how valuable are Verne's green benefits, and are they sufficient to compel customers to pay a premium for Verne services? Further, how can Verne best integrate its green strategy into its marketing and sales message? Finally, will Verne's green benefits enable the company to overcome obstacles in the sales process, or will they alternatively overcomplicate an already complex sales message? Kato's decision allows discussion of the emerging role of green marketing and sales and helps to identify how a product or service which is good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line.

Citigroup-Wachovia-Wells Fargo

Subramanian, Guhan, and Nithyasri Sharma
October 2009

In late September 2008, amidst the spiraling financial crisis, many firms on Wall Street were in a precarious position. One such institution was Wachovia, which entered acquisition talks with Citigroup and Wells Fargo. This case describes the development of these negotiations throughout the week of September 26-October 3, 2008 and explores the role of a company's Board of Directors and the role of government regulators, particularly the FDIC, during times of crisis.

CEMEX (A): Building the Global Framework (1985-2004)

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, Pamela Yatsko, and Ryan Raffaelli
October 2009

CEMEX grew through acquisitions from a Latin American to a global company under the leadership of a CEO who believed in the importance of a "one enterprise" culture and benchmarking against world standards. As the CEO ponders an acquisition that would double the company's size and take it to new geographies, he wonders if the right capabilities are in place for what should be changed to manage the integration process effectively.

CEMEX (B): Cementing Relationships (2004-2007)

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss , Pamela Yatsko, and Ryan Raffaelli
October 2009

Supplements the (A) case

CEMEX's Foundations for Sustainability

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss , Pamela Yatsko, and Ryan Raffaelli
October 2009

No abstract available

Jones Lang LaSalle: Reorganizing around the Customer

Gulati, Ranjay, and Lucia Marshall

September 2009

Peter Roberts, CEO of Jones, Lang, LaSalle (JLL) Americas division, has been charged with expanding the company's presence in its core geographic markets while simultaneously growing its corporate account business. Roberts and his task force have narrowed their options to two proposals. The first is an enhancement of the account management model put in place in 2001 where independent service units co-existed with an account management group. The second is a realignment of the firm's operations around geography and key accounts. By examining the tradeoffs required by each option, the case illustrates the tensions involved in structuring an organization around product, geography, and key customers. It also explores the importance of aligning strategic choices with organizational architecture.

Wal-Mart's Use of Interest Rate Swaps

Kimbrough, Michael D., Michael Faulkender, Nicole Thorne Jenkins, and Rachel Gordon
September 2009

Wal-Mart's Use of Interest Rate Swaps recounts Wal-Mart's use of interest rate swaps to hedge the fair value of its fixed-rate debt against changing interest rates. This case provides students with a foundation for understanding the use of and accounting for more complex derivatives. Specific issues raised include (1) the financial statement impact of hedge accounting; (2) motivations for using derivatives, including the potential role of accounting standards; and (3) the degree to which financial statement and MD&A disclosures are sufficiently informative about the risks associated with financial instruments.

Meeting the Diversity Challenge at PepsiCo: The Steve Reinemund Era

Thomas, David A., and Stephanie J. Creary

September 2009

This case profiles PepsiCo's diversity journey under the leadership of former chairman and CEO Steve Reinemund who instituted diversity as one of the company's strategic imperatives. It demonstrates the ways in which Reinemund partnered with his leadership team and employees throughout the organization to make diversity a key factor in PepsiCo's culture and performance. It also reveals how, regardless of the success, PepsiCo employees were openly speculating what it would mean for the diversity strategy that Reinemund would be turning the helm of PepsiCo over to Indra Nooyi, a 50-year old Indian-born woman, who would need to find her own voice and approach to leading the company and its diversity efforts.

Managing Creativity at Shanghai Tang

Chua, Roy Y.J., and Robert G. Eccles
September 2009

Shanghai Tang is a luxury brand that focuses on Chinese-inspired fashion, accessories, and home decoration products. In fall 2008, amidst a growing global economic crisis, Raphael Ie Masne, executive chairman of Shanghai Tang, had to decide what to do with the recently vacant creative director position. Did Shanghai Tang need to hire a new creative director at this uncertain economic time? Or could he take on the role of the creative director himself? In addition, Ie Masne had to grapple with balancing the perennial tensions between business imperatives and the creative aspirations of his designers. How could he better manage employees who see themselves as artists?

Nomura's Global Growth: Picking Up Pieces of Lehman

Foley, C. Fritz, and Linnea Meyer

September 2009

What issues commonly arise in international financial management? Kenichi Watanabe and Takumi Shibata, CEO and COO of Nomura Holdings Inc., one of the leading investment banks in Asia, have the opportunity to expand their firm internationally through the acquisition of various parts of Lehman Brothers, an insolvent global investment bank. In evaluating this opportunity, students must consider the complexities of such expansion, including the challenges posed by a multinational insolvency, the difficulties of post-merger integration in a cross-border acquisition, and more general issues related to currency hedging and international taxation.

Genzyme's CSR Dilemma: How to Play Its HAND

Bartlett, Christopher A., Tarun Khanna, and Prithwiraj Choudhury
September 2009

Genzyme, a global biotechnology company, launches a program to develop therapies for neglected diseases (e.g., malaria, TB), giving away the intellectual property. This case focuses on the decision of which diseases, which partnerships, and which markets should management decide to fund. But the bigger issue is how this program, developed under the umbrella role Genzyme's corporate social responsibility, fits into its global competitive strategy.

Radiant Cosmetics: What's in a Pout?

Pozen, Robert C., and Mary Ellen Hammond
September 2009

In 2006, Radiant Cosmetics president and CEO, Margaret Clark, was contemplating the launch of a new, lip-plumping product called "Four Carat Pout." Clark faced many decisions concerning the launch: marketing the product as a luxury brand or a retail item; how to position the product as a possible starting point for an expanded anti-aging line; and how to market and distribute the product internationally, particularly in France. Issues of intellectual property were also essential to the launch-in the past, Radiant had faced problems with cosmetic counterfeits. With the launch of the new product, Four Carat Pout, Clark needed to decide whether to pursue patents, copyrights, and/or trademarks for various aspects of the new product. The case focuses on the interplay between marketing strategies and intellectual property issues in international fashion products.

The Blackstone Group: Merlin Entertainment

El-Hage, Nabil N., and Brenda Chia
September 2009

The Blackstone Group had conducted a roll-up of theme parks and attractions business in Europe. It was considering how to generate liquidity for its investors. Blackstone entered the theme parks and attractions business in Europe by acquiring a majority stake in U.K.-based Merlin Entertainment in 2005. In 2005 and 2006, Merlin Entertainment acquired two other similar businesses, LEGOLAND based in Denmark, and Gardaland based in Italy. At the end of 2006, Blackstone's team was weighing its options for generating liquidity for its investors. The options were to conduct a dividend recapitalization of Merlin Entertainment or to acquire The Tussauds Group. The acquisition, if successful, would result in the second-largest theme parks and attractions business in the world after Disney. The Tussauds Group was owned by another private equity firm, Dubai International Capital (DIC). Blackstone's goal was to make a minimum of 3x on its initial Merlin investment through the dividend recapitalization and at least 5x through the Tussauds acquisition. A third option arose while Blackstone was in negotiation with DIC. This was the opportunity to perform a sale-leaseback of the underlying real estate assets owned by Merlin and Tussauds. Based on the facts and financials provided, it is clear there were tradeoffs between the size of the potential returns for each option, timing, and the risks that have to be managed. What should the Blackstone team do?

What Happened at Citigroup?

Rose, Clayton, and Aldo Sesia Jr.
August 2009

What went wrong at Citigroup? In 1998, the Travelers Group and Citicorp merged to create Citigroup Inc., considered the first true global "financial supermarket" and a business model to be envied, feared, and emulated. By year-end 2006 the firm had a market capitalization of $274 billion, with $1.9 trillion in assets and $24.6 billion in earnings. But, ten years after the merger, it ended in tears. In July 2009, the firm was effectively nationalized, with billions of dollars in bailout money converted into a 34% ownership stake for the U.S. government. Citigroup was worth less than $16 billion, having lost more than $250 billion in value from its peak. This case examines Citi's business model, the challenges it faced, its leadership, and key decisions to better understand what contributed to the failure of one of the most powerful financial firms in the world.

VeeV on the Rocks?

Margolis, Joshua D, Christopher Marquis, and Laura Winig
August 2009

Three pressing challenges (equity split, extent of commitment to social responsibility, and product discoloration) confront VeeV, the world's first alcoholic beverage infused with acai berries. Brothers Courtney and Carter Reum founded VeeV in 2007 and the firm has experienced rapid growth since then. The case documents the backgrounds of the young founders, details the launch and early phase of the company, and presents three challenges the founders must address: how to split the equity of the new company, how far to go in their efforts to be a "green" and socially responsible brand, and an unexpected potential product quality issue.

iZumi

Higgins, Robert F., Jacob Ian Broder-Fingert, Eliot Sherman, and Sidhartha Palani
August 2009

Presents the issues faced while building an innovative company in an emerging space with new intellectual property from the perspective of a venture capitalist. Beth Seidenberg, a partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), had helped create iZumi Bio, a company with ambitious prospects that she believed had the potential to become "the" definitive stem cell company. iZumi sought to bring under its banner key intellectual property (IP) from the nascent field of stem cell technology. As such, iZumi would need to acquire the rights to several groundbreaking scientific developments that had recently occurred in labs around the world. Seidenberg needed to decide whether to commit to the next major tranche of the investment. Charged with finalizing her decision in less than 24 hours, Seidenberg weighed the pros and cons of the next round of financing. Was it really possible to pull together such a broad range of IP under one umbrella? Was the international mix of IP going to be too difficult to manage? Was it too early for stem cell technology to be successfully commercialized?

Intuit

Cespedes, Frank V.,
August 2009

This case study provides an overview of Intuit's growth and, in particular, the sales and service initiatives that historically fueled the company's growth from start-up to a corporation. It also outlines certain processes and cultural values, as well as specific employee and leadership behaviors, that provided the foundation for those initiatives.

Christian Dior: A New Look for Haute Couture

Jones, Geoffrey G., and Veronique Pouillard
August 2009

The case describes the foundation of Christian Dior, the leading Parisian fashion house, in 1946 and its subsequent globalization strategy. After explaining the historical origins of France's preeminence in upscale fashion, the case explores the challenges to this position from New York after World War 2, and the importance of Christian Dior's New Look in restoring French fashion to world leadership. The case examines, in particular, Dior's innovative strategy to combine a high-fashion business in Paris with a ready-to-wear business in New York, and his subsequent pursuit of licensing opportunities in jewelry and other luxury products. The case provides an opportunity to explore the role of creativity in the luxury fashion industry, and the challenges and opportunities of globalizing such an industry.

Alacra, Inc.

Applegate, Lynda M., and Aldo Sesia Jr.
August 2009

Description: In 2009, the CEO of Alacra, a venture-backed information services firm that provides customized data primarily to financial services firms, must decide how to respond to the global economic crisis.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation and Ghana"

Ebrahim, Alnoor, and V. Kasturi Rangan
August 2009

A U.S. government agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), provides aid to developing countries, focusing on poverty reduction through economic growth. It measures results through an economic rate of return based on increases in farmer incomes anticipated over twenty years. As MCC and Ghana finalize a $547 million grant for agriculture and transportation infrastructure, they come up against an accountability and measurement problem: how to address an urgent request from Ghana to fund community services-such as schools and drinking water-for which the results will be more difficult to measure.

Philips versus Matsushita: Competing Strategic and Organizational Choices

Bartlett, Christopher A
July 2009

Traces the evolving competition between two major multinationals over 40 years. Different strategic postures are reflected-and embedded-in different organizational postures. In 2009 the CEOs of both companies face new global strategic and organizational choices.

Goldman Sachs: The 10,000 Women Initiative

Marquis, Christopher , V. Kasturi Rangan , and Catherine Ross
July 2009

Describes the conception, development, and implementation of Goldman Sachs' five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to provide practical business and management education to 10,000 women around the globe. The initiative recently celebrated its first anniversary, and over 1,200 women were either enrolled in, or graduated from, sponsored certificate programs. The case addressees some key strategic decisions facing the firm as they rollout the program over the coming years. These include how to organize the network of schools that deliver the educational services, how to determine the best outside partners to provide additional services for the women entrepreneurs, how to best assess the impact of the program, and finally the extent to which the initiative provides contributions to the long-term strategy of the firm.

The DiagnoFirst Opportunity

Pozen, Robert C., Rukmini Balu
July 2009

John Mason, a principle at Oldwell Partners, was facing a decision of whether or not to invest in DiagnoFirst, a molecular diagnostics firm. DiagnoFirst's key product was a genetic test that identified a subset of prostate cancer patients with a high risk of clinical progression and death. DiagnoFirst had applied for patents, in both the U.S. and EU, for the sequence of 40 genes, the new methodology for gene amplification, and the specific mechanics of the genetic tests. Mason's decision to invest in DiagnoFirst was based in part on the likelihood of obtaining patents and in part on the projected cash flows of the business under various scenarios. This case examines issues of intellectual property in science, international differences in patent law, and the decision-making process of venture capital in biotechnology deals.

Tokyo Electron Ltd.

Shih, Willy and Andrew King
July 2009

Tokyo Electron Ltd. operates in a constrained innovation environment, defined by modular boundaries that are long standing in the industry that it serves, the global semiconductor manufacturing industry. While the original motivation for these boundaries was division of labor and partitioning of a complex problem into manageable pieces, the company is now faced with a new innovation that crosses these boundaries and offers the opportunity to significantly improve the yield and performance of the manufacturing process. While the technical solution is straightforward, it is not clear that the company's customers are prepared to accept such a change because it would cross organizational lines that manufacturers have established for control purposes. The case frames the technical question and poses the organizational question.

Geographical Indications: I Say 'Kalamata,' the EU Says 'Black Olive' (A)

Pozen, Robert C., and Ani Satchcroft
July 2009

In April 2005, Alexandra was the owner of an Australian farm that produced olives, including Kalamata table olives. Alexandra had invested in the expansion of her farm in anticipation of the evolution of her market from domestic trade in Australia to international export. There was, however, a disruptive dispute before a WTO tribunal between Australia and the EU regarding the protection of Geographical Indications (GIs), which identify a product's origins and are treated as trademarks in some respects by international trade rules. Though Alexandra prepared her Kalamata olives in the traditional Kalamata technique, her use of the regionally specific name was threatened by the intellectual property rights provided by GIs. The case focuses on what should be the legal outcome of the WTO dispute, as well as possible business strategies by Alexandra in the event of an adverse outcome to Australia.

Geographical Indications: I Say 'Kalamata,' the EU Says 'Black Olive' (B)

Pozen, Robert C., and Ani Satchcroft
July 2009

Supplements the (A) case

Pfizer: Letter from the Chairman

Simons, Robert L., and Natalie Kindred
July 2009

This case explores maximizing shareholder value as a goal in executive decision making. Over a period of nine years, three different Pfizer CEOs make critical decisions intended to increase shareholder value. But the results are disappointing. To allow students to examine these decisions, the case provides excerpts from four Chairman's letters to shareholders from Pfizer's annual reports, followed by a description of the circumstances behind each letter. In the 2000 annual report, then-CEO Bill Steere discusses Pfizer's rise to industry prominence with the acquisition of Warner-Lambert. In the 2003 report, new CEO Hank McKinnell discusses Pfizer's performance goals and its acquisition of Pharmacia, which gave it control of the anti-arthritis drug Celebrex. In the 2005 report, McKinnell discusses his decision to keep Celebrex on the market despite health risks. In the 2006 report, new CEO Jeff Kindler barely mentions McKinnell's (controversial) early retirement and describes efforts to reform the company. The case closes in February 2009, just after Pfizer announces plans to acquire competitor Wyeth. Since 2000, Pfizer's tremendous growth in assets through acquisitions has not translated into significant growth in net income or share price. In closing, students are asked what Kindler should write in the letter to shareholders to open Pfizer's 2008 annual report.

Partners in Health: HIV Care in Rwanda

Porter, Michael E., Scott Lee, Joseph Rhatigan, and Jim Yong Kim
July 2009

In 2005, Partners in Health (PIH) was invited by the Rwandan Ministry of Health to assume responsibility for the management of public health care in two rural districts in Eastern Rwanda and create an HIV treatment program at these sites. PIH successfully implemented a comprehensive program focusing on four principles: health systems improvement, HIV prevention and care, accompaniment, and social and economic support. By January 2007, the Rwinkwavu site had conducted 67,137 HIV tests and provided antiretroviral therapy to more than 2,000 patients, of which, fewer than 1% had been switched to second-line drug regimens, 3.8% had died, and only one patient had been lost to follow up. A costing analysis done by the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative suggested that the model could feasibly be spread to other districts. Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, Executive Director of Rwanda's National AIDS Control Commission and her colleagues in the Ministry of Health are contemplating how the program could be improved and whether it should be expanded nationally.

Actis: January 2008

Hardymon, Felda G., Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon
July 2009

Paul Feltcher, the CEO of Actis, a leading private equity investor in emerging markets, is preparing for an executive retreat at which the management team will consider how best to position the firm for the future. Actis could move in a number of different directions by expanding into new geographies, asset classes, or deal sizes. Choices made along these dimensions all have different implications for the degree of cohesion between the regions and the headquarters in London, the types of funds the firm will raise, and the skills required of employees. One of the final challenges is whether Actis, which has produced a very good track record, even needs to change its business model at this point.

Executive Remuneration at Royal Dutch Shell (A)

Lorsch, Jay W., and Kaitlyn Simpson
July 2009

The remuneration committee at Shell decided to exercise their discretionary power to award five top executives a bonus for 2008, even though they had not met the necessary performance measures under the compensation plan. Proxy advisors RiskMetrics and the British Association of Insurers advise their clients to vote against the plan at the upcoming 2009 annual meeting. The Shell remuneration committee wonders how the shareholders will react.

Executive Remuneration at Royal Dutch Shell (B)

Lorsch, Jay W, and Kaitlyn Simpson
July 2009

At the 2009 Shell annual meeting, the majority of shareholders vote against the exclusive pay package. The B case compares the remuneration committee perspective (and their rationale for using discretion to award the bonuses) as well as the shareholder perspective (and their rationale for reacting so strongly against the pay package).

The Rejuvenated International Monetary Fund

Abdelai, Rawi, Jonathan Schlefer
May 2009

The International Monetary Fund was dismissed as almost irrelevant to the global economy, but during the 2008 financial crisis, it returned to center stage, providing financial rescues for developing countries.

Fighting Malnutrition and Hunger in the Developing World

Goldberg, Ray A., Djordjija Petkoski and Kerry Herman
May 2009

The millennium objectives of reducing poverty and malnutrition are not being met. How do the private, public, and NGO sectors of society work together to achieve better results and include the recipients in the process?

Managing Your Own Human Capital: Executive Interview Exercise

Groysberg, Boris, Robin Abrahams
May 2009

This note contains instructions for an exercise in which students interview C-level executives on how they have managed their careers.

Generation Investment Management

Sucher, Sandra, J., Daniela Beyersdorfer, and Ane Damgaard Jensen
May 2009

Examines the investment process of Generation Investment Management, a "sustainable" investing firm established in 2004 by David Blood and U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Places students in the position of David Lowish, director of global industrials, who must decide whether to recommend an investment in ABB India. The decision pits economic development-supplying energy to impoverished rural areas in India, against environmental damage-caused by the use of coal-fired power plants.

Note on the Global Wind Industry

Vietor, Richard H.K., Juliana Seminerio
May 2009

This note provides background information on the global wind industry and is meant to accompany HBS cases "The Suzlon Edge" (708-051); "Cape Wind: Offshore Wind Energy in the USA" (708-022); and "Supergrid" (707-016).

The First Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century

Alfaro, Laura, Renee Kim
May 2009

The global economy was expected to suffer from negative growth for the full year in 2009, a phenomenon not seen since World War II. While the U.S. subprime mortgage disaster was blamed as the original instigator, it was noted that the "global imbalances" of the U.S. current account deficit funded for many years by other nations such as China were also a chief culprit of the crisis. Policymakers around the world recognized that the scope and scale of the financial crisis required a coordinated global response. Yet there were conflicting views on what kind of action was needed to address the first global financial crisis of the 21st century.

Arcadia Biosciences: Seeds of Change

Daemmrich, Arthur A., Forest Reinhardt, Mary Shelman
May 2009

Arcadia Biosciences is an entrepreneurial California agricultural biotech company seeking to earn carbon credits by modifying commodity crops for use in China and India. Eric Rey, Arcadia's CEO, faced a strategic inflection point in early September 2008. The company had a plan to share carbon credits allocated by the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board to China, for use of Arcadia's rice varieties, since they enabled farmers to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use, in turn lowering greenhouse gas emissions. But the company's proprietary traits for nitrogen use efficiency, salt tolerance, and water use efficiency also had more conventional paths to market based on licensing deals to large seed companies. Alternatively, Arcadia could acquire a seed company and develop and market its seed directly. A different near-term growth area involved commercializing enriched safflower oil, which had undergone several proof-of-concept tests and for which Rey foresaw a clear market in nutritional supplements and functional foods. The case provides context on the company; describes advances in crops genetics focused to climate change and associated resource issues of fertilizer use, water use, and soil salinity; and poses strategic choices for a start-up company operating at the intersection of business, agriculture, and climate change.

CalPERS' Emerging Equity Markets Principles

Eccles, Robert G., Aldo Sesia Jr
May 2009

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CaIPERS)-the largest public pension fund in the U.S.-had adopted a new principles-based approach to investing in emerging market equities in November 2007. Previously, CalPERS internal and external money managers were prohibited from investing in certain developing countries because the countries failed to meet certain standards for political stability, human rights, market regulation, etc. The new principles-based approach would allow CalPERS money managers to invest in companies that were financially attractive and competitively positioned provided their business practices were sound from an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) perspective regardless of where they were located. By allowing investment in these types of companies regardless of where they operated, CalPERS had hoped to improve its investment returns. The case is set in January 2009, a little more than a year from the time the principles-based approach had been adopted. It is a good time to review the implementation process and how the new principles-based approach changed CaIPERS' emerging market equities portfolios and their returns. The case focuses on one of CalPERS' external fund managers, Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), and a service provider to DFA and CalPERS, KLD Research & Analytics. One question facing CalPERS with this new approach is whether to invest in PetroChina, which had been off-limits previously due to the screening criteria that were used to identify which countries qualified for emerging markets investments. The case also raises the issue of the difference between "value" and "values" investing and the future importance of ESG investing.

Supply Chain Optimization at Hugo Boss (A)

Raman, Ananth, Nicole DeHoratius, and Zahra Kanji
May 2009

We evaluate the impact of a supply chain pilot implemented at Hugo Boss. This pilot entailed altering the way in which Hugo Boss orders from its suppliers. We explore the challenge of assessing the impact of supply chain change, the link between operational performance and firm performance, and the relationship between sales, inventory, and product availability.

Supply Chain Optimization at Hugo Boss (B)-The M Ratio

Raman, Ananth, Nicole DeHoratius, and Zahra Kanji
May 2009

We evaluate the impact of a supply chain pilot implemented at Hugo Boss. This pilot entailed altering the way in which Hugo Boss orders from its suppliers. We explore the challenge of assessing the impact of supply chain change, the link between operational performance and firm performance, and the relationship between sales, inventory, and product availability.

The Financial Crisis of 2008

Trumbull, Gunnar
May 2009

This case presents excerpts from the speeches of observers to the 2008 financial crisis, including former and current central bankers, a private banker, and a Nobel-prize winning economist. They present different interpretations of the causes of the financial crisis and make proposals about how a similar crisis might be stopped in the future. The goal of the case is to provide students with alternative perspectives and broad historical data so that they can evaluate both causes of and responses to the crisis.

Sanctuary Soft, Inc.

Groysberg, Boris, Geoff Eckman Marietta, Tim Marshal, and Adam Hartley
May 2009

A U.S.-based security software company considers its options to expand. Different labor-market and labor-law situations are analyzed for the U.S., U.K., Germany, China, and India.

Bono and U2

Koehn, Nancy F., Katherine Miller, and Rachel Wilcox
May 2009

This case traces the 30-year development of the rock band U2 and the development of its four members as artists, business leaders, and humanitarians (with particular attention paid to lead singer Bono's global humanitarian work). The case examines the beginnings of the band among four school friends and follows the development of the enterprise as a business and as a powerful social and cultural force in its own right. It also investigates the individual journeys of the band members during moments of great success and significant challenges. The case pays particular attention to the four men's evolving identities as musical artists and to the tradeoffs that have accompanied their fame and larger social commitments. The case takes up the evolution of the global music industry in the face of rapid technological and organizational change, examining how U2 and colleagues navigated such change, built a very powerful brand, and created a successful business model. The final part of the case traces lead singer Bono's involvement in political and humanitarian causes and the potential power of such a model as a framework for artistry, entrepreneurship, and effective leadership in the 21st century.

Merck: Global Health and Access to Medicines

Rangan, V. Kasturi, Katharine Lee
May 2009

The case describes the effort of Merck, a global leader in pharmaceuticals, in making available its medicines to the poor. The challenge for the company (or for that matter, any pharmaceutical company) is how to integrate its business strategy with its corporate social responsibility, especially when operating in "lower income" countries.

Brummer and the bracNet Investment

Ebrahim, Alnoor, Michael Pirson, and Patricia Mangas
May 2009

bracNet, a for-profit/nonprofit partnership, aims to establish Internet connectivity throughout Bangladesh. Venture capitalist Patrik Brummer invested in a first round of funding to connect major cities. Should he invest again, this time in a rural roll-out, which may have lower financial returns but greater social returns?

Note: Restructuring Distressed Companies-Cross National Comparisons

Fruhan, William E. Jr.
May 2009

This note briefly describes bankruptcy regimes and out-of-court restructuring in five countries: the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, and Japan.

Putting Sparkle into Soda-Club's European Partnerships

Isenberg, Daniel J.
April 2009

Daniel Birnbaum, new CEO of Soda-Club, has taken charge of a company with significant market penetration, brand equity, and revenues in certain European markets. The company is also plagued with hostile relationships with major distributors. He needs to decide how to turn the situation around and create opportunity out of crisis.

Miles Everson at PricewaterhouseCoopers

Eccles, Robert G., and David Lane
April 2009

Miles Everson, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), is the Global Engagement Partner (GEP) for a large U.S. financial institution and about to take over this role for a much larger global financial institution. The GEP role is a critical one at PwC. GEPs have responsibility for the firm's largest and most important clients. They must manage a vast external network of client employees and an equally vast internal network of the firm's employees. The GEP needs to have a deep understanding of the client and its industry in order to identify opportunities and problems where the firm's resources can be brought to bear and to match the firm's capabilities to the client's needs. GEPs must be able to simultaneously manage a larger number of tasks, often under great time pressure. This case describes how a very effective GEP-Miles Everson, who was named one of the top 25 consultants for 2006 by Consulting magazine-performs this role and provides insights into the attitudes, skills, and subject matter expertise necessary to be successful in this role. Insights into how Everson does this job are provided by both PwC and client personnel. As is often the case, Everson is responsible for a business (in his case Governance, Risk, and Compliance), and so he has substantial internal management responsibilities as well. The case raises questions about whether he will be able to retain these internal management responsibilities when he takes over a much larger and more complex global client and becomes the Senior Engagement Partner (SEP) on his current client. (SEPs perform an oversight role for the work being done by the GEP and his or her team and are typically very senior members of the firm.) The case also raises areas where Everson can improve.

Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability (A)

Edmondson, Amy C., Robert G. Eccles, Mona Srivastava
April 2009

Describes an architecture firm founded and run by a husband and wife team, Sharukh and Renu Mistry, that emphasizes "green" building. The firm presents an unusual mix of projects-spanning the spectrum from larger corporate projects to small private homes. The mix also includes more profitable work and projects deliberately selected for social good, including the design of orphanage communities for SOS Children's International and other nonprofit organizations. The mix engages teams of young architects in different kinds of learning opportunities and allows them to manage these projects with an unusually high level of independence. The firm's founders are dedicated to being both very client-oriented and environmentally responsible. This can lead to some difficult choices and the case illustrates one example. The firm has been commissioned by SOS to design homes for some villages destroyed in the December 24, 2004 tsunami. The preferred design is thatch roofs which is in keeping with the local environment. However, the villagers want a more functional (and more expensive) reinforced cement concrete roof. Sharukh must decide which of his principles is to dominate in this situation.

Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability (B)

Edmondson, Amy C., Robert G. Eccles, Mona Srivastava
April 2009

This case is a follow-up of Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability (A) (Case 609-044). In Case (A) Sharukh and Renu Mistry found and run an architectural firm dedicated to being both client-oriented and environmentally responsible. The case uses a difficult design decision in a tsunami rehabilitation project to illustrate the challenges faced by professional services firms, and the role of innovation in meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders. The specific design decision is to make a choice between thatch roofs which are environmentally friendly, versus reinforced cement concrete roofs that the villagers desire for its functionality. Case (B) reveals and explains the firm's choice, while describing how the community rebuilds itself after the tsunami, as well as how the firms evolves. A (C) case discusses the future plans of the firm including growth and succession issues.

Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability(C)

Edmondson, Amy C., Robert G. Eccles, Mona Srivastava
April 2009

This case is a follow-up to "Mistry Architects: Innovating for Sustainability (A)" (Case 609-044) and (B) (Case 609-086). In Case (A) Sharukh and Renu Mistry founded and run an architectural firm dedicated to being both client-oriented and environmentally responsible. The case uses a difficult design decision in a tsunami rehabilitation project to illustrate the challenges faced by professional services firms and the role of innovation in meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders. The specific design decision is to make a choice between thatch roofs, which are environmentally friendly, versus reinforced cement concrete roofs that the villagers desire for their functionality. Case (B) reveals and explains the firm's choice, while describing how the community rebuilds itself after the tsunami, as well as how the firm evolves. The (C) case discusses the future plans of the firm including growth and succession issues.

Aderans

Greenwood, Robin, Rakesh Khurana, Masako Egawa
April 2009

Steel Partners is a U.S.-based hedge fund that has made a large investment in Japan-based wigmaker Aderans. The case is set at the close of the annual meeting in May 2008, when shareholders have voted against all incumbent board members. Steel Partners must act quickly. The case serves as an overview of corporate governance issues in Japan, as well as describing the costs and benefits of the "stakeholder" view of corporate governance.

Washington Mutual's Covered Bonds

Bergstresser, Daniel B., Robin Greenwood, James Quinn
April 2009

Washington Mutual issued 6 billion euro of covered bonds in 2006. The objective of the case is to ask whether these bonds are mispriced in late 2008. The case is set in September 2008, and Washington Mutual is facing considerable distress due to mounting losses in its mortgage portfolio. Following investment bank Lehman Brother's Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in mid-September, the price of Washington Mutual's covered bonds has fallen to 75 per 100 of face value. As these bonds are overcollateralized, the case asks students to evaluate the underlying collateral portfolio in the event of liquidation, as well as assessing the likelihood of different outcomes. The case takes place during a period of considerable uncertainty in the global capital markets.

Targanta Therapeutics: Hitting a Moving Target

Daemmrich, Arthur A.,
April 2009

This case explores regulatory, product testing, and business strategy at Targanta Therapeutics, a biotech company preparing its first new drug application to the FDA. In October 2007, Mark Leuchtenberger, president and CEO of Targanta-which has just held a successful IPO-weighs options for the approximately ten-month review period after the company submits to the Food and Drug Administration. The case reviews Targanta's origins and "de-risking" of oritavancin, an antibiotic therapy for drug-resistant infections that was first invented at Eli Lilly and then spun out to InterMune before Targanta acquired it in late 2005. To highlight the impact of regulatory policy on business strategy, the case then describes a set of choices facing the firm, including staffing a marketing and sales group, carrying out additional clinical testing to expand the approved indications, applying for European market approval, or keeping funds in reserve in the event that the FDA requests further data.

The Credit Suisse/Gerson Lehrman Group Alliance

Eccles, Robert G., Laura Winig
April 2009

The equity research department of Credit Suisse and the expert network firm of Gerson Lehrman Group, historically competitors, have established a strategic alliance which both believe will give them a competitive advantage. Under the leadership of its head of equity research, Stefano NateIIa, Credit Suisse has responded to the continuing pressures on the sell-side research function with a focus on making it a revenue center. One pressure on sell-side research is the introduction of alternative business models for providing sell-side research, such as from expert networks like the Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG). GLG has established a network of nearly 200,000 experts who provide advice to institutional investors in a different way, which emphasizes private consultations with these experts about questions of very specific interest to the investor. Natella and Saint-Amand have agreed to a two-year alliance which gives the analysts at Credit Suisse access to the experts in GLG's network, as a way of improving the quality of their research. Credit Suisse can also get additional revenues by placing its analysis in the GLG network, although under some severe constraints. GLG gets additional revenues from its contract with Credit Suisse and from introductions to other potential clients that Credit Suisse will make. It also grows its network from the addition of the analysts at Credit Suisse. The alliance has been announced just before the financial markets began their meltdown in October of 2008, and both Natella and Saint-Amand are wondering what this means for the future of the alliance.

VOSS Artesian Water from Norway

Moon, Youngme E., Gail McGovern, Daniela Beyersdorfer and Vincent Dessain
April 2009

VOSS is a Norwegian bottled water company that produces one of the world's purest drinking waters, sold at an ultra-premium price in a sleek cylindrical glass bottle of minimalist design. In the U.S. (the company's primary market), VOSS's high-end brand presence is strongest in on-premise locations-specifically, top-of-the-line restaurants, hotels, and clubs. The brand has only recently begun penetrating the off-premise channel. In June 2007, Ole Christian Sandberg, VOSS's founder and head of U.S. operations, is considering how to grow the brand. The key question is whether VOSS should increase its distribution in the off-premise channel. Will this diminish VOSS's high-end brand cachet? A related question is whether VOSS should begin expanding its portfolio by offering, for example, flavored water for the rapidly evolving U.S. bottled water market.

South Pole Carbon Asset Management-Going for Gold?

Reinhardt, Forest, L., Jost Hamschmidt, Mikell Hyman
April 2009

In late 2008, Christoph Sutter, CEO of South Pole Carbon Asset Management, reflects on his firm's early success at originating carbon credits in developing nations and selling them to governments and firms that seek to offset their greenhouse gas emissions voluntarily or to fulfill regulatory obligations. South Pole's early strategy has focused on being a first mover in the niche market for premium quality carbon credits. But as the market evolves in the face of significant policy uncertainty, Sutter wonders what South Pole's strategy should be for the future. This case study can facilitate discussions about environmental markets, about opportunities for entrepreneurship raised by new environmental regulations, and about challenges in markets for tradable pollution permits.

Yahoo! in China (A)

Sucher, Sandra J., Daniel Baer
April 2009

In 2007 Jerry Yang, CEO of Yahoo!, was lambasted by U.S. Representative Tom Lantos, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, for Yahoo's role in the arrest and imprisonment of Chinese journalist and democracy advocate Shi Tao. The case describes the actions that Yahoo! had taken to grow its business in China, its handling of a government request for the identity of a Yahoo! user, and subsequent actions by the firm to respond to negative publicity and congressional inquiry. The case raises broad questions about the challenge of complying with domestic law when operating in states that do not consistently respect human rights, and satisfying stakeholders across national boundaries. It allows students to consider the practical steps that a firm can take to protect itself and its stakeholders in states where the law is not always a reliable safeguard.

Yahoo! in China (B)

Sucher, Sandra J., Baer, Daniel
April 2009

Describes the actions that Jerry Yang took to manage the aftermath of the Shi Tao incident following the 2007 Congressional hearing.

Financial Management of Family and Closely Held Firms: Overview of the Course

Villalonga, Belen
April 2009

Most companies around the world are controlled by their founding families, including more than half of all public corporations in the U.S. and Europe and more than two thirds of those in Asia. These companies are the subject of the Financial Management of Family and Closely Held Firms course, an elective MBA course at Harvard Business School. The course introduces students to the unique finance, governance, and management issues faced by family firms and to the ways in which these issues can be addressed. The course provides students with a framework for analyzing how family ownership, control, and management affect value and whether and how more value can be created for the various stakeholders in family firms. The course is designed for students who may be involved with these companies in a variety of roles, including those of founders, shareholders, or managers of their own family's firm, as well as those of non-family managers and employees, investors or business partners (e.g., private equity investors), and advisors of various kinds (e.g., investment bankers, board members, or consultants).

Note on Measuring Controlling Shareholders' Ownership, Voting, and Control Rights

Villalonga, Belen
April 2009

Founders and their families can raise equity without relinquishing control of their companies through the use of mechanisms such as dual-class stock, pyramidal ownership, voting agreements, and disproportionate board representation. The use of these mechanisms in publicly traded companies is widespread throughout the world and in the United States. Understanding how the various mechanisms contribute to the separation between economic ownership and control is important for the individuals who set them up because the choice among these mechanisms impacts firm value. It is also important for minority shareholders in these companies and for regulators, for reasons of transparency and investor protection.

Note on Sum-of-the-Parts Valuation

Villalonga, Belen
April 2009

Most large companies operate in more than one business. Valuing a diversified company requires separate valuations for each of its businesses and for the corporate headquarters. This method of valuing a company by parts and then adding them up is known as Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) valuation and is commonly used in practice by stock market analysts and companies themselves. However, it is rarely taught in MBA programs or broached in valuation textbooks. Yet the application of the method raises a number of challenges

Note on Valuing Control and Liquidity in Family and Closely Held Firms

Villalonga, Belen
April 2009

Most companies around the world are family controlled and/or closely held. The need to value these companies routinely arises in practice for a variety of reasons, e.g., to buy out minority shareholders; for gift and estate tax purposes; to tie executive compensation to firm performance; to raise outside capital; or to sell the company outright. However, these companies present certain unique characteristics that can make standard valuation methods inappropriate for them.

Gucci Group in 2009

Yoffie, David, Renee Kim
April 2009

The Gucci Group had transformed itself into the world's third largest luxury retailer with multiple brands. The company had performed well even after the departure of star designer Tom Ford and former CEO Domenico De Sole. However, the challenging global economic times in 2009 raised the question whether it was time, again, to re-adjust Gucci's portfolio, especially as YSL continued to lose money.

Chronology of the Asian Financial Crisis

Alfaro, Laura, Rafael M. Di Tella, Renee Kim
April 2009

In July 1997, Thailand became the first Asian "tiger" economy to abandon its fixed exchange rate system in response to speculative attacks on its currency. Investors started to flee Asia, and the crisis rapidly spread to other countries. Central banks spent billions of dollars to try and defend their currencies, only to seek emergency bailouts from the International Monetary Fund. This case presents a chronology of events that unraveled during the Asian financial crisis from 1997 to the end of 1998.

UBS and Auction Rate Securities (A)

Daniel Baird Bergstresser, Shawn Cole, Shinai Siddharth
April 2009

UBS, a global financial services company, must decide whether to continue to support the market for Auction Rate Securities in the face of a growing financial crisis. These instruments, underwritten by UBS, were marketed to clients as highly liquid and safe alternatives to cash. UBS' decision becomes urgent when Citigroup, another leading underwriter of ARS, decides to let their auctions fail, leaving clients with illiquid assets of uncertain value. The case explores theoretical and practical aspects of liquidity risk, and challenges students to evaluate the benefits of honoring implicit commitments to customers against the costs of acquiring billions of dollars in illiquid assets. The (B) and (C) cases consider the implications of UBS decision

UBS and Auction Rate Securities (B)

Daniel Baird Bergstresser, Shawn Cole, Shinai Siddharth
April 2009

Supplement to the (A) case

UBS and Auction Rate Securities (C)

Daniel Baird Bergstresser, Shawn Cole, Shinai Siddharth
April 2009

Supplement to the (A) case

SAP AG: Orchestrating the Ecosystem

Iansiti, Marco, Lakhani, Karim R.,
April 2009

Business ecosystems require careful orchestration and strategic choices regarding make/buy/partner decisions and membership access. This case examines the strategic and technological issues related to managing SAP's thriving ecosystem of user communities, software vendors, integration partners, and technology providers. It details how the ecosystem gets developed and the challenges in meeting the needs of the internal organization, large partners, and small up-and-coming firms. SAP executives, in this case, have to make a decision if a relatively small startup firm should be elevated to the highest strategic partnership level, normally reserved for very large firms.

Khosla Ventures: Biofuels Strategy

Lassiter, Joseph B., William A. Sahlman, and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld
March 2009

By 2008, a number of the firm's early cleantech investments were showing promise, and the companies were starting to need significantly more money to create the massive scale required in the energy sector. As Khosla thought about the hundreds of millions of dollars required by his portfolio companies, he wondered how he should position his firm at this stage of development. Should Khosla develop a new fund that focused on later-stage investments? Should he seek investments from large industry players such as the major oil companies? Should he try raising money from the managers of the sovereign funds in countries such as Singapore, Kuwait, and China? How should the firm work with its strategic partners? Khosla knew that lining up enough later stage funding would be challenging, as the cleantech industry was still unproven for investors. Nevertheless, he was determined to continue his pattern of making bold investments in this emerging field.

One Firm One Future at Davis Langdon

Eccles, Robert G., and Kaitlyn Simpson
March 2009

Rob Smith, senior partner of construction consultancy Davis Langdon, has just led the firm through a major organizational change in Europe and the Middle East. In the past, the firm's compensation arrangements did not encourage partners to collaborate across the firm to serve clients' increasingly global and complex needs. In 2007, under Smith's leadership, the partnership agreed to implement holistic change, which included shifting from geographical to sector structure and creating a profit-sharing system that rewarded more than just financial contribution and encouraged partners to work together for the benefit of the firm as a whole. In the midst of the global economic crisis, Smith must decide whether and how to extend on a global basis the alignment the firm achieved in Europe and the Middle East.

Paresh Patel: Building a Life in the Context of Global Business-October 2007

Stevenson, Howard H., and Shirley Spence
March 2009

This case tells the story of Paresh Patel, born in Boston to an Indian immigrant family, as he develops an entrepreneurial career, participates in the Indian diaspora, and builds a family life. It provides background on Paresh's heritage, describes his youth and education (including HBS), his learning experience as the manager of a large family fund, his decision to launch a hedge fund in India, and the first years of the venture. It also profiles Nirva Patel and describes how they met, married, and managed the transition to a new life in Mumbai, including the impact on her career and personal aspirations. The case issue, set in October 2007, is whether to have their first child in Mumbai, or return to the U.S. for the delivery.

Lawrence Trinh: Venturing to Vietnam

Margolis, Joshua D., and Rachel Gordon
March 2009

Should Lawrence Trinh pursue his aspiration of working in Vietnam-and if so, what set of principles and practices should he adopt if he encounters corruption? These are questions that reverberate for many students who wish to work in emerging markets and other contexts that pose stiff ethical challenges. Trinh seeks to combine his background in financial services with his desire to contribute to Vietnam's economic development, and he has to decide among four job offers with investment firms. But it is a complicated decision. First, none of the job offers fit his selection criteria perfectly. Second, despite growing reforms, Vietnam is still ranked poorly on indices of corruption. Third, Trinh's father (who fled Vietnam following the war) frowns upon doing anything that could contribute to the communist regime. Fourth, Trinh's girlfriend is about to start her next stage of medical training in the United States, which means that pursuing his aspiration now will separate them. All of these considerations raise three questions: (1) Is the timing right for Trinh to embark on his personal mission of contributing to the well-being of Vietnam? (2) Which job offer should he accept? (3) What set of principles and practices should he adopt that will enable him to remain true to his values and sustain his capacity to be a true agent of change, yet not undermine his ability to succeed as an investor?

One Firm One Future at Davis Langdon

Eccles, Robert G., and Kaitlyn Simpson
March 2009

Rob Smith, senior partner of construction consultancy Davis Langdon, has just led the firm through a major organizational change in Europe and the Middle East. In the past, the firm's compensation arrangements did not encourage partners to collaborate across the firm to serve clients' increasingly global and complex needs. In 2007, under Smith's leadership, the partnership agreed to implement holistic change, which included shifting from geographical to sector structure and creating a profit-sharing system that rewarded more than just financial contribution and encouraged partners to work together for the benefit of the firm as a whole. In the midst of the global economic crisis, Smith must decide whether and how to extend on a global basis the alignment the firm achieved in Europe and the Middle East.

Solvay Group: International Mobility and Managing Expatriates

Groysberg, Boris, Nitin Nohria, and Kerry Herman
March 2009

Marcel Lorent, head of International Mobility at Brussels-based Solvay Group, faces decisions on the expatriation status of four of his firm's talented executives. Each decision will impact the candidate's professional and personal life and will have implications for effective management and growth in Solvay's global markets. The case explores these issues, with a close look at Solvay's attempts to develop talent management and mobility processes that allow the firm to align its strategic needs with the complexities of its individual employees' needs and lives.

Lan Airlines in 2008: Connecting the World to Latin America

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Jorge Tarzijan, and Jordan Mitchell
March 2009

Lan Airlines operates three distinct models: low-cost for domestic short-haul flights, full-service for international routes; and an international cargo business, the latter of which makes up 33% of Lan's overall revenues (markedly different from many U.S. legacy carriers that derive 3% to 4% of revenues from cargo). Since a change of ownership in 1994, Lan has grown steadily and quickly at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% from $318 million in revenues to $3.5 billion at the end of 2007. Lan is at an interesting point in history as the low-cost model was recently implemented. While early results have been strong, observers wonder if the airline can successfully manage three disparate business models.

WL Ross and Plascar

Foley, C. Fritz, and Linnea Meyer
March 2009

How can distressed investors take advantage of the procedures governing an international bankruptcy? Wilbur L. Ross, chairman and CEO of the private equity firm WL Ross & Co., LLC, has the opportunity to bid for debt and equity claims on Plascar Industria e Comercio Ltda., the Brazilian subsidiary of the bankrupt global auto components company Collins & Aikman Corp. In evaluating this opportunity, students must analyze Ross's strategy to reshape a global industry with significant overcapacity, consider the opportunities created by the legal procedures that govern cross-border insolvencies, study a debt overhang problem, and consider how restructuring alternatives can address this problem.

GLOBALGAP: Food Safety and Private Standards

Bell, David E., and Mary Shelman
February 2009

In response to new laws governing liability and several food safety scares in the 1990s, European retailers drove the creation of a universal production standard based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for fresh fruit and vegetables and a third-party certification system to monitor compliance. By 2008, the GLOBALGAP standard had expanded to cover coffee, tea, livestock, and aquaculture. Over 90,000 producers in 87 countries had been certified. Looking ahead, GLOBALGAP's board and management were discussing a number of questions, including the following: should GAP include environmental and social aspects beyond food safety; what was GLOBALGAP's role outside of Europe; and how GLOBALGAP is a 'hidden asset' compared to ethical labels such as Fair Trade.

The Great Moderation

Comin, Diego
February 2009

The Great Moderation is a significant decline in the volatility of fluctuations in most macroeconomic variables that the United States and other developed and developing economies have experienced at least since the mid-1980s. This case describes the basic facts, presents contending explanations, and explores the consequences of the Great Moderation for the likely amplitude of future business cycles.

Londolozi: Towards a Sustainable Business Model and Ecological Integrity in Southern Africa

Abdelal, Rawi, and Thomas Koelble
February 2009

The Londolozi game viewing reserve in South Africa became a defining icon of ecotourism during the 1990s and early 2000s-that is, a tourist business promoting ecological land management and, at the same time, local economic development. The reserve was in a region in the northeastern part of the country, not far from Mozambique, that sorely called out for progress in both these dimensions. The Sabi Sand Game reserve (within which Londolozi was located) was initially created by the government to provide hunters with an area in which to hunt wildlife. The government retained a portion of the reserve as the Kruger National Park, which allowed visitors to view wildlife, but banned hunting, in an effort to boost wildlife populations. The KNP was initially fenced off from the Sabi Sands Game reserve to prevent hunters from moving into the wildlife reserve. The fence, however, also prevented traditional east-west migration of animals across the region. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the farms within the Sabi Sand Game reserve converted their functions from hunting to wildlife viewing, and the fence was taken down. The new challenge for the farms while transforming into wildlife viewing became land management and local economic development.

Columbus Tubing: Steel Is Real

Snow, Daniel C., Gary P. Pisano, Elena Corsi, and Gudrun Urfalino Kristinsdottir.
February 2009

Columbus Tubing must choose to improve an old technology (steel) or to develop a new material (carbon fiber). The decision must take into account a complicated context: increased demand for the "old" steel products made in Italy, increasing power of carbon fiber manufacturing partners in Asia, growing wage rates in Asia, and high wage rates in Italy. Two plans have been presented to the CEO, Antonio Colombo. The first is to push development of all of the company's technologies, perhaps even seeking new markets for them. The second is to rationalize operations and to redirect R&D resources to marketing of stylish, lower-tech bicycles. The company's future hangs in the balance.

Winning the Race for Talent in Emerging Markets

Ready, Douglas A., Linda A. Hill, and Jay A. Conger
February 2009

This war for talent is like nothing we've ever seen before, write the authors, who have spent decades studying talent management and leadership development. Recently they interviewed executives at more than 20 global companies to identify strategies for attracting talent in developing economies-where, they learned, brand, opportunity, purpose, and culture play out in particular ways. A desirable brand affiliation in conjunction with inspirational leadership appeals to eager young high potentials suddenly awash in possibilities. Opportunity should imply an accelerated career track-or at least a fast-paced acquisition of skills and experience. Purpose ought to benefit a job candidate's home country and express the value of global citizenship. A company's culture should be meritocratic, value both individual and team accomplishments, and follow through on promises implied in recruitment. The authors claim that emerging markets pose special challenges for foreign multinationals. For instance, talent strategies that work at home will probably need extensive tailoring to succeed in the developing world, and an overreliance on fluency in English may impede spotting talent. It's critical to develop a core of local talent and to embrace and leverage diversity. In the talent race, a local company that creates genuine opportunities and exhibits the desired cultural conditions will often win out over a Western multinational offering higher pay.

Harvard Business Review 86, no. 11 (November 2008).

Grupo Bimbo: Growth and Social Responsibility

Rangan, V. Kasturi, and Regina Garcia-Cuellar
February 2009

Bimbo, headquartered in Mexico with 2008 sales of $7 billion, was one of the largest bakery companies in the world. Even as it had grown spectacularly in the last several decades, the company had earned a stellar reputation for its corporate social responsibility (CSR). As the company set its sights on international expansion, its third generation CFO, Daniel Servitje, wondered how to keep its growth and CSR objectives neatly aligned.

Accenture's War for Talent in India

Eccles, Robert G., David Lane, Namrata Arora, and Prabakar "PK" Kothandaraman
February 2009

No abstract available

The World Food Programme during the Global Food Crisis (A)

Mikes, Anette, Peter Tufano, Eric Werker, and Jan-Emmanuel de Neve
February 2009

Rising food prices threatened an unprecedented number of people around the world with malnutrition or starvation in 2008. The new Executive Director of the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP)-the world's largest food relief agency-must not only address this challenge but also must rethink the WFP's strategy in the rapidly changing world of humanitarian assistance.

When Supply Is of Public Interest: Roche & Tamiflu

Watson, Noel, Laura Rock Kopczak, and Prashant Yadav
February 2009

The case focuses on the challenges of Roche maintaining a supply network for a global influenza pandemic response initiative based on its antiviral drug Tamiflu. The Roche group is a 40 billion CHF company consisting of a pharmaceutical division and a diagnostic division. The company's antiviral drug Tamiflu dominates the market for prevention and treatment of seasonal influenza (flu). Tamiflu, however, could also play an important role in responding to the first wave of a pandemic caused by a particularly harmful strain of the influenza virus A. Tamiflu was designed to be effective against any strain of Type A or B influenza. Thus, there was the potential to establish a preparedness plan based on creating a stockpile of the drug in conjunction with an appropriate plan for distribution to the affected population. The use of Tamiflu in such a crisis would allow the world to respond immediately, rather than having to wait for development of a vaccine which had limitations in its effectiveness, and the drug had been endorsed by the WHO as a first line of defense. The case focuses on the challenges of Roche maintaining a supply network for a global pandemic response initiative. Managing supply is particularly challenging for three reasons. First, demand for stockpile quantities is spiky and uncertain, and governments placing orders expect lead times to be short. Second, lead times for increasing capacity are long, as are lead times for drug production and encapsulation. Last, media coverage and press releases made by governments and other stakeholders increase the stakes, as negative media coverage may damage Roche's reputation with consumers, leading to lower sales levels for its products.

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Hardymon, G. Felda, Josh Lerner, and Ann Leamon
February 2009

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is one of the largest and fastest-growing pools of investment capital in the world and follows an unusually active program of investment management. In the market turmoil of late 2008, Mark Wiseman, Senior Vice President of the Private Investments Department, must decide if this approach is still the best way to fulfill his organization's goal of protecting and increasing the pension assets of 17 million Canadians.

Olam International

Bell, David E., and Mary Shelman
January 2009

In 20 years, Sunny Verghese had built Singapore-based Olam International from a small Nigerian export company into a $5 billion global leader in agricultural commodities with a core competence in Africa. Olam's growth had come by pursuing product and geographic adjacencies, and its "farm gate to factory gate" approach had been extended to 14 agricultural products, including cashews, sesame, cocoa, and coffee. In mid-October 2008, Olam's stock price declined to $1 a share from a high of $3.71 in early 2007 as part of the global economic crisis. Verghese had to decide whether to change the firm's strategy based on the new economic environment.

JBS Swift & Co.

Bell, David E., and Catherine Ross
January 2009

Brazilian meat packer JBS surprised many in the U.S. beef industry when it acquired Swift & Co.-a company more than five times its size-in 2007, then moved to acquire the U.S.'s fourth and fifth largest beef producers in 2008. The new JBS Swift slashed costs and restructured, turning around a quarterly loss of $99 million to a gain of $140 million within 6 months. JBS aimed to position itself to supply beef markets around the world, but it faced a perfect storm of rising feed and fuel prices, a global credit crisis, and industry analysts skeptical about the company's debt load.

Clutch Group: Should Abhi Shah Grab This Opportunity?

Isenberg, Daniel J.
January 2009

Abhi Shah ('06), co-founding CEO of Clutch Group in the U.S. and Bangalore, must decide whether to risk a law suit by recruiting an entire legal services team from a large U.S. corporation. His decision and how he implements it will have a dramatic impact on the legal process outsourcing startup.

Omron: Sensing Society

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Ethan S. Bernstein
January 2009

Leading profitable growth is only part of the goal. We cannot live without breathing, but we do not live in order to take a breath, said Omron's President and CEO, Hisao Sakuta, in 2008. Omron, a $7 billion global supplier of sensors, control system components, advanced electronics, and related services, had thrived on its ability to spot social needs and innovate. By May 10, 2008 (Omron's 75th Anniversary), Sakuta had led Omron out of a difficult time and into six years of consistently strong results, on the foundation of Omron's unique, socially-focused values: "At work for a better life, a better world for all." His goal now was "continuing to lead profitable, globally-distributed growth" in spite of major shifts in Omron's markets: from components to systems; from products to solutions; from standardized to 'mass customized' products; from longer-cycle to shorter-cycle technologies; from home country-dominated innovation to distributed innovation mediated by the center; and from 'quality' meaning producing a quality input for the next step of the value chain to being held responsible for the quality of the final product (end-to-end responsibility). In each case, management believed customers no longer felt that they were just buying a product. Rather, they were buying expectations of Omron's commitment to solving their problems. In part, they were buying Omron's philosophy. And, Sakuta reflected, "As the company grows larger with a larger number of employees on a global scale, people tend to have more tenuous recognition of who Omron is or why Omron exists." On Omron's 75th anniversary, Sakuta celebrated Omron's past but also recognized that successfully addressing Omron's next challenges involved a further journey along Omron's current path of change. How could Omron maintain the core principles of the past while making them applicable to the global present and borderless future?

Consumer Lending in Japan: Citi CFJ (A)

Trumbull, J. Gunnar, and Akiko Kanno
January 2009

Despite a tradition of high household savings, Japan has supported a dynamic and technically sophisticated consumer-lending sector. The high profitability of the sector has periodically attracted interest from domestic banks as well as international investors. Most recently, in 1998 and 2000 respectively, GE Capital and Citi Financial both acquired Japanese consumer-lending companies. In 2006, when the Japanese Supreme Court rules that one of the big Japanese consumer lenders must repay a borrower for "excess interest payments," the U.S. firms must decide how to respond.

Cola Wars: Going Global

Cespedes, Frank V
January 2009

This case is meant to be used in conjunction with the extant "Cola Wars" case studies. It outlines the global positions of Pepsi and Coca-Cola as of 2008 in the soft drink market, and then provides an overview of their competitive situations in three markets: Mexico, China, and India. The case raises the issue of whether any or all of these markets are a) structurally attractive for soft drink firms, and b) if so, how can Pepsi best "catch-up" with Coca-Cola in a given market.

Note on Medical Travel

Herzlinger, Regina E., and Sara Green
January 2009

Background notes for MedVal and Fortis case studies.

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2008

Shaklee Corporation: Corporate Social Responsibility

Marquis, Chris, V. Kasturi Rangan, and Alison Comings
December 2008

Having bought Shaklee Corporation from Yamanouchi, Roger Barnett, its owner and CEO, wrestled with the question of how to grow the company and its reputation for environmental sustainability. In addition to preserving the "network marketing" nature of its sales channel (because it creates jobs and entrepreneurs), Barnett wished to take the business model to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The Chubb Corporation in China

Jin, Li, Michael Shih-ta Chen, and Aldo Sesia Jr
December 2008

The Chubb Corporation, headquartered in the U.S., was the holding company for a number of property and casualty insurance companies which operated in 29 countries. In 1979, the Chinese government, as part of its "reform and open" policy invited a delegation of Chubb executives to discuss insurance issues. In the mid-1990s, Chubb opened representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen to do market research and assess the potential of the Chinese insurance market. In 2000, China authorized Chubb (one of only three foreign insurers) to sell insurance in the country. During the next five years China's non-life insurance industry grew from $8.3 billion in 2001 to $15.9 billion in 2005. Yet in 2007, domestic insurers continued to dominate market share and, Chubb had not realized the profits it had anticipated. The case provides an overview of property and casualty insurance, the Chinese insurance market and the challenges that foreign-based insurers have in entering an emerging market. Students are asked to decide what Chubb's China strategy should be moving forward.

Nestlé in 2008

Bell, David E., and Mary Shelman
December 2008

In April 2008, Paul Bulcke took over as CEO of the world's largest food and beverage company. His predecessor, Peter Brabeck, had delivered 12 years of outstanding results while moving the company toward a new vision of health, nutrition, and wellness. Bulcke's challenge was to swiftly execute the vision and deliver the organic growth and improved margins necessary to meet the "Nestlé model."

ASUSTek Computer Inc. Eee PC (A)

Shih, Willy, Chintay Shih, Hung-Chang Chiu, Yi-Ching Hsieh, and Ho Howard Yu
December 2008

ASUSTek Computer was the world's largest manufacture of PC motherboards, yet when it tried to launch its new sub-notebook Eee PC, the organization faced challenges in doing things outside of its established processes. Though many of the team members had worked together for years, they had to find new ways of working as they tried to launch the new mobile Internet device category without undermining its existing notebook PC business.

ASUSTek Computer Inc. Eee PC (B)

Shih, Willy and Ho Howard Yu
December 2008

Supplements the (A) case

Rebranding at Oliver Wyman Group

Eccles, Robert G., and Kaitlyn Simpson
December 2008

In 2007, the individual consulting firms loosely held under the name Mercer Specialty Consulting came together more closely to form the $1.5 billion strategy consulting firm Oliver Wyman. CEO John Drzik hoped that this rebranding effort would create greater alignment and collaboration across the firm, resulting in greater client value. With increasingly complex needs, clients sought consultants with deep expertise to solve their most challenging problems-and each firm that formed Oliver Wyman had the deep expertise in a particular field that clients wanted. However, creating a consulting firm based on specialization presented some challenges. For example, to what degree could each of the original firms integrate under a single name without losing the distinct specializations (and in some cases, brand equity) that made each firm so successful in the first place? This case describes the history of Oliver Wyman, the rebranding process, and the resulting changes to organizational structure and recruiting.

International Enforcement of U.S. Patents

Pozen, Robert C., and Jordan Hirsch
December 2008

A company that owns a U.S. patent can enforce its patent protections in three ways: by filing a lawsuit in U.S. federal district court, by bringing action in the International Trade Commission, or through the World Trade Organization. This note discusses the pros and cons of pursuing either of the latter two avenues for recourse.

A Short Explanatory Note on the Credit Crisis

Segel, Arthur I., and Ben Creo
December 2008

This note details the background of the credit crisis, discusses potential causes of it, and considers its ramifications. The exhibits contain a variety of pertinent data regarding the rise of securitization, debt levels, and typical aspects of financial crises. A new matrix is also introduced for thinking about a country's potential economic performance at any point in time

Corporate Solutions at Jones Lang LaSalle

Gulati, Ranjay
November 2008

The CEO of the Corporate Solutions Group at Jones Lang LaSalle Americas (JLL) is executing an organizational redesign to respond to its strategy goal of becoming more customer-centric. This case examines the dramatic corporate reorganization that took place at JLL in 2001 in response to changes in the competitive structure of the global real estate services market mandating that providers become more customer-solutions oriented. The case is set shortly after the announcement of the restructuring which, for the first time, will place the three business units that service the company's corporate clients (i.e., those clients for whom real estate is not their core business) under a single structure, the Corporate Solutions Group, to target the profitable and growing segment of global MNCs who are outsourcing their real estate departments. Peter Barge, the protagonist of the case, has been named the CEO of the new group and has been tasked with coordinating the diverse activities of the three units to achieve JLL's broader goal of "customer excellence." One of Barge's first actions is to move the account management role outside of the traditional business unit structure and augment the role to that of service integrator to achieve his internal objective of business unit collaboration and to provide clients with a single point of contact across the full range of the company's offerings. The organizational restructuring will change the real estate services firm from an autonomous, product-focused model to an account-centered matrix structure and will challenge many elements of the company's current organizational design including accountability, revenue and cost allocation, compensation systems, sales and marketing, and also the corporate culture. The case offers an opportunity to explore the numerous, interconnected elements of an organization's architecture that must be in alignment in order for it to effectively execute its chosen strategy.

Copyright Law in the U.S. and EU.

Pozen, Robert C., and Elizabeth M. Leonard
November 2008

This note reviews the basic rules for copyright protection in both the U.S. and the EU. It outlines the works and rights protected, the fair use and first-sale limitations on copyright, as well as the application of these rules to software, video, recordings, and Internet service providers.

Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n Roll: The MTV Approach to Tackling HIV/AIDS

Khanna, Tarun, Sonali R. Bloom, and David E. Bloom
October 2008

This case explores the role that MTV, with its heavy diet of music and general youth-oriented media content, plays in spreading public-service messaging to contain the scourge of HIV/AIDS worldwide. There is a focus especially on its efforts in several emerging markets, particularly the parts of Africa that have a heavy disease incidence. MTV has developed a DNA of public service announcements that it claims are of central relevance to its high-risk customer base. How core is this to the strategy of a for-profit firm like MTV? What role can a multinational play in helping develop the health care "soft" infrastructure in such emerging markets?

Chi Mei Optoelectronics

Shih, Willy, Chintay Shih, Jyun-Cheng Wang, and Ho Howard Yu
October 2008

Chi Mei is a Taiwanese industrial group that makes a major diversification into the technology intensive TFT-LCD flat panel display industry. Because the diversification is far away from its core competence in petrochemicals, it is an opportunity to examine how the firm was able to become a global leader in the relatively short span of ten years. Such organic diversifications are relatively unusual by Western standards, especially into technologies and markets that have relatively high entry barriers and where there is no deep-rooted national technological or scientific foundation. As such Chi Mei is an interesting vehicle to examine the rise of a major Asian industrial cluster with global scope which has no participants or competitors in the West. The case can also be used to expose students to the global supply chain for key information technology components. Taiwan and Korea are today the major world centers for the manufacture of semiconductors (in particular DRAMs and FLASH memory) and flat panel displays. Taiwan is also the center for notebook computer manufacturing, and Taiwanese companies, through their China-based manufacturing and assembly operations, drive 60% of the IT exports from China. Yet few students even know the identity of these major global players. Taiwan- and Korea-based TFT-LCD flat panels are the critical components in notebook computers, computer monitors, and flat panel televisions from essentially all well known global brands.

Wyoff and China-LuQuan: Negotiating a Joint Venture (B)

Sebenius, James K., and Jason Cheng Qian
October 2008

Through stalled joint venture talks between Pennsylvania-based Wyoff Corp. and Jinan-based China-LuQuan, strategic and cross-cultural negotiation challenges are explored both from American and Chinese perspectives. Wyoff, a leading U.S. chemical company, has been seeking ways to secure the company's foothold in China's emerging market since the late 90s. When approached by China-LuQuan, a major Chinese state-owned chemical producer, in 2000 for a joint-venture opportunity to make a popular chemical catalyst in China, Wyoff, leveraging its superior technology, demanded one-sided terms and played hardball, ruining both the deal and the relationship with China-LuQuan. Seven years later in 2007, Wyoff faced market pressure to again seek a joint venture with China-LuQuan on two other types of products. Both parties had to overcome past distrust to work things out on a series of strategic issues: investment, product slate, marketing, technology, management organization, staffing, etc. In the negotiations, cross-cultural themes (e.g., trust, relationships, communication, time, autonomy, face, etc.) and different negotiation styles created challenges along with the business and strategic issues. The (A) case sets up the negotiations, highlights issue impasses, explores cross-cultural frictions, and poses tactical challenges. The (B) case describes the strategies, tactics, and results of these negotiations.

Crossing Borders: Notes on a Middle Eastern Journey through Africa

Khanna, Tarun, and Ayesha K. Khan
October 2008

This is the story of MTC, a Kuwaiti telecom company that has grown from a sleepy, state monopoly to become one of the fastest growing telecom companies in the world, with the largest regional footprint across the Middle East and Africa. The CEO of the company, Dr. Saad Al Barrak, had been successful in executing an aggressive growth plan that found its crown jewel in the acquisition of Celtel, one of the largest telecom companies in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this acquisition threw MTC into a dynamic new context and marked the beginning of a very different phase. If Dr. Saad was going to lead MTC into the topmost ranks of global telecom, his team would have to successfully grapple with all the growing pains of managing across borders, brand names, and cultures. All against the backdrop of an unpredictable African market with huge growth potential and rapidly increasing competition.

(PRODUCT) RED (A)

Moon, Youngme, Michael Norton, and David Chen
October 2008

Describes the launch and initial results of the (PRODUCT) RED campaign, a social marketing initiative conceived by U2's Bono and Bobby Shriver to combat AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. The company licensed the (RED) brand to partner companies, which initially included Gap, Apple, Motorola, Armani, and American Express. The business model was structured to benefit partner companies by increasing consumer purchases-of (RED)-branded products such as red iPods and phones-while also resulting in increased donations to the Global Fund.

(PRODUCT) RED (B)

Moon, Youngme, Michael Norton, and David Chen
October 2008

Updates the (PRODUCT) RED (A) case through early 2008, including announcements of new partner relationships (with Hallmark, Microsoft, and Dell) as well as new communications initiatives.

System on a Chip 2008: Ardentec Corporation

Shih, Willy C., Chen-Fu Chien, Chintay Shih, and Ting-Chen Chen.
October 2008

Ardentec Corporation is a specialist in "wafer probing," a highly specialized niche sandwiched between the "front-end" and the "back-end" of semiconductor manufacturing. Because the semiconductor industry uses modular processes and has standard containers for the interchange of work-in-progress, it has evolved to a highly horizontal structure where specialists like Ardentec can carve out unique market opportunities that are less attractive to integrated manufacturers. The company has grown rapidly, but as it starts to occupy a significant percentage of the total available market, its founders are faced with the challenge of how to maintain growth. Do they vertically integrate more into the back-end, or should they try to do acquisitions in adjacent markets? The case is intended to be used in conjunction with the Technical Note, "Horizontal Specialization and Modularity in the Semiconductor Industry" (608-001)

Supergrid

Vietor, Richard H.K.
October 2008

Supergrid is a mammoth wind-power development scheme for Europe, recently proposed by Airtricity. This firm, founded in 1997, is a fast-growing power-development company focused on wind. Already having built about 600 megawatts of wind turbines in Scotland and Ireland, Airtricity has now expanded to the United States. But its "Supergrid" proposal, to build offshore wind turbines with capacity of 30,000 megawatts of power, would change the face of European energy networks, use new technology, and help several European countries meet their Kyoto targets for reducing CO2. The issues are whether a small company like Airtricity has the human and capital resources to pull this off, and whether the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands, and the EU can be made to cooperate on such a project.

Thoma Bravo-Citect Corporation Take-Private

El-Hage, Nabil N., and Michelle C. Simon
October 2008

In 2006, Citect Corporation, a publicly traded Australian software company, was the target of a takeover battle between a financial sponsor and a strategic buyer. Thoma Bravo, the U.S.-based private equity firm, had to decide on its acquisition strategy in the face of competition from Schneider Electric, a large French multinational. The case allows for a thorough analysis of buyer types (financial vs. strategic), deal strategy, and valuation. Among other topics covered in the incentive, and talent development system used at a major multinational company. This case can also be used to analyze the extent to which this system should or should not be adapted for China and other emerging economies.

Power Across Latin America: Endesa de Chile

Ghemawat, Pankaj, and Patricio Del Sol
September 2008

Endesa, a privatized Chilean electricity generator, has made significant investments in the privatization of Argentina's electricity sector and is now contemplating an even larger privatization opportunity in Peru. In deciding how much to bid in Peru, Endesa must account for the political context in which privatization is being undertaken, as well as a host of other uncertainties.

World Wildlife Fund US

Wei-Skillern, Jane, and Kerry Herman
September 2008

World Wildlife Fund US is a leading international conservation nonprofit that operates within a global network of WWF organizations. This case examines WWF US's strategy to achieve its mission of protecting natural wildlife and resources. In contrast to traditional approaches in which WWF country programs operated relatively independently, the new strategy involves integrating WWF US more fully within the global WWF network, and fostering longer-term, trust-based relationships among all partner organizations toward their shared conservation goals. The case highlights the Tesso Nilo conservation project, which brought together various WWF partners to stop illegal logging in Sumatra and revive its wildlife environment to illustrate a network approach within a global multisite nonprofit.

Leading Citigroup (A)

Paine, Lynn Sharp, Aldo Sesia Jr., and Carin-Isabel Knoop
September 2008

The (A) case describes a series of controversial events and alleged misdeeds that placed Citigroup in the public spotlight and launched investigations into the company's business practices by regulators in Japan and Europe in the fall of 2004. CEO Chuck Prince must decide what to do to right the company and restore its reputation.

Leading Citigroup (B)

Paine, Lynn Sharp, Aldo Sesia Jr., and Carin-Isabel Knoop
September 2008

The (B) case describes the actions taken by Citigroup CEO Chuck Prince and his management team to right the company in the wake of the controversies and alleged misdeeds described in the (A) case.

North Goes East

Retsinas, Nicolas P., Daniela Beyersdorfer, and Elena Corsi
September 2008

In August 2006, Magnus Lofgren and Robert Provine, managing directors and co-founders of the "North Real Estate Opportunities Fund," need to decide which real estate investment the Fund should pursue as its first project. The Fund's target region, Central and Eastern Europe, was changing rapidly and returns in some of the more developed regions started to resemble those generated in Western Europe. Yet, the two partners had managed to identify several projects in different countries that promised to generate the Fund's targeted Internal Rates of Return at or above 20% annually. They now had to decide which opportunity was the best match to the Fund's investment profile and showed the highest economic promise.

Mattel's Long Hot Summer

Wei-Skillern, Jane, Sonia Marciano, and Barbara Passy
September 2008

In the summer of 2007, Mattel performed three major recalls of toys, mostly due to lead paint and other manufacturing issues in China. This case examines specifically how those recalls were perceived by consumers and responded to by Mattel, as well as what effect they had on the toy industry, consumer safety, and manufacturing in China in general.

AREVA T&D

Raman, Ananth, Vincent Marie Dessain, Ane Damgaard Jensen, and Gudrun Urfalino Kristinsdottir
September 2008

The case explores the rapid and highly effective turnaround at AREVA's transmission and distribution (T&D) business by focusing on the division's operations. The division was struggling in 2004 when newly-appointed CEO Philippe Guillemot and his team improved performance substantially by focusing on four levers- industrial footprint realignment, competitive sourcing, process efficiency, and a competitive product offering. In 2008, the case challenges students to identify the best path forward. How can the progress achieved from 2004 to 2007 be sustained? AREVA T&D hopes to surpass ABB and Siemens in sales and profitability by focusing on superior product offerings, through "customer intimacy" (e.g., involving customers in new product development) and developing a reputation for environmentally friendly behavior. What is the role of operations management in this context?

Philipp Justus at eBay Germany (C)

Hill, Linda A., and Emily Stecker
September 2008

This case traces the development of eBay Germany, eBay Inc., and the career of eBay Germany's first country manager, Philipp Justus. The case covers from 2000 through the fall of 2007. This case details how eBay Germany, once a small start-up, became one of eBay's most successful locations. The case reveals how Justus added seasoned leaders and structure to the group, while allowing for improvisation. The case also traces Justus's career, as he moved to running eBay Europe and ultimately, the auctions group, which took him to headquarters. Like eBay Germany, eBay itself grew tremendously, in part from acquisitions like PayPal and Skype. But, growth in core areas, like auctions, had slowed. This case explains how eBay Inc. and eBay Germany tried to keep their "secret sauce."

Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc.: Managing a Global Team

Beyene, Tsedal, Thomas J. DeLong, and Alison Comings
September 2008

Greg James, a global manager at Sun Microsystems, Inc., sets out to meet with his entire 43-member customer implementation team spread across India, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America to resolve a dire customer system outage as required by a service agreement. Rather than finding a swift resolution to the rapidly escalating customer situation that motivated his trip, he finds himself facing distributed work, global collaboration, conflict, and management issues that are threatening to unravel his team.

Sovereign Wealth Funds: For Profits or Politics?

Alfaro, Laura, and Renee Kim
August 2008

On March 21, 2008, the U.S. government secured an agreement from two leading sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) to adopt a new set of investment principles to govern the Funds' activities. SWFs, broadly defined as an investment fund owned by a national or a government, were gaining prominence across the globe, especially with their recent investments in troubled U.S. financial firms that had suffered significant losses from the subprime mortgage crisis. Yet SWFs were viewed with suspicions amid concerns that they could have potential political interests behind their investments. Many SWFs also lacked disclosure or transparency regarding their activities or investment goals. Countries such as the United States felt that some kind of international regulation had to be imposed, but would it be possible?

Arauco (B): 'Papel' in Brazil

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Jorge Tarzijan, and Jordan Mitchell
August 2008

This is Part B to the "Arauco: Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansion?" case. This short case looks at the company in late 2007 after it has decided to invest in a Brazilian joint venture involving forests, saw mills, and a paper mill. The case acts as an epilogue and allows students to revisit the concept of forward integration into paper in the Brazilian context.

Given Imaging Ltd. - First We Take Manhattan, Then We Take Berlin?

Isenberg, Daniel J
August 2008

GI has developed a revolutionary video pill for imaging the small bowel in the gastro-intestinal tract. The development has required the integration of a wide variety of technologies. GI founder and CEO Gabriel Meron must determine GI's marketing strategy and prioritize GI's initial target markets: either the United States, Europe, or Japan, or any combination. He is also faced with the immediate decision if to make offers to U.S. and European regional managers. Cash resources are scarce, and GI hopes to raise additional capital soon.

Carlyle Japan (A)

Godes, David, Masako Egawa, and Mayuka Yamazaki
August 2008

Tamotsu Adachi, Managing Director of Carlyle Japan, wants to formulate a strategy to improve his firm's ability to source high-quality deals at competitive valuations, or prices. Buyout funds like Carlyle typically have two deal phases: sourcing and monitoring. These correspond to (i) "selling" the benefits to a business owner of going with Carlyle as a buyout partner, and then (ii) increasing the value of that business following the buyout. Since the profitability of a buyout depends on finding high-quality deals, the firm has focused to date on leveraging its contacts in the banking business, which has been a powerful institution in Japan for many years. These contacts have brought to Carlyle a number of good quality companies, but the volume of buyouts done by Carlyle in Japan has not been what they hoped it would be. Students are asked how the firm can improve on this deal sourcing approach.

Carlyle Japan (B)

Godes, David, Masako Egawa, and Mayuka Yamazaki
August 2008

Supplements the (A) case

Carlyle Japan (C)

Godes, David, Masako Egawa, and Mayuka Yamazaki
August 2008

Supplements the (A) case

Danaher Corporation

Anand, Bharat N., David J. Collis, and Sophie Hood
August 2008

Between 1985 and 2007, Danaher has been one of the best-performing industrial conglomerates in the U.S. This case examines the corporate strategy of this diversified, global corporation. It describes the firm's portfolio strategy and the Danaher Business System-a systematic and wide-ranging set of organizational processes the firm has developed to drive growth and create value. In 2008, the firm confronts various challenges in sustaining its impressive historical performance. First, can it continue to balance organic and acquisition-led growth? Second, what will be the impact of increased competition from private equity players? Third, for how long can its strategy of "continuous improvement" continue?

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour (A)

Lorsch, Jay W., and Kaitlyn Simpson
August 2008

Larry Scott, the new CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, arrives amidst turmoil. Players and tournaments clash over opposing interests. As a result, the board members who represent them are equally divided and feel conflicted about their role. They aren't sure how to help their constituents while also fulfilling their duty of oversight of the WTA as a whole. In order to make women's tennis more popular and profitable, Scott must find a way to get the board of directors to resolve their differences and work together for the greater good of the organization.

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour (B)

Lorsch, Jay W., and Kaitlyn Simpson
August 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour (C)

Lorsch, Jay W., and Kaitlyn Simpson
August 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Bernd Beetz: Creating the New Coty

Jones, Geoffrey G., and David Kiron
August 2008

Considers the creation of the world's largest fragrance company by Bernd Beetz, appointed chief executive of Coty Inc. in 2001. In 1990 the German consumer goods company Benkiser began acquiring fragrance and cosmetics brands with the intent of developing a beauty business. These included the long-established, but relatively small, U.S. fragrance company Coty. In 1996 the beauty business was spun off under the name Coty. When Beetz was hired as chief executive, it was still a fragmented collection of recently acquired brands. The case describes how Beetz re-ignited the dormant celebrity fragrance business with the successful launch of a new Jennifer Lopez fragrance line. Fashioning a new entrepreneurial culture based on the principles of "faster, further, freer," Coty hired longstanding executives from other firms and liberated their entrepreneurial capabilities, refreshing brands which had been tarnished into a global mass color cosmetics brand. In 2005 the acquisition of Calvin Klein from Unilever, and its renewal, catapulted Coty into the position of the world's largest fragrance company. The case provides an opportunity to examine the entrepreneurial, cultural, and organizational factors which enable acquired brands and employees to be re-invigorated and molded into a dynamic new global business. It asks if the cultural and other factors behind its rapid growth can sustain the company as it seeks growth much further as a top-five beauty company.

Fortress Investment Group

Baker, Malcolm P., Carlos M. Galvez, and James Quinn
August 2008

CEO Wesley Edens and the five Fortress principals are contemplating a move unprecedented in the industry: Becoming the first hedge fund and private equity firm to complete an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This case examines potential reasons for a leading alternative investment firm to go public, including the firm's own rationale relating to "people, permanence, currency, and capital," while also providing analyst expectations regarding target valuation and initial stock performance.

Enterprise Risk Management at Hydro One

Mikes, Anette
August 2008

An early adopter of Enterprise Risk Management, energy giant Hydro One anticipated new threats and opportunities in an industry that faced climate change and carbon legislation, the deregulation of electricity markets, and the greater adoption of renewable technologies. CEO Laura Formusa felt Hydro One's risk profile had shifted, to the extent that she had to ask herself -- was the strategy tenable? The case provides a rich description of Enterprise Risk Management in action, and shows how Hydro One executives arrive at a shared understanding of the risk profile of the company. In the narrative a diverse group of managers (the chief executive, the chief financial officer, the head of the public relations and the chief regulatory officer) voice their views on the risks, collectively bringing a multiple stakeholder perspective to the risk profile. The case challenges students to define the problems and risks that the company faces, given its strategic objectives, its evolving risk profile, and the changing environment. The case also offers a discussion ground for defining the role of the chief risk officer, and the relationship between risk management, strategic planning and capital budgeting.

Recent Developments in the Ranbaxy Case

Pozen, Robert C.
August 2008

This brief case describes settlements Indian drug maker Ranbaxy has made with Pfizer and AstraZeneca, as well as Daiichi Kangyo's purchase of a majority shareholding in Ranbaxy in 2008.

The Coartem Challenge (A)

Spar, Debora L., and Brian DeLacey
July 2008

In November 2005, Novartis, a major global pharmaceutical firm, is reviewing its Coartem program, an ambitious attempt to deliver life-saving malaria drugs, at cost, to millions of poor Africans. The company is deeply committed to the project, but it is also struggling with the organizational issues involved in dealing with international institutions like the World Health Organization and fitting nonprofit objectives into a for-profit structure.

The Coartem Challenge (B)

Spar, Debora L., and Brian DeLacey
July 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

The European Union in the 21st Century

Trumbull, Gunnar
July 2008

Focuses on the challenges facing the European Union in 2006. Following the French and Dutch referendums in 2005, the fate of the European Constitution is in jeopardy. Ten new accession countries have just joined the EU, with Turkey in the beginning stages of the accession process. New member states and additional future members have provoked widespread debate on financial, political, and social issues. Growth within the EU has been sluggish, with high unemployment and low investment in R&D. The EU has launched a set of reforms to create a "single passport" system of mutual recognition within the EU for capital, services, and people. Still, terrorist attacks, an upsurge in domestic violence, budgetary problems, and foreign policy, enlargement, and immigration issues plague the EU. In light of these problems, what will be the future of the EU and its constitution?

Vignettes on Governance of Private Equity Firms

Hardymon, G. Felda, Ann Leamon, and Eugenia Adofo
July 2008

In a series of vignettes, Nigella Hardy-Smyth of an international development agency that invests partners in emerging markets private equity firms must decide how to handle various situations that arise. As a member of the Limited Partner Advisory Board of each of the five firms, she must contend with a fund manager with an indistinct mandate, a manager who wants to exceed the concentration limit in an investment, tension between a star investor and her other partners, a founding partner who wants to fire the rest of his senior team, and a limited partner seeking preferential treatment that might benefit his fund to the detriment of the other limited partners. The process of discussing these helps the class explore the nuanced role of a limited partner in a private equity firm.

Peoplepower, Inc.: The Republic of the Philippines

Maurer, Noel
July 2008

In 2006, the Philippines faces a difficult choice. Japan has offered the country a trade agreement that includes access to the Japanese labor market for Philippine nurses and other professionals. The same trade agreement, however, means opening the country's manufacturing enterprises to Japanese exports, which is bitterly opposed by some of the nation's largest foreign investors. President Gloria Arroyo-embattled by coup attempts and political scandals-must decide whether to advance the nation's three-decade-old strategy of encouraging the export of its labor resources or whether to attenuate that strategy to meet the demands of large foreign investors.

System on a Chip 2008: Global Unichip Corp

Shih, Willy C., Chintay Shih, Chen-Fu Chien, and Yuan-Chieh Chang
July 2008

Though much of the semiconductor industry has shifted to a horizontal model, complexity driven by technological evolution is driving a shift in the perceived boundaries in the value chain. Global Unichip sees itself as a "virtual integrated device manufacturer," a throwback to the vertically integrated model that fell out of favor for most chips. The case offers an opportunity to examine a highly modular industry and the impact of technology shifts on those boundaries, with significant implications for the incumbents.

Tad O'Malley: The Investment Conundrum

Hardymon, G. Felda, Josh Lerner, and Ann Leamon
July 2008

Tad O'Malley has just started as an associate with Empire Investment Group. He must evaluate three investment opportunities facing the big leveraged buyout firm. All are global, but each pertains to different offices and each deal has different strengths and weaknesses. Which should he recommend to the partners for additional resources and what does a recommendation mean for his career?

"Corruption at Siemens (A)"

Healy, Paul M., and Maria Loumioti
July 2008

No description.

Corruption at Siemens (B)

Healy, Paul M., and Maria Loumioti
July 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Corruption at Siemens (C)

Healy, Paul M., and Maria Loumioti
July 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Corruption at Siemens (D)

Healy, Paul M., and Maria Loumioti
July 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Thomas J. Watson, IBM and Nazi Germany

Jones, Geoffrey G., and Adrian Brown
July 2008

Considers the strategy of U.S.-owned IBM, then a manufacturer of punch cards, in Nazi Germany before 1937. Opens with IBM CEO Thomas J. Watson meeting Adolf Hitler in his capacity as President of the International Chamber of Commerce. IBM had acquired a German company in 1922 and, like other American companies, found itself operating after 1933 in a country whose government violently suppressed political dissent and engaged in intimidation and discrimination against Jews. Explores the tensions between IBM's German affiliate and its parent and provides an opportunity to explore the options and responsibilities of multinationals with investments in politically reprehensible regimes.

Unilever as a 'Multi-local Multinational' 1945-1979

Jones, Geoffrey G., and Stephanie Decker
July 2008

Explores the opportunities and threats to Unilever's global business in 1978 based on the commercial and political challenges faced by three of its subsidiaries, Lever Brothers in the United States, Hindustan Lever in India, and United Africa Company in West Africa. Management faced several problems: criticism of multinational companies, anti-trust legislation, expropriations, and rising competition from international and local rivals. Focuses on developing a new global strategy for a company that placed a premium on a consensual management style and local autonomy.

Southern Company's Investment in CEMIG

Ghemawat, Pankaj, Raymond Hill, and L.G. Thomas
July 2008

In the spring of 1997, Southern Company had the opportunity to acquire a significant portion of the electric utility in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. The shares in the utility, CEMIG, were being sold by the state government as part of a comprehensive privatization of Brazil's electric sector. Brazil's privatization was, in turn, part of a worldwide movement toward deregulation and privatization of the electric sector. Like many of its rivals in the utility sector, Southern had committed itself to a strategy of growth by taking advantage of the significant opportunities for cross-border investment that were being created by this trend. The privatization of CEMIG was a particularly appealing opportunity for Southern. Not only was CEMIG one of the largest utilities in Latin America, but this investment would provide a base in the Brazilian market, which was expected to have the largest potential for further growth on the continent. Brazil was in the process of reforming its system of regulating electric utilities and of introducing competition into Brazil's wholesale generating market. These changes would further enhance the potential profitability of investing in CEMIG. In addition to the attractiveness of the investment, Southern had been able to secure non-recourse financing for half of the required amount. Keeping in mind Brazil's volatile economic history, this financing would substantially limit Southern's downside risk. The state government had set a price of $1.1 billion for the block of shares. Was the investment in CEMIG worth that price?

The Offshoring of America

Vietor, Richard H.K., Jan W. Rivkin, and Juliana Seminerio
July 2008

The movement from jobs in the United States to developing countries, in a process known as offshoring, has become quite a controversial topic. Managers not only need to decide which activities, if any, to move offshore, but where to move them. This case describes the nature of offshoring and its effect on developing countries.

Starbucks Coffee Company in the 21st Century

Koehn, Nancy F., Marya Lisl Hill-Popper Besharov, and Katherine Miller
July 2008

The case explores the opportunities and challenges confronting Starbucks in the early 21st century. For more than 15 years, Starbucks has grown swiftly and successfully, helping create a large, dynamic market for specialty coffee, building one of the world's most powerful brands and forging a new business model based on industry disrepair and responsible global citizenship. In 2008, Starbucks leadership faces a range of issues-inside and out of the company-related to that success. This case examines these issues in the context of a changing economy, increased competition, evolving consumer priorities, and the organization's place on the larger global stage.

House of Tata: Acquiring a Global Footprint

Khanna, Tarun, Krishna G. Palepu, and Richard J. Bullock
July 2008

Chronicles the globalization of the Tata Group, one of India's largest business groups. Since 2000, many Tata Group operating companies have aggressively built international businesses, particularly through overseas acquisitions. After describing the globalization rationales and approaches of the major Tata Group companies, the case asks students to consider whether Tata Motors should pursue the acquisition of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands owned by US-based Ford Motor company.

Radiohead: Music at Your Own Price (A)

Elberse, Anita, and Jason Bergsman
June 2008

In October 2007, the British band Radiohead caused a stir when it announced it would allow customers to decide how much to pay for its new album, released exclusively as a digital download and available only from the band's own website. The pricing plan represented a significant break from the industry standard of fixed prices for music, typically 99 cents for individual songs and upward of $9.99 for complete albums. How viable is such a "name-your-own-pricing" plan? And what does Radiohead's move say about the future of the music industry?

Ra diohead: Music at Your Own Price (B)

Elberse, Anita, and Jason Bergsman
June 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

The International Monetary Fund in Crisis

Abdelal, Rawi, David Moss, and Eugene Kintgen
June 2008

Wanxiang Group: A Chinese Company's Global Strategy

Abrami, Regina, William C. Kirby, F. Warren McFarlan, Keith Chi-ho Wong and Tracy Yuen Manty
June 2008

With an almost forty-year history as a business in China, the Wanxiang Group has navigated through the significantly different political and economic changes in China to succeed as a global leader in the auto parts industry and to develop into a broad business conglomerate. Beginning in 1994, when it first began its operations in the United States, Wanxiang started to expand its role as a parts supplier into a discerning acquirer of distressed companies in the U.S. While it saw acquisition as an exciting means for growth, company strategy at its Hangzhou, China headquarters also included vertical integration with a goal of developing a full-on electric car. Were these two goals divergent or complementary: mutually supportive or exclusive?

Note on the Bus Industry

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2008

Supplements the "Irizar in 2005" case. Briefly documents key points in the motor coach industry such as market size, categories of buses, reasons for purchasing, and the basis for competition amongst motor coach manufacturers.

Citigroup: Re-Branding in 2007 (A)

Deshpandé, Rohit, and Carin-Isabel Knoop
June 2008

With its history of growth through acquisition, Citigroup has a conglomeration of sub-brands that need to be integrated and rationalized. Ajay Banga, CEO of Citi's Global Consumer Group International, chairs a task force to work through the process of re-branding the entire Citi house of brands while maintaining a focus on being focused on customers. The case describes the history of branding and re-branding at Citigroup at a time of increasing global competition in financial services.

Citigroup: Re-Branding in 2007 (B)

Deshpandé, Rohit, and Carin-Isabel Knoop
June 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

Eccles, Robert G., and David Lane
June 2008

As CEO of leading executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles for the past 18 months, Kevin Kelly was pleased with his accomplishments so far but concerned about threats he perceived to Heidrick's position at the highest levels of the executive search business. In response, Kelly had begun making strategic investments in firms offering technology-based solutions, but had not yet made significant progress convincing Heidrick's search consultants about the significance of the threats, or the risks and opportunities being created by information technology and the Internet. The increased emphasis Kelly placed on building leadership consulting services was itself a big change. The case asks what levers Kelly can use, from culture to compensation, to make the challenges to Heidrick's traditional business model understood and how to implement the strategic initiatives he has launched.

The Blackstone Group's IPO

Hardymon, G. Felda, Josh Lerner, and Ann Leamon
June 2008

Steven Schwarzman, Chairman of the Blackstone Group, has just learned that an investment group associated with the government of China wants to buy the majority of Blackstone's leveraged IPO. As he considers how to respond to this offer, Schwarzman reviews the firm's proposed structure as a public entity and assesses how he might retain the delicate balance among stakeholders while still maintaining liquidity in the market.

Quanta Computer and the One Laptop Per Child Initiative

Shih, Willy, Chintay Shih, and Jyun-Chen Wang
May 2008

When Quanta Computer, Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of laptop computers, first joined the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative, it faced a challenge trying to balance the cost objectives of a laptop computer targeted at children of the developing world with the escalating content demands from the marketplace and the non-profit OLPC Foundation. It also had to fit the project into its company business model which served global lead PC brands like Apple as a high volume, low cost ODM provider. The case is a vehicle for discussing new market disruption and the impact of modularity and the evolution of the value network in the global PC supply chain.

China in Africa: The Case of Sudan

Abrami, Regina, and Eunice Ajambo
May 2008

This case examines the relation between China's demand for resources and political risk.

Can PACIV (Puerto Rico) Serve European Customers?

Isenberg, Daniel
May 2008

Jorge Rodriguez-Gonzalez, PACIV's (Puerto Rico) founding CEO, is considering expanding PACIV's pharmaceutical manufacturing compliance services company to the U.K. and Europe. He has to decide whether to hire Wayne Snelgrove and how to define the scope of his responsibilities.

Inner Mongolia Yili Group: China's Pioneering Dairy Brand

Abrami, Regina, William C. Kirby, F. Warren McFarlan, and Tracy Yuen Manty
May 2008

Setting up the goal to become one of the top 20 enterprises in the world dairy industry by 2010, the Inner Mongolia Yili Group had ambitious plans. As one of China's biggest national dairy companies, its main challenge was competing as a local company against joint-venture rivals who benefited from perks granted to "foreign" companies. To set itself apart, Yili focused on research and development and innovative ways to improve the industry. Proving that it could shift industry standards and lead a country not accustomed to dairy consumption, to a point where demand is outpacing supply, the Yili Group is making its mark to go global. As an Official Sponsor of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the Official dairy supplier of the games, it is betting that the brand can go further beyond China. Will the day that tykes from Topeka have a bottle of Yili milk in their hands be coming soon?

Sony PlayStation 3: Game Over?

Ofek, Elie
May 2008

Outlines the challenges faced by Sony with the launch of its PlayStation 3. Information based on the 2006 and 2007 holiday seasons and the success of rival consoles is outlined. In addition, the case allows examining the costs and revenues associated with a business model based on the sale of the hardware and game titles. Can be used with "Home Video Games: Generation Seven" (505-072), which provides supplementary information on the industry.

Global Climate Change and BP

Reinhardt, Forest, and Mikell Hyman
May 2008

Following the sudden resignation of Sir John Browne, Tony Hayward, BP CEO, must decide how global climate change management will figure into BP's corporate strategy. Climate change management was a major part of BP's strategy under Browne: In 1997 Browne broke from his colleagues, publicly declaring that global climate change was a serious problem and pledging BP to play a significant role in the search for solutions. BP successfully reduced its own carbon emissions, and championed cap-and-trade style regulation over taxation or command-and-control. Despite this progress, as the climate issue gains in political prominence and the Kyoto Protocol nears expiration, Hayward must consider what actions to take in BP's business strategy and in the political arena to manage ongoing climate risk.

Monitor's Opportunities in India (B): Grail Research

Alcacer, Juan, and Jan W. Rivkin
May 2008

Supplements the (A) case. Describes the decision by leaders of a strategy consulting firm to build a business research subsidiary in India. Permits a discussion of how high-end knowledge production can be conducted in an emerging economy, at a distance from buyers of the knowledge.

Microsoft's Unlimited Potential

Rangan, V. Kasturi, and Marie Bell
May 2008

In April 2007, Bill Gates announced Microsoft Unlimited Potential. Its mission was to enable social and economic opportunity for the next five billion people. To deliver against this mission, Microsoft sought to focus its citizenship efforts and its product development efforts in developing markets. This case traces the development of Unlimited Potential on the citizenship side and the business operations side, raising the questions of whether Unlimited Potential is a robust strategy for the company and if so, how the company should organize and execute to achieve its mission.

Apple Inc., 2008

Yoffie, David, and Michael Slind
May 2008

In January 2007, three decades after its incorporation, Apple Computer shed the second word in its name and became Apple Inc. With that move, the company signaled a fundamental shift away from its historic status as a vendor of the Macintosh personal computer (PC) line. Mac sales remained vital to Apple's future, but they now accounted for less than half of its total revenue. The company's line of iPod media players, its iTunes online content store and its newly launched iPhone mobile handset business made up increasingly large shares of its operations. In early 2008, on the strength of sky-rocketing sales in those areas and by resurgent sales of Macintosh products, Apple's revenues and its stock price reached record levels. The case explores the sustainability of Apple's current business model, one that positioned the company simultaneously in the PC industry and the consumer electronics industry. While Apple enjoyed a high market share in digital media players and in online music sales, it remained a niche player in the worldwide PC industry. The case examines the history of Apple's strategic moves under the leadership of CEOs Jobs, Sculley, Spindler, Amelio, and (again) Jobs; places those moves in the context of structural features of the evolving PC industry; and covers the iPod and iPhone businesses at considerable length.

Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (A)

Collis, David J., Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith
May 2008

In late 2002, global confectionery and beverage maker Cadbury Schweppes needed to decide whether or not to make an acquisition bid for Adams, an underperforming gum company which had been put up for sale by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Examining the decision from a strategic perspective, the (A) case provides brief histories of the two companies; traces the global confectionery industry, focusing especially on chocolate and gum; and details the analysis of the merger decision. The (B) case explores the specific identified synergies in-depth and provides an opportunity to judge their viability. The (C) and (D) cases conclude the story and update the case with issues facing the global confectionery leader in 2008.

Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (B)

Collis, David J., Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith
May 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (C)

Collis, David J., Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith
May 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (D)

Collis, David J., Toby Stuart, and Troy Smith
May 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Sealed Air China

Abrami, Regina, William C. Kirby, F. Warren McFarlan, and Tracy Yuen Manty
April 2008

With a 10-year history of doing business in China, Sealed Air was now betting on the country to help propel its growth as a global company. The company identified China as one of the initial investments in the company's Global Manufacturing Strategy that aimed to create efficiencies in its operations across the globe. As Sealed Air's new Shanghai plant starts production in 2008, will its almost $50 million investment pay off? Is 10 years of experience in China enough to know how China works?

Monitor's Opportunities in India (A): Grail Research

Alcacer, Juan, and Jan W. Rivkin
April 2008

The CEO of a strategy consulting firm must decide which of the firm's functions, if any, to move to India. In particular, he wonders whether business research-currently conducted by highly paid consultants in developed countries-can be conducted more efficiently and effectively from an Indian research center.

Indesit Company: Does Global Matter?

Bower, Joseph L.
April 2008

In 2007, the leadership of the Indesit Company is focused on long-term corporate strategy. After three decades, the company has emerged as the number two home appliance producer in greater Europe. Should they invest further to be number one, or should they now focus on the global market, and if so, which part of the world? A subordinate issue is what to do with their multiple brands. Should they consolidate? This case has extensive data on global markets.

Shangri-La Hotels

Campbell, Dennis, and Brent Kazan
April 2008

In November 2006, Symon Bridle, the newly appointed chief operating officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, was thinking about a number of organizational issues that presented challenges to Shangri-La's rapid expansion strategy. There were three major issues at hand: (1) the company was expanding into high-wage economies in Europe and North America; (2) the company was expanding its presence in China-a country where front-line employees were not used to exercising decision-making authority; and (3) newcomers in the Chinese hotel market were poaching Shangri-La's staff and driving up wages in historically low-waged markets. As a COO, Bridle needed to ensure that Shangri-La's signature standards of "Asian Hospitality" were maintained during this expansion.

Avaya (A)

Godes, David
April 2008

Avaya's top management wants to improve demand generation. This requires an improvement in the relationship between Sales and Marketing. This case series (Avaya (A)-(D)) walks the student through each phase of this process. The (A) case begins with background on the firm and asks the students to come up with a strategy to improve the way in which Sales and Marketing work together. In the (B) case, we see their strategy in the form of a "unified funnel" and a demand generation framework. The unified funnel communicates the idea that not only should the marketing funnel and the sales funnel be linked "vertically"-in the sense that Marketing's leads should flow seamlessly into Sales' funnel-but they should also be integrated horizontally. This latter point refers to the idea that Sales and Marketing should each play a role in each phase of the process from e-mail marketing solutions right through to the close. That is, they argue that the two functions are best integrated by encouraging them to work simultaneously, not just sequentially. The demand generation framework, on the other hand, makes explicit what it means for them to work together. For example, they stipulate that Marketing should be included on the weekly sales conference call. The students are then asked to think about how they would implement these ideas. In the (C) case, the implementation plan for a specific market-Brazil-is described. In particular, we are given data that were used in the roll-out process that showed the market's managers how they compared with other markets on a number of dimensions. Finally, the (D) case shows some early data suggesting that this new method of working together has had a significant impact.

Avaya (B)

Godes, David
April 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Avaya (C): Implementing Demand Generation in Brazil

Godes, David
April 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Avaya (D): Early Results of the Demand Generation Initiative

Godes, David
April 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Radical Collaboration: IBM Microelectronics Joint Development Alliances

Shih, Willy, and Gary Pisano
April 2008

IBM's "Radical Collaboration" model has been an innovative approach to meeting the challenges of the huge R&D and capital investments that are needed to stay competitive in the global semiconductor industry. This model has required a rethinking of what is proprietary, and what is shared, and where do the boundaries of cooperation end and competition begin. IBM and its partners have managed to stay competitive at, for example, the 45nm mode, at a far lower cost than firms that "go it alone," and there is a large benefit from a larger funnel of ideas and diverse points of view. It also reshapes what firms can use to build competitive advantage, or it necessitates a rethinking at least.

Novartis AG: Science-Based Business

Bowen, H. Kent, and Courtney Purrington
April 2008

Novartis is a science-based drug company, which has important implications for its business strategy. It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world with over $38B in sales in 2007. Pharmaceuticals account for slightly over $24B of that total. In 2007, corporate R&D spending was $6.43B, or almost 17% of net sales. Novartis executive leaders believe in scientific progress and that large-scale investments in science will therefore result in long-term pay-offs in terms of profits and discoveries that benefit mankind. Novartis' business strategy is closely tied to its research strategy, which emphasizes extensive internal discovery and development capabilities leading to organic growth along with explicit external alliances and collaborations to supplement its core capabilities. Like its competitors, Novartis faces many challenges in terms of moving research from the bench to the bedside. Five years after undertaking the restructuring of the discovery research organization, CEO Daniel Vasella is pleased with its progress, including many more development projects in the pipeline and new molecular entities. Nevertheless, the company faces a number of challenges, including generic drugs, patent infringements in developing countries, and pricing pressure from governments and health insurers in the United States. Given these challenges, Novartis must decide how much to spend on R&D overall, how to arrive at the right mix between organic growth and external collaboration and in-licensing, and how to measure success when it takes so many years to develop and launch a successful drug.

Innovation at Timberland: Thinking Outside the Shoe Box

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Ryan Leo Raffaelli
April 2008

Innovation was linked to Timberland's heritage. In 2005, CEO Jeff Swartz and COO Ken Pucker hoped the Invention Factory, an advanced concept lab, would develop new breakthrough products and reinvigorate the company's culture of innovation. Since the 1960s, Timberland had relied on innovation, developing the world's first waterproof boot and, in the 1980s, category-defining boat shoes and day hiking boots. Creating variations of these core products, along with expansion into apparel, had sustained Timberland's business for more than 30 years. Timberland's growth in the past six years was due to increased international sales and new customer segments. As Timberland's leaders looked to the future, they hoped Doug Clark, a biomechanist, and his Invention Factory team would bring a scientific approach toward building the next generation of Timberland products and ideas. The team had to convince those in the mainstream business to accept their new ideas and integrate them back into the product line.

The International Finance Corporation's Grassroots Business Initiative

Rangan, V. Kasturi, and Katharine Lee
April 2008

Grassroots Business Initiative was set up to financially assist small enterprises engaged in creating social value. Three years later, Harold Rosen, its creator, wished to explore an alternative funding model to provide it with scale and sustainability.

Wyoff and China-LuQuan: Negotiating a Joint Venture (A)

Sebenius, James, and Cheng Qian
April 2008

Through stalled joint venture talks between Pennsylvania-based Wyoff Corp. and China-based China-LuQuan, strategic and cross-cultural negotiation challenges are explored both from American and Chinese perspectives. Wyoff, a leading US chemical company has been seeking ways to secure the company's foothold in China's emerging market since the late '90s. When approached by China-LuQuan in 2000, a major Chinese state-owned chemical producer for a joint-venture opportunity to make a popular chemical catalyst in China, Wyoff, leveraging its superior technology, demanded one-sided terms and played hardball, ruining both the deal and the relationship with China-LuQuan. Seven years later in 2007, Wyoff faced market pressure to again seek a joint venture with China-LuQuan on two other types of products. Both parties had to overcome past distrust to work things out on a series of strategic issues: investment, product slate, marketing, technology, management, organization, staffing, etc. In the negotiations, cross-cultural themes (e.g. trust, relationships, communication, time, autonomy, face, etc.) and different negotiation styles created challenges along with the business and strategic issues. The (A) case sets up the negotiations, highlights issue impasses, explores cross-cultural frictions, and poses tactical challenges. The (B) case describes the strategies, tactics, and results of these negotiations.

Opening Dot EU (A)

Edelman, Benjamin
April 2008

EURid considers possible market mechanisms to allocate initial domain names within the Internet's newly-created "dot EU." European Union regulations and community norms substantially constrain EURid's approach, preventing the use of the most natural economic mechanisms (such as auctions).

Opening Dot EU (B)

Edelman, Benjamin
April 2008

Supplements the (A) case.

Studio Moderna--A Venture in Eastern Europe

Isenberg, Daniel
March 2008

Sandi Cesko, CEO, has built Studio Moderna to be the leading electronic retailer in 20 countries in and around Central and Eastern Europe, evolving an unusual multi-channel strategy, organizational structure, and IT systems. Serious conflicts cause Cesko to question his in-sourcing strategy.

Subprime Meltdown: American Housing and Global Financial Turmoil

Rotemberg, Julio J.
March 2008

This case focuses on the financial difficulties faced in the U.S. from August to December 2006 as well as their roots in subprime lending. After briefly discussing how mortgages were structured and traded in the pre-1990 period, it describes subprime mortgage lending, as well as other innovative mortgages issued in the 1990s. It also discusses how these mortgages were packaged into securities, and who ultimately came to own these claims and their attendant risk. The case then describes the pain inflicted by raising foreclosures, as well as the financial market ramifications of the rise in mortgage delinquencies. It also chronicles the response of the U.S. and European central banks to the unfolding financial difficulties. Lastly, the case lays policies that have been proposed to deal with either the consequences or the causes of the crisis. These include policies for reforming the supervision of the financial system, changing bankruptcy rules and regulating mortgage finance. Some attention is paid to the role of credit rating agencies in the crisis, and in the financial system as a whole.

Partners in Health: The PACT Project

Bohmer, Richard M.J., and Josh Friedman
March 2008

Partners in Health (PIH) is a Boston-based, not-for-profit that provides health care to people in some of the poorest regions of the world, including Haiti, Malawi, Rwanda, and Peru. In 1998, PIH established a program (PACT) in Boston to bring care to AIDS and TB patients who were not well served by existing care delivery systems. Describes PIH's programs in the developing world and the way in which lessons learned in these countries informed the design and management of PACT. Examines the balance between customized and standardized approaches to care and challenges students to examine their preconceived notions of the social role of a health care delivery organization. Dr. Heidi Behforouz, PACT's director, must decide whether a service design honed in developing countries can be rolled out more broadly in one the world's richest nations.

Microfinance International Corporation: No, Not Another Microfinance Case

Isenberg, Daniel
March 2008

CEO and founder Atsumasa Tochisako (52) sat in his Washington D.C. headquarters, looking with pride at the copy of a press release that would announce the latest in a broadening line of financial services that Washington D.C.-based Microfinance International Corporation (MFIC) had been providing for two years to a growing number of "unbanked" Hispanic nationals in the United States and their home countries.

Metro International S.A.

Khanna, Tarun, Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Vincent Dessain, Ane Damgaard Jensen, and Anders Sjøman
February 2008

Explores the business model of Metro International, a company publishing 70 editions of its free newspaper in 20 countries. Metro had been a pioneer in the free newspaper market, fighting incumbent publishers distributing traditional paid-for newspapers. Looks at the decision facing top management of Metro International in 2007 regarding the future strategy of the company. The company had become profitable after years of losses, but other problems had surfaced; competition had increased heavily in many markets and advertising-the free newspaper's only source of income-was quickly shifting from newspapers to the Internet. Spain was a particular case in point. What had Metro International learned from experiences elsewhere on the globe and would they allow the company to make the Spanish unit profitable? What strategy should the Spanish country manager adopt?

World Economic Forum (A)

Khanna, Tarun, Rakesh Khurana, and Forest Reinhardt
February 2008

Covers strategy and leadership. World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab has created the world's most famous-and exclusive-global business conference, held annually in Davos, Switzerland, and backed by a formidable membership organization that includes many of the world's most prominent firms. He now must consider how to keep the event and the organization vibrant and valuable, as similar new organizations arise and as the challenges of globalization become more difficult. In the aspirational slogan of the Forum, Schwab remains "committed to improving the state of the world," and readers are invited to ponder how he can use the organization he has created to make good on this promise.

European Integration: Meeting the Competitiveness Challenge

Ketels, Christian H.M. and Michael E. Porter
February 2008

The case discusses the origins and development of the European Integration process up to 2004, focusing in particular on the Lisbon Agenda for upgrading Europe's competitiveness. It discusses the different policy areas that have been approached at the European level over time, and provides background on the architecture of European institutions. The case enables students to understand how European integration has affected competitiveness across the continent's regions. It provides a platform to discuss why the Lisbon Agenda has up to 2004 failed to achieve its goals and what European integration experience can serve as a model for other world regions.

Vegpro Group: Growing in Harmony

Bell, David E., Brian Milder, and Mary L. Shelman
February 2008

Vegpro, a horticulture company, is Kenya's largest exporter of fresh vegetables and flowers to top supermarkets in the U.K. and Europe. In 2007, Vegpro's business is threatened by growing consumer concern about the environmental impact of food production and transport, including "food miles". The case describes the company's growth, which includes the use of owned land and outgrowers for production, the addition of value-added processing to obtain premium prices, and the introduction of global certification to ensure food safety and meet retailer and consumer requirements. The case also discusses the potential impact of increased consumer awareness of ethical sourcing and introduces the potential trade-off between local production and economic development.

Global Knowledge Management at Danone

Edmondson, Amy C., Bertrand Moingeon, Vincent Dessain, and Ane Damgaard Jensen
February 2008

The case explores French consumer goods company Danone's novel approach to knowledge management. Through informal knowledge marketplaces and sharing networks, Danone had helped managers connect with each other and share good practices peer-to-peer, rather than relying on traditional hierarchical lines of communication or IT repositories. From 2004 to 2007, the president of human resources and his team had found that 5,000 Danone managers around the world had shared about 640 now-documented good practices. In 2007, the strategic importance of saving time in a decentralized organization through adoption of colleagues' good practices was put to a test. The case illustrates Danone's options on taking knowledge management into the future of Danone.

Russian Standard

Deshpandé, Rohit, and Seth Schulman
January 2008

In September 2006, Russian billionaire Roustam Tariko, founder and owner of Russian Standard, needed to develop a strategy for introducing Russia's most popular brand of premium vodka (RSO) to American consumers. In the past year, he had introduced Imperia, the firm's flagship ultra-premium vodka, in the U.S. market; lined up American importation and distribution partners for Russian Standard; and had worked hard to build excitement for the brand. Beyond establishing RSO's stylishness, Tariko needed to carve out a space for the brand in the crowded American market. Imperia's marketing had emphasized two attributes, superior quality and Russian-ness. In articulating RSO's advertising strategy and tagline, Tariko would need to decide once and for all which attribute to emphasize. He would also need to decide how to articulate this attribute so as to develop discrete identities for each of the two brands. Would Americans respond better to a claim of authenticity, or to a claim of unparalleled purity? And which were RSO and Imperia best equipped to exploit?

Microsoft in China and India, 1993-2007

Khanna, Tarun, and Prithwiraj Choudhury
January 2008

Relates to Microsoft's expansion in China and India in the period 1993-2007and the strategic issues faced by multinationals in emerging markets.

McDonald's

Quelch, John A., and Kerry Herman
January 2008

ISS A/S (A)

Rose, Clayton S
January 2008

An offer to buy ISS A/S is contemplated by two leading private equity firms, and their financing plan calls for the addition to the company's balance sheet of a significant amount of new debt. The increased leverage will negatively affect the rating and value of ISS's investment grade debt, and the private equity firms need to anticipate the reaction of bondholders and decide how best to respond. The case provides an opportunity to examine the nature and extent of a company's responsibilities to its bondholders, to develop an enhanced understanding of the challenges of managing contractual obligations, and circumstances under which business leaders might agree to terms outside of the contract.

ISS A/S (B)

Rose, Clayton S
January 2008

Supplements the (A) case

ISS A/S (C)

Rose, Clayton S
January 2008

Supplements the (A) case

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2007

Iceland: Small Fish in a Global Pond

Porter, Michael, E. and Christian H.M. Ketels
December 2007

Describes the economic development of Iceland since 1945, focusing in particular on the years since 2000, when Iceland experienced strong growth and Icelandic companies aggressively internationalized.

Food Security and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints

Goldberg, Ray, and Eliot Sherman
December 2007

The Mormon Church focuses on self-reliance and being prepared for emergencies. Part of their program encourages each member of the Church to have a reserve food supply on hand at all times. Given U.S. and global food stock levels, is the Church program a good model for the country?

Barclays Global Investors and Exchange Traded Funds

Viceira, Luis M., and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld
December 2007

Provides an overview of the Exchange Traded Funds (EFT) industry and highlights the leadership role that Barclays Global Investors (BGI) has played in this developing asset class. BGI launched its first ETFs under the iShares brand name in 2000, and by mid-2007 BGI was the global leader in the $600 billion ETF market. BGI's success had started attracting the interest of other large asset management firms, and Lee Kranefuss, CEO of BGI's iShares business was thinking about how BGI should compete in the increasingly crowded market. Should BGI expand into Europe and Asia more aggressively? Should BGI, already a large manager of 401(k) assets for corporations, pursue the 401(k) market with its iShares products? Would BGI need to cut its fees as other competitors such as Vanguard started marketing its "low-cost" ETF products?

British Land

White, Lucy
December 2007

British Land's shares traded below NAV. Laxey investments tried to force British Land into share buybacks and criticized its corporate governance. Laxey voted borrowed shares at the AGM.

Allianz AG: Becoming a European Company

Lorsch, Jay W., and Alexis Chernak
November 2007

Focuses on the decision made by leadership at Allianz AG, the German insurance and financial services company, to complete a cross-border merger with the Italian insurance and financial services company, RAS. Allianz, however, could not complete the cross-border merger by remaining a German corporation under the current German statutes. Allianz, however, could conduct the cross-border merger as a European company according to the Statute of the European Community (Societas Europaea, or SE), which was recently passed by the European Union and adopted into German law. Examines the rationale for the decision made by the Allianz supervisory board and the board of management in addition to the process of becoming an SE, including the change in the composition of the supervisory board as a result of the merger and the conversion to an SE.

Colgate Max Fresh: Global Brand Roll-Out

Quelch, John A, and Jacquie Labatt-Randle
November 2007

In February 2005, Nigel Burton, in his third year as president of global oral care at Colgate-Palmolive Company (CP), had every reason to feel optimistic. Worldwide market shares were strong and Colgate Max Fresh (CMF), a new toothpaste that had helped drive Colgate to a record value share in the important U.S. market, was in the global pipeline for 2005. Burton had on his desk the proposed marketing launch plans for CMF in China and Mexico. Each plan sought to maximize the business potential in the local market. Burton had to assess the plans from a global perspective.

The Hertz Corporation (A)

Luehrman, Timothy A., and Douglas C.Scott
November 2007

Examines the leveraged buyout of Hertz in 2005, a complex, high-profile deal and a good example of cutting-edge practice in private equity. The first of a two-part series on the Hertz LBO, adopts the perspective of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the leader of a private equity consortium bidding to buy Hertz from Ford in an auction. Set at the final round of the auction, the immediate problem for the consortium is how much to raise its previous bid. A reasonable bid must be based upon how much value the private equity consortium can create through improvements in Hertz's global operations on the one hand, and a more efficient capital structure on the other. Presents detailed descriptive information on both topics, but does not include detailed financial projections, which must be formulated by students or supplied, for discussion purposes, by the instructor.

The Hertz Corporation (B)

Luehrman, Timothy A., and Douglas C. Scott
November 2007

Supplement to the (A) case

Marketing the $100 PC (A)

Quelch, John A., and Carin-Isabel Knoop
November 2007

In 2002, Professor Nicholas Negroponte, a successful venture capitalist, author, and co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, announced his intention to build a PC so cheap as to make it possible to provide Internet- and multimedia-capable machines to millions of children in developing countries. The concept-subsequently often referred to as the "$100 PC"-was launched at the Media Lab in 2003 before being spun into a separate nonprofit association, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), founded by Negroponte in January 2005. At the time skeptics, including technology industry leaders, argued that it simply could not be done. Through innovative design and technology, Negroponte and his team proved them wrong but struggled to sell the concept and the machines to the world's education ministries, who would be purchasing the laptops for their school-age children. Furthermore, by 2007, many other low-cost PC options had emerged and OLPC had not started shipping yet, leading some observers to wonder if the non-profit should reconsider its strategy and options.

Marketing the $100 PC (B)

Quelch, John A., and Carin-Isabel Knoop
November 2007

Supplements the (A) case.

The Transformation of Thomson

Collis, David J., and Troy Smith
November 2007

Thomson, a French multinational, went through a decade of dramatic change in the early years of the 21st century. From a state-owned enterprise earning 97% of its revenue from television sets and other analog consumer electronics, Thomson had become a publicly traded company providing digital video services and equipment to major movie studios, broadcast networks, and retailers, as well as satellite, cable, and telecom operators. The Group had just met its financial targets for 2006 and had achieved organic growth of 6% in the first half of 2007. Yet even as he reflected on these successes, CEO Frank Dangeard knew that much remained to be done to secure the company's leadership position against aggressive competition in a rapidly shifting and uncertain technological environment. Traces the evolution and transformation of the company and highlights the difficult choices Thomson faces in an ever-evolving high-tech industry.

Dove: Evolution of a Brand

Deighton, John A.
November 2007

Examines the evolution of Dove from functional brand to a brand with a point of view after Unilever designated it as a masterbrand and expanded its portfolio to cover entries into a number of sectors beyond the original bath soap category. The development causes the brand team to take a fresh look at the clichés of the beauty industry. The result is the controversial Real Beauty campaign. As the campaign unfolds, Unilever learns to use the Internet, and particularly social network media like YouTube, to manage controversy.

Will RacingThePlanet Ltd. Reach the Finish Line?

Isenberg, Daniel J.
November 2007

Mary Gadams, founder and CEO of RacingThePlanet is facing one of the many logistical crises that her young Hong Kong-based venture faces as it stages its popular 4Deserts(tm) adventure marathon series in Atacama Chile, Gobi Desert Mongolia, Sahara Desert Egypt, and Antarctica. How can a small company in Hong Kong continue to effectively coordinate such a far-flung, complex, global operation?

A Note on Private Equity in Developing Countries

Lerner, Josh, and Ann Leamon
November 2007

Provides the background and high-level situation of private equity in emerging markets as of the end of 2006.

Norway Sells Wal-Mart

Pozen, Robert C., and Aldo Sesia Jr.
November 2007

In June 2006, Norway's Pension Fund decided to divest its position in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. after an investigation by the Fund's Ethics Council. According to a spokesperson of Norway's Finance Ministry, "The recommendation to exclude Wal-Mart cites serious and systematic violations of human rights and labor rights." Before making its recommendation to the Ministry to divest Wal-Mart, the Council sent its findings to the retailer for comment, but received no response. While Wal-Mart did not respond, the company had taken several steps to strengthen its ethical standards worldwide in recent years.

Procter & Gamble: Organization 2005 (A)

Piskorski, Mikolaj Jan, and Alessandro L. Spadini.
October 2007

In response to a huge crisis in 2000, the new CEO of Procter & Gamble has to decide whether to continue with an unusual organizational design or to revert to the old matrix organization. Describes all the organizational designs used by Procter & Gamble from the 1920s onward, including geographic, product, and matrix architectures. Market development organizations, global business units, and global business services unit, each of which is heavily interdependent with the others and none of which has a clear decision-making advantage, comprise the unusual organizational design. Examination of the different organizational designs, trade-offs associated with each organizational architecture as well as the accompanying implementation problems.

Bunge: Food, Fuel, and World Markets

Khanna, Tarun, Santiago Mingo, and Jonathan West.
October 2007

In 2007, Bunge, an agribusiness company, had over $26 billion in worldwide sales and was considered, along with Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), one of three very integrated worldwide agribusiness companies. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, the company has traditionally possessed a strong presence in Brazil. Describes Bunge's tradeoff between efficiency of global operations and local responsiveness in an uncertain business environment. New world developments were effecting Bunge directly: high oil prices, a growing demand in emerging economies like China and India, and the possibility of agribusiness companies competing successfully in the production of biofuels. Bunge had traditionally followed an organizational model that was integrated but decentralized, trying to strike a balance between the efficiency of a global entity and the speed of local businesses. What would be the best strategy for Bunge to respond to the external changes imposed by high energy prices and increasing demand from emerging economies? How aggressively should Bunge invest in the rising biofuels markets?

Dove: Evolution of a Brand

Deighton, John A.
November 2007

Examines the evolution of Dove from functional brand to a brand with a point of view after Unilever designated it as a masterbrand and expanded its portfolio to cover entries into a number of sectors beyond the original bath soap category. The development causes the brand team to take a fresh look at the clichés of the beauty industry. The result is the controversial Real Beauty campaign. As the campaign unfolds, Unilever learns to use the Internet, and particularly social network media like YouTube, to manage controversy.

Michael Fernandes at Nicholas Piramal

Anteby, Michel, and Nitin Nohria
October 2007

Michael Fernandes, the Director of Custom Manufacturing Operations at the pharmaceutical company Nicholas Piramal India Limited (NPIL), schedules a meeting with three of his reports, whose interpersonal conflicts with one another are causing his business development function to falter. He struggles to know how to handle these conflicts and bring the three into a productive working collaboration. Fernandes is in charge of incorporating NPIL's new acquisitions in Canada and the United Kingdom to market NPIL globally. His three direct reports are each involved in different aspects of NPIL-the Canadian operations, the British operations, and the global business development-and the case explores the team dynamics among them. Unless Fernandes can resolve the conflicts, the integration of the acquisitions is in jeopardy.

Baker & McKenzie (A): A New Framework for Talent Management

Groysberg, Boris, and Eliot Sherman
September 2007

Describes the process by which the largest law firm in the world developed a unique framework for personnel management. In 2004, John Conroy is about to take the reigns as the leader of Baker & McKenzie, the largest law firm in the world by employees, with offices in 38 different countries. Facing an intensifying war for talent and associate retention concerns in some offices, Conroy has spearheaded the development of a framework for guiding the hiring, development, and retention of employees. As he is getting ready to introduce his framework at the firm's annual meeting, however, he faces many questions about its implementation. Could a single framework effectively apply to lawyers across so many different regions and cultures? Had this framework properly identified the attributes needed to succeed at Baker & McKenzie? How would the firm's hundreds of partners react? Offers the industry- and firm-specific content necessary for students to explore these questions and more.

Baker & McKenzie (B): A New Framework for Talent Management

Groysberg, Boris and Eliot Sherman
September 2007

Supplements the (A) case

Lightspeed Venture Partners - International Expansion

Palepu, Krishna G. and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld
September 2007

Looks at various international expansion models for a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley. Lightspeed Venture Partners believed that India had tremendous potential for venture capital returns-the question was how best to tap into that potential while also growing the firm's presence in the U.S., Israel, and China. The venture firm had recently hired partners in Israel and China, and subsequently opened offices in both countries. The firm was contemplating hiring a third international partner in India and potentially opening a third foreign office. This model seemed to be working in the other two countries, but other U.S. venture firms were entering India in a more aggressive manner. Some venture firms were purchasing local firms and raising money for dedicated India funds. Others were hiring a team of two or three local investors at one time. Lightspeed partners wondered which was the best long-term solution for their firm.

NatuRi Corporation

Higgins, Robert F., and Virginia A. Fuller
September 2007

NatuRi Corporation was a start up, founded in 2005, aiming to manufacture a cholesterol-lowering drug made from the byproducts of rice bran oil production. With operations split between Chennai, India and Boston, Massachusetts, NatuRi faced several challenges, including securing funding for the organization. NatuRi had captured the attention of at least four potential investors willing to offer an investment. Its managers were challenged to weigh their options and to determine which of the four potential investors currently interested in their venture would be most appropriate for NatuRi's future growth. In addition, the founders had only a short period of time to decide whether or not to accept a Seed and Series A term sheet from a well known venture capital firm. Poses the question of how the company's financing should be structured and how much equity the founders should relinquish in exchange for the start-up capital.

World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)

Casadedus-Masanell, Ramon, and Jordan Mitchell
August 2007

Nearly all environmental organizations have a similar aim: to stop the degradation of the natural environment. However, the strategies which environmental organizations choose to employ are sometimes starkly different. Compares the models of two dissimilar environmental powerhouses: Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). Active in 100 countries, WWF works with governments, businesses, other NGOs, and communities to set up conservation programs to preserve natural habitat. In contrast, Greenpeace works to campaign for environmental change against governments and corporations and accepts funding only through individuals and foundation grants. Explores the detailed history and business models of both organizations.

De Beers at the Millenium

Ghemawat, Pankaj, and Sonia Marciano
August 2007

At the time of the millennium, diamond demand was threatened by an increasing awareness among jewelry customers that diamond production and trading in some countries was being linked to growing inequities and human rights violations. This, in turn, had an impact on De Beers' reputation and consumer confidence in the diamond as a product that represented integrity, love, and commitment. In 2000, De Beers' sustainability depends on the ability of its leaders to shift the paradigm of both the firm and its context and embrace a distinctly different strategy.

Cable & Wireless America

Subramanian, Guhan, and Eliot Sherman
August 2007

Describes the auction of Cable & Wireless America (CWA), a bankrupt subsidiary of the British telecommunications company Cable & Wireless. While an initial "stalking-horse" bid valued the assets at $125 million, after a long day and night of bidding between eight groups, the best bid was in the high $60 million range. The sell-side team, comprised of bankers from the Blackstone Group and Greenhill, and lawyers from Wachtell Lipton and Kirkland & Ellis, is forced to regroup and reconsider their options for galvanizing the bidding process. Describes these events in detail, while providing information for students on CWA's history, the nature of Section 363 auctions, and the bidders who were involved in the process.

Lazard LLC

Subramanian, Guhan, and Eliot Sherman
August 2007

Describes Lazard's situation in 2001, and supplies context for the subsequent negotiation between its Chairman and his hand-picked successor. In 2001 Lazard, the last of the great investment houses to remain both private and in the control of its founding family, is in a state of decline. Infighting throughout the 1990s led to a defection of talent that left many wondering if Lazard could compete with the diversified financial behemoths of the 21st Century. It also left Chairman Michel David-Weill looking for a successor. David-Weill believes he has found one in M&A star Bruce Wasserstein: going into their negotiation, what should Wasserstein's strategy be?

Banca Regional Andino: Facing the Globalization of Microfinance

Chu, Michael, and Jean Steege Hazell
July 2007

Three leading Latin American microfinance banks join forces to face the new challenges of globalization, competition, and politics while common shareholder ACCÍON investments considers its options. From an initial project to share costs in the revamping of their IT systems, the Banca Regional Andino develops into the possibility of a common operating platform across three separate institutions, BancoSol of Bolivia, Mibanco of Peru, and Banco Solidario of Ecuador. The Banca Regional is a response to forces that the banks perceive as potentially threatening to their long history of success. In the process, presents the evolution of the national microfinance markets of Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru within the context of global microfinance.

Maria Sharapova: Marketing a Champion (A)

Elberse, Anita, and Margarita Golod
July 2007

In July 2004, a then 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon, arguably the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. Max Eisenbud, Sharapova's agent at International Management Group (IMG), knew the championship would lead to a flood of new opportunities. What would be the best approach to the management and marketing of a champion like Maria Sharapova? Which of the various endorsement offers would be worthwhile to pursue? And how could Eisenbud best leverage the resources available to him at IMG? Allows for an in-depth examination of marketing issues and, more specifically, sports endorsement opportunities in the context of a world-class athlete. (As of 2006, Sharapova is one of the world's most recognized sports figures, and its highest compensated female athlete.) Provides unique insights into the world of "team Sharapova," consisting of Sharapova and her advisors at IMG, a leading sports, media, and entertainment agency. Contains rich data on the way in which IMG structures its sales process, and can serve to illustrate best practices and key trade-offs in sports or entertainment marketing initiatives.

Maria Sharapova: Marketing a Champion (B)

Elberse, Anita, and Margarita Golod
July 2007

Supplements the (A) case

Portfolio Investment in Emerging Markets

Khanna, Tarun, Kjell Carlsson, and Krishna G. Palepu
July 2007

Provides distinctive data on investment flows into emerging markets.

Harvard Business School Note.

Choosing Corporate and Global Scope

Piskorski, Mikolaj Jan
July 2007

Introduces students to the study of corporate strategy, while providing an overview framework for understanding international strategy. Focuses on questions of scope and ownership. Examines both horizontal and vertical integration. Underscores the point that economies of scope, or the existence of relationship-specific investments, are insufficient to explain effective corporate strategy unless there are important obstacles to contractual solutions.

Harvard Business School Note.

Nestle's Milk District Model: Economic Development for a Value-Added Food Chain and Improved Nutrition

Goldberg, Ray A., and Kerry Herman
July 2007

Nestle is the largest milk firm in the world. For over a century, it has developed a milk model procurement program that improved the well-being of the small-scale farmer and the ultimate consumer. Can it partner with other firms and institutions to make even greater use of this model and can it do so in a manner that is consistent with host country goals and equally useful to the long-term viability of Nestle?

Warburg Pincus and emgs: The IPO Decision (A)

Hardymon, G. Felda, and Ann Leamon
July 2007

Two partners of Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm, are trying to decide whether to take a portfolio company public, and on what exchange. The company, Norway-based ElectroMagnetic GeoServices (emgs), has developed a market-leading technology that determines whether an undersea rock formation contains oil-prior to the oil company drilling a hole. With its high-growth characteristics, emgs is very different from the typical oilfield services company, and would be more suitable for floating on the NYSE or LSE, where liquidity and valuations would also be greater than on the Oslo Bors, the other possibility. Yet floating in the U.S. would involve greater compliance expense and might also require the management team to move to New York or Houston, something the team is reluctant to do. The partners need to decide what to do before the IPO window for energy-related companies closes.

Caselets: Bribery and Extortion in International Business (Abridged)

Wells, Louis T.
July 2007

Caselets present several examples of decisions involving bribery or take other actions that could be considered as corrupt.

SAP: Industry Transformation

Hagiu, Andrei, Pai-Ling Yin, Daniela Beyersdorfer, and Vincent Dessain
June 2007

SAP seeks growth in the small- and medium-sized enterprise market. To do so, it has created a platform strategy with SAP Netweaver. What are the advantages and challenges for an incumbent entering a new market? What are the benefits and challenges of implementing a platform strategy?

Digital Divide Data: A Social Enterprise in Action

Leonard, Herman B., Marc J. Epstein, and Wendy K. Smith
June 2007

No description.

Demand and Supply Forecasting at Air Products--Electronics Specialty Materials

Cohen, Shoshanah, Taylor Randall, Zahra Kanji, and Susan L. Kulp
June 2007

Explores the process and inputs behind financial and operational forecasting in the Electronic Specialty Materials unit at Air Products and Chemicals, a global chemical company. The protagonist, John Goldberg, grapples with how to better integrate the two forecasting processes, while also trying to prepare for unexpected urgent orders and natural disasters

Airbus vs. Boeing (A)

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Erich Alexander Voigt, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2007

Looks at the development of the competitive actions between Airbus and Boeing from 1992 to 2006. Begins with the question of whether Airbus and Boeing should collaborate on the development of a VLCT (Very Large Commercial Transport) or whether Airbus should develop their own. The case series moves through to the events thereafter of Airbus' decision to pursue the A380 and Boeing's decision relating to developing a stretch 747

Airbus vs. Boeing (B): Should Airbus Build the VLCT Alone?

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Erich Alexander Voigt, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2007

Supplements the (A) case.

Airbus vs. Boeing (C): Developments from 1996 to 1999

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Erich Alexander Voigt, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2007

Supplements the (A) case.

Airbus vs. Boeing (D): 2000

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Erich Alexander Voigt, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2007

Supplements the (A) case.

Airbus vs. Boeing (E): 2001

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Erich Alexander Voigt, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2007

Supplements the (A) case.

Airbus vs. Boeing (F): 2002-2006

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Erich Alexander Voigt, and Jordan Mitchell
June 2007

Supplements the (A) case.

The Dubai Ports World Debacle and Its Aftermath

Rotemberg, Julio J.
June 2007

Describes the political ramifications in the United States of Dubai-based DP World's acquisition of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). Because P&O operated some port terminals in the United States, DP World obtained clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States before P&O shareholders approved the deal in February 2006. Nonetheless, a ruckus over port security erupted both in Congress and in the press and this ruckus led DP World to promise that it would relinquish the U.S. terminals of P&O. Also contains a brief description of Dubai and its relationship to the U.S., a discussion of issues related to port security, and a brief history of U.S. security concerns with foreign direct investment. Ends with a depiction of the Bills passed unanimously by the U.S. House and Senate to further regulate foreign investment in the wake of the DP World debacle.

An Overview of Project Finance & Infrastructure Finance -- 2006 Update

Esty, Benjamin C., and Aldo Sesia Jr.
June 2007

Provides an introduction to the fields of project finance and infrastructure finance, and gives a statistical overview of project-financed investments over the years from 2002 to 2006. Examples of project-financed investments include the $4 billion Chad-Cameroon pipeline, $6 billion Iridium global satellite telecommunications system, $900 million A2 Toll Road in Poland, $1.4 billion Mozal aluminum smelter in Mozambique, and $20 billion Sakhalin II gas field in Russia. Globally, firms financed $328 billion of capital expenditures using project finance in 2006, up from $217 billion in 2001. The use of project finance has grown at a compound rate of 13% over the past 10 years. Focuses primarily on private sector investment in industrial and infrastructure projects, and contains four sections. The first section defines project finance and contrasts it with other well-known financing mechanisms. The second section describes the evolution of project finance from its beginnings in the natural resources industry in the 1970s, to the U.S. power industry in the 1980s, to a much wider range of industry applications and geographic locations in the 1990s, to infrastructure finance in the 2000s. The third section provides a statistical overview of project-financed investment over the last five years (2002 to 2006), and looks at industry, project, and participant specific data. In addition, provides recent data on infrastructure investments and public-private partnerships. The final section discusses current and likely future trends.

Harvard Business School Note.

Basic Techniques for the Analysis of Customer Information Using Excel: A Step-by-Step Approach

Martinez-Jerez, Francisco de Asis
June 2007

Provides a set of easy, step-by-step guides for some analytical techniques that are useful in the analysis of cases discussed in the course "Competing and Winning Through Customer Information (CWCI)". The instructions that follow use datasets from three of the cases in this course: "Slots, Tables, and All That Jazz: Managing Customer Profitability at the MGM Grand Hotel"; "MercadoLibre.com"; and "Bancaja: Developing Customer Intelligence (A)". These datasets are available upon request from the author.

Harvard Business School Note.

Protecting Foreign Investors

Wells, Louis T.
June 2007

Describes the emergence of several kinds of efforts to assure the safety of foreign investment in emerging markets: international arbitration, expanded official political risk insurance, credit from government agencies, and intervention by investors' home governments. Points out the roles of bilateral investment treaties and regional economic agreements in making arbitration accessible to an increasing number of foreign investors. Views the various arrangements as substitutes for a global agreement on foreign direct investment that would parallel the WTO for trade given that attempts to negotiate a comprehensive arrangement have so far failed. Also, presents several criticisms of the current system.

Harvard Business School Note.

Bert Twaalfhoven: The Successes and Failures of a Global Entrepreneur

Isenberg, Daniel J., and Mark Rennella
May 2007

Bert Twaalfhoven (70; HBS '54) is faced with two offers to acquire the manufacturing holding company he had built up over 40 years. Despite the attractive price which would net Twaalfhoven and his family $70 million, he is reluctant to sell the company because his original vision was to create a family-owned conglomerate that would last for generations. Of his eight children, two are appropriate successors, but neither shows much interest in following in their father's footsteps. The case chronicles the dozens of successes and failures of this serial global entrepreneur.

PSI: Social Marketing Clean Water

Rangan, V. Kasturi, Nava Ashraf, and Marie Bell
May 2007

Senior management at PSI, arguably the world's largest and most successful social marketer with impressive achievements in the field of family planning, HIV/AIDS, and malaria prevention must determine what to do about their slow-to-take-off clean water initiative. PSI's point-of-use products offered effective protection against water-borne diseases, especially diarrhea, yet the organization found it hard to attract donor funds to sustain the initiative. Its managers must determine how to alter their strategy going forward.

Alleviating Poverty and Malnutrition

Goldberg, Ray A., and Kerry Herman
May 2007

Deals with approaches to alleviating poverty and how firms, governments, and NGOs are able to work together to accomplish these goals.

METRO Cash & Carry

Khanna, Tarun, David Lane, Carin-Isabel Knoop, and Krishna G. Palepu
May 2007

Analyzes the globalization of Metro Case & Carry, a German wholesaler, which has flourished in many foreign markets but struggled to gain traction in India. Considers Metro's experience in Russia and China to put the company's challenges in India in comparative perspective. Pays particular attention to the institutional obstacles for a multinational to tap into the opportunities offered by emerging markets

Global Climate Change and Emissions Trading

McGrath, Patia, Nazli Uludere, Forest L. Reinhardt, and Gunnar Trumbull
May 2007

Global climate change is an increasingly prominent political and business problem. Design of market-based systems to reduce carbon emissions has proven difficult. More broadly, national attempts to comply with the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol present both governments and firms with significant challenges. The design of international institutions that will be useful for managing change after the Kyoto period is a challenge both for Kyoto ratifiers and for countries like the United States that have not ratified the agreement. Summarizes the science and economics of climate change, and encourages readers to contemplate the strategic and risk management problems that it presents to government officials and to business leaders in developed countries and in the developing world.

The Convention on Biological Diversity: Engaging the Private Sector

Bell, David E., and Mary Shelman
April 2007

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was a U.N. treaty that by 2006 had been signed by virtually every country in the world except for the United States. The treaty established three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Although the treaty had been in effect for almost 15 years, progress was slow. CBD Executive Secretary Ahmed Djoghlaf needed to increase the participation of the private sector in order to meet the treaty's "2010 Target," which called for a significant reduction in the loss of biodiversity at all levels (global, regional, and national). Provides background on the relationship between biodiversity and agriculture.

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