Publications
Publications
- October 2005
- HBS Case Collection
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 2005
By: Ray A. Goldberg and Mary L. Shelman
Abstract
CEO Mayo Schmidt had just guided his firm through five difficult years. Survival had come with the difficult decision to change the 80-year-old agricultural cooperative into a Canadian business corporation. The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool (SWP) now faced the future with a new financial structure, world-class assets, a proven management team, a sound balance sheet, and access to capital for stability and expansion. In the face of increasing global grain demand and new technology-based product possibilities, Schmidt was convinced that, as a producer, Canada would have a long-term advantage because of its history of high-quality grain production. Further, he believed that SWP, with its deep farmer relationships and state-of-the-art infrastructure, was ideally positioned to lead the development of identity-preserved value chains. How should Schmidt build on the SWP's unique strengths to create a company that would flourish and prosper for the next 80 years?
Keywords
Change Management; Customer Value and Value Chain; Capital; Technological Innovation; Leading Change; Demand and Consumers; Partners and Partnerships; Expansion; Technology Adoption; Food and Beverage Industry; Canada
Citation
Goldberg, Ray A., and Mary L. Shelman. "Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 2005." Harvard Business School Case 906-402, October 2005.