Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • September 2007 (Revised November 2007)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Bunge: Food, Fuel, and World Markets

By: Tarun Khanna, Santiago Mingo and Jonathan West
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:25 
ShareBar

Abstract

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?

Keywords

Globalized Firms And Management; Operations; Organizational Design; Situation Or Environment; Strategy; Agriculture And Agribusiness Industry; White Plains; Brazil

Citation

Khanna, Tarun, Santiago Mingo, and Jonathan West. "Bunge: Food, Fuel, and World Markets." Harvard Business School Case 708-443, September 2007. (Revised November 2007.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Author

Tarun Khanna

Strategy
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • January 2021
    • Faculty Research

    Andela: Africa’s AWS for Talent

    By: Caroline M. Elkins, Tarun Khanna and Joyce J. Kim
    • November 2020
    • Faculty Research

    BRAC in 2020

    By: Tarun Khanna and Shreya Ramachandran
    • November 2020
    • Faculty Research

    The Rise and Fall of Nokia (Abridged)

    By: Juan Alcácer and Tarun Khanna
More from the Authors
  • Andela: Africa’s AWS for Talent By: Caroline M. Elkins, Tarun Khanna and Joyce J. Kim
  • BRAC in 2020 By: Tarun Khanna and Shreya Ramachandran
  • The Rise and Fall of Nokia (Abridged) By: Juan Alcácer and Tarun Khanna
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College