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• Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2019

  Agility Africa

  Juan Alcacer, Caroline M. Elkins and Esel Çekin

  This case illustrates the challenge and opportunities that firms face when developing and executing new business models in high-risk, low-infrastructure, low-trust countries. It features a global logistics group, Agility, that aimed to become the leader in supplying innovative solutions that provide the backbone to growing consumer markets across Africa. Agility’s objective was to fill the institutional voids in the warehousing and logistics space that prevented multi-nationals and local firms from successfully operating at a level similar to Western countries and other emerging markets. After proof-of-concept success in Ghana’s free zone, Agility faced the challenge of expanding its business model across a diverse continent of 54 countries. Agility Africa’s CEO, Geoffrey White, needed to plot the way forward. Should he set a high entry barrier by building several warehouse parks in one of Africa’s economic regions? Or, should he expand across the continent with one facility in each of the large and growing countries? If the decision was to pursue regional expansion, should he try to open one park per country—even in small ones—or build satellite developments in secondary cities where Agility already had facilities? He also needed to consider the pace of phasing in each park and the possibility of developing multiple parks in existing locations. With the world’s fastest growing middle-class population and an internet revolution poised to spur the growth of consumer products and industrialization, Africa was considered by many as the world’s leading and largely untapped, emerging market. White needed to make difficult and nuanced decisions that took account of the continent’s many differences, as well as business similarities.

  Keywords: Strategy; Business Model; Innovation and Invention; Expansion; Emerging Markets; Decision Choices and Conditions; Real Estate Industry; Distribution Industry; Africa;

  Citation:

  Alcacer, Juan, Caroline M. Elkins, and Esel Çekin. "Agility Africa." Harvard Business School Case 720-357, October 2019.  View Details

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• Supplement | HBS Case Collection | April 2019

  OTE: Managing in Times of National Crisis (B)

  Juan Alcacer and Emer Moloney

  During the period 2011-2016, CEO and Chairman of Greek telecommunications company OTE Michael Tsamaz guided the company through a much needed transformation with a multi-pronged strategy.

  Keywords: Leading Change; Transformation; Strategy; Telecommunications Industry; Service Industry; Technology Industry;

  Citation:

  Alcacer, Juan, and Emer Moloney. "OTE: Managing in Times of National Crisis (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 719-505, April 2019.  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | December 2018 (Revised March 2019)

  Nissan and the Automotive Industry in Post-Brexit Europe

  Juan Alcacer, Jessica A. Gover and Kerry Herman

  Citation:

  Alcacer, Juan, Jessica A. Gover, and Kerry Herman. "Nissan and the Automotive Industry in Post-Brexit Europe." Harvard Business School Case 719-427, December 2018. (Revised March 2019.)  View Details

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