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• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2017 (Revised June 2019)

  Flex Hungary: Launching Production (A)

  Willy Shih

  This case examines design choices in the construction of flow lines. Flow lines are a popular way of arranging production because they are simple and inherently efficient. Equipment or workstations are arranged according to the sequence of steps in which a product is made. Each step consists of a set of tasks that individually are minimum rational work elements. These are combined to form the work assignment associated with the step. The work follows the same sequence of operations as it moves down the line, and the sequence is fixed from batch to batch. The case setting is a production site in Hungary that is starting up the production of a personal beverage maker. Should the team implement a conveyor-paced line in preference to a manual pull system? An analysis of process steps and times gives students an opportunity to debate this question.

  Keywords: manufacturing; line-balancing; flow line; conveyor-paced line; consumer goods; consumer products; Production management; Production Planning; Production scheduling; Operations; Production; Supply Chain; Design; Consumer Products Industry; Manufacturing Industry; European Union;

  Citation:

  Shih, Willy. "Flex Hungary: Launching Production (A)." Harvard Business School Case 618-002, August 2017. (Revised June 2019.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2019

  Zhejiang Geely Holding Group: Acquisition of Volvo Cars

  Felix Oberholzer-Gee, Willy Shih and Nancy Dai

  Zhejiang Geely Holding Company's acquisition of Volvo cars was widely viewed with skepticism because of the poor track record of cross-border auto industry acquisitions. This case looks at the acquisition and post-acquisition integration from the point of view of Chinese managers at Geely. A companion case, HBS No. 613-042, “Volvo Cars: Acquisition by Geely” looks at the acquisition from the point of view of Swedish managers at Volvo.

  Keywords: merger integration; organization culture; Organization Behavior; organizational alignment; Mergers and Acquisitions; Integration; Alignment; Organizational Culture; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Auto Industry; China; Sweden;

  Citation:

  Oberholzer-Gee, Felix, Willy Shih, and Nancy Dai. "Zhejiang Geely Holding Group: Acquisition of Volvo Cars." Harvard Business School Case 619-041, February 2019.  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2019

  MoviePass

  Willy C. Shih

  Mitch Lowe, the CEO of MoviePass, was having trouble convincing people of the viability of the company's business model. The company was building a multi-sided platform, and was planning to extract value from increasing traffic to movie theaters through a number of mechanisms. It also appeared to be making assumptions around its flat-rate pricing model. By making some assumptions, this case affords an opportunity for students to practice with discovery-driven planning.

  Keywords: start-up; Start-up growth; start-ups; business model innovation; Business Model; Innovation and Invention; Multi-Sided Platforms; Business Startups; Planning; Motion Pictures and Video Industry; United States;

  Citation:

  Shih, Willy C. "MoviePass." Harvard Business School Case 619-052, February 2019.  View Details

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