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• Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2020

  Hitachi Rail Limited (A)

  David J. Collis, Akiko Kanno and Nobuo Sato

  Hitachi must decide whether to make a British executive, who has successfully built its European rail business from scratch, head of its global rail division even though the bulk of revenues for the unit still come from Japan. The case describes, the history of Hitachi Rail as the provider of trains for the Japanese Shinkansen, its struggles to build a European business with expatriates before the success of an outside hire, Alistair Dormer, in winning major contracts in the UK. By 2014, Hitachi is wondering whether to make Dormer CEO of the global rail business in order to further globalise the unit. Will an outsider and a foreigner be the correct choice for a Japanese company? How can the values of the Japanese company be preserved as it globalises? what changes are necessary to further globalise the business?

  Keywords: Global Strategy; Leadership; Values and Beliefs; Human Resources; Organizational Structure; Rail Industry; Japan;

  Citation:

  Collis, David J., Akiko Kanno, and Nobuo Sato. "Hitachi Rail Limited (A)." Harvard Business School Case 721-364, September 2020.  View Details

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• Supplement | HBS Case Collection | September 2020

  Hitachi Rail Limited (B)

  David J. Collis, Akiko Kanno and Nobuo Sato

  Describes the strategy and organisation changes made by British executive, Alistair Domer, after he is made head of Hitachi Rail's global business. The company acquires an Italian company, continues to win contracts in the UK, but struggles to bring its greenfield manufacturing facility up to speed as knowledge transfer from Japan proves difficult. Dormer creates a new global organisation structure with executives based in different geographies and tries to maintain the traditional Hitachi values in the new organisation.

  Keywords: organization structure; leader selection; Mergers ＆ Acquisitions; Strategy; Global Strategy; Organizational Structure; Leadership; Mergers and Acquisitions; Values and Beliefs; Rail Industry; Japan;

  Citation:

  Collis, David J., Akiko Kanno, and Nobuo Sato. "Hitachi Rail Limited (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 721-365, September 2020.  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2020

  Zoom Video Communications: Eric Yuan's Leadership During COVID-19

  Scott Duke Kominers, Christopher Stanton, Andy Wu and George Gonzalez

  In the first half of 2020, worldwide lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic brought explosive growth to the Zoom Video Communications platform, as people replaced in-person work and social events with videoconferencing. Months into the pandemic, CEO Eric Yuan reflects on his company's newly central role in society, and considers how to leverage the platform's broad adoption into sustainable future growth. The case also discusses Zoom’s internal culture—which prioritized employee and customer happiness—as well as how both the company and its customers faced the transition to remote work.

  Keywords: Transformation; Communication Technology; Customer Value and Value Chain; Values and Beliefs; Technological Innovation; Leadership; Crisis Management; Organizational Culture; Working Conditions; Strategy; Information Technology; Software; Technology Adoption; Health Pandemics; Technology Industry; United States; California;

  Citation:

  Kominers, Scott Duke, Christopher Stanton, Andy Wu, and George Gonzalez. "Zoom Video Communications: Eric Yuan's Leadership During COVID-19." Harvard Business School Case 821-014, August 2020.  View Details

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