Richard Ivey School of Business — The University of Western Ontario
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Case Grant RA With limited initial capital investment, four partners quickly took Advanced Book Exchange Inc. from a standing start to an industry leadership position. The principals have an opportunity to partner with a major player in electronic book commerce. There seemed to be no downside to the offer of a relationship with barnesandnoble.com but was it really as good as it looked? How would their clients react? Could they make it work? They had to decide quickly as in the world of the web, he whohesitated often lost big. Ivey Number: 9B00E001 Publication Date: 16/02/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1998 Subjects: Virtual Business, Small Business, Internet, Strategic Alliances Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Grant RA One of the business partners of Advanced Book Exchange, Inc. was reviewing the company's revenue projections. He knew that the company left money on the table every time it dealt with a bookseller - the prices just didn't reflect the value hisdatabase service provided. He had little doubt the fees could be raised. He just wondered how much, and how fast. He and his three partners were still debating how many different categories they should have and what the fees should be in eachcategory. Were there better options they hadn't considered? Every day they delayed the decision represented lost revenue, so he was anxious to resolve the issue and move on. This case can be used with Advanced Book Exchange, Inc.: TheBarnesandnoble.com Partnership (9B00E001). Ivey Number: 9B00A001 Publication Date: 16/02/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1998 Subjects: Virtual Business, Small Business, Internet, Pricing Strategy Functional Area: Marketing
Case Grant RA This abridged version of the Advanced Book Exchange, Inc.: Pricing as an Infomediator (B) case, 9B00A001, can be used in conjunction with the Advanced Book Exchange, Inc.: The Barnesandnoble.com Partnership case, 9B00E001. It explores the decisionto raise prices at Advanced Book Exchange, Inc. in the wake of the successful conclusion of the Barnesandnoble.com negotiations. Ivey Number: 9B00A002 Publication Date: 16/02/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1999 Subjects: Virtual Business, Small Business, Internet, Pricing Strategy Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Goerzen A; Cramb T Publication Date: 8/10/2004 Industry: Miscellaneous Services Abstract: Advanced Book Exchange is an Internet-based used book marketer. It has been very successful, but larger firms such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble were looking into this market. The chief operating officer must decide whether to grow throughgeographic diversification or consolidate and stay focused on its current markets. Ivey Number: 9B04M024 Geographic Location: Canada Company Size: Medium organization Year of Event: 2004 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: General Management Subjects: Internet; Internationalization; Global Product; International Business
Case Foerster SR; Ito A Advanced Material Technology (AMT), a Japan-based company and one of the world's largest manufacturers of advanced ceramic products, was considering the prospects of raising 24 billion yen ($200 million) to finance AMT's planned capital expenditureprogram. AMT must consider a variety of financing sources including straight debt, convertible bonds and bonds with warrants. Currency denomination and location of a global offering are also considered. The case also examines the economic andbanking environment in Japan. Ivey Number: 9A97N008 Publication Date: 2/6/1997 Revision Date: 5/4/2000 Geographic Setting: Japan Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1992 Subjects: Financing, Financial Strategy, Capital Investment, International Finance Functional Area: Finance
Article Author(s): Ian Stuart; Todd Boyle Publication Date: 01/01/2007 Product Type: Article Ivey ID: 9B07TA07 Subjects: Cost control Major Disciplines: General Management Product Description: It is not a crisis — at least not yet — but numerous Canadian SMEs need to get with the lean program before it's too late. The authors visited 18 firms and though they found that lean practices were wanting, they were able to turn their findings into recommendations that manufacturing managers everywhere can implement to make their operations lean.
Case Author(s): Kennedy JR; Barron G Description: The note reviews all stages in the development of an advertising campaign for a consumer product from the perspective of a product manager. The note provides information on the advertising process associated with the development of an advertisingcampaign. Ivey Number: 9A88A026 Publication Date: 1/1/88 Revision Date: 6/10/2003 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Subjects: Advertising Management; Advertising Strategy; Advertising Media; Advertising Effectiveness Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
Case Author(s): Sturby C; Grasby EMA Description: The trustees of a music trust were pondering the future of their chamber music concert series. For 15 years, the series had been operating in a historic hall, however, the maintenance and repair costs associated with the hall were becomingcumbersome and expensive. The trustees learned that in exchange for a sizable one-time donation, the concerts could be held at another location. The trustees wondered whether the move would be viewed as satisfactory by their loyal patrons andwhether it made financial sense. Ivey Number: 9B03B003 Publication Date: 6/26/2003 Revision Date: 10/17/2003 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Non-Profit Organizations Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 2001 Subjects: Cash Flow; Costs; Investments; Arts Administration Level of Difficulty: Introductory
Case Killing JP Aer Lingus, the Irish international airline, is proposing to buy ATS, a small but rapidly growing robotics firm. Negotiations have been protracted and earn out is professed. The owner appears to be getting cold feet. Should Aer Lingus continue?This is the first in a three case series titled Aer Lingus (case 9A89M004, 9A92M010 and 9A92M011) addressing minority shareholders who are also key managers. (A 12-minute video can be purchased with this case, video 7A89M004.) Ivey Number: 9A89M004 Publication Date: 1/1/1989 Revision Date: 2/2/2000 Geographic Setting: Ireland/Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1988 Subjects: International Business, Acquisitions, Subsidiaries, Diversification Functional Area: General Management
Case Killing JP Eighteen months after selling 75% of his company to Aer Lingus, Klaus Woerner, general manager and 25% shareholder, is proposing expansion to California. The Board thinks the move is premature, and in the wrong part of the country. This is thesecond in a three case series titled Aer Lingus (case 9A89M004, 9A92M010 and 9A92M011) addressing minority shareholders who are also key managers. Ivey Number: 9A92M010 Publication Date: 9/8/1992 Revision Date: 21/06/1999 Geographic Setting: USA/Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1986 Subjects: Acquisitions, Expansion, International Business Functional Area: General Management
Case Killing JP Klaus Woerner and Aer Lingus executives have now visited the company Klaus Woerner wants to purchase in California. Opinions are divided. Klaus is adamant the move be made. Denis Hanrahan is less sure. Trust is an issue. This is the third in athree case series titled Aer Lingus (case 9A89M004, 9A92M010 and 9A92M011) addressing minority shareholders who are also key managers. Ivey Number: 9A92M011 Publication Date: 9/8/1992 Revision Date: 21/06/1999 Geographic Setting: USA/Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1986 Subjects: Acquisitions, Expansion, International Business Functional Area: General Management
Case Author(s): William Russell Publication Date: 10/31/2008 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8B08C01 Ivey ID: 9B08C001 Geographic Setting: United States Size: Large Year of Event: 2000 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Perception; Work-Force Management; Risk Management; Morale; Mining; Ethical Issues; Employee Grievances Major Disciplines: Human Resource Management Product Description: This case involves a personnel matter at an agricultural chemical industry mining complex. A middle-level supervisor has been accused of gender-based and other discrimination. The complaint has come primarily from one employee who works under that supervisor's direction, but is supported at least in part by the testimony of other employees. The evidence is typical of the sorts of evidence that usually attend human resource disputes. Company policy manuals bear on the propriety of the mill coordinator's conduct apart from the issue of discrimination. Ultimately, an appellate process is also integrated into the procedural tools. This case considers the process by which the employment discrimination complaint is investigated, considered and resolved, including the weighing and evaluation of information gathered from those in the workplace. Various practical, legal and ethical issues typical to such cases are apparent.
Case Author(s): Saperstein J Description: Agilent Technologies was spun-off from Hewlett Packard in an effort to establish a new brand in the high-tech industry. The senior director of global brand management was reflecting on the company's challenges in focusing its worldwide marketingeffort in the multiple business sectors. Agilent was intended to establish itself as a separate company from Hewlett Packard while still continuing in the Hewlett Packard tradition of excellent customer service and reliability. Now, with smalleradvertising and marketing budgets, downsizing of the company, fierce competitive pricing and service, and an evolution from within Agilent Technologies to provide more service and knowledge through its Web site, the marketing and communicationschallenges have changed since the company's introduction. Ivey Number: 9B04A004 Publication Date: 1/15/2004 Geographic Setting: United States Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2003 Subjects: Consumer Research; Marketing Management; Marketing Communication; Sales Management Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): George Athanassakos; Dan Buffery Publication Date: 10/4/2007 Product Type: Case (Pub Mat) Ivey ID: 9B07N011 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Metal Mining Size: Medium Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: 5 — MBA/Postgraduate Subjects: Business valuation; Cash flow; Cash flow analysis; Real options; Valuation Major Disciplines: Finance Product Description: The senior portfolio manager at National Securities Inc. (National) is concerned about the recent decline in shares of Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd (AEM), a Canadian gold producer with several years of precious metals mining experience that was considered one of the portfolio's strongest performers. The senior portfolio manager and his team recently spent time at one of AEM's mines and believed in the operational potential of the company. National's research department had prepared free cash flow forecasts for AEM, which the senior portfolio manager reviewed and modified, following their visit with the company. He knew that despite his team's belief in the future prospects of AEM, the stock may have become overvalued from a fundamental view point. The senior portfolio manager asked his team to perform a fundamental valuation of the equity of AEM. As normally, this meant the team would use the discounted cash flow (DCF) methodology, with financial assumptions that had been carefully examined. However, he knew that DCF valuation would likely undervalue resource companies, such as AEM, as the DCF valuation tended to overlook the flexibility provided at decision nodes during the life of the company with regards to extracting commodities from the ground. As a result, the senior portfolio manager reminded the team that the DCF method, when applied to a mining company, had to be expanded to explicitly include the value of the un-mined metals. The underground un-mined gold would need to be
Case Parent M; Kelley H After spending many months developing and testing a new tracking and reporting program called CDXP, an end-user with the Department of Agriculture's Food Production and Inspection Branch in Alberta, Canada, must decide on an action plan to convincehis superiors at Agriculture Canada, the Corporate Information Systems group and poultry processors to adopt this program. Though the program provides for more timely and accurate reporting of poultry condemnation statistics, a number of issues mustbe addressed. These include ongoing application support training, national rollout, and stakeholder resistance. Ivey Number: 9A98E003 Publication Date: 5/3/1998 Revision Date: 4/2/1999 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Agricultural Production - Livestock Event Year Start: 1996 Subjects: Computer System Implementation, Management of Change, Computer Applications, Government and Business Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Author(s): Peter C. Bell; Joanna Wong; Frederick Chan; Ileana Funez Publication Date: 8/30/2007 Revision Date: 11/27/2007 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B07E017 Geographic Setting: China Size: Medium Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 — Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Bidding; Capacity analysis; Outsourcing; Production management/Control Major Disciplines: International; Management Science and Information Systems Product Description: The head of the key account team at Ai Li Industrial Company Ltd. (Ai Li) was discussing the possibility of bidding for a new account with a major North American department store. The account would involve the manufacture of compact cosmetics kits for the upcoming holiday season. Although the potential benefits from the considerably large order would be significant, it would require one third of Ai Li's nearly full manufacturing capacity.
Case Borzecka E; Grasby EMA The newly-appointed president of AIESEC Western, the local chapter of AIESEC Canada (a student trainee exchange program in international business), must design a turnaround action plan. For a number of years the situation at AIESEC Western had been deteriorating; traineeship and student nomination objectives had not been achieved, membership had been declining, and finances had deteriorated. AIESEC Canada, therefore, had given an ultimatum to AIESEC Western to meet the minimum standards ofraising two traineeships and two student nominations. (A sequel to this case is available, titled AIESEC Western (B), case 9A99C017.) Ivey Number: 9A99C016 Publication Date: 4/6/1999 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Non-Profit Organizations Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1997 Subjects: Management of Change, Motivation, Leadership Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Borzecka E; Grasby EMA The local chapter of AIESEC Western has undergone dramatic changes in order to improve its overall performance. A number of projects have been tested at AIESEC Western: a team structure has been implemented and a special task force has been createdto help with the changes. AIESEC Western's president faces new challenges: handing over the responsibility for running AIESEC Western to the new executives, and dealing with interpersonal issues. (This case is a sequel to AIESEC Western (A), case9A99C016.) Ivey Number: 9A99C017 Publication Date: 4/6/1999 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Non-Profit Organizations Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1998 Subjects: Management of Change, Organizational Structure, Interpersonal Relations, Communications Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case (Library) Author(s): Jean-Philippe Bonardi; Tony S. Frost Ivey ID: 9B02M021 Publication Date: 10/29/2002 Product Type: Case (Library) Teaching Note: 8B02M21 Geographic Setting: China Industry Setting: Insurance and Pension Funds Size: Large Year of Event: 2001 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: International Management; Trade Agreements; Political Environment Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: AIG is an American insurance company. A trade dispute between the United States and the European Union threatens to block the accession of China to the World Trade Organization, and AIG plays a role - it is the only foreign firm to own fully-controlled subsidiaries in China. The disagreement concerns what will happen to these existing subsidiaries, as well as potential new ones that AIG might seek to establish in China in the future. What are the issues from the perspective of each of the stakeholders and what options are available that will resolve this dispute?
Case Crossan MM; Paul-Chowdhury K Aikenhead's has a business plan to open its first warehouse home improvement centre in Toronto. The business plan must deal with the topic of “restructuring'' from both a macro and micro perspective. From a macro perspective, the plan provides theopportunity to discuss how and why an industry is restructured and the entry of a “mega-retailer''. From a micro perspective, the plan provides the opportunity to discuss how companies can and need to restructure mindsets and assets in order tocompete in the new industrial landscape which includes mega-retailers. Ivey Number: 9A94M001 Publication Date: 15/07/1994 Revision Date: 5/4/2001 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Bldg. Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1991 Subjects: Industry Analysis, General Management, Competitiveness, Retailing Functional Area: General Management
Case Author(s): Bansal P; Mark K; Mitchell J Publication Date: 12/20/2004 Industry: Electric, Gas and Sanitary Services Abstract: Icelandic New Energy Company, a research and development consortium based in Reykjavik, Iceland, is considering what future direction to take. The two-person team has met their first major goal - the installation of the world's first commercialhydrogen filling station and the coordination of a public transport test project involving the operation of three hydrogen fuelled city buses. The company was founded with the overall objective of investigating the potential for eventually replacingthe use of fossil fuels in Iceland with hydrogen-based fuels and create the first hydrogen society in the world. Working towards the goal of self-sufficiency from fossil fuels, Icelandic New Energy Co was set up in 1999 by the consortium Vistorkaand three major partners each contributing a part to the testing - Royal Dutch Shell (the refueling station), Norsk Hydro (the electrolysis technology to make the hydrogen) and DaimlerChrysler (fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen fuel). Theshareholder agreement was established with the company's start in 1999 and is set to expire in 2005. With all of the major activities being outsourced and contracted, the team wondered how they could keep the company as a going concern andcontribute to Iceland's transition to a hydrogen economy - a feat that could take more than 15 years. Ivey Number: 9B05M001 Geographic Location: Iceland Company Size: Small organization Year of Event: 2004 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: General Management Subjects: General Management; Management in a Global Environment; Strategic Planning; Industry Analysis
Case Foerster SR; Barbara R The vice president of corporate lending at London Life received a message that one of its borrowers, Air Atlantic, had not sent its first quarter loan payment and was, therefore, in default of its loan. London Life had loaned Air Atlantic close to$20 million in the late 1980s to buy two deHavilland Dash-8 aircraft. Also, he had deferred $4.5 million of future payments for Air Atlantic. The vice president wondered if Air Atlantic's condition would improve as the North American economycontinued to show signs of strengthening. If he insisted on payment, he realized it could begin a process leading to the eventual bankruptcy of Air Atlantic. Ivey Number: 9A95B046 Publication Date: 29/03/1996 Revision Date: 24/01/2001 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Insurance and Pension Funds Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1994 Subjects: Bankruptcy, Financing Functional Area: Finance
Case Shaw DC; Nason R The final meeting to set the size of the issue and the price of the shares for Air Canada's initial public offering of shares is about to begin. Concern has been expressed by the government that unless the offer price is above their minimum level,the issue will be pulled. Ivey Number: 9A90B005 Publication Date: 1/1/1990 Revision Date: 26/03/2002 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1988 Subjects: Pricing Functional Area: Finance
Case Lanfranconi CP; Murphy J After a turbulent year in the Canadian airline industry, Madelaine Mercier wants to reevaluate her investment in Air Canada and Canadian Airlines. She is wondering how she should reflect the extensive amount of leases used by the two companies inher analysis. She is unsure if she should make adjustments to the company's financial statements and is curious to know whether these adjustments would make a material difference in her analysis. Ivey Number: 9A97B002 Publication Date: 29/08/1997 Revision Date: 29/03/1999 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1997 Subjects: Lease Accounting, Financial Analysis, Leasing, Investment Analysis Functional Area: Accounting
Case Author(s): Wiedman CI; Wier H Description: An investor is considering investing in Air Canada bonds after reading an article on the attractiveness of the bonds. Trading at US$0.80 on the dollar, the bonds are yielding approximately 14 per cent. The investor must conduct some financialanalysis on her own to assess whether the company's financial position has improved or deteriorated since a bond rating downgrade eight months ago. She must also evaluate how off-balance sheet operating leases would affect the analysis. The caseillustrates how financial statement users can use lease disclosures to restate financial statements to fully reflect liability arising from operating leases. Ivey Number: 9B03B009 Publication Date: 8/6/2003 Revision Date: 12/18/2003 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2002 Subjects: Accounting Methods; Corporate Financial Reporting; Leasing Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Accounting
Supplement Author(s): Srinivas Sridharan; Ramasastry Chandrasekhar Publication Date: 10/9/2007 Product Type: Supplement Ivey ID: 9B07A015 Geographic Setting: India Industry Setting: Air Transportation Size: Medium Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: 4 — Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Brand positioning; Entrepreneurial business growth; Pricing strategy Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; International; Marketing Product Description: Supplement to Air Deccan (A): Changing the Face of Indian Aviation, product #9B07A001. The chief executive officer evaluate the company strategy.
Case Author(s): Srinivas Sridharan; Ramasastry Chandrasekhar Publication Date: 12/12/2006 Revision Date: 9/12/2007 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B07A001 Geographic Setting: India Industry Setting: Air Transportation Size: Medium Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: 4 — Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Entrepreneurial business growth; Emerging markets; Brand positioning; Pricing strategy Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; International; Marketing Product Description: By November 2005 Air Deccan, India's first low cost airline, had been in business for two years. During this time, the airline had grown rapidly, adding both planes and passengers at breakneck speed. Using low fares as its central strength, it had caused huge, unconventional changes in the Indian domestic airline industry. Not satisfied, however, the founder and chief executive officer wondered how to adapt to the future and sustain Air Deccan's tremendous initial success. The case can be used to engage students in the following issues: the entry and positioning of a new brand in a somewhat oligopolistic industry; targeting low income and under-served segments; low-cost, low-price strategies; entrepreneurial start-ups in emerging markets and marketing strategy in high growth SMEs. In the supplement case, Air Deccan (B): From Creating Change to Changing Creatively, product 9B07A015, the chief executive officer evaluates the strategy.
Case Kennedy JR; Steer C This two-part case, (see Air Miles (B), case 9A94A003), is about decisions relating to the introduction of AIR MILES (TM), a loyalty incentive program, to the Canadian market. An integral part of the case is a three minute video, which can bepurchased with the case (video 7A94A002). The cases are designed to be taught in one class period. The decision point for the first part of the case takes place two weeks before the initial launch of the AIR MILES (TM) program. The student isasked to assess the marketing strategy, with particular emphasis on the efficacy of the planned television commercials. Ivey Number: 9A94A002 Publication Date: 8/9/1994 Revision Date: 7/2/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Transportation Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1992 Subjects: Marketing Management, Advertising Strategy, Advertising Effectiveness Functional Area: Marketing
Case Kennedy JR; Steer C This two-part case, (see Air Miles (A), case 9A94A002), is about decisions relating to the introduction of AIR MILES (TM), a loyalty incentive program, to the Canadian market. In the first case, the student is asked to assess the marketing strategy,with particular emphasis on the efficacy of the planned television commercials. The second part of the case takes place three months later. Response to the launch had resulted in high target market awareness, but lower conversion rates than hadbeen planned for. Research was commissioned and the research report has just been received. The student is asked to examine the research and make recommendations on marketing strategy, again with particular emphasis on advertising. Ivey Number: 9A94A003 Publication Date: 8/9/1994 Revision Date: 6/12/2001 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Transportation Services Company Size: Sm/Med organization Event Year Start: 1992 Subjects: Marketing Management, Advertising Strategy, Advertising Effectiveness Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Niraj Dawar; Ramasastry Chandrasekhar Publication Date: 11/21/2007 Revision Date: 4/3/2008 Product Type: Case Teaching Note: 8B07A09 Ivey ID: 9B07A009 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Size: Large Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Advertising; Customer Loyalty; Brand Repositioning; Data-driven Marketing Major Disciplines: Marketing Product Description: Air Miles, the largest third party loyalty program in Canada, has more than nine million subscribers. Competition in the loyalty card market is heating up with the entry of Aeroplan and the myriad of proprietary loyalty programs launched by retailers and other brands, and Air Miles seeks to tighten its relationship with customers. Paradoxically, for a data-driven company focused on influencing consumers individually, Air Miles opts to develop and launch a mass advertising campaign to reconnect with consumers, and just as importantly, to re-energize internally.
Case (Library) Author(s): Stephen R. Foerster; Patricia A. McGraw Ivey ID: 9B02N017 Publication Date: 11/29/2002 Product Type: Case (Library) Teaching Note: 8B02N17 Geographic Setting: New Zealand Industry Setting: Air Transportation Size: Large Year of Event: 2001 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Strategic Change; Financial Management; Financial Analysis; Financial Strategy Major Disciplines: Finance; International Product Description: Air New Zealand is a national airline faced with a number of important strategic and financial issues. The company's recent acquisition of Ansett Australia had proved to be disastrous and a severe financial drain for Air New Zealand. Key issues facing Air New Zealand include the long-term strategic positioning of the business, and determining anticipated financing needs, the appropriate "gearing ratio" or capitalization (debt-to-equity) rate, and available sources of financing. A recent research report had summarized two fundamental questions that impacted on the company's stock price and needed to be addressed: Would the New Zealand government relax Air New Zealand's ownership restrictions in order to allow Singapore Airlines to increase its stake from 25 per cent to 49 per cent? If so, would any proposal fix Air New Zealand's balance sheet to allow Air New Zealand and Ansett to once again become viable airline competitors? Supplement to this case is Air New Zealand: The Recapitalization Decision (B), product number 9B02N020.
Supplement Author(s): Stephen R. Foerster; Patricia A. McGraw Ivey ID: 9B02N020 Publication Date: 11/29/2002 Product Type: Supplement Teaching Note: 8B02N17 Geographic Setting: New Zealand Industry Setting: Air Transportation Size: Large Year of Event: 2001 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Strategic Change; Financial Management; Financial Strategy; Financial Analysis Major Disciplines: Finance; International Product Description: This is a supplement to Air New Zealand: The Recapitalization Decision (A), product 9B02N017. The chairman of Air New Zealand is chairing the company's first annual meeting and is faced with a number of financial and strategic issues that have an impact on the survival of the airline.
Case Haywood-Farmer JS; Osborne W Air Ontario executives are trying to decide whether to replace the regional airline's disposable dinnerware with reusable dinnerware. After assessing the results from a test “flight'', they must assess the costs, time requirements, and effects onservice of the options. Ivey Number: 9A92D014 Publication Date: 27/10/1992 Revision Date: 27/05/2002 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Air Transportation Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1991 Subjects: Customer Relations, Job Analysis, Services, Technological Change Functional Area: Production/Operations Management
Case Nourse REM; Hulland JS George Patrick, president of Airtech Limited, is faced with both severe competition and under-utilization of the company's manufacturing capacity. He is considering a number of options, including a complete departure from the manufacturing business. Ivey Number: 9A93A008 Publication Date: 16/07/1993 Revision Date: 6/6/2002 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Machinery except Electrical Event Year Start: 1990 Subjects: Industrial Marketing, Product Management, Marketing Management, Pricing Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Mary M. Crossan; Marina Apaydin Publication Date: 1/7/2009 Product Type: Case (Library) Teaching Note: 8b09M02 Ivey ID: 9B09M002 Geographic Setting: Turkey Industry Setting: Banking Size: Large Year of Event: 2007 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Strategy Development; Growth; Sustainable Development; Political Environment Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: The Turkish financial sector has been developing rapidly and often unpredictably, offering an ideal backdrop to carry out an industry analysis in the dynamic environment of an emerging market. Akbank, one of the leading private Turkish banks, has been successful in taking advantage of the new opportunities that appeared in the credit card sector as a result of post-crisis restructuring of the financial services industry in the early 2000s. Launched in late 2001, Akbank's Axess credit card quickly gained a significant market share of 15 per cent and was popular with both customers and merchants. At the same time, the attractive margins in this sector have sparked many local and foreign competitor entries. Setting a sustainable strategy for the next few years is complicated by the change in the political, macro-economic and competitive environment. The new government leading the country since 2002 has improved overall stability in Turkey, which created both opportunities and threats for Akbank's business. The opportunities included an improved banking system and increasing customer disposable income, while the market for credit cards was not yet saturated. However, threats may come from unpredictable actions that banking authorities could implement and increasing competition from both local and international players. The dynamic nature of the banking industry in an emerging market provides a comprehensive case to anchor a discussion
Case Author(s): Phil Hospod; Abby Yew Publication Date: 9/12/2006 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M077 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Size: Small Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Industry Analysis; Small Business; Succession Planning; Family-Work Interaction Major Disciplines: General Management Product Description: Alan Choy, his wife Candace and their daughter Sadella met to decide the future of Alan Choy Engineering Incorporated. The company operates in an industry which offers largely undifferentiated services. In addition, price competition is intensifying due to a recession. In order to maintain a culture of family values, Alan often hired friends and family to fill positions in the company. This has resulted in communication problems within the company and with clients as most employees communicate in Mandarin or Cantonese. Alan, his wife and his daughter must decide how to address these issues and who should be in charge of the company if Alan and his wife decide to retire.
Case Author(s): Phil Hospod; Abby Yew Publication Date: 9/12/2006 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M078 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Size: Small Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Industry Analysis; Small Business; Succession Planning; Family-Work Interaction Major Disciplines: General Management Product Description: Alan Choy had to make some decisions concerning the future of his company, Alan Choy Engineering Incorporated. It was time to decide what to do with the company when he retired. Several options included selling the company, having his daughter Sadella take over the leadership of the company or hire a manager to do so. Alan had to take into consideration not only the future success of the company but also the needs of his family, his personal goals and dreams, and whether Sadella?s career aspirations were in line with running the family business.
Case Author(s): Chris J. Piper; Jordan Mitchell Publication Date: 5/14/2009 Product Type: Case (Field) Ivey ID: 9B09D004 Geographic Setting: Turkey Industry Setting: Agricultural Production - Crops Size: Small Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Bottlenecks; Process analysis; Process design/Change; Capacity analysis Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; International; Production and Operations Management Product Description: Alara Agri, based in Bursa, Turkey, is one of the world's foremost cherry and fig producers. The president and chief executive officer (CEO) was concerned about a recurring capacity problem at the end of the process where cherries were packed. On some of the plant's conveyor belts, piles of cherries of one size waited to be packed while other belts had too few cherries to keep workers busy, and thus delayed order fulfillment. Diverting excess cherries from a busy line to an underutilized line was not an option as cherries were sorted by size. One solution the CEO had considered was to build another processing line at a cost of US$2 million, although he thought a better solution may be achieved by changing the process or reconfiguring the flow of the machine. The CEO wondered how best to improve capacity with the equipment they already had. To aid in his decision, he examined corporate data with regards to revenues and production figures, incoming cherries received in tonnes, expected size distribution of cherries, and the plant layout and packaging options.
Case Author(s): Cotte J; Singer D Description: AlarmForce Industries Inc. is a developer and sales provider of home security systems with offices throughout Canada. Since the company's inception, it had become one of the leaders in the Canadian home security market and had established areputation for being a technological innovator in the industry. The president and chief executive officer of the company must decide whether or not to launch their new product, AlarmFog, which the president believed represented the future of thehome security market. The case focuses on past strategic decisions made by the company in differentiating itself in a mature market. The potential folly of making tactical product launch decisions without a solid analysis of underlying strategicissues can be discussed. Ivey Number: 9B03A010 Publication Date: 8/6/2003 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 2002 Subjects: New Products; Marketing Management; Market Segmentation; Market Analysis Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
Case Author(s): Pratima Bansal; Tom Ewart Publication Date: 3/17/2006 Revision Date: 4/19/2007 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M047 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Museums, Art Galleries Size: Medium Year of Event: 2000 Level of Difficulty: 4 — Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Action planning and implementation; Corporate governance; Crisis management; Arts administration Major Disciplines: General Management Product Description: Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP) was a performing arts non-profit organization. It enjoyed a strong brand recognition as a socially liberal organization in a community with strong conservative values. With funding from the Alberta Performing Arts Stabilization Fund, ATP had paid down its accumulated deficit and expected to emerge from debt in 1999. However, in the 1998/99 season it lost over $400,000. By later 1999, ATP's accumulated deficit reached $600,000, including $300,000 owed to Canada's tax collection authority, Revenue Canada. Cash flow statements showed that ATP would be bankrupt by the spring of 2000 unless it could raise $1 million. There were concerns that ATP may not even meet its payroll obligations in the meantime.
Case Kennedy JR Albright & Wilson Americas is a phosphate manufacturer. They have information that urban phosphates are no longer the problem they were in the 1960s and 1970s. The introduction of Loblaws' “phosphate free'' detergent, has created a concern that it,and possible competitive entries, will create even more negative attitudes towards phosphates. They are trying to decide what actions, if any, they can take to bring more current information about phosphates and their substitutes to the public. Ivey Number: 9A93A005 Publication Date: 20/04/1993 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Chemicals and Allied Products Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1989 Subjects: Public Relations, Communications Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Cotte J; Yang A Publication Date: 9/20/2004 Revision Date: 10/7/2004 Industry: Educational Services Abstract: The top sales person for Alchemy Training Firm has visited three potential clients, an existing customer, a "warm" call referral and a cold call, to sell a new offering from the company. While the company was well-known for providing top qualitysales management training programs, the owners have decided to branch out with a new offer of supply chain management/purchasing training courses. The sales person must prepare a report of these sales calls for a planning session, and is concernedthat the outcome may not be successful. He wonders what he could have done differently. The case highlights the difficulties in selling a new intangible service when firm reputation, trainer reputation, and course customization opportunitiescompete with cost as main buyer priorities. The differing opinions of the owners on the firm's growth strategy are an issue, as well. Ivey Number: 9B04A015 Geographic Location: China Company Size: Small organization Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Marketing Subjects: Services; Sales Management; Sales Strategy; Corporate Strategy
Case Ryans AB By mid-1988, Aldus Corporation was the market share leader in the global desktop publishing market. Top management was faced with the decision of whether to split Aldus's product family into two distinct product lines. Each product line would betargeted at different segments of the market: the business market and the creative graphics professional market. Ivey Number: 9A90A004 Publication Date: 1/1/1990 Revision Date: 14/02/2002 Geographic Setting: USA Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1988 Subjects: Marketing Planning, Market Segmentation, High Technology Products, Strategic Planning Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Colette Southam Publication Date: 7/29/2008 Product Type: Case (Gen Exp) Ivey ID: 9B08N020 Geographic Setting: United States Industry Setting: Security and Commodity Brokers, Dealers Size: Not Applicable Year of Event: 2007 Level of Difficulty: 3 - Undergraduate Subjects: Risk Management; Regression Analysis; Portfolio Management; Funds Management Major Disciplines: Finance Product Description: Alex Sharpe's Portfolio provides an introduction to the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), portfolio diversification and risk management. Sharpe currently holds the Vanguard 500 Index Fund, but is considering a more active management strategy. Students must assess the risk of the two stocks she is considering adding to her portfolio. Students are provided with monthly stock returns and must calculate the standard deviations of the individual stocks and of the portfolios when one of the stocks is added to it. Students must calculate the stock's beta using regression and will learn that beta is the appropriate measure of risk to use in decision making since risk-averse investors do not hold stocks in isolation.
Case Bell PC The newly appointed general manager of Alfonso's Department Store has initiated a review of Alfonso's newspaper marketing, in part to gain familiarity with the store's marketing practices, but also to look for ways to enhance both sales and marketshare. (A Microsoft Excel data file is available for use with this case, product 7A99E002.) Ivey Number: 9A99E002 Publication Date: 16/02/2000 Geographic Setting: USA Industry Setting: General Merchandise Stores Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Data Analysis, Regression Analysis, Advertising Effectiveness, Statistical Analysis Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Author(s): Hatch JE; Cox S Description: The treasurer of a Toronto men's wear manufacturer attempts to negotiate bank financing for his company. The task is made more complex by the need to purchase material from Hong Kong and sales made to the United States and Italy. Ivey Number: 9A89B055 Publication Date: 10/3/1995 Revision Date: 1/23/2004 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Textile Mill Products Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1989 Subjects: Bank Lending; Foreign Exchange; Credit Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Accounting
Case Author(s): Hatch JE; Kovac R Description: ALI Technologies Inc. is a medical information technology company that develops filmless diagnostic equipment for hospitals and clinics and is world leader in this field. An offer to acquire the company has been presented and the chief executiveofficer and the board of directors must determine if the offer is fair to the company shareholders and in the best interests of the company. Ivey Number: 9B04N001 Publication Date: 6/24/2004 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 2002 Subjects: Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurial Finance Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Finance
Case Deutscher TH Stephen Bingham, president and co-founder of Alias Research Inc., felt that the worst was over. Now it was time to look to the future once again. Where should the main thrust of Alias be? There were three choices: a) in the company's historicalstrength, the 3-D animation software market; b) in industrial design software, which had looked so promising but which had proved unexpectedly difficult to penetrate; or c) in both, perhaps with a gradual shift in emphasis. Ivey Number: 9A93A016 Publication Date: 16/08/1993 Revision Date: 13/06/2002 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1987 Subjects: New Products, Technology, Computer Industry, Market Strategy Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Colleen Sharen Publication Date: 8/11/2008 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8B08C16 Ivey ID: 9B08C016 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Non-Profit Organizations Size: Small Year of Event: 2008 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Corporate Culture; Mission Statements; Organizational Change; Organizational Structure Major Disciplines: Human Resource Management Product Description: The human resources manager at the Alice Saddy Association (Alice Saddy), a non-profit agency in London, Ontario, Canada, supporting people with developmental disabilities who lived independently rather than in group homes, informed the executive director that some of the support workers believed that the current organizational structure caused confusion, slowed decision making and created potential risk for the people served by Alice Saddy. The executive director agreed that there were some problems related to the structure of the organization. However, the structure reflected the mission of Alice Saddy and changes were likely to be resisted by the management team for that reason. The executive director had to decide how to proceed.
Case Author(s): House D; Grasby EMA Publication Date: 1/28/2005 Industry: Food and Kindred Products Abstract: A junior process engineer at Pharma Laboratories in Cambridge, Ontario, prepares a report to recommend increasing the output of the manufacturing line that produces the drug Allegex. The increase would allow manufacture of the product to betransferred from a plant in the United States to the Cambridge facility. In addition to evaluating the financial viability of her proposal, the engineer must consider related qualitative issues. Ivey Number: 9B05D003 Geographic Location: Canada Company Size: Large organization Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: Introductory Functional Area: Production/Operations Management Subjects: Break-Even Analysis; Capacity Analysis; Capital Investment; Present Value
Case Author(s): Dhanaraj C Publication Date: 9/22/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B04M045 Geographic Setting: Europe Industry Setting: Transportation Equipment Size: Medium organization Year of Event: 2001 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: International Strategy; Legitimacy in International Marketplace; Entry Mode; International Marketing Functional Area: General Management Product Description: Allison Transmission Division is a $2 billion unit within General Motors (GM) with a very specialized product - heavy-duty automatic transmissions for commercial vehicles. Although the division is part of GM, more than 90 per cent of its output isdirected to external customers. The case presents a familiar challenge faced by many globalizing firms: a pioneer and leader in a market holding more the 60 per cent of the market in North America, but less than 10 per cent outside North America.The presence of leading original equipment manufacturers in Europe who are the key customers for Allison, and the large market potential in Europe presents a strategic opportunity, but the cultural and institutional differences present a formidablechallenge. The technological differences in Europe augments this challenge and the uncertainty surrounding a new hybrid technology that is emerging in Europe make the decision even more complex. Also presented is the company's attempts in Europefor a decade leading to the trigger issue - a decision between a joint venture in Austria and a wholly owned unit in Hungary. The case provides a rich organizational context to challenge students to go beyond a typical alternative analysis toconsider the broad strategic issues and identify a comprehensive strategy for Europe.
Case Author(s): Lane HW; Shaughnessy D; Wesley DTA Publication Date: 2/16/2006 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M027 Geographic Setting: Mexico/United States Industry Setting: Agricultural Services Size: Medium organization Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: International Business, Cross Cultural Management, Joint Ventures, Risk Analysis Functional Area: General Management Product Description: The senior vice-president for corporate development for Charles River Laboratories must prepare a presentation to the company's board of directors requesting up to a $2 million investment in a Mexican joint venture with a family-owned animal healthcompany. However, the chief executive officer views the proposed joint venture as a potential distraction while his company continues to expand rapidly in the United States. He is also worried about the risks of investing in a country like Mexicoand the plan to partner with a small, family-owned company. Moreover, the Mexican partner is unable to invest any cash in the joint venture, which would need to be fully funded by Charles River Laboratories. The supplement ALPES S.A.: Joint VentureProposal (B), product 9B06M028 looks at what happened.
Case Author(s): Lane HW; Shaughnessy D; Wesley DTA Publication Date: 2/16/2006 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M028 Geographic Setting: Mexico/United States Industry Setting: Agricultural Services Size: Medium organization Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: International Business, Cross Cultural Management, Joint Ventures, Risk Analysis Functional Area: General Management Product Description: The senior vice-president for corporate development for Charles River Laboratories must prepare a presentation to the company's board of directors requesting up to a $2 million investment in a Mexican joint venture with a family-owned animal healthcompany. This is a supplement to ALPES S.A.: A Joint Venture Proposal (A), product 9B06M027.
Case Hatch JE; Czyzowski B Two entrepreneurs own the rights to a new fastening device which can be used to attach the handle to the head of a toothbrush. In the case Alpha Personal Dental Care Systems, case 9A95B020, the entrepreneurs consider a private equity placement.Unfortunately, they have experienced a lot of difficulty in raising funds to develop the concept and are trying to decide whether to sell the manufacturing rights to a multinational company. Ivey Number: 9A95B021 Publication Date: 20/09/1995 Revision Date: 12/2/2002 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Health Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Entrepreneurial Finance, Patents, Product Design/Development Functional Area: Finance
Case Slaughter KE; Jie Z; Everatt D Alpha Gearing Systems Shanghai Co., Ltd. (Alpha Shanghai), a joint-venture between Alpha Gearing Systems of Illinois, USA (a large producer of gearing products), and Kai Li Machine Systems (one of China's largest manufacturers of gearing systems for mopeds and motorcycles), had invested several millions of dollars in tooling in the hope of winning a major contract. The general manager of Alpha Shanghai had made the decision that the next round of negotiations would either significantly advance,or sever, the relationship between Alpha Shanghai and San Yu Mopeds, a large Chinese moped producer, and a customer which Alpha Shanghai had hoped would become one of its largest. The case decision revolves around Alpha Shanghai's senior management perspectives, strategy and assumptions which affected the negotiating process, and specifically how their communication patterns were effected by their experience and culture. Ivey Number: 9A99C014 Publication Date: 4/6/1999 Revision Date: 11/5/2000 Geographic Setting: China Industry Setting: Transportation Equipment Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1998 Subjects: Negotiation, Interpersonal Relations, Communications, International Business Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Wirick RG; Dent S An analyst with Alpha Investments is examining the possibility of recommending that shares in the closed end mutual fund, Growth Investment, be included in the portfolio holdings of managed funds run by Alpha. Growth Investment was a dual-purposefund with both preferred shares and common shares. The common shares were selling at a discount of over 20 per cent to their underlying net asset value. This seemed to represent a significant investment opportunity for Alpha, especially becauseGrowth Investment had a wind-up date in approximately three years at which time the common shares would be redeemed at full net asset value (less any wind-up costs). Before making the recommendation to buy, however, the analyst wanted to be surethat she understood all the risks as well as the opportunities of the investment. Ivey Number: 9A98N025 Publication Date: 25/11/1998 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Holdings and other Investment Companies Event Year Start: 1989 Subjects: Efficient Market, Investments, Human Behaviour, Mutual Funds Functional Area: Finance
Case Author(s): Thornhill S; Roll W Publication Date: 3/22/2005 Industry: Business Services Abstract: An entrepreneur from California sold his last start up company over a year ago and was looking at investing in an underperforming company in which he could play an active role and turn around. His investment advisor approached him with a potentialdeal in which to invest. Alpha Legal Systems was a small software company with $5 million in sales the previous year but had no profitability. The entrepreneur must consider the economic slowdown and an underperforming technology market and thechallenges of taking over and managing a young, rapidly growing company. Ivey Number: 9B05M032 Geographic Location: United States Company Size: Small organization Year of Event: 2000 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: General Management Subjects: Entrepreneurship; Financial Management; Offering Memorandum; Business Valuation
Case Hatch JE; Czyzowski B Peter Butler and Julie McBride own the rights to a new fastening device which can be used to connect the handle to the head of a toothbrush. They require funds to further develop the concept and are considering a private placement of equity. Partof the task for students is to generate an offering memorandum. (A sequel to this case, Alpha Dental - The Challenge Continues, case 9A95B021, addresses complications incurred.) Ivey Number: 9A95B020 Publication Date: 20/09/1995 Revision Date: 18/11/1999 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Health Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1988 Subjects: Entrepreneurial Finance, Startups, Private Placement Functional Area: Finance
Case Author(s): Walid Busaba; Zeigham Khokher; Anuroop Duggal Publication Date: 6/30/2008 Product Type: Case (Library) Teaching Note: 8B08N03 Ivey ID: 9B08N003 Geographic Setting: Canada; United States Industry Setting: Electric, Gas and Sanitary Services Size: Large Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Futures Markets; Hedge Funds; Energy Trading; Risk Management Major Disciplines: Finance; International Product Description: This case provides students with a deeper understanding of commodity futures markets in general and natural gas markets in particular. It also provides an introduction to hedge funds and insight into the largest hedge fund collapse in history. Third, it introduces such concepts as liquidity risk, value-at-risk, spread trades and the use of derivatives. As of the case date, Amaranth had not publicly disclosed the positions that led to $6 billion in losses during the month of September 2006. The case was written using public information and provides key pieces of data to allow students to reverse engineer possible positions Amaranth may have held.
Case (Field) Author(s): Mark B. Vandenbosch; John Laugesen Ivey ID: 9A94A011 Publication Date: 7/14/1994 Revision Date: 7/12/2002 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8A94A11 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Electric & Electronic Equipment Supplies Size: Large Year of Event: 1993 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Marketing Channels; Market Strategy; Personal Computers; Product Management Major Disciplines: Marketing Product Description: A product manager for Ambra Personal Computers, (a part of IBM Canada Ltd. and the IBM Personal Computer Company) must make a number of marketing decisions for the launch of a new Ambra personal computer product line. The case centres around the product manager's decisions in the areas of target market selection, pricing (relative to the competition) and marketing channels.
Case White RW; Grosskope P; Atkinson L The focus of the case is on techniques for hedging gold production. The primary strategy is min/max strategy using over-the-counter gold option contracts. The recent gold price increase from a low of $360 within the year, to a current price of over$394 was making the roll-over decision that much more difficult than if prices had remained stable. The hedging decision involves the quantity of hedges to initiate, the timing of the moves, and the medium through which Barrick could mostefficiently make the adjustment. The case permits a discussion of option contracts, forwards and gold loans. Ivey Number: 9A90B050 Publication Date: 1/1/1990 Revision Date: 25/03/2002 Geographic Setting: Canada/USA Industry Setting: Metal Mining Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1989 Subjects: Derivatives, Risk Management, Hedging, Financial Strategy Functional Area: Finance
Case Foerster SR; Fortier D Peter Munk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Barrick Resources Corporation, had to decide whether or not to make a bid for Lac Minerals. Lac Minerals was recently put into play when Royal Oak Mines made an unsolicited bid. Ivey Number: 9A95B025 Publication Date: 4/10/1995 Revision Date: 17/07/2001 Geographic Setting: Canada/USA Industry Setting: Metal Mining Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1994 Subjects: Mergers & Acquisitions, Valuation, Acquisitions Functional Area: Finance
Case (Library) Author(s): David Loree; Ken Mark Ivey ID: 9B02C053 Publication Date: 11/29/2002 Product Type: Case (Library) Teaching Note: 8B02C53 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Transportation Equipment Size: Large Year of Event: 2000 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Employee Termination; Human Resources Management Major Disciplines: Human Resource Management Product Description: The head of salaried personnel at a large automotive manufacturer is faced with the unenviable task of implementing head count reductions. Several options are available including voluntary leave of absence, contract position reductions and early retirement packages. She must decide the best method to carry out the reductions and how to keep the targeted reductions fair to all employees at the company. Supplemental case Janet Michaels at American Car, product 9B02C054 discusses her decision.
Case Author(s): Rowe WG; Mark K Publication Date: 8/10/2004 Industry: Chemicals and Allied Products Abstract: Originally a chemical company with its focus on agriculture, American Cyanamid has expanded into three other industry segments: medical, chemical and consumer products. The executive vice-president for agriculture must decide what to do with thefloundering chemical division. The supplement Cytec Industries, Inc., product 9B04M007 looks at the progress of the chemical division. Ivey Number: 9B04M006 Geographic Location: United States Company Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1991 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: General Management Subjects: Strategic Scope; Uncertainty; Stakeholder Analysis; Action Planning and Implementation
Case Author(s): Beamish PW; Jung J; Kim H Description: A major U.S.-based fast food company with extensive operations around the world was contemplating whether or not they should enter the Korean market. The Korean fast food market was hit badly by the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s, but theeconomy was turning around. Thus, fast food demand in Korea was expected to increase. For the industry analysis, this case provides information on various competitors, substitute foods, new entrants, consumers and suppliers. In addition, socialissues are included as potential forces. Ivey Number: 9B03M016 Publication Date: 4/2/2003 Geographic Setting: Korea Industry Setting: Eating and Drinking Places Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2002 Subjects: Industry Analysis; Market Entry; International Business; Fast Food Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
Case Tattersall CA An AmeriChem Inc. plant was maligned at a corporate board meeting with accusations of general abuse of alcohol and drunkenness on the job. The health and safety manager knew that the groundless claims could completely destroy the plant's alreadydoubtful reputation and he had to decide whether to respond and how. The problems are analytically challenging and not clearly defined; they concern the difference between the inter-relation of individual and collective interests. The variousaspects of the problem need to be separated and addressed, and the issues must be considered in all of their relevant contexts, making students aware that decisions are most often made in a complex environment requiring diverse thinking and balancingskills. Ivey Number: 9B00C028 Publication Date: 20/10/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Chemicals and Allied Products Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2000 Subjects: Corporate Culture, Management Communication, Management Style, Morale Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Newson EFP; Marchak S The controller of AMP of Canada learned that her existing transactional processing system was not year 2000 compliant. She must choose between three alternatives: upgrading the existing transactional processing system, implementing a customizedsoftware package that many AMP companies already used, or implementing SAP. She knew that Canadian management preferred to implement the very popular SAP system, but her information systems manager did not think that users were ready for SAP andpreferred an option involving the existing system. The controller wondered which solution to choose and how to persuade Canadian management, the Canadian information systems department, and headquarters management to support this decision. Ivey Number: 9A99E030 Publication Date: 9/2/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Electric & Electronic Equipment Supplies Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1997 Subjects: Management Information Systems, Managing Implementation, Computer System Implementation, Project Management Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Newson EFP; Marchak S The second of the AMP of Canada case series (see the (A) case, 9A99E030 and the (C) case, 9A99E032), this case describes the decision to implement SAP, the project's history, and culminates with the final decision about whether to go live. Not allfunctionality is complete, but some may be completed before the go live on October 5, 1998, and some may not be immediately required to run the business. With only two weeks left, the project team is divided. The decision in the case is whether togo live, and how to handle the consequences of either decision. Ivey Number: 9A99E031 Publication Date: 9/2/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Electric & Electronic Equipment Supplies Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1998 Subjects: Management Information Systems, Managing Implementation, Computer System Implementation, Project Management Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Newson EFP; Marchak S The third in the AMP of Canada case series (see the (A) case, 9A99E030 and the (B) case, 9A99E031), this case describes events immediately after the (B) case. Although the project is officially a success, the organization has changed dramaticallysince the project began. The two key questions are revisiting the same decisions in cases (A) and (B): should the project have gone live, and was it the right decision to implement SAP. Ivey Number: 9A99E032 Publication Date: 9/2/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Electric & Electronic Equipment Supplies Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1998 Subjects: Management Information Systems, Managing Implementation, Computer System Implementation, Project Management Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Author(s): Dunbar C; Cogan A Publication Date: 12/20/2004 Industry: Communications Abstract: The chief executive officer of Ametelcom Group Inc. must make a recommendation to the board of directors regarding the best way to sell its Amtelecom Communications subsidiary. AGI owns and operates ICS Courier, a national fixed-route courierbusiness and Amtelecom Communications, a regional telecommunications, cable television and Internet business. Amtelecom Communication's capital requirements are not being satisfied because cash is being diverted to ICS Courier to cover its losses.As well, AGI's stock has been performing poorly. In order to alleviate these problems, the board has decided to sell off Amtelecom Communications. The three sales alternatives being considered are: selling to a strategic buyer, IPO via a commonshare offering and IPO via an income trust offering. This case can be used to teach students about valuation in a strategic setting, and provides an opportunity to apply sum of parts valuation to value a diversified firm, apply discounted cash flow,conduct a transactions analysis to determine the standalone value of a firms, and gain a basic understanding of income trusts. Ivey Number: 9B04N014 Geographic Location: Canada Company Size: Large organization Year of Event: 2002 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Finance Subjects: Financial Strategy; Mergers & Acquisitions; Initial Public Offerings; Valuation
Case Author(s): Tan D; Tan J Publication Date: 9/10/2004 Industry: Miscellaneous Retail Abstract: Amway is a large manufacturer of household products that uses the direct selling approach. The company was established in the late 1940s and over the years, still using direct selling, branched into the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan. With this global success it expanded further, into the Chinese market. However, the company must look at its strategy after the Chinese government implements regulations on the direct marketing business model. The supplement Amway in China (B): Adopting to aChanging Environment, product 9B04M036, looks at how the company responds to the changing social and political environment. Ivey Number: 9B04M035 Geographic Location: China Company Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1998 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: General Management Subjects: Legal System; Government Regulation; Marketing Channels; Corporate Culture
Case Author(s): Tan D; Tan J Publication Date: 9/10/2004 Revision Date: 6/14/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B04M036 Geographic Setting: China Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1998 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Legal System; Government Regulation; Marketing Channels; Corporate Culture Functional Area: General Management Product Description: The Chinese government has placed a ban on direct marketing. With direct marketing being the primary marketing method the company uses, it must respond to the changing social and political environment. This is a supplement to Amway in China (A): ANew Business Model, product 9B04M035.
Case Plouffe C Amway of Canada is faced with decisions surrounding the replacement of photocopiers at its Canadian headquarters. As the lease has expired on its current copiers, Amway is beginning the process of evaluating new copier brands, vendors and relatedtechnologies. However, what initially appeared to be a rather straightforward “rebuy'' purchasing situation is becoming a more complex organizational decision. Specifically, the number of potential vendors is increasing as different technologies areconsidered, because the purchasing team realizes that the new photocopier decision inherently impacts other areas of Amway's operations.The purpose of this case is to examine how seemingly simple organizational purchases - particularly those related to new and emerging technologies - can become extremely complex and involve the consideration of related functional areas andoperational characteristics within the firm. As such, the case is ideally suited for a discussion around prioritizing key issues in a complex organizational purchase and achieving rapid closure on a procurement initiative, which has apparentlyspiralled out of control. Ivey Number: 9A99D015 Publication Date: 31/08/1999 Revision Date: 1/10/1999 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1999 Subjects: Supplier Selection, Purchasing, Management of Technology, Capital Investment Functional Area: Production/Operations Management
Case Harty M; Erskine JA; Leenders MR The rebuyer of hard goods for Amway of Canada Ltd. received notice that the latest shipment of goods by a supplier had failed to meet contractual specifications once again. The company relied heavily on the ability of its suppliers to delivercorrect order quantities and descriptions in order to meet tight catalogue production deadlines. He had to decide whether he should recommend terminating the company's two-year relationship with the supplier. There were several factors he needed toconsider including the costs Amway incurred to remedy the problems and the company's push toward global sourcing. Ivey Number: 9B00D020 Publication Date: 7/12/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Wholesale Trade - Durable Goods Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1999 Subjects: Supplier Relations, Relationship Management, Supplier Selection, Purchasing Functional Area: Production/Operations Management
Case Author(s): Konrad A; Mark K Publication Date: 11/28/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B05C032 Geographic Setting: Canada Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Discrimination; Women in Management; Human Resources Management; Organizational Behaviour Functional Area: Human Resource Management Product Description: A group of four friends, all married men and in their late 20s, meet for coffee in a major city. One of the men has received a job application from a young woman he considers to be a stellar candidate for his job opening. The discussion turns intoa debate about the feasibility of hiring young women for professional and managerial positions, given that they become pregnant and go on maternity leave.
Note Author(s): Walid Busaba; Zeigham Khokher; Saqib Khan Publication Date: 4/1/2008 Product Type: Note Ivey ID: 9B08N002 Industry Setting: Security and Commodity Brokers, Dealers Year of Event: 2007 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: International Finance; Foreign Exchange; Exchange Rates; Derivatives; Forwards; Futures Major Disciplines: Finance Product Description: This note demonstrates how a forward price, or equivalently, futures price, is determined and considers forward and futures contracts written on financial assets and on commodities. The note introduces the concept of a convenience yield and calculates the convenience yields on four commodities, crude oil, natural gas, copper and gold. Examples in the note use actual market prices.
Case Lane HW; Wright L The newly appointed project manager of a highway project in Southeast Asia has a variety of issues to contend with all at once. The project is fully described in the Hazelton International Limited case 9A84C040. The Hazelton case can serve as abriefing and must be done before this one. This case provides the company schedule and infrastructure information. Decisions need to be made regarding the items in his in-basket. These items are in the (B) case 9A86C070 and (C) case 9A86C071. Ivey Number: 9A86C069 Publication Date: 1/1/1986 Revision Date: 23/03/2000 Geographic Setting: Asia/Indonesia Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1984 Subjects: Project Management, Intercultural Relations, International Business, Construction Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Lane HW; Wright L A new project manager faces sixteen items in his in-basket when he reports for his first day of work with Hazelton International Limited. This case, along with the (C) case, 9A86C071, is a supplement to An International Project Manager's Day (A),case 9A86C069, and should be considered in conjunction with the Hazelton International Limited case, 9A84C040. Ivey Number: 9A86C070 Publication Date: 1/1/1986 Revision Date: 23/03/2000 Geographic Setting: Asia/Indonesia Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1984 Subjects: Project Management, Intercultural Relations, International Business, Construction Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Lane HW; Wright L A new project manager arrived on his first day of work to find an in-basket full of issues requiring his consideration. (See cases 9A86C040, 9A86C069, and 9A86C070.) Now, he finds additional items on which he must take action. Ivey Number: 9A86C071 Publication Date: 1/1/1986 Revision Date: 23/03/2000 Geographic Setting: Asia/Indonesia Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1984 Subjects: Project Management, Intercultural Relations, International Business, Construction Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Lane HW; Wright L The new project manager for Hazelton International Limited is confronted with numerous items in his in-basket that must be dealt with. This case is a follow-up to An International Project Manager's Day (A), case 9A86C069, and offers an alternateteaching methodology. Its contents are unrelated to the (B) and (C) case supplements. An alternate teaching note (5A84C40) should be used with this case. Ivey Number: 9B00C014 Publication Date: 2/5/2000 Geographic Setting: Asia/Indonesia Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1984 Subjects: Project Management, Intercultural Relations, International Business, Construction Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Flick S; Grasby EMA The National Hockey League (NHL) was battling within a competitive market to increase the exposure of hockey throughout the United States. Many new franchises had been established and the challenge was to create a fan base to support both thefranchises and the league as a whole. As a result, many new initiatives were being examined to educate and excite the American public.The director of new business development for National Hockey League Enterprises, the marketing arm of the NHL, had to evaluate a proposal to establish an IMAX/Ridefilm attraction at NHL SKATE rinks and determine if this approach would increase theexposure of hockey throughout the United States. To prepare his recommendations for the board of directors, he needed to qualitatively evaluate the prospects of the NHL/Ridefilm proposal and perform a quantitative analysis. Ivey Number: 9B00M029 Publication Date: 7/12/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Amusement and Recreation Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1997 Subjects: Joint Ventures, Marketing Communication, Sports, Sensitivity Analysis Functional Area: Marketing
Case Higgins CA This note presents an overview of the process of collecting or sampling data from the appropriate population, presenting statistical measures to describe the data and to allow inferences to be drawn from the data, and then clearly presenting theresults obtained. Ivey Number: 9A97E010 Publication Date: 31/08/1998 Subjects: Data Analysis Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Author(s): Haywood-Farmer JS; Denniston J Publication Date: 8/2/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B05C018 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Eating and Drinking Places Size: Small organization Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: Introductory Subjects: Customer Relations; Government and Business; Lobbying; Motivation Functional Area: Human Resource Management Product Description: The owners of a bar & grill located in a major tourist area must decide how to deal with the non-smoking bylaw that is being considered for the township it's located in. The bar & grill serves two different groups: a large number of tourists during the summer and local patrons who frequent the bar throughout the year. The owners are concerned how this bylaw will affect business during the slower winter months. The case allow students to produce a plan that deals with how to influencepublic-sector decision-makers, deal with multiple customer groups with the possibly conflicting interests, and motivating staff to implement a course of action with which they might not personally agree.
Case Anand J; Ensign PC; McReynolds K Martin Doyle, manager of a Canadian-Malaysian joint venture set up for the manufacture of custom-made ornamental building products in Malaysia, must reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable positions of the two partners. The case illustrates how thebusiness environment in emerging markets can be simultaneously attractive and challenging. Success in such ventures is contingent upon an accurate assessment of the relative positions of the partners as well as ability to adopt creative solutions. Industry: Fabricated Metal Products Issues: Joint Ventures, Developing Countries, International Business, Small Business Location: Canada/Malaysia Size: Small organization Year of event: 1996 Level: Undergraduate/MBA Revised: 28/01/2000 Ivey #: 9A97M001
Case Author(s): Malcolm Munro; Sid L. Huff Publication Date: 10/1/2007 Product Type: Case (Field) Ivey ID: 9B07A018 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Size: Small Year of Event: 2007 Level of Difficulty: 4 — Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Corporate strategy; Internet marketing; Internet software; Search engines Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; International; Management Science and Information Systems; Marketing Product Description: Anduro Marketing is a Canadian company that sells technical services to companies wanting to improve their search engine website rankings. Though small, Anduro has attracted several major clients in both Canada and the United States, and expects steady profitability and growth. Anduro believes it can generate substantial additional profit by developing and selling a suite of software products that automate its technical service offerings. Anduro's managers must decide whether Anduro is better off staying with its current safe and profitable strategy or if Anduro should instead pursue a riskier but potentially more profitable software sales model. Several tough questions must be answered to determine whether the risk is worth the reward. The Anduro case provides an interesting description of an Internet technical/marketing services business and contrasts this with software sales.
Case (Field) Author(s): Peter C. Bell Ivey ID: 9B05E021 Publication Date: 2/6/2006 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8B05E21 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Size: Small Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Risk Analysis; Probability; Marketing Planning; Insurance Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; Management Science and Information Systems Product Description: The owners of a retail jewellry store must decide whether to continue to offer a snowfall promotion that gave customers a 100 per cent cash refund for all November and December purchases if there was more than 15 centimetres of snow on the following January 7.
Case Author(s): Allison Konrad; Ken Mark Publication Date: 2006 Ivey ID: 9B06C003 Subjects: Human resources management; Communication; Leadership; Personnel management Product Description: The senior project manager at Metropole Services is getting the sense that her business relationship with her software development group is taking a turn for the worse. According to her, she was their project manager and it seemed strange that her team members — all subordinates, were excluding her from an important client meeting. She must figure out what the issue is, and if something truly is wrong, and take the appropriate steps to correct it immediately.
Case Head SM; Grasby EMA A young ambitious recruit in a prestigious firm circumvented due process in order to achieve a relocation within the company. Afterwards, she experienced an intense conflict with her immediate superior. In a last-ditch effort to end herself-induced misery, she again circumvented due process. This time she confronted her boss's immediate superior. The case analyzes fit and compatibility within management levels and among frontline employees. Perception, power and personalityissues are prevalent in a backdrop of overt and covert conflict. Ivey Number: 9A96J010 Publication Date: 23/10/1996 Revision Date: 8/2/2001 Geographic Setting: USA Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Small organization Subjects: Employee Attitude, Management Style, Women, Interpersonal Skills Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Author(s): Mikalachki A; Mikalachki D Description: Anna Harris is a highly-regarded auditing manager in a large, national accounting firm. She wants to return to her job part-time after her pregnancy, becoming the first part-time manager in the office. Her re-ordered priorities put her family firstand she is not sure how her new emphasis will affect her career. Her supervisory partner wants her to come back but is concerned about how clients will accept having a part-time manager looking after their interests. In addition, he is unsure ofthe support he will get from the other partners. Company policy on the issue of career development and family responsibilities is unclear. (A sequel to this case titled Anna Harris (B), case 9A86C034, examines Anna's situation two years later.) Ivey Number: 9A86C033 Publication Date: 1/1/86 Revision Date: 6/11/2003 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1984 Subjects: Career Development; Performance Overview; Management of Change; Women Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
Case Author(s): Mikalachki A; Mikalachki D Description: Anna Harris's role two years after her return to the firm has gradually changed in some important ways. She has taken on the job of office comptroller, a new job in her office. This has taken her out of public accounting and has eliminated the roadto partnership. Anna and her husband have learned of the difficulties of juggling work, baby-sitters and family responsibilities. However, Anna is trying to have a second child. The national office of the firm has set up a Working ParentsCommittee to make recommendations for improvements in company policies for professional staff trying to balance careers and family responsibilities. (This is a supplement to a case titled Anna Harris (A), case 9A86C033.) Ivey Number: 9A86C034 Publication Date: 1/1/86 Revision Date: 3/31/2003 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1984 Subjects: Career Development; Performance Overview; Management of Change; Women Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
Case Author(s): Sapp S Publication Date: 2/6/2003 Revision Date: 9/19/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B02N018 Geographic Setting: Peru Industry Setting: Metal Mining Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1998 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Financing; International Finance; Risk Analysis; Political Environment Functional Area: Finance Product Description: Compania Minera Antamina S.A. is a consortium of three large multinational Canadian mining companies set up to exploit a very large copper-zinc deposit north central Peru. The project requires about US$2 billion of financing for the development and exploitation of the deposit. The finance committee needs to determine the best means to raise the necessary funds: loans guaranteed by the sponsors or project finance. The costs and benefits are different across alternatives because the projectinvolves both business and political risks to which the exposure for all of the stakeholders is different.
Case Mikalachki A; McLennan R A project manager in the Operational Research Department of an automobile assembly plant must decide how he can most effectively redirect his team to meet management's deadline and design expectations. For five months he had been supervising thework of three young company employees who were developing a simulated assembly line. However, because his current responsibilities left him in charge of four or five projects at a time, all in varying stages of completion, he had left his assistantsto work together with very little intervention from him. As a result, he is facing the pressure of an uncompleted project and an unnecessarily elaborate design. (This case should be used with two supplements Antar Automobile Company cases, cases9A95C016 and 9A95C017.) Ivey Number: 9A95C005 Publication Date: 3/5/1995 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Transportation Equipment Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Group Behaviour, Management Succession, Management of Professionals, Conflict Resolution Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Mikalachki A; McLennan R A project manager in the Operational Research Department of an automobile assembly plant must decide how he can most effectively redirect his team to meet management's deadline and design expectations. For five months, he had been supervising thework of three young company employees who were developing a simulated assembly line. However, because his current responsibilities left him in charge of four or five projects at a time, all in varying stages of completion, he had left his assistantsto work together with very little intervention from him. As a result, he was facing the pressure of an uncompleted project and an unnecessarily elaborate design. (This case should be used with two supplements Antar Automobile Company cases, cases9A95C005 and 9A95C017.) Ivey Number: 9A95C016 Publication Date: 13/06/1995 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Transportation Equipment Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Group Behaviour, Management Succession, Management of Professionals, Conflict Resolution Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Mikalachki A; McLennan R A project manager in the Operational Research Department of an automobile assembly plant has to decide how he can most effectively redirect his team to meet management's deadline and design expectations. For five months he had been supervising thework of three young company employees who were developing a simulated assembly line. However, because his current responsibilities left him in charge of four or five projects at a time, all in varying stages of completion, he had left his assistantsto work together with very little intervention from him. As a result, he was facing the pressure of an uncompleted project and an unnecessarily elaborate design. (This case should be used with supplement cases 9A95C005 and 9A95C016.) Ivey Number: 9A95C017 Publication Date: 13/06/1995 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Transportation Equipment Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Group Behaviour, Management Succession, Management of Professionals, Conflict Resolution Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Author(s): James A. Erskine; Unnat Kohli Publication Date: 10/4/2007 Product Type: Case (Field) Ivey ID: 9B07C032 Geographic Setting: India Size: Medium Year of Event: 2007 Level of Difficulty: 4 — Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Action planning and implementation; Conflict resolution; Interpersonal skills; Management style; Managing your boss; Morale Major Disciplines: Human Resource Management; International Product Description: Anupam Majumdar, relationship manager, and Aditya Mehta, regional head of Hindustan Neon General Insurance Limited, India, were meeting an important client. Mehta asked Majumdar to serve them tea. This really embarrassed and infuriated Majumdar. It was not the first time that Mehta, Majumdar's boss, had treated him like a peon. Majumdar was about to take a three-week leave of absence to attend his brother's wedding in New York so he was not sure if this was the right time, if ever, to do anything about the situation.
Case (Library) Author(s): Henry W. Lane; Nicholas Athanassiou; David T.A. Wesley Ivey ID: 9B02M029 Publication Date: 10/29/2002 Product Type: Case (Library) Teaching Note: 8B02M29 Geographic Setting: Brazil Industry Setting: Communications Industry Size: Large Year of Event: 2000 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Management Behaviour; International Marketing; International Business; Developing Countries Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: America Online (AOL) announced a joint venture to develop a Latin American version of its popular online service. The future seemed bright: AOL had enjoyed phenomenal success in the United States, Latin America was one of the fastest growing markets for online services and the president of AOL Brazil was the former country manager for Brazil's leading telecommunications provider. Despite these factors, the company endures many setbacks. The president leaves to join a competitor's firm, hundreds of the company's CD-ROM discs are discovered to be faulty and potential customers are subscribing with its competitors. AOL's experiences provide a basis for discussing difficulties faced by many multinational companies, including the implications of infrastructure differences, strategic human resources management and the local competition.
Case Author(s): Platt H; Wesley DTA Description: This supplement to AOL Latin America (A), product 9B02M029 considers the company's financial position amid mounting losses and a severe decline in online advertising revenue. AOL Time Warner's management team was concerned - one expressed worry wasthat Internet services in Latin America were a fad and that high growth rates were not sustainable. Ivey Number: 9B03M021 Publication Date: 5/28/2003 Geographic Setting: Brazil/United States Industry Setting: Communications Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2002 Subjects: Financial Analysis; Internet; Bankruptcy; International Finance Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
Case Author(s): Sider M Description: As one of the terms of its merger in Canada, a large U.S.-based multimedia corporation is required to support the arts in Canada through a $221 million fund. The first university to approach the company is encouraged by its initial meetings with thecompany's representatives. The director of faculty fundraising must prepare a proposal that conveys the university's understanding of the company's business interests, recognizes the diverse needs of the proposal's audience, aligns the company'sinterests with the university needs, all in a clear, well-researched, well-written document. The supplement, AOL Time Warner (B), product 9B04C003, reports on the company's response to the proposal and the follow-up work required to secure thefunding partnership. Ivey Number: 9B04C002 Publication Date: 1/16/2004 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Motion Pictures -- TV, Radio & Video Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2003 Subjects: Funding; Non-Profit Organization; Communications; Proposal Writing Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Author(s): Sider M Description: As one of the terms of its merger in Canada, a large U.S.-based multimedia corporation is required to support the arts in Canada through a $221 million fund. The first university to approach the company receives gifts-in-kind and $15 million inscholarship funds. The director of faculty funding must now draft a donor agreement letter to summarize the company's commitment and to convey the university's gratitude. This is a supplement to AOL Time Warner (A), product 9B04C002. Ivey Number: 9B04C003 Publication Date: 1/16/2004 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Motion Pictures -- TV, Radio & Video Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2003 Subjects: Funding; Non-Profit Organization; Communications; Proposal Writing Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case (Field) Author(s): John F. Graham; Michael J. Carter Ivey ID: 9A94J020 Publication Date: 6/21/1994 Revision Date: 9/5/2002 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8A94J20 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Insurance and Pension Funds Size: Medium Year of Event: 1994 Level of Difficulty: 2 - Intro/Undergraduate Subjects: Product Design/Development; Marketing Planning; Distribution; Break-Even Analysis Major Disciplines: Marketing Product Description: The president and CEO of Apex Life Canada was attempting to put the final touches on the marketing plan for the Seed Endowment. This was a revolutionary product for the educational savings plan market. While the product itself had been developed, other aspects of the plan had yet to be finalized. The CEO was unsure as to who would be the ideal consumer and how to reach him/her. Traditionally, these products had been sold through insurance agencies. However, he felt there might be a significant opportunity for a new distribution route, direct mail. He knew he had to act fast, since it would not be long before this window of opportunity would be closed by competitors.
Case Author(s): Mary M. Crossan; Ken Mark Publication Date: 8/2/2005 Revision Date: 2/28/2007 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B05M046 Geographic Setting: United States Industry Setting: Business Services Size: Large Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Business and Society; Industry Analysis; New Economy; Strategy Implementation Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: Apple Computer, Inc. has enjoyed tremendous market success with its digital music initiative consisting of software (iTunes), hardware (iPods and Shuffles) and content (iTunes Music Store). Highlighted is the development of the online music industry within the context of the overall music industry, the key players, such as the major record labels, Napster and the music industry association. Students will be able to conduct an industry analysis of the music industry and determine why Apple Computer has succeeded in profiting from digital music while others have failed.
Case Author(s): Rod E. White; Ken Mark Publication Date: 11/6/2006 Revision Date: 2/7/2007 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M080 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries Size: Large Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Competitive Advantage; Strategic Positioning; Market Strategy; System Design; Product Strategy; Industry Analysis; Expansion; Corporate Strategy Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; General Management Product Description: In July 2006, Apple Computer Inc. (Apple) is enjoying increased sales due to its popular iPod portable digital music player. The iPod and iTunes, Apple?s online music store, each have about 70 per cent of the market share. In the 1980?s, Apple had a great deal of success in the personal computer (PC) business. However, Apple saw its market share fall from over 30 per cent to less than five per cent. Most experts agree that this occurred because Apple had control over the production and distribution of its hardware, software and operating system. The Windows and Intel computers eventually took Apple?s lead in the market. Analysts are starting to wonder if Apple will face the same problems as it uses the same business model for its iPod and iTunes products.
Case Lanfranconi CP; Hately J An analyst is considering investing in an aquaculture firm whose financial statements have been qualified by their auditors. The analyst is concerned about the valuation of inventory done by the company. Ivey Number: 9A89B046 Publication Date: 1/1/1989 Revision Date: 30/11/1993 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Fishing - Hunting and Trapping Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1986 Subjects: Auditing, Financial Analysis, Inventory Valuation Functional Area: Accounting
Case Lanfranconi CP; Spriet V Arbor Capital must choose a method of revenue recognition in the pre-need funeral and cemetery services industry. Since three accounting firms expressed differing opinions on the type of revenue recognition method Arbor should employ, the studentmust examine the complexity of revenue recognition and the alternatives available to Arbor for recognizing revenue. The case allows the student to determine the effect the alternatives have on the financial statements and the actual economic impact which results from these changes. As an outside director of Arbor's Audit Committee, the student is expected to make a recommendation to Arbor's Board of Directors. Ivey Number: 9A88B019 Publication Date: 1/1/1988 Revision Date: 6/5/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Personal Services Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1988 Subjects: Accounting Methods, Auditing Functional Area: Accounting
Case Fry JN; Jack S Charles Douglas is a recent business school graduate and an equally recent employee of Archimax Systems. Archimax is a small company with big aspirations in the fast-changing virtual reality market. Douglas is soon caught up in the pace anduncertainty of work in such a company and is facing a particularly difficult set of decisions that call for him to integrate the interests of the company, his boss and himself. (A 14-minute video can be purchased with this case, video 7A95M001.) Ivey Number: 9A95M001 Publication Date: 30/11/1995 Revision Date: 3/10/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Business Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1994 Subjects: Personal Development, Decision Support Systems, Organizational Change Functional Area: General Management
Case Lemmon JC; McGregor J Inuit in the Far North were brought together into communities to ensure their health, policing and communications were improved to provide better living conditions. Co-operatives were created (community-based and member-owned) to improve the qualityof life and overcome problems of isolation. Conditions were different than those in the south. The co-ops began to experience financial difficulties and the CEO needed to recommend organizational, operational and financial strategies to address thefinancial crisis. A sequel to this case, under the same name (9A96J017) is available. Ivey Number: 9A96J016 Publication Date: 4/12/1996 Revision Date: 6/10/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Company Size: Medium organization Event Year Start: 1985 Subjects: Financial Management, Organization, General Management, Reorganization Functional Area: General Management
Case Lemmon JC; McGregor J Arctic Co-operative Limited has community stores in the Northwest Territories (aboriginally owned). A financial crisis had developed and a recovery package was put in place. Company sales grew to $121 million, and the company now had 1500employees. Now the company is branching out to other services and less retail ventures, and must plan its future. Issues around core competencies, external environment and the company's resource position are highlighted. Ivey Number: 9A96J017 Publication Date: 4/12/1996 Revision Date: 3/10/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Miscellaneous Retail Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Corporate Strategy, Diversification, Growth Strategy, Strategic Planning Functional Area: General Management
Case Higgins CA This note describes various sampling techniques and the inherent biases associated with each technique. Sample size, sampling bias and sampling with an agenda are among the issues discussed. Ivey Number: 9A97E009 Publication Date: 28/08/1998 Subjects: Data Analysis Functional Area: Management Science & Information Systems
Case Author(s): Henry W. Lane; Mikael Sondergaard; David T.A. Wesley Publication Date: 1/31/2008 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8B08M05 Ivey ID: 9B08M005 Geographic Setting: Denmark; Sweden; Saudi Arabia Industry Setting: Food and Kindred Products Size: Large Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Intercultural Relations; Women in Management; Crisis Management; Boycott Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: After a Danish newspaper publishes cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, consumers across the Middle East decide to boycott Danish goods. Arla Foods (Arla) is one of Europe's largest dairy companies. Suddenly, it finds itself caught in the middle of a crisis that appears to be beyond its control. Prior to the boycott, the Middle East was Arla's fastest growing region and represented an important component of the company's long-term growth strategy. As the largest Danish company in the region, it stands to lose up to $550 million in annual revenues. Students are asked to take the role of the communication director for Arla, who, along with other members of the newly formed "Crisis and Communication Group," must decide on a course of action to deal with the crisis. The case addresses a variety of topics, including culture and religion, international management, risk management, crisis communications, and managing in a boycott situation. It also creates an opportunity to discuss doing business in the Middle East and management in an Islamic context.
Case Author(s): Rowe WG; Shandilya P Publication Date: 6/22/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B04M076 Geographic Setting: Denmark/Sweden Industry Setting: Food and Kindred Products Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1999 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Mergers & Acquisitions; Multinational; Environment; Strategy Implementation Functional Area: General Management Product Description: The managing director of MD Foods of Denmark and the president of Arla of Sweden, both cooperatives, were contemplating whether their companies should merge to create Europe's largest dairy company. Arla and MD Foods wished to continue the successof their joint ventures in a much closer relationship, but wondered if their owners (the milk-producing farmers in each country) would approve the merger. In addition, the two companies were different in size, organizational structure,organizational culture, monetary currency used and language spoken. Finally, a cross-border merger of two cooperatives was unprecedented throughout the world. The supplement Arla and MD Food: The Merger Decision (B), product 9B05M013 describes themerger decision.
Case Author(s): Rowe WG; Shandilya P Publication Date: 6/22/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B05M013 Geographic Setting: Denmark/Sweden Industry Setting: Food and Kindred Products Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1999 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Mergers & Acquisitions; Multinational; Environment; Strategy Implementation Functional Area: General Management Product Description: Two cooperatives have decided to merge and in doing so will create Europe's largest dairy company. Senior management presents its recommendations to the members of the cooperatives and wait for the outcome of the vote. With MD Foods a simplemajority was required. With Arla a unanimous "yes" vote was required. If a majority only approved, a second vote was held two weeks later with a majority of two-thirds required to approve the merger. This is a supplement to Arla and MD Foods: The Merger Decision (A), product 9B04M076.
Supplement Author(s): Henry W. Lane; Mikael Sondergaard; David T.A. Wesley Publication Date: 1/31/2008 Product Type: Supplement Teaching Note: 8B08M05 Ivey ID: 9B08M006 Geographic Setting: Denmark; Sweden; Saudi Arabia Industry Setting: Food and Kindred Products Size: Large Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Intercultural Relations; Women in Management; Crisis Management; Boycott Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: The communications director of Arla Foods is hoping the decision to denounce to the cartoons will bring an end to the boycott. Instead, it brings complaints from Danish women's groups. This is a supplement to Arla Foods and the Cartoon Crisis (A), Ivey product 9B08M005.
Supplement Author(s): Henry W. Lane; Mikael Sondergaard; David T.A. Wesley Publication Date: 1/31/2008 Product Type: Supplement Teaching Note: 8B08M05 Ivey ID: 9B08M007 Geographic Setting: Denmark; Sweden; Saudi Arabia Industry Setting: Food and Kindred Products Size: Large Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Boycott; Crisis Management; Women in Management; Intercultural Relations Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: Just as Arla Foods has re-established its reputation in the Middle East, another provocative cartoon is released in a Swedish paper and the communications director of Arla Foods must decide how the company will respond. This is a supplement to Arla Foods and the Cartoon Crisis (A), Ivey product 9B08M005.
Case Author(s): Elizabeth M.A. Grasby; Ian Da Silva Publication Date: 8/30/2006 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M062 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Printing, Publishing & Allied Industries Size: Small Year of Event: 2003 Level of Difficulty: 1 - Introductory Subjects: Expansion; Small Business; Valuation; Strategic Planning Major Disciplines: General Management Product Description: The owner of Arrow Printing and Publishing, and his accountant were reviewing the company's fiscal performance. After nearly 45 years in the printing industry and with an increasing interest in other fields, such as municipal politics, the owner was considering if the time had come to leave printing and move on to new challenges. The options included keeping Arrow Printing and expanding into a potentially lucrative market or selling the business and move on.
Case Morrison A; Bouquet C Oak Valley Inc. is a $2.1 billion Toronto-based company operating in various consumer markets. In early 1993, the company launched a management development program with the objective of promoting a culture that thrived on best practices. Five yearslater, the chief executive officer is attempting to evaluate the impact of the program on participants. Hoping to generate new insights that could be applied to similar events in the future, he has asked a team of five past participants to meet todiscuss what they learned. This short case deals with the attitudes and behaviors most conducive to individual and group-based learning. The case provides an excellent vehicle for discussing how people learn, how teams can accelerate the learningprocess, and how companies can create positive learning environments. Ivey Number: 9A99M047 Publication Date: 9/5/2000 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Food and Kindred Products Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1999 Subjects: Management Training, Personal Development, Employee Training, Group Behaviour Functional Area: Human Resource Management
Case Author(s): Cotte J; Melito S Description: A recent MBA graduate has joined a small division of a medical equipment manufacturer as a regional sales manager. Sales are not going well, customer complaints are common, and he is unhappy with the amount of time he must spend away from home. Theregional sales manager must analyse his options to determine the best way to balance the rigours of a sales career and personal life. He must consider the challenges of an undefined, boundary-spanning role; management's possible role in mitigatingthese challenges; and the expectations about the rigours of a sales career. Ivey Number: 9B04A009 Publication Date: 5/14/2004 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Machinery except Electrical Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2003 Subjects: Sales Management; Family-Work Interaction; Career Planning Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Marketing
Case Author(s): Heisz M; Dobrowolski D Publication Date: 10/13/2004 Revision Date: 11/7/2005 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B04B017 Geographic Setting: Canada Size: Large organization Year of Event: 2004 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Financial Analysis Functional Area: Accounting Product Description: An undergraduate business student has finished his first term of study and is pursuing numerous summer job opportunities. He is interested in the field of investment banking and is aware this area requires a strong skill set for financial analysis. A friend, who had worked in investment banking, helps him to prepare for these interviews by providing an exercise where he must match the financial data with its respective industry.
Case Author(s): Mark B. Vandenbosch; Nick Kuzyk Publication Date: 8/14/2008 Product Type: Case (Field) Teaching Note: 8B08A11 Ivey ID: 9B08A011 Geographic Setting: Canada Industry Setting: Amusement and Recreation Services Size: Small Year of Event: 2008 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Operations Management; Marketing Management; Market Analysis; Consumer Marketing Major Disciplines: Entrepreneurship; Marketing Product Description: The vice-president of marketing at Arts & Crafts was reflecting on the company?s extremely successful year in the music business. New artists had been added to the company?s roster, experiments with digital releases and marketing campaigns had been successful, and plenty of international licensing opportunities were emerging. In addition, one of the company's artists, Leslie Feist, had received multiple music awards. On the other hand, the music industry was facing some difficulties and most analysts predicted nothing but doom and gloom. The vice-president of marketing had to consider the future strategy of Arts & Crafts while considering the overall health of the industry.
Case Author(s): Bryant MJ; Khera R Publication Date: 8/10/2004 Industry: Textile Mill Products Abstract: Arvind Mills, a large Indian textile and garment manufacturer, has to assess the costs of a large order, as a basis for a price quotation. The company is in a significant loss position. The textile industry in India is constrained by governmentregulations and the industry is critical as both an export earner and a major employer in the economy. However, the industry is losing share to China and must change to meet that threat. The vice-president of operations must assess the costsassociated with the order, including an assessment whether to use the traditional cost system or the customer and manufacturing based activity cost system. The decision is also strategic as this order is at the core of the company's new strategy tobe both a designer and manufacturer. Ivey Number: 9B04B008 Geographic Location: India Company Size: Large organization Year of Event: 1999 Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Accounting Subjects: Pricing; Cost Systems; Internationalization; Government Regulation
Case Kennedy JR; Gleave T HK Magazine was a Hong Kong magazine created by three expatriate Americans. It was launched as a monthly magazine after two years of planning. The editorial tone of the publication can best be described as irreverent. Four years later, HK Magazineis now published twice a month and is very successful financially.The three owners are looking at the decision to start a comparable publication in Singapore. There are four principal issues involved in this decision: consumer acceptance, editorial tone, financial risk, and cash flow considerations. At the sametime, the trio must examine the potential changes they might have to make in the editorial policy of their Hong Kong publication after China assumes control of the colony on July 1, 1997. Ivey Number: 9A97A001 Publication Date: 18/04/1997 Geographic Setting: Hong Kong Industry Setting: Printing, Publishing & Allied Industries Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1995 Subjects: Product Concept, Consumer Analysis, Profit Planning, Cash Flow Functional Area: Marketing
Case Conklin DW; Thompson J; Weeks S Asian Infrastructure Development Corporation (AIDEC Project Financing) was an investment fund managed in Singapore. Its purpose was to manage infrastructure investments for its shareholders who were composed of major Japanese insurance companies andindustrial corporations. The case discusses hurdle rates and the criteria for making investments in rapidly developing countries. Three investment proposals - a floating power station in India, an apartment complex in Shanghai, China and a railroadin Pakistan - were given to the investment committee. Which projects should be financed, if any? Ivey Number: 9A97G017 Publication Date: 12/11/1997 Revision Date: 3/10/2000 Geographic Setting: Singapore Industry Setting: Holdings and other Investment Companies Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 1997 Subjects: General Management, Environmental Change, Government and Business, Investment Funds Functional Area: General Management
Case Author(s): Jean-Louis Schaan; Ramasastry Chandrasekhar Publication Date: 10/24/2007 Product Type: Case (Field) Related Material: 7B07M056 Ivey ID: 9B07M056 Geographic Setting: India Industry Setting: Chemicals and Allied Products Size: Large Year of Event: 2006 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Organizational Structure; Management Systems; Global Manager; Growth Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: The president of Asian Paints Ltd., India?s largest paint manufacturer, was wondering how he could improve the way the company?s International Business division was managing its team of 120 global managers. The company had operations throughout Asia in various locations such as China, Singapore and Thailand; throughout Africa in countries such as Oman, Egypt and Mauritius; and in the Americas in Jamaica. The team of global management was critical to the success of the company?s globalization endeavour, which was expected to gather momentum once the ongoing consolidation was complete. The president must decide how to structure the management of this global team.
Case Author(s): Jean-Louis Schaan Publication Date: 6/21/2006 Product Type: Case Ivey ID: 9B06M058 Geographic Setting: India Industry Setting: Chemicals and Allied Products Size: Large Year of Event: 2005 Level of Difficulty: 4 - Undergraduate/MBA Subjects: Mergers & Acquisitions; Emerging Markets; International Strategy Major Disciplines: General Management; International Product Description: Asian Paints, recognized as one of the best managed companies in India, has recently embarked on a significant push to internationalize its activities to become one of the top five decorative paint companies in the world. The president of the international division is faced with the challenge of simultaneously meeting sales volumes expected, and to contribute to the company's goal of becoming one of the top five decorative paint companies in the world.
Case Delios A Tom Barnes, executive director of Asiasports Ltd., was evaluating several options for growth for the sports management company. Asiasports principal sports properties were the South China Ice Hockey League and the World Ice Hockey 5's tournament,both based in Hong Kong. Among the alternatives available: Barnes could develop hockey in other countries in Southeast Asia; he could acquire new sports properties; or he could expand into in-line hockey promotion in Hong Kong. Ivey Number: 9A99M014 Publication Date: 20/07/1999 Revision Date: 3/2/2000 Geographic Setting: Hong Kong Industry Setting: Amusement and Recreation Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 1999 Subjects: Sports, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Planning, International Business Functional Area: General Management
Case Author(s): Klassen R; Liu S Description: ASIMCO International Casting Company, a joint venture between ASIMCO and Caterpillar, had recently finished several major projects designed to upgrade the manufacturing capabilities in its foundry. The plant was now under significant pressure toincrease revenue, and had received an invitation to bid on a new customer order. While this order might provide the ideal opportunity to further upgrade its process technology and capabilities, significant challenges were presented by severalcritical product characteristics. Alternatively, the plant's limited resources could focus on meeting the internal needs of one of its partners. Caterpillar was expected to authorize test runs of two new products soon; however, the annualproduction volumes were very uncertain. Ivey Number: 9B04D009 Publication Date: 5/4/2004 Geographic Setting: China Industry Setting: Fabricated Metal Products Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2003 Subjects: Operations Management; Process Design/Change; International Business; Technology Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Production/Operations Management
Case Author(s): Klassen R; Lui S Description: A joint venture between ASIMCO and Caterpillar had recently finished several major projects. The plant was under pressure to increase revenue and had secured the bid on a new customer order, but this addition put a strain on the plant'sprofitability and management must decide whether it should reduce the casting technology cost or gradually phase out of the agreement. This is a supplement to ASIMCO International Casting Company (A), product 9B04D009. Ivey Number: 9B04D010 Publication Date: 5/14/2004 Geographic Setting: China Industry Setting: Fabricated Metal Products Company Size: Large organization Event Year Start: 2003 Subjects: Operations Management; Process Design/Change; International Business; Technology Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA Functional Area: Production/Operations Management
Case Author(s): McCarthy D; Wesley DTA Description: Aspen Grove was one of the first companies to provide applications over the Internet in 1996. It was also the first application service provider to implement a functional system for the legal market. Despite an apparent first mover advantage, thecompany has had limited growth and it has not expanded its customer base much beyond its original legal clients. With one of the three founders tied to the development of software and support for the company's partner and another managing thecompany's European division, they did not have the time they need to fully develop the company the way they originally envisioned. Because Aspen Grove did not use a proprietary database or other proprietary technology, the company soon found manynew entrants competing against it. Services were charged on a per process basis, meaning that clients only paid for services that they used. While this appeared to be low risk solution for reducing information technology expenses, many potentialclients were reluctant to trust sensitive legal information to a small Internet company. With many Internet companies failing or being acquired by larger companies, trust became even more critical. Ivey Number: 9B03E008 Publication Date: 4/2/2003 Geographic Setting: United States/Ireland Industry Setting: Legal Services Company Size: Small organization Event Year Start: 2001 Subjects: Women in Management; Entrepreneurship; Internet Software; Legal System Level of Difficulty: Undergraduate/MBA
