A New Kind of Case Study: Using Business Bestsellers in the Business Policy Course

The undergraduate Business Policy (Strategic Management) course is often taught by using the case method of instruction. Cases are generally regarded as especially good vehicles for giving students an understanding of the general management view of an organization. The authors believe that it is useful for students to learn much about the strategy of at least one corporation in-depth. They use a business bestseller about a particular company or industry each semester for this purpose. All undergraduate students prepare the same written assignments on this company or industry using the business bestseller as a starting point. Experience in using the business bestseller as the basis of a written assignment in the business policy course has been very positive. Students both enjoy and profit from an assignment that focuses in-depth on a major firm or industry that they can comprehend and the evolution of which they can follow. Alumni often indicate that they continue to track the company or industry after graduation. The authors believe that such written assignments help prepare students of business strategy for the real world. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Performance measurement system for business processes

All companies need to know at what level and to what extent they are complying with their objectives. We present a system called PMS-BP (performance measurement system for business processes) which has been designed to define indicators and evaluate company performance. The system is used to measure performance through the integrated management of business processes and to define indicators or parameters at all levels of the company. It also detects the linkages that exist between parameters at different levels and associates them with the company's objectives and strategies through critical success factors. PMS-BP has been built around three components: a methodology, an architecture and a performance measurement structure. The interconnection between the different components makes it easy to constantly trace the relationships between the different performance measurement elements at different levels (enterprise, business entity, processes, etc.). Processes are analysed by means of different types of graphs which make it simple to read and interpret the entire context of the company. We describe a real-life case in which the PMS-BP was applied to an SME in the metal/mechanics sector.     

Assigning migrants to customer contact jobs: a context-specific exploration of the business case for diversity

Ethnic diversity of both their labor forces and customer bases presents a challenge for companies and fuels debate on the business case for diversity: the view that diversity positively impacts firm performance. This study enriches the business case debate by focusing on a particular organizational activity, customer contact. It combines theory from strategic human resource management (SHRM), research on diversity, and research on marketing to analyze what drives companies to assign migrants to customer contact jobs and which performance impacts ensue. We test our hypotheses in data from 338 German business companies. Companies that recognize the value in ethnic diversity and seek to respond to customer diversity are especially likely to assign migrants to customer contact jobs. The analyses reveal a positive impact of migrants in customer contact jobs on company profitability. This impact is enhanced by a broad range of equality and diversity practices and a supportive works council. These moderators have stronger effects than two other moderators related to business strategy: the market served by a company, and its competitive strategy. The paper contributes to SHRM research in general and diversity research in particular through its original examination associating the business case for ethnic diversity with the role of equality and diversity practices and institutions. The study findings can help managers to decide whether to leverage staff ethnic diversity and show that collaboration between HR management and marketing functions is useful to achieve a strategic fit among practices.     

The green company: A case of labor management and employee empowerment in a small business

The basis of this teaching case is a small nursery and landscape business in the Northeast United States. The case describes how the company attempted to implement a decentralization and employee empowerment program to move relevant decision-making closer to the work site. It illustrates that shifting from a centralized top-down style of management to a decentralized incentive driven style can create many challenges for a small business. Moreover, top management should be cautious about delegating responsibilities to line managers. Not all employees will be successful in this new environment, and without procedures for monitoring and control, significant learning may be necessary as employees move into this environment.     

Local Management Response to Corporative Restructuring: A Case Study of a Company Town

This is a case study of top management in a Swedish pulp industry at Skutskär. After decades of proactive response to change, starting in 1976 the pulp industry experienced a rapid and significant restructuring. In 1992, and after a prolonged hold on local investments, came a large‐scale investment with major labor reductions, which created a local crisis. The aim of this study is to analyze how top managers of a local business plant perceive and explain their citizenship relationship to the community of the company town during a transition period from 1976 to 2007. Our study shows that too much reliance on top management cost reduction requirements and not caring, or underscoring, local social concerns created gaps and local stakeholder distrust. We discuss how prolonged distrust of the company to bear social responsibility ended up in a broken relationship between the company and the local community. Our case indicates at least two problems that must be handled for successful corporate citizenship. First, the traditional control‐oriented management view is too narrow and not adjusted to today's citizenship reality, including how to handle corporate social responsibility. Second, we can see a possibility where the conceived needs on a global corporate level may lead to situations to obscure local needs and consequences.     

SWAPCO Nuclear Corporation (SWAPCO)

SWAPCO is a nuclear fuel brokerage company which has managed to survive in a highly competitive niche market for fourteen years. The market is currently declining and the company must develop a strategy for survival and future growth. The case is designed to enable students to think about the effects of a rapidly changing market on a company's business and the effect of changes in the external environment on the company. It leads to discussion of market strategies, the role of government in business, the effects of competition and other external factors in the survival and growth of a business. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Corporate planning at batchelors foods limited: A case study

In this article the author outlines the background and history of corporate planning in his company. He shows how the process of planning has evolved in the company over the years to involve management at all levels. After two decades of planning experience this company case study points up some of the mistakes that were made as well as the successes.     

From organization development to corporate development at Trebor

This article is a case history of a medium-sized, family-owned business where the corporate planning activity has been taken over by the Executive Board, which is concerned with a careful definition and dissemination of company strategy and with focusing action in the form of long-term planning projects. The organizational learning approach is evolutionary and incremental, involving—as in the Japanese style of management— many levels in project development.     

王梓木：雪上飞

如果没有人们的后见之明，一些可震烁古今的大事件，原本都平淡无奇。在古代中原与边关的种群冲突中，为什么只要是农耕种群总是负多胜少？历史是势利的，甚至只敬重成则为王的那个人。当努尔哈赤以他坚强的女真族后裔一满族甲士的铁骑，让无数民族在苦难中改变了自己的走向后，后人总是试图从这段历史寻找出种群血性的真相。     

Success factors of management consulting

Management consulting as a service has become part of almost every medium to big company’s daily business. Despite management consulting’s high practical relevance the scientific discussion of this discipline is relatively young and needs to advance. Notably, there is little empirical research that focuses on the conceptualization and operationalization of management consulting’s success factors from a client perspective. Therefore, in this article we theoretically conceptualize and subsequently operationalize critical success factors of management consulting. Also, we examine those factors’ particular impact on management consulting success. Based on a survey of 255 companies and structural equation modeling, we show that six out of seven theoretically derived success factors have a significant positive effect on management consulting success. In particular, Consultant Expertise, Intensity of Collaboration and Common Vision have a strong impact on the performance of management consulting.     

Corporate planning in an international environment

In any company, corporate planning centres on deciding what kind of business it should be in, and the philosophy which should govern its method of operation. When the company is an international one, then not only does its organisational structure require closer attention, but another dimension is added to its strategy—that of choosing the countries in which to operate. This article is concerned with two aspects of management: organization and control and the factors influencing the selection of a country for investment purposes.     

Partnering with Russia's new entrepreneurs: Software tsarina olga kirova

This article focuses on a Russian woman entrepreneur who established a very successful software firm under license from an American software company. The case illustrates a productive and successful partnership between a Western company and a new Russian entrepreneur. Recent developments in Russian entrepreneurship are reviewed, and the selection of Russian entrepreneurs as business partners is evaluated. The American company is described briefly, followed by an in-depth discussion of its Russian partner and founder, Olga Kirova. Conclusions and interpretations are offered on choosing the right Russian partners, assessing their personal values, objectives and leadership skills, being a good Western business partner, and considering Russian women as business associates.     

Technological change and technology monitoring process: Evidence from four Italian case studies

Technology monitoring (TM) may take on different meanings in a company’s day-to-day activities. In some cases it can be interpreted as a technology intelligence methodology, while in others it is understood as technology forecasting or even as technology assessment. These different interpretations are confirmed by an analysis of the literature. This case study examines the technology monitoring process in four Italian companies.For each of the cases considered, first we analysed the way technology monitoring is carried out and then we tried to understand what factors influence the company approach to technology monitoring. Four factors that can be expected to influence a company’s technology monitoring approach came out of this empirical research study: the industry a company operates in, the business model it uses, the importance of technology in the corporate culture, and the level of its R&D resources.     

Learning and Organization in the Knowledge‐Based Information Economy: Initial Findings from a Participatory Action Research Case Study

This paper reports on an ongoing, multiphase, project‐based action learning and research project. In particular, it summarizes some aspects of the learning climate and outcomes for a case‐study company in the software industry. Using a participatory action research approach, the learning company framework developed by Pedler et al. (1997) is used to initiate critical reflection in the company at three levels: managing director, senior management team and technical and professional staff. As such, this is one of the first systematic attempts to apply this framework to the entire organization and to a company in the knowledge‐based learning economy. Two sets of issues are of general concern to the company: internal issues surrounding the company's reward and recognition policies and practices and the provision of accounting and control information in a business‐relevant way to all levels of staff; and external issues concerning the extent to which the company and its members actively learn from other companies and effectively capture, disseminate and use information accessed by staff in boundary‐spanning roles. The paper concludes with some illustrations of changes being introduced by the company as a result of the feedback on and discussion of these issues.     

Linking global value chains and supply chain management: evidence from the electric motors industry

The global value chain (GVC) framework and its central concept of governance are increasingly advocated as powerful tools for interpreting managerial issues with particular reference to global supply chain (SC) management. However, a gap still exists about how the GVC concepts, which have been developed at the industry level, can be applied at the company level. The aim of this work is therefore to investigate how the concepts of GVC structure and governance are related to the way the SC is managed. Several research propositions drawn from the literature are investigated by means of seven case studies in the electric motors industry. The results show that the GVC can be a useful framework for understanding and deploying SC management at the company level. Moreover, the analysis of the governance modes provides an effective tool to explain the existing degree of technological and operational collaboration in the SC. Finally, we show the importance of considering such contextual factors as company size and the competitive priorities of the company to move seamlessly between the GVC, at the industry level, and SC management, at the company level.     

Intervention Research as Management Research in Practice: Learning from a Case in the Fashion Design Industry

Research in the field of management and organizational sciences has yielded a deeper understanding of many emerging business issues. However, the relevance of the contributions has been increasingly criticized, in both the academic and public spheres. We propose the intervention research approach – originally developed by the research group at Ecole des Mines de Paris – as a design science approach able to address both the relevance gap issue and the growing complexity of management practice. It is argued that increasing our understanding of management requires research that is more insightful, influential and immediately applicable. This in turn requires closer collaboration between management and researchers during the inquiry process, which is not always easy to achieve. An illustrative case study of an intervention research project focusing on creativity, conducted in Italy in collaboration with a fashion company, demonstrates how intervention research can be rigorous and relevant to practitioners, and how it can advance theoretical knowledge in management science.     

Corporate Services in Poor Areas: A Case Study with Participative Multistakeholder Involvement

Corporations that provide services such as water, sewage disposal and electricity in poor countries or deprived areas face political, social and economic problems that make it difficult to simultaneously favor the interests of shareholders and other relevant stakeholders. In this paper a case study is presented in which a company, Aguas Argentinas, promoted innovative and participative multistakeholder involvement that produced benefits for all parties. Key factors in the model employed were the generation of credibility and trust, adaptive management to the specific situation of deprived areas, stakeholder dialogue, and participation. It is argued that understanding corporate citizenship as reciprocity and common effort in solving interdependent problems were fundamental to the success of the company in this case.