Case studies

This case is about Kija Kim, a Korean born founder and CEO of Harvard Design and Mapping Inc. (HDM). Founded in 1988, HDM is a cutting-edge GIS firm with $5 million in revenue and 35 employees in their Cambridge, MA and Washington D.C. offices. Through Kija Kim's leadership, HDM has become a significant niche player in homeland security and disaster relief. The case ends in fall 2005 just after HDM provided Hurricane Katrina mapping support, and Kija is nominated for the SBA Small Business Person of the Year. This case explores the intersection between cultural heritage, leadership effectiveness and organizational behavior. It particularly notes Kija's ability to turn her immigrant female minority status into a business advantage. This strength coupled with her ethos of care and ability to network in all walks of her life contributes to her distinctive and integrated leadership style. Definitions of leadership success and implications for decision making are also highlighted.

Discusses the structure of the Seven-Eleven Japan supply chain in terms of its facilities network, inventory management, distribution, and information.

To discuss how Seven-Eleven has made consistent supply chain choices to support its business strategy of providing convenience to customers. Points to how Seven-Eleven has used information and aggregation in transportation to improve supply chain responsiveness at a relatively low cost.

Early in 2008, Tony Truesdale, President of the Vitamin Shoppe, was preparing for a meeting with the company's investment bankers. In particular, he was wrestling with supply chain issues that were becoming increasingly pronounced in light of the company's aggressive growth plan. Truesdale recognized that it was nearly impossible to effectively manage the company's large and fragmented supply base, resulting in higher than necessary costs and lower than desired performance. The company also relied too heavily on one supplier for a significant amount of the company's volume. Truesdale recognized that it was nearly impossible to effectively manage the company's large and fragmented supply base, resulting in higher than necessary costs and lower than desired performance. The company also relied too heavily on one supplier for a significant amount of the company's volume.

Further, in the company's single distribution center, 95 percent of the available storage capacity was utilized throughout most of 2007; well above what was considered optimal. The lack of space was driving excessive product handling and increasing operating expenses. The company's inbound and outbound transportation strategies also contributed to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. Operating efficiencies could be achieved if all transportation needs were brought together under one strategic umbrella. Truesdale was certain that in order to reach the company's growth targets and maintain its competitive advantage, addressing these supply chain issues was critical. Students are asked to describe the specific issues affecting supply chain performance and recommend approaches to solving the problems

The case was created via an interview of the protagonist in 2018 at the US Military Academy by the authors.

The case describes the dilemma First Lieutenant Williams faces when his platoon sergeant unexpectedly leaves. Organizational norms and accepted practices suggest Lieutenant Williams should choose the most senior squad leader, Staff Sergeant Boyer. The departing Platoon Sergeant even recommended Staff Sergeant Boyer. However, based on recent observations, Lieutenant Williams felt Staff Sergeant Boyer may not be the best fit. Instead, the lieutenant considered choosing the newest squad leader, Staff Sergeant Harrison, who seemed to be highly proficient, but had yet to prove himself. Before the lieutenant could fully weight his options, Staff Sergeant Boyer confronted him about a decision.

This case is designed for use in undergraduate courses on leadership and management. The case was not only designed primarily for teaching a lesson on organizational justice, but can also be used to integrate lessons on communication, power and influence, and decision making. Each of these elements is present in the case. The instructor can choose to incorporate them into the lesson for a more wholly encompassing lesson or choose to focus on only the organizational justice aspects at play in the case.

The ABB (A) case describes the situation leading up to a decision that has to be made concerning closing a manufacturing subsidiary of ABB and moving its operations to Thailand. The Plant/subsidiary manager is placed in a conflict position regarding this decision due to the matrix form of management structure employed by the parent ABB. His direct line manager in charge of the global product line wants the move to take place. He has the support of his supervisor, who sits on the Executive Committee of the parent company. The ABB Country Manager for Denmark wants the plant to stay where it is. The subsidiary manager also reports to him, as part of the matrix structure. The subsidiary manager has recently been promoted to his new position, with the support of the Country Manager. The previous subsidiary manager had been promoted to head up a larger, Danish subsidiary of ABB. The previous year, the Country Manager and the previous subsidiary manager had managed to over rule the same request, in no small part, due to their connections within ABB as well as within Denmark. The new subsidiary manager needs to make a recommendation as to what should be done. The ABB Transformers (A) case can be used separately, or in conjunction with the (B) case.

The (B) case follows up on the (A) case. The decision was made to leave the plant in Denmark. It was revisited one year later, and the subsidiary manager is in even more of a quandary. The former Country Manager has been promoted to the Executive Committee of ABB. At a meeting of the new Country manager (not previously from within ABB), the Product Manager, his supervisor from the Executive Committee, the former Country Manager, and the subsidiary manager, the discussion is primarily between the new Country Manager and the Product Supervising Executive Committee Member, who has also been given added responsibility for all of Asia and the Pacific region. The former Country Manager, now responsible for European operations, remains quiet during the discussions. He later notes that this is a relatively small decision in the context of European operations. The subsidiary manager still needs to make a decision, but is now unsure of what has happened during the past year to allow this issue to be raised for the third time. The (B) case can be used to demonstrate how politics, promotions, and transfers can radically alter the environment within the context of a strategic decision. The focus is now on organization culture and power, and on the problems of operating within a matrix structure. The (B) case should be used in combination with the (A) case.

Management, strategy, entrepreneurship.

MBA, executive education.

The case deals with the challenges of fundraising and location decision making for a high technology start up company based in the United Arab Emirates. Tan Rasab is a Chief Executive and co-founder of Sensehere, a high technology start up company involved in the design and development of semiconductors for wireless sensors. The company has developed a unique technology that allows sensors to dramatically reduce energy consumption and thereby improve battery life of sensors.The company is currently based in the UAE, where it finds the environment highly supportive overall but challenging from the point of view of fund raising. On the other hand in China the company is meeting significant investor interest and several partnerships have been concluded. Despite the advantages offered by the UAE environment, the company is considering moving some or all of its operations to China.

• Familiarise students with the challenges of fundraising for new ventures.

• Understand the implications of technological breakthroughs in different application areas.

• Develop an understanding for the different considerations to be made when choosing a location for business functions.

Familiarise students with the challenges of fundraising for new ventures.

Understand the implications of technological breakthroughs in different application areas.

Develop an understanding for the different considerations to be made when choosing a location for business functions.

Teaching notes.

A toy retailer plans to order a new product from an untested supplier for the winter holiday season. This exercise provides an opportunity for students to construct a model to determine optimal order quantity when demand is not known. Profits are calculated based on wholesale pricing, revenue-sharing, profit-sharing, and buyback contracts.

Humanitarian logistics, aid response.

Master/advanced level; courses in: humanitarian logistics; port operations and management; supply chain management and logistics.

Recently, the humanitarian organization Global Food Aid (GFA) has received criticism for slow response to the on-going drought in East Africa. One of the reasons is the long lead times to transport and distribute food. Therefore, GFA has launched a project called “Strategic stock” where food will be pre-positioned in strategic locations around the world. Because of its importance as a gateway for East Africa, the Port of Mombasa has been selected as the pilot project. Headquarters of GFA has engaged a team of logistics and warehouse experts to plan, run and evaluate the pilot project in Mombasa.

Through this case, the students (who take on the role of the experts) will gain knowledge in a wide range of areas. First, they will gain a thorough insight to coordinating a port operation in one of the major ports in Africa. Second, the case increases the understanding of working with logistics in a humanitarian aid context. Third, the students will learn how to work with logistics both on a strategic level (planning the implementation of strategic stock) and on an operational level (handling the different events that occur throughout the case). There is also a learning element related to risk management.

Teaching notes are available.

Cutts Floral Distributors, founded in 2004 by Dave Lambe, was a floral wholesaler in Lincoln, Nebraska. The firm became a top wholesaler in the Lincoln area and had expanded its delivery range (all accessed by the company's hand delivery system) up to 100 miles outside of Lincoln. The company credited its success to the expertise of its founder, a professor of horticultural entrepreneurship, and to the company's commitment to customer service. Dave Lambe came to believe that Cutts had exhausted the local market and began looking for growth opportunities within driving distance. Proposed locations for expansion included Kansas City (MO/KS), Denver (CO), and St Joseph (MO). The case provides an in-depth look at Cutts, its competitive advantages, and strategy as the firm faced a critical decision, made more difficult by the uncertainties of the economic recession. This case encourages students to think critically in order to answer the case's central questions: “Should Cutts expand? If so, where?” The complexity of an expansion decision and the multitude of factors that may influence an entrepreneur's decision to expand are illustrated throughout the case.

The case describes the launch of Twiga Hosting Ltd, a company providing information and communication technology (ICT) services to the underserved small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in Tanzania and in a many countries in Africa.

This case targets a range of audience from undergraduate students taking both Bachelor of Commerce and those taking Bachelor of Business Administration; and Postgraduate students taking business-related courses. Nonetheless, the case may be used by all other learners of advanced studies in entrepreneurship and innovation management.

The case addresses a number of issues including:

• Issues to be considered when starting an ICT enterprise.

• Strategic management.

• Business revenue models.

Issues to be considered when starting an ICT enterprise.

Strategic management.

Business revenue models.

To impart/inculcate entrepreneurial insights in ICT and related areas.

To make learners aware of the business growth opportunities in ICT ventures.

The success factors for fruitful ICT ventures.

To enable learners to identify challenges facing entrepreneurs in ICT ventures and the ways to overcome them.

Teaching notes.