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Case study
Publication date: 20 January 2017

Robert D. Dewar, Hayagreeva Rao and Jeff Schumacher

Describes how UPS created UPS Supply Chain Solutions, an entirely new business, with carefully selected target market segments for which unique and extensive value offerings were…

Abstract

Describes how UPS created UPS Supply Chain Solutions, an entirely new business, with carefully selected target market segments for which unique and extensive value offerings were designed. To build this business UPS made numerous acquisitions and successfully resolved post-acquisition integration challenges in compensation, information systems, personnel policies, and organizational culture.

Details

Kellogg School of Management Cases, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2474-6568
Published by: Kellogg School of Management

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Case study
Publication date: 20 January 2017

Robert D. Dewar

Describes the winning formula at Neiman Marcus that has made it the No. 1 luxury retailer in the United States in terms of sales per square foot and profitability. Highlights…

Abstract

Describes the winning formula at Neiman Marcus that has made it the No. 1 luxury retailer in the United States in terms of sales per square foot and profitability. Highlights Neiman Marcus' efforts to define who its customers are and are not and to achieve superior focus on its customers by aligning location, price, service, and merchandise to fulfill these customers' every need. Describes ways in which Neiman Marcus prevents typical silo behavior between merchandising and selling and how it ensures that the right merchandise gets to the right customer, despite the challenge of doing this in 36 micromarkets.

To show how a company integrates two strong high-performance functions—merchandising and sales—to get the right merchandise to each customer in more than 30 diverse selling locations while consistently providing exceptional customer service.

Details

Kellogg School of Management Cases, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2474-6568
Published by: Kellogg School of Management

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Case study
Publication date: 20 January 2017

Robert D. Dewar, Hayagreeva Rao and Jeff Schumacher

Describes the career transfer and development system at UPS, showing incentives and policies that move managers across countries and functions, and how this movement develops high…

Abstract

Describes the career transfer and development system at UPS, showing incentives and policies that move managers across countries and functions, and how this movement develops high quality general managers.

To demonstrate the way in which a cross-functional, cross-cultural career transfer program can break down silo and national barriers and achieve cost effective integration.

Details

Kellogg School of Management Cases, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2474-6568
Published by: Kellogg School of Management

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Case study
Publication date: 20 January 2017

Robert D. Dewar

Key State Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plan (a disguised case of an actual BCBS Plan) is the merged product of three state plans. Initially burdened with a reputation of poor…

Abstract

Key State Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plan (a disguised case of an actual BCBS Plan) is the merged product of three state plans. Initially burdened with a reputation of poor customer service, Key State's executives decided to invest heavily in service improvement, eventually achieving superior levels. Key State's high-quality customer service emerged as a true competitive advantage for its customers, who were primarily businesses and health benefits consultants who influenced corporate purchasers of health insurance. The Key State brand came to be synonymous with personal service, security, choice, and dependability. But the health care insurance market was changing under Key State's feet. Spiraling costs meant that high-quality service became less of a competitive advantage as employers were lured by low-cost, low-service providers. Many employers cut or dropped health care benefits entirely, swelling the ranks of the under- and uninsured, who in turn were extremely price-sensitive when shopping for health insurance on their own. Finally, the health care insurance market was being revolutionized by financial institutions willing to hold health benefit accounts and pay providers directly, thereby eliminating the need for Key State as a mediator. Key State executives were aware of these changes but were challenged by the mindset, culture, and organizational design custom-fit to their business accounts. The case asks the reader to consider whether Key State has the right number of target markets, whether it should have one brand or several for its different target markets, what it should do for the uninsured, and how it should improve its brand experience in light of the industry's changing landscape. All of these decisions will have significant implications for the organizational design of Key State.

To better understand the challenges involved in a successful health insurance company to cope with a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment; to formulate a new strategy and a new organizational design to accomplish this adaptation.

Details

Kellogg School of Management Cases, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2474-6568
Published by: Kellogg School of Management

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1984

Don E. Schultz and Robert D. Dewar

Increasing trade concentration in retail fields, particularly in consumer products, poses several problems for manufacturers. Among the greatest are (1) increasing retailer…

255

Abstract

Increasing trade concentration in retail fields, particularly in consumer products, poses several problems for manufacturers. Among the greatest are (1) increasing retailer control of the marketplace, (2) more intense competition among sellers, (3) lack of brand availability in some markets, (4) increasingly larger promotion budgets required of manufacturers, and (5) changes in sales force personnel and activities. Some of the suggested changes in the marketing mix are (1) market investigation, (2) new distribution systems, (3) revised promotional efforts, and (4) production differentiation.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 1987

John A. Quelch, Paul W. Farris and James Olver

In many companies, product managers are under increasing time pressure. They are generalists in a marketing world that is increasingly specialized and complex. There are more…

232

Abstract

In many companies, product managers are under increasing time pressure. They are generalists in a marketing world that is increasingly specialized and complex. There are more tasks to perform, more specialist skills to acquire, more fires to fight, and less time for thinking and strategic planning. If their general management skills are to be used effectively, product managers must be able to focus their time on the tasks that exploit these skills and help their businesses to grow. The product management audit surveys product managers on how they actually spend their time and how they would ideally spend it to really build their businesses. Data from the audit can help to establish time allocation priorities for product managers and uncover potential time allocation problems before they become critical. We will first review the changes in the marketing environment that are putting pressure on the product management system. Second, we will show how any consumer, industrial, or service company can conduct a product management audit to find out how product management personnel are spending their time and why, and how satisfied they are with their jobs, the support provided, and rewards they are receiving. Third, we will illustrate the type of data that the audit can generate and present key findings from responses to audit surveys by over 300 product management personnel from 20 strategic business units in six Fortune 500 consumer goods companies. Finally, we will explain how one multidivision packaged goods company used an audit to identify problems within its product management organization and determine the actions needed to correct them.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 4 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1992

John A. Quelch, Paul W. Farris and James Olver

Reports on a survey of how product managers, experiencing increasedtime pressure, would like to spend their time compared with how theyactually spend it. Reviews the changes in…

520

Abstract

Reports on a survey of how product managers, experiencing increased time pressure, would like to spend their time compared with how they actually spend it. Reviews the changes in the marketing environment currently exerting pressure on the product management system. Explains the implementation of a product management audit. Presents findings from actual audit surveys and shows how one company used an audit to identify and solve problems within its product management organization. Concludes that the product management audit is an excellent tool for producing hard data which may be missed by management by walking around.

Details

Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1061-0421

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Article
Publication date: 26 March 2019

Humberto A. Brea-Solís and Emili Grifell-Tatjé

The purpose of this paper is to understand how a major retailer like Kmart lost its dominant position in the American retail industry.

1940

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how a major retailer like Kmart lost its dominant position in the American retail industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper contains a decomposition of profit change into meaningful economic drivers using a methodology that combines frontier analysis with index number theory. The empirical analysis is complemented with a description of Kmart’s business model produced from corporate documents and other sources.

Findings

A quantification of Kmart’s business model performance expressed in monetary terms. This assessment is presented by CEO tenures showing the contribution of different economic drivers to the evolution of profits.

Practical implications

The study’s empirical results highlight the importance of the correct implementation of all aspects of the business model in order to achieve success.

Originality/value

This paper presents a new empirical framework to assess business model performance. Despite Kmart’s important role in American discount retailing history there have been very few studies that have analyzed its downfall. This paper contributes by filling that gap.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 47 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

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Article
Publication date: 1 December 1903

The final report of the Butter Regulations Committee has now been published and it is earnestly to be hoped that Regulations based on the Committee's Recommendations will at once…

29

Abstract

The final report of the Butter Regulations Committee has now been published and it is earnestly to be hoped that Regulations based on the Committee's Recommendations will at once be framed and issued by the Board of Agriculture. It will be remembered that in an Interim Report the Committee recommended the adoption of a limit of 16 per cent. for the proportion of water in butter, and that, acting on this recommendation, the Board of Agriculture drew up and issued the “Sale of Butter Regulations, 1902,” under the powers conferred on the Board by Section 4 of the Food Act of 1899. In the present Report the Committee deal with the other matters referred to them, namely, as to what Regulations, if any, might with advantage be made for determining what deficiency in any of the normal constituents of butter, or what addition of extraneous matter other than water, should raise a presumption until the contrary is proved that the butter is not “genuine.” The Committee are to be congratulated on the result of their labours—labours which have obviously been both arduous and lengthy. The questions which have had to be dealt with are intricate and difficult, and they are, moreover, of a highly technical nature. The Committee have evidently worked with the earnest desire to arrive at conclusions which, when applied, would afford as great a measure of protection—as it is possible to give by means of legislative enactments—to the consumer and to the honest producer. The thorough investigation which has been made could result only in the conclusions at which the Committee have arrived, namely, that, in regard to the administration of the Food Acts, (1) an analytical limit should be imposed which limit should determine what degree of deficiency in those constituents which specially characterise butter should raise a presumption that the butter is not “genuine”; (2) that the use of 10 per cent. of a chemically‐recognisable oil in the manufacture of margarine be made compulsory; (3) that steps should be taken to obtain international co‐operation; and finally, that the System of Control, as explained by various witnesses, commends itself to the Committee.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 5 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 August 2017

Patrick Das, Robert Verburg, Alexander Verbraeck and Lodewijk Bonebakker

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the financial industry is in need of innovation to increase stability and improve quality of services. The purpose of this paper is to explore…

19671

Abstract

Purpose

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the financial industry is in need of innovation to increase stability and improve quality of services. The purpose of this paper is to explore internal barriers that influence the effectiveness of projects within large financial services firms focussing on potentially disruptive and radical innovations. While literature has generally focused on barriers within traditional technology and manufacturing firms, few researchers have identified barriers for these type of firms.

Design/methodology/approach

A framework of internal barriers was developed and validated by means of an explorative case study. Data were collected at a European bank by exploring how innovation is organized and what barriers influence effectiveness of eight innovation projects.

Findings

Six items were identified as key barrier for potentially disruptive and radical innovations (e.g. traditional risk-avoidance focus, and inertia caused by systems architecture). As such, in the sample these were more important than traditionally defined barriers such as sources of finance, and lacking exploration competences.

Research limitations/implications

Based on a small number of projects within one firm, the results highlight the need for more in-depth research on the effects of barriers and how barriers can be overcome within this industry.

Originality/value

The results show that there is a discrepancy between the societal demand for radical change within the financial industry and the ability of large financial services firms to innovate. The study identifies which unique internal barriers hamper potentially disruptive and radical innovation in large financial services firms.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

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