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Why Do Companies Succumb to Price Fixing?
Government policy and regulation Magazine ArticleWhen Ben Franklin wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac and the words, “A little neglect may breed great mischief,” he did not have price fixing in mind. To the 47 executives in companies in the folding-box industry convicted of price fixing, however, the words seem tailored to fit. In those companies convicted under antitrust laws in 1976, […] -
Can a Volunteer-Staffed Company Scale?
Corporate communications Magazine ArticleAn educational-gaming firm rethinks its talent strategy. -
Way Faster than a Speeding Bullet
Innovation Magazine ArticleFemtosecond lasers emit pulses of light that last just a millionth of a billionth of a second. These lasers enable surgery so precise that a single mitochondrion can be removed without harming the rest of the cell, and machining so controlled that structures can be micromachined within a piece of glass. Eric Mazur, a professor […] -
Quality of Work Life—Learning from Tarrytown
Labor Magazine ArticleAt this large GM plant the union and management jointly seek to change the meaning of work itself -
The Dubious Logic of Global Megamergers
Economics Magazine ArticleIt pays to be big in a global economy, right? Wrong. The rush toward huge cross-border mergers is based on a faulty understanding of economics. There are better ways to address globalization than relentless expansion. -
Sustainability in the Boardroom
Corporate social responsibility Magazine ArticleLessons from Nike’s playbook -
How Managers’ Everyday Decisions Create—or Destroy—Your Company’s Strategy
Leadership Magazine ArticleThe cumulative impact of the allocation of resources by managers at any level has more real-world effect on strategy than any plans developed at headquarters. -
Building Deep Supplier Relationships
Analytics and data science Magazine ArticleTwo Japanese automakers have had stunning success building relationships with North American suppliers—often the same companies that have had contentious dealings with Detroit’s Big Three. What are Toyota and Honda doing right? -
The Trade War with China Could Accelerate 3-D Printing in the U.S.
Operations and supply chain management Digital ArticleCompanies will need to rethink their supply chains. -
The Globe: How BMW Is Defusing the Demographic Time Bomb
Human resource management Magazine ArticleThe German car company has redesigned its factory for—and with—older workers. -
Gearing Up at REI
Personnel policies Magazine ArticleA chief executive reflects on what makes employees passionate and the business lessons he learned in a close call on a glacier. -
Play to Win
Power and influence Magazine ArticleFifty percent of Americans play video games, spending approximately seven hours a week glued to some type of screen, according to the Electronic Software Association. While that level of play gets blamed for everything from violence to obesity to illiteracy, gamers can bring some desirable qualities to the workforce if companies know how to exploit […] -
Case Study: Navigating Labor Unrest
Strategy execution Magazine ArticleA factory manager considers whether to accept or resist union demands. -
Curveball: Strategies to Fool the Competition
Strategic planning Magazine ArticleA couple of years ago, I coauthored with Rob Lachenauer an article called “Hardball: Five Killer Strategies for Trouncing the Competition.” The piece, along with a subsequent book, was misunderstood by many people. Critics said that hardball meant playing dirty or mean, neither of which is true. What is true is that hardball—let’s face it, […] -
A European Platform for Global Competition: An Interview with VW’s Carl Hahn
International business Magazine ArticleVolkswagen AG is arguably the most daring company in Europe today. Since becoming chairman of the board of management in 1982, Carl H. Hahn has spearheaded a breathtaking program of expansion, acquiring the Spanish carmaker Seat in 1986 and Czechoslovakia’s Skoda in 1990. Today Volkswagen is building or refitting new plants from East Germany to […] -
From Complacency to Competitiveness: An Interview with Vitro’s Ernesto Martens
Emerging markets Magazine ArticleIn Mexico, business, family, and politics are often intermingled. -
How Low Will You Go?
Leadership Magazine ArticleBob Carlton, CEO of an auto parts manufacturer, wouldn’t be caught dead in a strip club. But if that’s what it takes to make a sale… -
The Limits of 3D Printing
Operations and supply chain management Digital ArticleIt won’t replace standard manufacturing anytime soon. -
Defeating Feature Fatigue
Finance and investing Magazine ArticleIt’s not just a dual-wake-up alarm clock, it’s a CD player and an aromatherapy machine, too! But wait, there’s more—it has a shortwave transmitter and a Dictaphone function for recording late-night brainstorms. And that’s not all… -
Read a Plant—Fast
Workspaces design Magazine ArticleTo the trained eye, even a quick plant tour can reveal a lot about a company. Here’s how to tell if a factory is truly lean—in as little as 30 minutes.
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Tale Spin: Piloting a Course Through Crises At Boeing
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details In 2019, two fatal plane crashes plunged Boeing in an unprecedented crisis, setting off a maelstrom of controversy about Boeing's corporate practices... -
Mekong Corporation and the Vietnam Motor Vehicle Industry (B)
Global Business Case Study5.00View Details At the time of the Mekong Corporation (Mekong) and the Vietnam Motor Vehicle Industry (A) case, product 9A96H002, some analysts felt that the Vietnamese... -
The Evolution of Opple Lighting's E-commerce Business
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details This case describes how Opple Lighting, a leading company in China's lighting industry, developed its e-commerce business as online selling brought wholesale... -
NIO Inc.: Currents of Revenue
Management Case Study11.95View Details An investor in NIO Inc. (NIO), an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer based in China, contemplated the role NIO played in the EV market in China and the... -
Reliance Industries: Economic Value-Added Analysis
Management Case Study8.95View Details A financial consultancy analyst received an assignment to assess the long-term performance of Reliance Industries Ltd., a multinational conglomerate based... -
Herend Porcelain Manufactory: Designing Strategy in a COVID-19 World
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details Herend Porcelain Manufactory Ltd. (Herend) was an almost 200-year-old porcelain manufactory located in western Hungary. The company had weathered multiple... -
GE South Africa: Londvolota's Contextual Leadership for Creating Shared Value
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details In January 2019, one of the founding members and current board members of Londvolota, a South African trust formed by General Electric South Africa (GESA)... -
ELGi Equipments: Revolutionizing Industrial Relations Through a Win-Win Strategy
Management Case Study11.95View Details ELGi transformed from a small family-run manufacturer of compressors and pumps to a global player through multiple initiatives based on improving the... -
Continuing Transformation of Asahi Glass: Implementing EVA
Finance & Accounting Case Study11.95View Details This case explores the use of EVA--economic value added--methodology at Asahi Glass. EVA is among the changes initiated by the CEO aimed at transforming... -
Digitalization of Foton Motor
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details With the arrival of a digital era, digitalization has penetrated into every aspect of production and life, and brought many new opportunities and challenges.... -
Amanco: Developing the Sustainability Scorecard
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details Describes the challenges of using the Balanced Scorecard to implement a triple-bottom-line strategy for delivering excellent economic, environmental,... -
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.--1988
Finance & Accounting Case Study11.95View Details Set two years after a takeover attempt forced the company to restructure by leveraging up, selling assets, and repurchasing stock. The case affords an... -
Responsive Working at PepsiCo UK (A): Streamlining a Turnaround
Organizational Development Case Study11.95View Details Facing a significant decline in revenues in 2016, David Gwilliam, Head of Transformation at PepsiCo UK introduced a new way of working ("Responsive Working"),... -
Ehmke Manufacturing Company: Strategic and Marketing Dilemma-Make or Buy
Management Case Study11.95View Details Ehmke Manufacturing Company, Inc., a technical fabric products company established in 1929 in Philadelphia, United States, was facing challenges attracting... -
GHCL: Navigating the Pandemic
Organizational Development Case Study11.95View Details GHCL Ltd. (erstwhile Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Limited), a large chemical manufacturing publicly listed organization with over 6000 employees, had been... -
The Mahindra Group: Leading with Purpose
Leadership & Managing People Case Study11.95View Details India headquartered Mahindra Group is a multibillion-dollar federation of companies operating across the globe. It is ahead of its time in articulating... -
Destin Brass Products Co.
Finance & Accounting Case Study11.95View Details A specialized manufacturer of brass valves, pumps, and flow controllers is troubled by competitive pricing in pumps and higher than expected margins for... -
Corning Glass Works International (B1)
Organizational Development Case Study5.00View Details Supplements the (A) case. -
Natura: Global Beauty Made in Brazil
Global Business Case Study11.95View Details Explores the globalization strategies of Natura, Brazil's largest cosmetics company. Founded in 1969, Natura grew using a direct selling model. Led by... -
Kandou Bus, From start-up to IPO? (B): The Scale-Up
Management Case Study5.00View Details Dr Amin Shokrollahi, a mathematician who loves research, becomes an entrepreneur by accident. He discovers a software solution to decelerate Moore's Law,...
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Why Do Companies Succumb to Price Fixing?
Government policy and regulation Magazine ArticleWhen Ben Franklin wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac and the words, “A little neglect may breed great mischief,” he did not have price fixing in mind. To the 47 executives in companies in the folding-box industry convicted of price fixing, however, the words seem tailored to fit. In those companies convicted under antitrust laws in 1976, […] -
Can a Volunteer-Staffed Company Scale?
Corporate communications Magazine ArticleAn educational-gaming firm rethinks its talent strategy. -
Way Faster than a Speeding Bullet
Innovation Magazine ArticleFemtosecond lasers emit pulses of light that last just a millionth of a billionth of a second. These lasers enable surgery so precise that a single mitochondrion can be removed without harming the rest of the cell, and machining so controlled that structures can be micromachined within a piece of glass. Eric Mazur, a professor […] -
Tale Spin: Piloting a Course Through Crises At Boeing
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details In 2019, two fatal plane crashes plunged Boeing in an unprecedented crisis, setting off a maelstrom of controversy about Boeing's corporate practices... -
Mekong Corporation and the Vietnam Motor Vehicle Industry (B)
Global Business Case Study5.00View Details At the time of the Mekong Corporation (Mekong) and the Vietnam Motor Vehicle Industry (A) case, product 9A96H002, some analysts felt that the Vietnamese... -
Quality of Work Life—Learning from Tarrytown
Labor Magazine ArticleAt this large GM plant the union and management jointly seek to change the meaning of work itself -
The Evolution of Opple Lighting's E-commerce Business
Strategy & Execution Case Study11.95View Details This case describes how Opple Lighting, a leading company in China's lighting industry, developed its e-commerce business as online selling brought wholesale... -
The Dubious Logic of Global Megamergers
Economics Magazine ArticleIt pays to be big in a global economy, right? Wrong. The rush toward huge cross-border mergers is based on a faulty understanding of economics. There are better ways to address globalization than relentless expansion. -
Sustainability in the Boardroom
Corporate social responsibility Magazine ArticleLessons from Nike’s playbook -
NIO Inc.: Currents of Revenue
Management Case Study11.95View Details An investor in NIO Inc. (NIO), an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer based in China, contemplated the role NIO played in the EV market in China and the...