bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large-Scale Genomic Reorganizations of Topological Domains (TADs) at the HoxD Locus
Authors: Fabre Pierre J. , Leleu Marion , Mormann Benjamin H. , Delisle Lucille , Noordermeer Daan , Beccari Leonardo , Duboule Denis
Published: March 2017

Background

The transcriptional activation of Hoxd genes during mammalian limb development involves dynamic interactions with the two Topologically Associating Domains (TADs) flanking the HoxD cluster. In particular, the activation of the most posterior Hoxd genes in developing digits is controlled by regulatory elements located in the centromeric TAD (C-DOM) through long-range contacts. To assess the structure-function relationships underlying such interactions, we measured compaction levels and TAD discreteness using a combination of chromosome conformation capture (4C-seq) and DNA FISH.

Results

We challenged the robustness of the TAD architecture by using a series of genomic deletions and inversions that impact the integrity of this chromatin domain and that remodel the long-range contacts. We report multi-partite associations between Hoxd genes and up to three enhancers and show that breaking the native chromatin topology leads to the remodelling of TAD structure.

Conclusions

Our results reveal that the re-composition of TADs architectures after severe genomic re-arrangements depends on a boundary-selection mechanism that uses CTCF-mediated gating of long-range contacts in combination with genomic distance and, to a certain extent, sequence specificity.
Non-crystallographic symmetry of liquid metal, flat crystallographic faults and polymorph transformation of the M7C3carbide
Authors: Talis Alexander L. , Kraposhin Valentin S. , Kondrat'ev Sergey Yu. , Nikolaichik Vladimir I. , Svyatysheva Ekaterina V. , Everstov Ayal A.
Published: March 2017

The fine lamellar fault structure of primary M7C3carbide particles in the heat-resistant Fe–Cr–Ni–C alloy of the HP series (0.45C–25Cr–35Ni) in the cast condition has been revealed using transmission electron microscopy. The lamellar fault structure is regarded as an inheritance of the initial melt structure. A one-to-one correspondence between the crystal structures of M7C3, M5C2, M3C and M23C6carbides and constructions of the projective 103Desargues configuration and its subconfigurations is shown. Mutual mapping between 103Desargues subconfigurations determines transformations of the ten-vertex equal-edged triangulated clusters appearing as building units of these carbides.
$2,500
Authors: Freeman R. Edward , Lown Christian , Mead Jenny
Published: March 2017

This case present the dilemma of an employee who, having been terminated in a manner he deems is unfair, has to decide whether to cash or return a $2,500 check wrongfully sent him by his former employer.
2012 Fuel Hedging at JetBlue Airways
Authors: Matos Pedro
Published: March 2017

In early 2012, an equity analyst, was examining the jet fuel hedging strategy of JetBlue Airways for the coming year. Because airlines cross-hedged their jet fuel price risk using derivatives contracts on other oil products such as WTI and Brent crude oil, they were exposed to basis risk. In 2011, dislocations in the oil market led to a Brent-WTI premium wherein jet fuel started to move with Brent instead of WTI, as it traditionally did. Faced with hedging losses, several U.S. airlines started to change their hedging strategies, moving away from WTI. But others worried that the Brent-WTI premium might be a temporary phenomenon. For 2012, would JetBlue continue using WTI for its hedges, or would it switch to an alternative such as Brent?
A Great Leader: A Crew Member's Perspective
Authors: Horniman Alexander B. , Freides Drew
Published: March 2017

This case describes the creation and performance of the America's Cup team and the leadership of Dennis Conner.
Adenosine Therapeutics LLC: Accounting for a Different Compensation Method
Authors: Haskins Mark E.
Published: March 2017

This case challenges students to apply financial reporting concepts pertaining, most notably, to liabilities and expenses in a specific corporate situation. In the context of an interesting, but noncomplex, technical accounting issue, students debate the best way for Adenosine Therapeutics to present its compensation arrangements in its financial statements. In addition, this case also prompts students to debate the best way for a growing company, with cash constraints, to provide incentive and maintain top employees.
Airbus and Boeing: Superjumbo Decisions
Authors: Bodily Samuel E. , Lichtendahl Kenneth C.
Published: March 2017

Set in 1999, this case allows students to put themselves in the positions of both Airbus and Boeing as Boeing considered how to respond to Airbus's decision to announce its plans to proceed or not with the $10 billion development of the world's first commercial superjumbo jet, the Airbus A3XX. Boeing was considering a development effort to “stretch” its 747 jumbo jet into a larger superjumbo version, the 747-X. At the time, the two companies’ widely available 20-year forecasts for jumbo- and superjumbo-jet demand were particularly divergent. In light of this very public “agreement to disagree,” Boeing could pursue several alternatives, all of which were related to Airbus's decision about whether or not to develop the A3XX. This case presents an opportunity for students to make a real downstream decision. It was prepared as a final exam for an introductory decision analysis course involving subjective probability assessment, decision tree modeling, simulation, real options, and game theory. In the analysis of this case, a student is expected to utilize ideas from all five of these areas.
Alfin Fragrances, Inc.
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Opitz Casey S.
Published: March 2017

Students act as outside analysts attempting to determine how Alfin will finance its expected growth based on sales of antiwrinkle cream.
American Express Business Travel Department
Authors: Whetsel John S. , Davis Edward W. , Pommerening W. E.
Published: March 2017

The business-travel department of American Express is facing rapid growth in demand but is plagued with overstaffing in some offices because of the broad distribution of client demand. Management's challenge is to reduce costs in local offices while maintaining a high level of service. One alternative under consideration is a centralized regional business-travel center to handle reservation functions for up to 20 other Amexco offices. This case gives students the opportunity to apply queuing theory to a practical situation. Normally, in order to facilitate the numerous calculations required, it is used with the UVA “QUEUE” program.
American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T): The AT&T/McCaw Merger Negotiation
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Innes Michael J. , Passer William J.
Published: March 2017

Set in September 1992, this exercise provides teams of students the opportunity to negotiate terms of a merger between AT&T and McCaw Cellular. AT&T, one of the largest U.S. corporations, was the dominant competitor in long-distance telephone communications in the United States. McCaw was the largest competitor in the rapidly growing cellular-telephone communications industry. Prior to the negotiations, AT&T had no position in cellular communications. This case and its companion (F-1143) are designed to allow students to be assigned roles to play. The case may pursue some or all of the following teaching objectives: exercising valuation skills, practicing strategic analysis, exercising bargaining skills, and illustrating practical aspects of mergers and acquisitions.
Appshop, Inc.
Authors: Bodily Samuel E. , Clark Eric
Published: March 2017

A regional director of a consulting firm must decide how to compete for a major consulting contract. Appshop can take a level payment contract, a lower level payment with a prospective bonus given high performance, or bid on an RFP where a significant reward is given contingent on the client's savings. The case can be used to introduce Monte Carlo simulation modeling and to build skills in structuring a decision tree in a spreadsheet. It affords an opportunity to simulate alternative risk profiles and to discuss their comparative advantages.
Arcadian Microarray Technologies, Inc.
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Carr Sean
Published: March 2017

In August 2005, an investment manager of a hedge fund is considering purchasing an equity interest in a start-up biotechnology firm, Arcadian Microarray Technologies, Inc. The asking price is $40 million for a 60 percent equity interest. Managers of the firm are optimistic about the firm's future performance; the investment manager is more conservative in his expectations. He calls on the help of an analyst with her firm to fashion a counterproposal to Arcadian's management. The tasks for the student are to apply the concept of terminal value, interpret completed analyses and data, and derive implications of different terminal-value assumptions in an effort to recommend a counterproposal. Very little numerical figure-work is required of the student.
Battlefield Furniture Group, Inc.
Authors: Spekman Robert E. , Newton Derek A. , Ranson Alexandra
Published: March 2017

This case serves as an introduction to field sales management. A manager must address three sales representatives' ingrained behaviors in order to implement a major shift in marketing strategy. Students should recognize the nature of the "man-in-the-middle" squeeze: the manager caught between the pressure of implementing a new strategy from the top and the resistance to change from the bottom.
Ben S. Bernanke in 2005
Authors: Li Wei
Published: March 2017

The case has been used in a first-year required course called Global Economies and Markets in a module on monetary policy. On October 24, 2005, President Bush nominated Ben S. Bernanke to be chairman of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System for a term of four years along with a 14-year term on the board of governors. With the U.S. Senate confirmation widely anticipated, Bernanke was expected to take over stewardship of the U.S. monetary policy from Chairman Alan Greenspan when he retired in January 2006. While the U.S. economy was in good shape at the end of 2005, Bernanke had to prepare to deal with two challenges when charting a course for managing U.S. monetary policy. First, the sharp rise in energy prices that began in 2002 had the potential to bring back the specter of inflation and dampen desired consumer and business spending. Second, the housing boom could turn into a housing bust, throwing the mortgage industry into turmoil and weakening consumer business confidence. There was also the possibility that the housing bust could affect broader financial markets. Bernanke had to consider his options for dealing with contingencies in the not-so-distant future.
Best Buy: Investing in Language Learning
Authors: Eades Kenneth M. , Dickey Keith , Ledesma Jordhy , Frazier Jennifer , Sider Duane , Johnson Melissa
Published: March 2017

After observing customer interactions in a Best Buy in Dallas, the regional HR manager considers training sales representatives in a second language. Considering that the store's regional customer base ranges between 13% and 30% Latino, she believes it may be a prudent option and immediately thinks of Rosetta Stone software as a cost-effective approach. Yet she still must translate her instincts into a quantifiable, tangible return on investment, particularly under demanding economic conditions.
BP: Beyond Petroleum
Authors: Yemen Gerry , Lenox Michael , Harris Jared D.
Published: March 2017

Suitable for MBA, EMBA, and executive education programs, this case uses the complexities of the oil industry to set the stage to unfold a stakeholder analysis on BP's growth and opportunity in the renewable energy sector. This public sourced case offers a discussion about the firm's overall strategy, post Gulf Oil spill, moving forward. The case describes how within a single decade, BP had emerged as one of the largest energy companies in the world. Within that scope, BP had an odd achievement: It had been building an alternative energy business and had gained a reputation as being an oil company with a regard for the environment. Then a series of preventable accidents, in the United States in particular, started to chip away at the firm's status. In a matter of five years, BP went from celebrating its most profitable period to finding itself selling assets while industry watchers wondered whether the company would survive after being responsible for the largest oil spill in the United States. Shortly following the Gulf oil spill, Robert Dudley, a legacy Amoco executive, was appointed to replace Tony Hayward, the beleaguered BP group chief executive and director. Besides the oil spill and ongoing cleanup, Dudley had slumping revenues (even before the Deepwater tragedy) and a huge rebuilding task ahead of him. Not only did he have a multinational energy company to run, but Robert Dudley had to rehabilitate the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, compensate all who suffered loss as a result of the damage, and repair the firm's shabby reputation. Dudley needed to implement a sound long-term strategy. How would his former division—renewable energy and alternative activities—fit into his plans?
Brown-Forman Distillers Corporation
Authors: Bruner Robert F.
Published: March 2017

Brown-Forman Distillers Corporation (BFD) president faces important acquisition decision as Southern Comfort Corporation approaches him to buy their company. BFD's president must evaluate the feasibility of the asking price and the effects of the acquisition on BFD's share price.
Burlington Northern Railroad Company: Equipment Leasing
Authors: Eades Kenneth M.
Published: March 2017

The director of equipment finance at Burlington Northern Railroad Company must decide if a leveraged-lease proposal is acceptable. The case emphasizes the importance of the lessee's tax status to the value of the lease and how the perception of residual value affects the valuation for both the lessee and lessor. To value the lease properly, the student must identify the relevant cash flows and the appropriate discount rates for those flows.
Caffeine with a Conscience
Authors: Wicks Andrew C. , Mead Jenny
Published: March 2017

Is “Fair Trade” really fair? This case examines the concept, history, and logistics of the Fair Trade movement, specifically for coffee. Fair Trade began as an attempt to ensure farmers received fair compensation for their crops and credit when needed. Fair Trade also provided opportunities to help coffee growers learn best practices and sustainable farming methods (minimal damage to the environment, for example). But Fair Trade had its critics, who claimed that ultimately the farmers did not benefit and that retailers charged more for Fair Trade products and pocketed the difference. This case examines these issues through the eyes of one coffee-drinker who has specifically chosen her caffeine venue because of the Fair Trade designation.
Cardagin: Local Mobile Rewards
Authors: Venkatesan Rajkumar , Ateya Kelly , Harr Adam
Published: March 2017

Cardagin, a new start-up in the increasingly competitive space of consumer/merchant apps for smartphones, is reaching an inflection point: decisions it makes at this stage can determine whether it becomes a national presence or an also-ran. The CEO needs to demonstrate the value of Cardagin's service to retailers and consumers in compelling ways. The case provides students an opportunity to analyze a new digital venture, explore expansion options, and evaluate the challenges in working with many small businesses, each with its own idiosyncrasies.
Chiquita in Colombia
Authors: Wicks Andrew C. , Mead Jenny
Published: March 2017

Should an international company operating in a violent nation pay a paramilitary group to keep its employees from harm? Executives at Chiquita Brands' Banadex subsidiary in Colombia faced a dilemma in 1997. Carlos Castano, the leader of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, a paramilitary group, was demanding payment in return for not harming Banadex's employees or operations. The executives must weigh the various options including, among others, making the payments or shutting down operations. This case examines the history of Chiquita (formerly the United Fruit Company) in Colombia (and other South American countries), its interaction with the country's political and social structure, and the difficulties of doing business in one of the world's most violent countries.
Choosing Among Different Valuation Approaches
Authors: Bruner Robert F.
Published: March 2017

This note discusses the relative strengths and weaknesses of three primary methods of valuing a firm: (1) accounting approaches (e.g., book value); (2) multiples of earnings (e.g., p/e); and (3) discounted cash flow and related models.
Cialis
Authors: Parry Mark E.
Published: March 2017

Lilly ICOS is preparing to launch Cialis, a prescription drug that treats erectile dysfunction, and executives must decide how to position Cialis against market leader Viagra and recent entrant Levitra.
Cisco Switches in China: The Year of the Manager
Authors: Isabella Lynn A. , Yemen Gerry
Published: March 2017

Jan Gronski, managing director of the Cisco China Research and Development Center (CRDC), and Ivo Raznjevic, engineering director, set out to establish a new R&D facility in Shanghai, China. This case focuses on the building of a culture through human-resource practices while describing such steps as securing an appropriate building, assembling a work force, seeking appropriate projects, developing managers, building teams, evaluating performance, protecting intellectual property, and managing growth. The case presents specific challenges that arise regarding talent management: How does a manager overcome dramatic cultural differences within a diverse workgroup? Should a local female employee be promoted from a test engineer to a development manager? How should Raznjevic help his newest manager through his first encounter with Cisco's ranking system? What action, if any, should Raznjevic take regarding a senior engineer who sent out a controversial e-mail? This material highlights organizational culture and offers an opportunity for students to learn to recognize and manage difference. The case could be taught near the end of a term to serve as a review of organizational behavior at a graduate level or in an executive education program focusing on issues of team-building, growing managers from within, and related talent-management issues in a global context.
Coleco Industries, Inc.
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Opitz Casey S.
Published: March 2017

Acting as chief financial officer (CFO), students try to determine how Coleco can fend off creditors. Coleco is in default on its loans and is in a negative equity position.
Controversies of Progress: The Human Genome
Authors: Freeman R. Edward , Ahmad Pia , Truslow Will
Published: March 2017

The case lays out the controversies surrounding the human genome project. The ability to generate any individual's genetic profile raises important legal, social, and ethical questions. How should these issues be addressed and how can the rights of the individual be protected? This case can be used to portray problems in the biotechnology industry, confidentiality in the health care industry, as well as the progress of technology and the ability of the present legal and medical system to deal with it.
Dealing with Capital Flows: Thailand in 2006
Authors: Li Wei
Published: March 2017

This case was written as an exam case for first-year course, “Global Economies and Markets.” It is written as a comprehensive case that examines the policy choices facing a small open economy in an increasingly globalizing world. It can be used in a course on open economy macroeconomics or on international finance. Late in the day on December 18, 2006, the Bank of Thailand (BOT), the country's central bank, announced that effective the next day it would impose a 30% unremunerated reserve requirement (URR) on short-term capital inflows. The capital control measure required financial institutions to withhold in reserve accounts 30% of capital inflows that exceeded USD 20,000 for a period of one year. The restriction on capital inflows represented a significant escalation of Thailand's battle to stop the appreciation of its official currency, the baht (THB). On December 19, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index dropped by a record 14.84%, wiping out THB800 billion or USD22 billion of market capitalization. The sell-off affected regional stock markets as well, with Jakarta (Indonesia) down 2.85%; Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) down 2%; and Singapore down 2.23%. In the foreign exchange market, the baht lost 2% of its value against the U.S. dollar to settle at about THB36 to the dollar. The large foreign capital inflows and the resulting appreciation of the Thai baht had culminated in the decision by the interim government to impose capital controls. The dramatic reactions in the financial markets, however, had prompted Thai policymakers to reevaluate the situation and to consider policy options for 2007.
Delta Beverage Group, Inc.
Authors: Eades Kenneth M.
Published: March 2017

Delta Beverage is facing severe cost control problems. In addition to the high interest expense, the cost of aluminum cans and PET containers have risen substantially during the past year. The student must decide whether the CFO should hedge aluminum to avoid the risk of violating a loan covenant. The case works well as an introduction to risk management.
Dog Concierges, LLC: Transaction Analysis and Statement of Cash Flows Preparation
Authors: Haskins Mark E.
Published: March 2017

This case is appropriate in a MBA module for the accounting process and is also an excellent exam case. It provides a diagram of the three basic financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows) used to capture, codify, and communicate the effects of a series of typical business events. The case also gives students the opportunity to prepare a simple statement of cash flows using two sequential balance sheets and to work backward from a balance sheet and statement of cash flows to craft the beginning of the year's balance sheet.
DuPont Corporation: Sale of Performance Coatings
Authors: Chaplinsky Susan , Marston Felicia C. , Merker Brett
Published: March 2017

In January 2012, Ellen Kullman, CEO and chairman of DuPont, must decide whether to retain or sell the company's Performance Coatings (DPC) division. This is an introductory case on valuing a leveraged buyout. The case focuses on a publicly listed corporation's decision to divest a large division and asks students to compare the division's value if it remains under DuPont's control or is sold to an outside party. The transaction size of approximately $4 billion is too large for potential strategic buyers in the industry, making private equity (PE) firms the most likely bidders. The case provides a base-case adjusted present value (APV) model of DPC as a stand-alone company and gives students specific assignments to adjust it to reflect the division's potential value under PE ownership (e.g., EBITDA growth, multiple arbitrage, and increased leverage).

The case is designed to illustrate and discuss the differences between a public company's valuation based on unlevered free cash flows and a PE sponsor's valuation based on residual (levered) cash flows.

This case has been successfully taught in a second-year elective course covering entrepreneurial finance and private equity and in an advanced undergraduate course on corporate finance. It is appropriate for use in classes on private equity, advanced corporate finance, or deal valuation.
Embraer: Shaking Up the Aircraft Manufacturing Market
Authors: Chen Ming-Jer , Zimath Alexandre , Maat Andrea , Lopes Fabiano , Reynolds William , Silva Nivaldo , Vaughters Charles , Watt Aaron
Published: March 2017

The CEO of Embraer, reflects on his company's dramatic ascent to its position as the world's leading regional aircraft manufacturer. Since becoming a private company, Embraer had successfully introduced seven commercial aircraft models to the market, including its latest, the 118-seat EMBRAER 195. Now, he is concerned because Embraer does not know what to expect from Bombardier, Boeing, and Airbus regarding their competitive response to his company's recent attacks on the commercial aircraft market. How would they respond to Embraer's successful launch of its recent family of jets? Would Bombardier really follow through with its launch of the CSeries? Would Airbus and Boeing perceive the latest attacks by Embraer and Bombardier as attacks on its own family of jets? Most importantly, given Embraer's expectations of rivals' future competitive moves, what should it do next to protect its position and influence its competitors' actions?
Emerson Electric Company
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Opitz Casey S.
Published: March 2017

In the mid-1980s, Emerson Electric looked at possible two-year debt issues in three countries: the United States, Switzerland, and New Zealand. The $65 million to be raised is earmarked for general corporate expenses. Emerson has subsidiaries in 27 countries, including the three candidate countries. In this case, students act as Emerson's CFO and must evaluate the U.S., Swiss, and New Zealand economies to determine in which currency to secure the needed debt issues.
Emerson Electric Company ACP Division: The Fan Subpack Sourcing Decision
Authors: Davis Edward W. , Paige Keith L.
Published: March 2017

The consumer-products division of a multinational company is facing a decision on the sourcing of product components: whether to stay in Taiwan or switch to Mexico. See also the supplement to this case, “Cost Analysis for Sourcing Alternatives for Emerson Electric Company ACP Division” (OM-0823).
Euro Disney or Euro Disaster?
Authors: Grayson Leslie E. , Sheikholeslami Golnar
Published: March 2017

This case concerns the troubles that Euro Disney experienced from the start. Euro Disney claimed that the major cause of its poor financial performance was the European recession and the strong French franc. The timing of the park's opening could not have been more inopportune. If the recession had been the only cause of Euro Disney's problems, the financial restructuring would only need to carry the park forward to better economic times. Only when Europeans began spending freely again would investors learn the answers to some uncomfortable questions: Was the whole idea of Euro Disney misconceived? Were there other fundamental cultural problems that could inhibit the park's success? Would Euro Disney fail to recover even though other European companies did? And, if so, why was the Disney theme-park concept successful in Japan and not in France?
Exercises in the Strategy of Post-Merger Integration
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Rynbrandt Chad
Published: March 2017

This case recounts the announced terms of five prominent acquisitions of the late 1990s, and asks the student to suggest a preliminary strategy for integrating the target firm into the buyer. The five acquisitions are America Online/Time Warner, British Petroleum/Amoco, Daimler-Benz/Chrysler, Union Pacific/Southern Pacific, and Warner-Lambert/Agouron Pharmaceuticals. The objectives of the case are: 1) to highlight the linkage of the post-merger integration approach with the strategic motives for the acquisition; 2) to consider the range of possible challenges to successful post-merger integration; 3) to explore the varieties of integration strategy, especially surrounding decisions about autonomy of the target company within the buyer, importance of interdependence between the buyer and target, and need for speed of integration.
FedEx Corp. versus United Parcel Service of America, Inc.: Who Will Deliver Returns from China?
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Lipson Marc L. , Carr Sean
Published: March 2017

In early 2006, the anticipated expansion of package delivery services in China provided a great opportunity for the two package delivery giants FedEx and UPS. It was unclear which of these firms would make the most of this opportunity. An analysis of financial performance suggests that UPS is the better performer. On the other hand, the FedEx stock price performance has been far stronger. This apparent conflict highlights the fact that stock prices reflect anticipated future performance and new information. A teaching note and instructor and student spreadsheets are available.
GMO: The Value Versus Growth Dilemma
Authors: Allayannis George (Yiorgos) , Burton William
Published: March 2017

Dick Mayo, one of the most celebrated value investors in America was puzzled by the New Economy's continuous bias toward growth investment strategies. He examines the basics of his philosophy versus that of a growth orientation by evaluating the long-term expected returns of several value and growth stocks. This case can be used to pursue several objectives: (1) to define value and growth investing-where the differences lie and whether one approach is superior to the other or whether both have merit; and (2) to discuss issues related to consistency of one's investment philosophy. Should one stay true to one's philosophy even when the market seems to run counter to it for a prolonged period of time? Can value investing deliver value in this New Economy or is it only an Old Economy concept? The students are instructed to perform basic valuations of Cisco Systems (a growth company), CVS, R.R. Donnelley, and Manor Care (value companies) and compute their long-term expected returns. The case comes with an Excel spreadsheet containing the data and relevant valuation ratios for the above firms. The valuations are straightforward, but they tell an interesting story: the expected returns of glamorous stocks in reality may not be so glamorous.
Google, Inc., in China
Authors: Martin Kirsten
Published: March 2017

Google, Inc. evaluates decisions related to entering the Chinese market, taking their company values and the Chinese government's restrictions on information into consideration.
Greenland
Authors: Lie Morten , Clawson James G.
Published: March 2017

The Greenland case describes the experience of four young Norwegian men determined to set a world record for unsupported crossing of Greenland. The case describes the team, their preparations, and their experiences as they crossed in “good” weather that was often whiteout blizzard conditions with temperatures dropping as low as −78 degrees F. Throughout the case, one of the team members reflects on things he learned about himself, about the team, and about leadership from the experience (recorded in italics). The teaching note (available to registered faculty) is supplemented by a PowerPoint presentation that helps introduce the expedition to Greenland, other “risky recreation,” and the concepts related to resonance or flow. A video supplement is also available. The case lends itself to a profound discussion of leadership on its own and leads in nicely to a discussion of world-class performance and the purpose of life, which both startles and pleasantly surprises most students and participants.
Greenlawn Commercial Package Business
Authors: Allen Brandt R.
Published: March 2017

This case is used to study cost-based decision analysis. It has incremental, variable, semi variable, and sunk costs in a classic cost-price-volume situation, set in a service business.
Greenspan's Conundrum and Bernanke's Nightmare
Authors: Warnock Francis E.
Published: March 2017

At what point in the tepid recovery from the global financial crisis should the Fed take a major step in normalizing U.S. monetary policy by greatly reducing its holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds? Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke faced this question in Spring 2012, even as he was concerned that the U.S. economy was on weaker footing than many believed. Suitable for both core and elective MBA courses in global financial markets and international finance, this case examines the risks associated with a policy some would consider monetizing the budget deficit. Students consider the factors behind the current and prospective levels of U.S. long-term interest rates from Bernanke's perspective.
High Point Aviation: Operating Breakevens
Authors: Haskins Mark E.
Published: March 2017

A couple wants to start a small flight charter company to serve the mining, oil, scientific, and wilderness adventure clients of northern Canada but worry that their thin financial base necessitates a sizable scale of flight operations during their first year. If a substantial revenue stream was slow to develop, or expenses were too high, their first year might be their last year—they had no financial slack. The fundamental question is, given their preliminary budget figures for the coming year, what level of revenue-generating flight miles did they need to just break even?
International Ratios Tell a Story—2005
Authors: Haskins Mark E.
Published: March 2017

This case provides an opportunity for students to (1) understand the calculation of a number of basic financial ratios, (2) analyze a set of common-size balance sheets and several financial ratio metrics, (3) hypothesize how some basic understanding of an industry should be reflected in certain financial indicators, and (4) present to their classmates a rationale for their pairings and to respond to questions from their classmates. If instructors are so inclined, use of this case also provides an opportunity to (1) discuss an organizing framework for the focal ratios, (2) present the concepts of financial leverage and the DuPont ratio model, and (3) introduce students to some of the published sources for industry metrics.
Levi's at Wal-Mart?
Authors: Farris Paul W. , Shames Ervin R. , Mitchell Jordan
Published: March 2017

In early 2002, Levi Strauss was considering rekindling its Wal-Mart relationship with a new value brand. How should the brand be developed to preserve sales with existing customers in other channels? Was it possible to leverage the iconic Levi's name while remaining competitive and not affecting consumers' propensity to purchase other Levi's product lines at higher price points?
Listen Up! How to be Appropriately Assertive
Authors: Clawson James G. , Yemen Gerry , pazFigini Maria
Published: March 2017

How do you deal with overly aggressive or excessively passive people? When should you push and when should you hang back? Should you ever show your anger, or is it wise to keep it inside or express it differently? The answers to these questions can mean the difference between derailing your career in management and going all the way to the top. If you learn what appropriately assertive behavior is and then practice ways of expressing yourself (when the occasion calls for it), your level of assertiveness will match the situation. This technical note examines interactions that fall on a continuum of assertiveness, from abusive to overly passive.
Marge Norman and MiniScribe Corporation
Authors: Werhane Patricia H. , Wicks Andrew C. , Sack Robert J. , Severance Kristi , Williams Leslie , Mead Jenny
Published: March 2017

This case details the rise of a hard-disk storage manufacturer in the mid-1980s and the company's demise after executives manipulated the financial information.
Mellace Family Brands, Inc.: Building a Socially Responsible Enterprise
Authors: Hess Edward D. , Glinska Gosia
Published: March 2017

This case illustrates how two entrepreneurs bootstrapped their start-up, overcame the challenges that accompany growth, and built a successful business while remaining socially responsible.
Method: Entrepreneurial Innovation, Health, Environment, and Sustainable Business Design
Authors: Larson Andrea
Published: March 2017

With Method standing at number seven on Inc. magazine's list of the 500 fastest-growing companies in 2006, cofounder Adam Lowry is searching for a biodegradable cleaning cloth to expand Method's line of “green” household products. Sustainable design principles have been a guiding force in Method's strategy, and being biofriendly is critical. So is sourcing in the United States. But only China can manufacture the corn-based cloth Lowry has in mind, and there is no way to certify that the product is free of genetically modified organisms. Lowry has to balance his firm's fundamental commitment to environmental sustainability against the fact that some retailers refuse to carry products containing GMOs.
MGM Mirage—Accounts Receivable
Authors: Lynch Luann J.
Published: March 2017

Students are presented with the balance sheet, income statement, accounts-receivable footnote, excerpts from the footnote on significant accounting policies, and excerpts from Management's Discussion and Analysis from MGM Mirage's 2004 Annual Report, and are asked to respond to several questions regarding information in the materials. Questions center around what can be inferred about the impact of accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts, write-offs, and other data on the balance sheet and income statement.
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle
Authors: Cross Tom
Published: March 2017

Soldiers in Iraq are dying in increasing numbers from improvised explosive devices planted in roads by insurgents. Up-armored Humvees offer little to no protection. Specialty vehicles with v-shaped bottoms to deflect blasts had been developed in South Africa and Rhodesia in the 1970s.The MRAP Vehicle Joint Program Office's mission is to procure up to 20,000 of these commercial off-the-shelf vehicles and get them to Iraq within 30 months. Yet U.S. production is fewer than 10 vehicles per month because not enough tires, ballistics-grade steel, and other raw materials are available. The daunting task: to undertake the fastest vehicle procurement since the Jeep in World War II, ramping up the industrial base, and overcoming the bureaucratic logjam in Department of Defense procedures.
Musictoday, LLC: Implementing a Periodic Review Inventory System
Authors: Laseter Timothy M. , Ashton Jay , Gu Vincent
Published: March 2017

This case is used in Darden's first-year core operations class as part of a module on supply chain management. The Musictoday company provided online retailing services for such clients as the Dave Matthews Band and the Rolling Stones. But the lack of a formal inventory-management process had Musictoday concerned about future stockouts that would result in lost sales. This case covers the basics of safety stock within the context of a periodic review system. It introduces students to the periodic review system and provides them with an opportunity to link the optimal review period with the EOQ concept.
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (“Amtrak”): Acela Financing
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Chan Jessica
Published: March 2017

In the late 1990s, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) faced a rude awakening as Congress stipulated that it eliminate its reliance on federal subsidies by 2002. In response, Amtrak drew up a plan for self-sufficiency, the centerpiece of which was a new high-speed passenger service that, it was hoped, would boost revenue enough to make Amtrak self-sufficient by 2002. To run this new service, Amtrak needed to purchase $750 million worth of new locomotives and train sets in 1999. Three alternatives were available for funding the purchase: debt financing, lease financing, or reliance on federal sources. The case opens with Amtrak's CFO instructing her staff in April 1999 to review a leveraged-lease proposal that has just been submitted by BNY Capital Funding LLC. The objectives of the case are to introduce students to financial leases as a financing alternative, explore the lease-versus-buy decision and the conditions under which financial lease arrangements make sense, and exercise skills in the valuation of financial leases.
New Leaders of Financial Giants: The Cases of Vikram Pandit (Citi) and John Thain (Merrill Lynch)
Authors: Allayannis George (Yiorgos)
Published: March 2017

In January 2008, Citi and Merrill Lynch are trying to steer their ships back to calm waters. The new CEOs, Vikram Pandit (Citi) and John Thain (Merrill), have been at the helm of their companies for less than three months. This case focuses on their steps to counteract the massive losses resulting from their firms' investments in subprime-mortgage structures. What actions have these leaders taken thus far and what actions should they consider going forward? See also “Warren E. Buffett, 2008” (UVA-F-1550).
Opportunity Consultants, Inc., 2007
Authors: Reynolds William , Landel Robert D.
Published: March 2017

Students' preparations and first-class discussions focus on the key resources, factors, and relationships that could be causing the poor performance of the student-run consulting organization. Students should develop a causal-loop diagram showing the key resources, feedback relationships, and delays in the system. As a follow up assignment, sufficient information is available for the students to develop a system simulation model. Instructors can choose an alternate assignment requesting students to evaluate and utilize a simulation model developed by the authors. Systems-intervention analysis and policy testing is expected once a valid model is developed or given to the students. Instructors should contact Professor Robert D. Landel at the Darden School for free use of the model.
Oracle Systems Corporation
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Micaelian Fadi
Published: March 2017

This introductory case considers the very sudden and large drop in market value of Oracle Systems' equity associated with two announcements in 1990. These announcements cause investors to revise their expectations about the future growth of Oracle Systems, perhaps the most rapidly growing U.S. corporation in the 1980s. The tasks for the student are to evaluate both the import of the announcements and the company's financial health. The case provides a first exercise in financial statement analysis and lays the foundation for two important financial themes: the concept of financial health and the financial economic definition of value and its determinants. The case also presents an interesting profile of an aggressive chief executive officer and suggests some potential unintended financial consequences of extreme aggressiveness.
Pan-Europa Foods S.A.
Authors: Bruner Robert F. , Opitz Casey S.
Published: March 2017

In January 1993, the senior management committee of this company has to decide which major projects the company should fund for immediate implementation. The board of directors arbitrarily set a limit of European currency units (ECU) at 80 million to spend on capital projects in 1993. But various managers have proposed projects totaling ECU208 million. Students must evaluate the completed discounted cash flow (DCF) analyses presented along with qualitative factors (mainly the strategic considerations and the internal politics of the company) and choose the projects to be approved.
Procter and Gamble: Cost of Capital
Authors: Eades Kenneth M.
Published: March 2017

To assess whether a company should enter the household-products market, Procter and Gamble's weighted-average cost of capital is computed. Clorox's cost of capital is also computed as a check on the P&G estimate. The case emphasizes the conceptual as well as mechanical aspects of computing cost of capital for a company with homogeneous business risk and stable capital structure.
Progressive Insurance Concierge Program
Authors: Parvaiz Omar , Weiss Elliott N.
Published: March 2017

Progressive Insurance Company is considering the rollout of a new level of service in the Maryland area. Students are given the opportunity to understand the new service and assess its fit with Progressive's business. Students must also determine a staffing plan for the new center.
Prospective Capital Flows and Currency Movements: U.S. Dollar versus Euro
Authors: Warnock Francis E.
Published: March 2017

After experiencing long, multiyear surges and slides in past decades, by summer 2013, the dollar had been range-bound against the euro. In this case, by assessing potential capital flows, students consider whether global currency market trends would propel the dollar higher, or if the past few years were just a pause in a much longer dollar depreciation episode. Suitable for both core and elective MBA courses in global financial markets and international finance, this case explores factors pointing to further euro appreciation and to others favoring the dollar. Sorting through mounds of evidence is necessary before forecasting the exchange rate's likely path. Filtering that evidence requires thinking about FX markets, prospective monetary policies, and past and prospective international capital flows.
Pyrex
Authors: Laseter Timothy M. , Baran Leena
Published: March 2017

The global sourcing department at World Kitchen faces a make/buy decision that could result in closing a 90-year-old facility in Pennsylvania. Concerns about labor costs and capital investment both come to the fore owing to ongoing union negotiations and the upcoming need for a major refurbishment of the glass-making furnace. Although many potential suppliers offer lower labor costs, tariffs, transportation, and quality must be factored into the decision.
Ratios Tell a Story—2009
Authors: Haskins Mark E.
Published: March 2017

This short case challenges students to review a series of corporate financial metrics and to match them to 1 of the 13 industries labeled and listed for them. It is suitable for MBA and undergraduate students ready to expand their basic understanding of financial metrics.
Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Inc.
Authors: Bruner Robert F.
Published: March 2017

This case considers the unusual terms under which Rhone-Poulenc, the large French chemicals producer, acquired the U.S.-based Rorer Group, Inc., in August 1990. Set a year later, in August 1991, the case reviews the terms of the merger and the experience of the new entity in its first year, and invites the student to evaluate the “contingent value right” (CVR) issued by Rhone-Poulenc in the merger.
Route 11 Potato Chips
Authors: Wilcox Ronald T. , Santos Carlos Michael
Published: March 2017

Route 11 Chips, a regional potato chip company, is struggling with whether to reduce the number of flavors it markets. Additional flavors add operational cost, but management believes that some of the flavors are important to Route 11's brand image and that trimming the line might damage the brand. Route 11 has also taken a price increase recently and management is interested in finding out if there is additional room to raise prices. To analyze these issues in the case, students have access to five years of data on sales by flavor and package size as well as actual price and margin information (in a supplemental Excel spreadsheet).
Saying What Needs to be Said: Role-Plays
Authors: Davidson Martin N.
Published: March 2017

This case was designed to build expertise in conflict management and assertiveness by allowing students to practice saying what needs to be said in challenging situations. Grounded in the pedagogy of experiential learning, the case consists of three role-play scenarios that exemplify three challenging business situations. In each scenario, two individuals are faced with a possible difference in perspective or goals. The role-play requires students to assume the role of one of the individuals, and each scenario requires another student to initiate the discussion.