bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does the Canadian Dollar Travel South? An Examination of Currency Substitution along the U.S.‐Canadian Border
Authors: Pisani Michael J. , Yoskowitz David W.
Published: April 2011

This paper investigates currency substitution along the U.S.‐Canada border with specific reference to the use of the Canadian dollar in the United States. In our study sites of Bellingham, WA; Buffalo, NY; Burlington, VT; Houlton, ME; Minot, ND; Port Huron, MI; and Sault Ste. Marie, MI, we found that 70.1 percent of 364 sampled U.S. located retail establishments accepted the Canadian dollar during the study period of July 2003. Accepting firms did so at an average premium of 7.7 percent per transaction with a concomitant average increase in stores sales of 3.0 percent. The significant variables at the firm‐level in the decision to accept/reject the Canadian dollar are firm experience in the community; ownership model (local, regional, national or international); geographic location; cross‐border operations; and retail category.
B2B E‐Marketing Strategies of Multinational Corporations: Empirical Evidence from the United States and Australia
Authors: Singh Tanuja , Gordon Geoffrey , Purchase Sharon
Published: April 2011

This study empirically examines the role of the Internet in global business‐to‐business (B2B) marketing strategies of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) based in the United States and Australia. The results demonstrate that uses of the Internet in a global B2B setting often parallel its domestic uses but that variables that facilitate or inhibit its implementation for global operations are somewhat different in global markets. The findings suggest that MNCs in the two countries are using the Internet in their global B2B operations predominantly for business enhancement purposes as compared to revenue enhancement. Results also show that for global B2B operations, the Internet is viewed by MNCs as a tool to enhance competitive intelligence, streamline operations, and enhance the marketing processes. It is also deemed essential for a firm’s long‐term competitive stance by large as well as small and medium‐sized MNCs.
Influence of Gender and Social Networks on Organizational Learning within Technology Incubators
Authors: Buche Mari W. , Scillitoe Joanne L.
Published: April 2011

New technology‐based ventures (NTBVs) gain access to beneficial social capital through their affiliation with technology incubators, organizations created to facilitate learning leading to the successful development of nascent firms. Scillitoe and Chakrabarti (2005, 2) identified three sources of beneficial social capital within human networks, “historical ties, organizational facilitation, and trustbased shared pursuit of common goals”, with organizational facilitation identified as the primary source of beneficial social capital for ventures within technology incubators. The current study extends this prior research investigating the development of social capital of NTBVs through incubator facilitation, focusing on the influence of female founders. Results are based on surveys collected from fifty‐four technology‐based firms affiliated with technology incubators in the United States and Finland. The results from this exploratory study show that the speed of technological learning is negatively affected by the interpersonal network access in firms with female founding management team members. Technological learning includes acquiring knowledge of legal protection of intellectual property, complex technological and scientific knowledge, and design and production skills that enable the development and commercialization of NTBV products and services (Deeds, DeCarolis, and Coombs, 1999). This finding contradicts prior research that suggests technological development of ventures is positively influenced by interpersonal network access through incubators (Hansen, Chesbrough, Nohria, and Sull 2000; Scillitoe and Chakrabarti 2005). Implications for technology incubator managers, NTBV founders, and economic development agencies that support technology incubators are discussed.
Changing Behavior by Improving Codes of Ethics
Authors: Lere John C. , Gaumnitz Bruce R.
Published: April 2011

This paper describes ways to improve the effectiveness of a code of ethics where the goal is to affect the alternative chosen by a decision maker. These avenues for improvement are divided into those related to the content of the code and those related to enforcement provisions associated with a code. Improvements related to the content of the code are designed to change decision makers’ perceptions as to whether an action is ethical in such a way that they change the action chosen. Improvements related to enforcement provisions are designed to change how decision makers value the outcomes associated with selecting specific actions.
Audit Committees Oversight Responsibilities Post Sarbanes‐Oxley Act
Authors: HassabElnaby Hassan R. , Said Amal , Wolfe Glenn
Published: April 2011

In this study we examine the oversight responsibilities of audit committees in the post Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) era. The results show that audit committee oversight responsibilities assigned and disclosed in proxy statements expanded post‐SOX compared to pre‐SOX. We design a survey instrument to measure the difference between the perceived oversight responsibilities of audit committee members and the oversight responsibilities actually assigned in the proxy. Our results indicate that although audit committees made a substantial commitment to increase their assigned responsibilities over the period of 2001 to 2004, they still need to do more to meet the many additional challenges facing them in a post‐SOX environment. Overall, our results suggest that the intent of SOX‐for audit committees to be more involved and active in the oversight role of an organization‐is becoming institutionalized. These results should be interesting to policy makers, a variety of interest groups, and accounting researchers.
Volatility Clustering within Industries: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Chen Manfen W. , Zhu Jianzhou
Published: April 2011

This paper examines the clustering of return volatility within industries by comparing the short‐run responses of stock returns to the arrival of macroeconomic news across several industries. We hypothesize that some industries have distinctive qualities which influence the sensitivity of companies’ equity value to information releases. To test this hypothesis, we sample intraday stock price data of ten firms from three industries ‐ General Industry, Banking, and Real Estate Trusts ‐ and conduct the Brown‐Forsythe‐Modified Levene tests. The evidence shows that there exist different degrees of responses to the release of macroeconomic news and consequently different degrees of return volatility clustering: strongest in General Industry, less strong in Banking, and weak in Real Estate Investment Trusts.
Stock Buybacks and Their Association with Stock Options Exercised in the IT Industry
Authors: Hurtt David N. , Kreuze Jerry G. , Langsam Sheldon A.
Published: April 2011

One of the most complex and controversial issues confronting the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) over the last several years has been the accounting and financial reporting of stock options. In December 2004, the FASB issued Statement 123R, Share‐Based Payment, in the hope that the long process
of revising the accounting and financial reporting for stock options will be put to rest. FASB Statement 123R requires the fair‐value‐based method of accounting for share‐based payments. In order to offset the dilutive effects of generous stock option compensation packages for employees, companies are seemingly participating in stock repurchase plans. In the past, stock buyback programs were viewed as a means of distributing excess cash flow to investors; however, it appears now that many companies are financing stock repurchases through the issuance of debt, which can significantly impact the financial flexibility of a company. So, why do companies engage in this behavior? One possible reason for stock buybacks is to reduce the dilutive effect of stock option plans. Companies have, however, disputed that there is a direct relationship between exercised stock options and stock buyback transactions. Nevertheless, several articles and studies have found that there is a relationship and the FASB seems to believe that there is an association between stock buybacks and stock options, as Statement 123R requires that companies disclose the relationship between stock buybacks and stock payment programs. Using a sample of technology firms, we find evidence of an association between exercised stock options and repurchase of stock.
Size, Target Performance and European Bank Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Sanfilippo Azofra Sergio , Garcia Olalla Myriam , Torre Olmo Begoña
Published: April 2011

During the 1990s, the banking sector experienced an important consolidation process in most developed countries, where mergers and acquisitions (M&As) between credit institutions reached unprecedented levels. Financial deregulation and technological progress have played an important role in this process (Berger, Demsetz & Strahan 1999). These, among other factors, may have intensified the synergy derived from size and facilitated an improvement in the management of the acquired institutions. In order to evaluate the importance of these two factors, we carry out a multinomial logit analysis of the characteristics of continental European financial institutions prior to their participation in merger and/or acquisition operations between 1995 and 2001. Our results demonstrate that size is an important factor in mergers and acquisitions, but it is not clear that economies of scale are sought with these types of deals. In turn, improving the management of the acquired institutions has played an important role in this process.
Developing an Effective Mentor‐Business School Relationship in the AACSB Initial Accreditation Process
Authors: Bryant Michael , Scherer Robert F.
Published: April 2011

A key factor in achieving initial AACSB accreditation is establishing an effective relationship between the mentor and the business school. If individual issues are not addressed during the development and implementation of the accreditation plan, time to initial accreditation can be increased substantially. We review four steps in the initial accreditation process and identify seven challenges to the mentor‐business school relationship. Strategies for meeting these challenges are developed for both mentors and business schools. General principles from the organizational mentoring literature are applied to the initial accreditation process to maximize and enhance interaction between mentors and business schools.
Bear Market Behavior of Institutional Investors in Sweden
Authors: Burnie David , De Ridder Adri
Published: April 2011

Using a unique dataset of ownership structure for all stocks listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange in Sweden, we examine different degrees of institutional holdings in Swedish firms during the bear market of 2000 to 2002. We find that examination by institutional investor domicile reveals that both Swedish and foreign institutions increase their equity holdings, although the increase by foreign institutions is proportionately higher, (individuals reduce their equity holdings). We find evidence that foreign and domestic institutional investors exhibit different preferences for excess returns and standard deviations in excess returns when we control for firm size; excess return is associated with changes in foreign institutional holdings while higher standard deviation in excess return is associated with the change in domestic institutional holdings. Both types of institutions are sensitive to liquidity and trading factors, causing portfolio realignment.
The Association Between Audit Committee Characteristics, the Contracting Process and Fraudulent Financial Reporting
Authors: Owens‐Jackson Lisa A. , Robinson Diana , Waller Shelton Sandra
Published: April 2011

In an effort to restore investor confidence in the wake of recent financial reporting scandals, the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 mandates that audit committees be fully independent and have at least one financial expert. The SEC adopted rules implementing these Sarbanes‐Oxley provisions. This paper contributes to the literature on the association between audit committee characteristics recommended by SOX and the likelihood of fraud in two ways. First, we focus on audit committee composition and the extent of the underlying nature of the firm (e.g., firm size, growth) and the contracting environment (e.g., managerial ownership, leverage) of the firm on the likelihood of fraud. In particular, we find that the likelihood of fraudulent financial reporting is negatively related to audit committee independence, number of audit committee meetings and managerial ownership and positively related to firm size and firm growth opportunities. Second, we separately examine firms with totally independent audit committees and fraudulent financial reporting. This sample is interesting because these are firms that had good corporate governance and yet still had fraudulent financial reporting. By separately examining firms with totally independent audit committees, we find that the likelihood of fraudulent financial reporting given a totally independent audit committee is inversely related to the level of managerial ownership and the number of audit committee meetings.
Spyware and Adware: How Do Internet Users Defend Themselves?
Authors: Sriramachandramurthy Rajendran , Balasubramanian Siva K. , Alexandra Hodis Monica
Published: April 2011

The spread of broadband Internet has resulted in the increase of spyware and adware. This study highlights their damaging effects and proposes a model that captures defensive measures adopted by Internet users. Specifically, our model indicates that knowledge has a positive impact on self‐efficacy that, in turn, is presumed to trigger technical defensive measures. Moreover, concerns for privacy and previous experience with spyware and adware are likely to evoke both tactical and technical defense measures. Data collected by the PEW Internet and American Life research project are utilized to test the proposed model and the findings are discussed.
An Empirical Examination of the Relationship Between Adult Attention Deficit, Cooperative Conflict Management and Efficacy for Working in Teams
Authors: Coetzer Graeme H. , Trimble Richard
Published: April 2011

A recent national survey of the US workforce suggests that adult attention related disorders are producing a wide range of negative outcomes in the workplace. The symptoms typically associated with the disorder (difficulties with activation, concentration, effort, emotional interference and accessing memory) suggest that team work may represent a problematic situation for adults with the disorder. Subjects were one hundred and fifty‐five student teams (subjects=628) from universities in both Canada and the United States. The study begins by confirming a hypothesis arising out of previous qualitative research that team members with adult attention deficit have relatively greater difficulty with necessary but uninteresting tasks. The hypothesis that team members with the disorder will be extraordinarily reliant on their teammates was also supported. The need to secure situations of particular fit, and to do so without undermining the support of fellow teammates, suggests that cooperative conflict management styles are especially important for clinical AAD vs. non‐clinical team members. The specific hypotheses, that cooperative styles (problem solving and compromising) are especially important for producing positive team experiences/expectations and efficacy for working in teams, were supported. Future research needs to sample more workplace teams.
Cost Center Practices in Germany and the United States: Impact of Country Differences on Managerial Accounting Practices
Authors: Portz Kris , Lere John C.
Published: April 2011

As business becomes increasingly global, it is important for managers to appreciate that practices that work well in one country may not work as well in other countries. This article compares cost center practices under Grenzplankostenrechnung (GPK), a common approach to cost accounting in Germany, and typical cost center practices in the United States. Differences between Germany and the United States on Hofstede’s uncertainty avoidance dimension and in workforce and management education provide possible explanations for differences in the responsibility assigned to cost center managers between Germany and the United States. Differences in cost center practices concerning classification of costs, measures to use when considering changes in costs, and the size and scope of the cost center between Germany and the United States all support these differences in cost center manager responsibility.
Aquachemie LLC – expansion in Qatar
Authors: Sikdar Arijit
Published: April 2011

Subject area

The paper covers strategic planning and strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis.

Study level/applicability

This paper is applicable to undergraduate and graduate management students.

Case overview

In November 2009, Mr Vaidya Raghwan, one of the founders of AquaChemie LLC was contemplating the company's expansion into Qatar. The recent financial crisis had affected the company's growth plans. He wondered if this was the right time to move forward. This case examines the decisions taken by AquaChemie LLC and strategic analysis undertaken in preparation of entering a new market.

Expected learning outcomes

This case is suitable for the introductory section of the strategic planning course. The case is intended to expose students to the process of developing a business plan. Students are expected to carry out an analysis of the SWOT of the business and identify possible options of expansion. Students are also expected to identity the additional information they require to evaluate the expansion options identified.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
Oilfield Services – the Abu Dhabi branch
Authors: Fonseca Conchita Mary
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Business strategy and human resource management.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate Business and Management.

Case overview

This case spotlights Oilfield Services branch in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It focuses on various problems encountered whilst operating in Abu Dhabi. Oilfield Services was first established in Dubai in 1995, primarily to meet the growing demand of quality human resources in the oilfield, shipping, and fabrication sectors in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region. The case highlights the challenges of motivation and compensating staff and the importance of strategic decision making.

Expected learning outcomes

This case can be used to teach decision making, cost/benefit analysis, employee motivation, and compensation and elements relating to international business strategy.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
PromoSeven Sports Marketing
Authors: McKechnie Donelda S.
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Sport marketing, sponsorship, marketing strategy, event management.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Business and Management.

Case overview

This case discusses sport marketing within an emerging market business environment. PromoSeven Sports Marketing is the focus company. PromoSeven name is synonymous with major events particularly Emirates Airline Rugby 7s and the Olympic Council of Asia. The case highlights the challenges facing sponsorship, event management, sport marketing and PromoSeven's own business strategy after the 2009 economic downturn drew attention to Dubai's financial situation.

Expected learning outcomes

This case can be used to teach sport marketing, sponsorship, event management, and marketing strategy. It can also be used to identify target market segments for sports and the positioning that may appeal to those segments.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
Production Services Network (PSN) Emirates rising up to the people challenge
Authors: Payyazhi Jayashree
Published: April 2011

Subject area

HR, strategic alignment, organizational culture and change and organizational theory and design.

Study level/applicability

Suitable for undergraduate and graduate students taking up advanced courses in HR, Change Management, Organizational Theory and Design.

Case overview

This case spotlights Production Services Network (PSN) Emirates JV and the strengths of its global network. The case raises many important issues related to building a unified culture across a global organization. The case specifically focuses on the significance of sourcing the right talent and training them for the success of PSN's global network.

Expected learning outcomes

This case may be used to teach topics such as leading cultural changes, steps to build a strong organizational culture and the significance of systemic alignment for successful strategy execution.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
The Dubai tennis ball machine
Authors: Khan Zeenath Reza
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Ethics in IT, community informatics, management.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and postgraduate information technology and citizens' rights, strategic decision making.

Case overview

This case spotlights Athlete Sports in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It focuses on the malfunction of the company's equipment that is rented from ABC Sports Equipment. Athlete Sports has been in the UAE over a decade and has positioned itself fairly at the top due to its qualified coaches and quality of facilities it provides. The case highlights the company's transition from owning equipment to leasing equipment that increases profits. However, it also sheds light on ABC Sports' venture into code reusability in order to upgrade equipments faster. The case looks closely at the ultimate consequences of ABC Sports' practice and the impact it has on Athlete's Sports' clients and the subsequent decisions the managers are expected to make.

Expected learning outcomes

This case can be used to teach strategic decision making, and ethics in information technology.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
TMH – pitching for WOMAD 2010
Authors: Vel Prakash
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Integrated marketing communication (IMC), communication strategy, media strategy, budgeting and usage of metrics in measuring communication performance.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and postgraduate marketing.

Case overview

The choice of a well-planned IMC strategy becomes crucial for the successful launch of an event. This is a case study on how a brand management consultancy house, TMH, used IMC to launch a world music festival event in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in 2009, registering a visitorship of five times their target, 89 percent satisfaction and a staggering 99 percent of the visitors planning to visit the festival also in 2010.

Expected learning outcomes

This case can be used to teach IMC, marketing communication strategy, media strategy and scheduling and budgeting.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
UAE Exchange Centre LLC: business level strategies
Authors: Shah Janat , Joseph Thomas
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Strategy, competitive analysis, remittance industry.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and postgraduate business and management.

Case overview

This case study examines the money transfer and foreign exchange industry in the Middle East context particularly United Arab Emirates. It focuses on the strategy making process. Possible business level strategies different firms can employ will be a consideration in the process of strategy making. Also, the stakeholder perspectives in the strategy making process are also dealt with. The characteristic required for cost leadership, differentiation, and focus needs to be matched with the context to arrive at an optimal strategy. The importance of arriving at a strategy to avoid being stuck in the middle during a period of financial crisis is one of the key areas of discussion.

Expected learning outcomes

This case can be used to teach: the stakeholder perspective, business level strategy, cost leadership, differentiation, remittance industry, foreign exchange business, and strategy process.

Supplementary materials

A teaching note is available on request.
What's cooking? Indonesia's kerosene to LPG conversion program
Authors: Abu Bakar Abdul Rahim , Hashim Fariza
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Strategic market entry; international business; marketing.

Study level/applicability

MBA/MA in management; international business; postgraduate.

Case overview

This case is based on a real-life situation of an existing transnational firm contemplating to enter a new market in a developing country. It involves a gamut of issues ranging from firm-strategic market entry, competitive positioning, international marketing strategies (including international market segmentation) and international product lifecycle. These issues revolve on numerous theories namely theories on internationalization (motive, scope, process, scale and timing of entry) and globalization of markets (standardization versus adaptation). In the past, the market was heavily regulated and protected which makes market entry simply impossible. However, a change in government policy is opening up new opportunities for foreign providers to participate in the host country. Although the market potential is enormous, there are various factors that concern the firm in determining its market entry and marketing mix decision.

Expected learning outcomes

After carrying out this exercise, students are expected to be able to: evaluate a firm's internal and external position in market expansion decision; assess a country's attractiveness in terms of its potential, competitive intensity and entry barriers; identify and discuss the factors that influence firm's marketing mix decision (standardize/adapt); and determine the firm market entry and the tactical decisions.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
The Banyan Tree: branding the intangible
Authors: Wirtz Jochen
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Services marketing, hotel management, branding, and promotion management.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate business and management; MBA/MA management courses.

Case overview

Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts had become a leading player in the luxury resorts and spa market in Asia. As part of its growth strategy, Banyan Tree had launched new brands and brand extensions that included resorts, spas, retail outlets, and even museum shops. Now, the company had to contemplate how to manage its brand portfolio and expand its business while preserving the distinctive identity and strong brand image of Banyan Tree, its flagship brand.

Expected learning outcomes

This case illustrates how a powerful service brand can be built even with little advertising. It also exemplifies how pro-environmental business practices can co-exist with a firm's profit objectives. Set in a service context, the case may be used in discussions on services marketing, hotel management, branding, and promotion management.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes
Fraud at the Central Bank of Tanzania (A)
Authors: Assad Mussa J.
Published: April 2011

Subject area

The subject areas for this case are auditing, fraud and investigations. It is also relevant for teaching aspects of corporate governance.

Student level/applicability

This case consolidates techniques and methodologies of special investigations and demonstrates weaknesses in governance and internal controls. It is appropriate for final year undergraduate students and graduate students who have attended classes on basics of accounting and financial reporting.

Case overview

The case is about institutional governance and the effects of ineptness at different levels of an organization that resulted in TAS. 133 billion being “improperly” paid out to 22 firms in the financial year 2005/2006.The case is structured to focus at the dilemma of the Director of Finance as an individual who featured in the latter stages of an extensive fraud where old unclaimable debts were revived and were being claimed and paid to fictitious assignees involving a number of Central Bank officials. However, the case seeks to interrogate issues related to financial records and controls in which the position of Director of Finance had more relevance.

Expected learning outcomes

Working on this case should result in enabling students to acquire expertise necessary for forensic accounting. It should also enable students to learn to gain an understanding of the practice of investigative and forensic accounting as well as an understanding of the interrelationships of the parties involved in forensic investigations.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
Air Jamaica … more than a national airline
Authors: Sinclair-Maragh Gaunette
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Hospitality and tourism management; strategic management; marketing, transportation system management and human resource management.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate in business and management and hospitality and tourism management.

Case overview

This teaching case outlines the historical background, successes and challenges of the national airline of Jamaica. It shows how a national airline, which is a heritage asset and one that has provided nostalgic and sentimental value to the Jamaican people and its passengers, had to be divested. The airline has been faced with several challenges; the major one being high-operating costs, especially in light of the global economic recession. The case also highlights the various procedures carried out by the Government of Jamaica before and after the divestment arrangement and also by the acquirer, Caribbean Airlines.

Expected learning outcomes

The student should be able to: first, differentiate among the various strategic management terms and concepts used in the case; second, explain the importance of strategic decisions versus emotional decisions; third, assess the environmental factors that impacted Air Jamaica's operation; fourth, analyse the environmental factors that should have been considered by Caribbean Airlines before making the decision to acquire Air Jamaica; fifth, carry out a comparative analysis of the various corporate-level strategies to identify the best option for the Government of Jamaica; sixth, propose reasons why Caribbean Airlines acquired Air Jamaica.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
Rethink: corporate social responsibility at Si.mobil
Authors: Sternad Dietmar
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Corporate social responsibility (CSR), marketing/branding, strategic management.

Study level/applicability

The case can be used in master, MBA and executive programs in courses on the following topics: CSR; strategic management; or strategic marketing.

Case overview

The case describes the CSR initiatives at the Slovenian mobile phone operator Si.mobil d.d., with the two pillars of taking care of employees and taking care of the environment. The main protagonists describe the process of initiating, developing and communicating the initiative, as well as the individual actions taken. In a strategy meeting, Si.mobil's top management set out to discuss the strategic challenges that the company was facing, trying to find ways out of the potentially deadly price war and commoditization spiral. Specifically, the discussion in the management meeting revolved around how Si.mobil can position itself in the market, how it can find a sustainable USP and whether and if yes, how the company's CSR initiatives can play a significant role therein.

Expected learning outcomes

To foster critical thinking about the reasons for and effectiveness of CSR initiatives; to be able to assess the role that CSR initiatives can play in brand building and differentiation; to understand how CSR affects company performance through its effect on and feedback reactions from different stakeholder groups; to critically discuss the preconditions for effective CSR initiatives, and to see exemplarily how they can be initiated and managed; to understand the crucial role that leadership and communication are playing in CSR initiatives; to identify the vital links between internally oriented (employee-focused) and externally oriented (societal-focus) CSR strategies and actions.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note
Talent management at Telekom Malaysia Berhad
Authors: Sumardi Wardah Azimah , Othman Rozhan
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Human resource management.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and graduate level Human Resource Management programmes; Leadership modules.

Case overview

This case accounts the experience of a Malaysian company, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, in implementing talent management practices in its organization. There were several developments that prompted Telekom Malaysia Berhad to initiate a talent management program. The emergence of competitors had forced the company to introduce initiatives to sustain the business. One of the key initiatives involved the need to better manage its talent. The talent management process at Telekom Malaysia Bhd is divided into four key stages. These are first, talent spotting; second, talent assessment and endorsement; third, formulation of individual development plan; and the fourth, readiness level assessment. Each of these stages is implemented using a well-defined set of standards and activities.

Expected learning outcomes

This case examines how commitment and support from line management is crucial in the successful implementation of a talent management program and HR-related initiatives generally. Line managers are identified as the missing linchpin between HRM and organizational performance. The case will also identify how the role of line managers is now shifting to support the HR in a strategic sense. Thus, we find a shift in the HR profession from personnel management to strategic human resource management. The case examines the importance of a positive leader-member relationship, creating a culture which is receptive to change. This can be achieved by transformational leader who fosters closer relationships with subordinates. Finally, the case pinpoints how development can occurs in three main ways – on the job experiences, relationships, networking and feedback and formal training opportunities.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
Dream or doom dome?
Authors: Abu Bakar Abdul Rahim , Hashim Fariza
Published: April 2011

Subject area

International management control and organisational behaviour.

Study level/applicability

This case is suitable for final year undergraduate and Master's students as well as for the general practitioner. It is suitable for the university course program and for in-company training seminars. For company training seminars, the human resources department and finance would most probably benefit from the discussion of the case.

Case overview

This case was about a company that was eager to expand its business internationally as it gains success in the home market. Having being entrusted by the company CEO to lead the project, the enthusiastic “project champion” lavishly spent the company investments with minimal control from the parent company.

Expected learning outcomes

After carrying out this exercise, students are expected to be able to: first, decide a firm mode of entry, scale of entry and strategic commitment; second, determine the market potential of a particular business venture; third, suggest the management structure and control for international subsidiaries; fourth, decide the possible exit strategy of a business venture.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.
Prabhar Oil Company, and distribution challenges in the Indian lubricants industry
Authors: Singh Ramendra , Paliwal Pramod , Sakariya Sanjay
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Marketing-managing customer relationship, market positioning, target marketing, product strategy, distribution, retailing and supply chain management, integrated marketing communications.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and graduate students in international marketing; business administration; strategic decision making and general management courses.

Case overview

The case study focuses on the current scenario within the Indian automotive lubricants industry, in order to provide an understanding of the marketing challenges, especially in retailing and distribution, faced by organisations within this highly competitive sector. The case examines the implementation of marketing strategies into practice and provides an insight into the importance of branding, market segmentation, market positioning, product and pricing strategies and customer relationship management (CRM).

Expected learning outcomes

The case study enables the students to understand and analyse: the current business environment and dynamics of emergence in the Indian automotive lubricants market; the critical success factors for doing business in the Indian automotive lubricants market and the associated opportunities and challenges; the importance of distribution and retailing strategies in the Indian context; Izo's growth and expansion strategy in India; and Izo's sales management and CRM systems and there importance to the success of the business.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
Privatisation of Malaysian property development projects
Authors: Omar Ismail , Raji Fauziah
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Property development, the built environment and privatisation.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and MA level property development courses, modules covering privatisation within undergraduate, MBA and MA level management programmes.

Case overview

Property development is complex and diverse. It involves many agents with diverse roles, strategies and actions that affect the return. In a way, privatisation reduces government's financial burdens and offers ease of procedures to agents. This case study investigates privatisation of property development projects by a local authority in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In particular, the study focuses on modes of privatisation (MOP) and the extent to which it affects the return of the projects. The MOP studied are the land swap, land lease and the joint venture development on 15 selected privatisation projects.

Expected learning outcomes

Students are expected to be able to understand the MOP for land development projects using Malaysia as an example; evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these MOP; assess the benefits and impacts to the local Malaysian authority, landowners and land developers of MOP; and apply suitable MOP to alternative development projects.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
BBMCI: setting up a distribution channel in India
Authors: Mukherjee Jaydeep
Published: April 2011

Subject area

International marketing, distribution channel management, market entry, strategic management.

Study level/applicability

Masters level management students and executives specializing in distribution channel management. This case can also be applied to Masters level analysis of strategic marketing.

Case overview

The case examines BBMCI, a wholly owned subsidiary of a multinational making an entry in the Indian consumer appliances market. The focus of the case is the distribution aspect of the market entry strategy, its formulation and implementation.

Expected learning outcomes

The key learning objective is to evaluate distribution channel design and monitoring mechanisms. The case examines the linkage of distribution strategy formulation and the implementation challenges in a large and internationally extended sales organization. The key takeaway would be the need to change the distribution strategy as the organization's position in market evolves.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
Global operations at Aalborg Industries – context, configuration, and capabilities
Authors: Waehrens Brian Vejrum , Slepniov Dmitrij
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Operations strategy/global operations/value chain.

Study level/applicability

BA/Master level – The case can be applied to support operations strategy discussions related to the link between context, configuration, and capabilities, and particularly to discuss internationalization strategy and global operations.

Case overview

The case is initiated with an overview of the wider corporate and industrial context, which are included to supply contextual information pertinent to the understanding of competitive requirements and strategic choices of the company. The case then moves into establishing an understanding of the operationalization of these requirements and choices through a discussion of the structural configuration and organizational capabilities.

Expected learning outcomes

The case it expected to build an understanding of the fit between competitive priorities and their operationalization within structural and infrastructural decision areas.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
Launch and closure of an Indian cement plant
Authors: Parikh Margie
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Decision making, behavioural decision making, heuristics, optimistic bias, confirmatory bias, anchoring bias, ready mix cement (RMC) business in India.

Study level/applicability

Post graduate management course, executive training program in the subject areas.

Case overview

Arco is a Projects and Infrastructure-sector company. Some of its key officials, believing that entering the RMC can be beneficial for Arco, plan entry into the manufacturing of RMC but order a feasibility report. The report confirms the hunch and Arco starts the business under the aegis of its associate, EG Ltd (EGL) which is into equipment rental business. At this time a new dimension of reality opens up but the senior officers refuse to accept a revised proposal which is adjusted to the new realities. After a few months and some losses, EGL closes down the RMC plant and rents it out.

Expected learning outcomes

This case study is developed with a purpose to provide a basis to discuss how decisions are taken in real life and how various behavioural elements affect the quality of decisions that affect not only the decision makers but many others and their organizations. Focus is especially on prejudice, heuristics and bias that creep into important organizational decisions such as venturing into new business.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
MTN South Africa: one group, one vision, one brand
Authors: Bick Geoff , Luiz John , Townsend Stephanie
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Marketing.

Study level/applicability

This case can be used in an international marketing course or module, at executive or MBA level, and is particularly suitable as a case on global branding.

Case overview

MTN was launched in 1994 as a leading provider of communication services, offering cellular network access and business solutions. After building up a successful operation in South Africa, achieving a market share of some 38 per cent (second only to Vodacom, the dominant mobile telecommunications provider), the group began its expansion into the rest of Africa in 1998. It was the first South African cell phone network operator to do so. The objective of this expansion was, despite the uncertain political and regulatory environment, to take advantage of the market opportunities in Africa, given its underdeveloped telecommunications infrastructure and the transferability of MTN's skills into other African countries. At the time of the case (June 2005), MTN had established itself in eight different African countries, with a subscriber base of 14.3 million in South Africa and 2.9 million in the rest of Africa, with plans for further growth in the territory and elsewhere. As a result of this international expansion, a major challenge was to ensure consistent branding in the different countries.

Expected learning outcomes

The expected learning outcomes are: to explore the challenges of international expansion into new markets; to understand global brand building strategies, how to create a consistent identity and how to build a services brand; to understand the challenges of implementing a marketing change strategy across different countries with different cultures and with employees with different agendas and to highlight the importance of people in providing a service and in delivering the brand promise.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
The changing landscape for Chinese small business: the case of “Bags of Luck”
Authors: Zhuang Lee
Published: April 2011

Subject area

Business management, entrepreneurship, strategic management and business environment.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and Masters level business and management programmes.

Case overview

This case features a small labour intensive Chinese company, Bags of Luck (BoL), located in the south-eastern Fujian province. BoL makes ladies fashion handbags, unisex fashion backpacks and trendy lightweight cases for laptop and netbook computers for export to the US market. BoL have done very well over the years as a small private enterprise focusing on low-tech manufacturing and have managed to stay afloat through the most difficult period of the recent world recession. Currently troubled by fast changing market trends, rising material and employment costs, continuing appreciation of the Chinese currency, severe labour shortage, declining production volume and profitability, dated machinery, passive and reactive nature of business model, ineffective management structure and a complete lack of strategic vision, BoL is in deep crisis with its fate now hanging on the balance.

Expected learning outcomes

The case provides encourages students to: research into a range of current business management issues; analyse the impact of environmental changes on the survival and growth of a business organisation; develop their strategic thinking informed by real life and real-time research and assess the impact of exchange rate changes on the Chinese economy and the sustainability of Chinese model of economic growth.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.
The glowing business growth and darkness beneath
Authors: Muthiah Krishnaveni
Published: April 2011

Subject area

The case is directly related to courses on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Management of Business Administration (MBA) Programme.

Study level/applicability

Courses like “International Business/Marketing”, “Strategic Planning” and “Business Ethics” of the MBA Programme. Management Development Programmes for working executives, on the Topics “Corporate Social Responsibility”, “Manpower Planning”, “Growth of Business Clusters” and “Social Accountability”.

Case overview

The labour-demanding industry of Tirupur knitwear exports is facing both happy and sad situations. While orders from importers are piling up, lack of manpower planning proves a stumbling block. The industry employs more than 300,000 workers. After hours of toiling, workers still lead a pathetic life; have no access to good housing or quality education for their children. Highlighting on this situation, the case brings forward the questions, why is it that firms have not realised their CSR to provide commendable standards for their employees? what situations would provide the drive or compulsion to adapt social responsibility? and how far is fulfilling the social responsibility a direct answer to solving the labour issue faced by the export firms?

Expected learning outcomes

The case serves to help students to understand the theoretical concept CSR. It brings to the students understanding: the drivers of CSR; challenges that would make the business units to honour their social responsibility; what lies as the practical situation on awareness of CSR; and to have a wholesome practical view of CSR in the context presented in the case.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.