Default Category
-
United Airlines: Frequent Flyer Program
Won-Yong OhCase IVEY-9B16M037-EStrategyFrom 1980 to 2010, frequent flyer programs (FFPs) had evolved from simple customer reward programs to independent profit-generation business models. The airline industry had seen enormous success with FFPs, which had become businesses of their own. In June 2014, however, United Airlines announced that as of March 1, 2015, it would move from awarding miles based on distance flown to awarding miles for dollars spent per ticket, following in the foo...Starting at €8.20
-
Amazon.com: Evolving Into Offline Retail
Won-Yong OhCase IVEY-9B18M026-EStrategyIn late 2015, Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon) opened its first brick-and-mortar Amazon Books store in the United States. Amazon had invested heavily in expanding in the United States through new projects, from establishing Amazon Prime Now to setting up Amazon Books and Amazon Go locations. By 2017, a rumour suggested that Amazon might acquire Whole Foods Market Inc., a natural and organic foods supermarket. Could Amazon be as successful in offline ret...Starting at €8.20
-
Sprint: Turnaround in the U.S. Telecom Industry
Won-Yong Oh; Duane MyerCase IVEY-9B16M092-EStrategySprint Corporation, a major U.S. wireless carrier, had been losing customers and suffering financially since its merger with Nextel in 2005. Sprint was also ranked the lowest among major U.S. carriers in terms of network speed and data performance. But a new opportunity emerged when the SoftBank Group acquired Sprint in 2013. The new chief executive officer (CEO), appointed in August 2014, publicly gave himself three to five years to turn around ...Starting at €8.20
-
Tale of Two Electronic Components Distributors (Spanish Version)
Raman, Ananth; Rao, Bharat P.Case HBS-604S15Service and Operations ManagementDiscute el papel de los intermediarios de distribución en la industria de componentes electrónicos, y describe las operaciones en dos de estos distribuidores. Sirve como un vehículo para discutir las funciones proporcionadas por los distribuidores en el canal. También permite a los estudiantes a entender las diferencias entre los distribuidores y discutir cómo cada uno de ellos va a hacer frente a cuestiones como la consolidación y el rápido crec...Starting at €8.20
-
Improving the Patient Experience (Spanish version)
Raman, Ananth; Tucker, AnitaCase HBS-615S02Service and Operations ManagementHealthcare has traditionally focused on medical outcomes and financial performance. The big question is always, "How much is it going to cost?" What would happen, though, if healthcare also considered the question of "How does the patient feel?" This case looks at the Cleveland Clinic's attempt to answer the latter question by attempting to institutionalize empathy as part of its delivery of care.Starting at €8.20
-
Merck: Investing in Science-Based Business (Abridged)
Raman, Ananth; Maurer, IngaCase HBS-611027-EService and Operations ManagementRay Gilmartin faces a dilemma. His company's credibility has been damaged by the recent withdrawal of Vioxx, a multi-billion dollar drug. Moreover, the withdrawal of Vioxx would imply that Merck would fail to meet analysts' earnings expectations for 2005 unless Gilmartin cuts the R&D budget. Cutting the budget might hurt morale and productivity in Merck labs.Starting at €8.20
-
Cleveland Clinic: Improving the Patient Experience
Raman, Ananth; Tucker, AnitaCase HBS-612031-EService and Operations ManagementHealthcare has traditionally focused on medical outcomes and financial performance. The big question is always, "How much is it going to cost?" What would happen, though, if healthcare also considered the question of "How does the patient feel?" This case looks at the Cleveland Clinic's attempt to answer the latter question by attempting to institutionalize empathy as part of its delivery of care.Starting at €8.20
-
Merck: Operating Science-Based Business
Raman, Ananth; Maurer, Inga; Schmidt, WilliamCase HBS-612082-EService and Operations ManagementMerck is known for its commitment to investing in basic R&D. Are Merck's long-term investments justifiable when the firm faces extreme earnings pressure?Starting at €8.20
-
Las Vegas Construction: Ethical Contracting
Won-Yong Oh; Youngkyun ChangCase IVEY-9B17M047-EStrategyIn December 2015, the head of supply chain management (SCM) at Las Vegas Construction Inc. was tasked with reducing operating costs by 25 per cent in order to deal with the fallout in Nevada’s construction industry from the global economic downturn. The SCM head had engaged the manager in charge of subcontracting to help with cost reductions. The subcontracting manager did find a way to reduce costs, but it turned out to be a questionable way. He...Starting at €8.20
-
Apple: Corporate Governance and Stock Buyback
Won-Yong Oh; Seoyeon ParkCase IVEY-9B14M165-EStrategyAn activist shareholder who invested a significant amount in Apple’s stock proposed a share repurchase program. If this proposal were approved at the annual shareholder’s meeting, Apple would be in a position to buy back a significant number of its shares on the stock market, which would drive up the stock price. However, the executives and board of directors opposed the proposal and recommended that the shareholders vote against it. Apple’s subs...Starting at €8.20