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1 – 6 of 6Chris Aprill, Daniel Payne, Stephanie Ring, Kristin Strauss, L. J. Bourgeois and Paul M. Hammaker
Whole Foods and Wild Oats were both natural- and organic-food stores that competed for similar customers on values such as high-quality and healthy products, excellent customer…
Abstract
Whole Foods and Wild Oats were both natural- and organic-food stores that competed for similar customers on values such as high-quality and healthy products, excellent customer service, knowledge of products, and an enjoyable shopping experience. In February 2007, Whole Foods announced that it would purchase a smaller but formidable competitor, Wild Oats. There was tremendous geographic complementarity involved: The merger would give Whole Foods the largest footprint within the natural- and organic-grocery industry in North America.
Robbin Derry and Sachin Waikar
To recapture lost market share, tobacco giant R. J. Reynolds (RJR) developed Uptown, the first cigarette brand created and targeted specifically at a minority group—in this case…
Abstract
To recapture lost market share, tobacco giant R. J. Reynolds (RJR) developed Uptown, the first cigarette brand created and targeted specifically at a minority group—in this case, African-Americans. RJR planned to launch a six-month test market in Philadelphia in February 1990, which coincided with national Black History Month. The launch generated grassroots opposition from the black community in Philadelphia, which became intent on ensuring there was “No Uptown in our town or any town.”
After analyzing the case, students should be able to:
Identify some of the complex issues surrounding targeting specific populations
Recognize the importance of understanding cultural context
Recognize the limits of profit-based decision-making
Identify some of the complex issues surrounding targeting specific populations
Recognize the importance of understanding cultural context
Recognize the limits of profit-based decision-making
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Keywords
Organizational restructuring strategy such as downsizing and rightsizing and their effects on organizational performance.
Abstract
Subject area
Organizational restructuring strategy such as downsizing and rightsizing and their effects on organizational performance.
Study level/applicability
The case can be taught to graduate students of a business administration program for change management or human resources management courses.
Case overview
The case discusses a structural change strategy followed by a crisis management situation of a Pakistani state-owned enterprise with hierarchical structures, unclear work roles and workplace corruption and its shift toward a profitable company with rebranded mission and values. With the management takeover by the Abraaj Group, several issues were identified as major blocks to K-ELECTRIC’s performance. Drastic changes included information technology advancement, investment in infrastructure of generation capacity, marketing campaigns and corporate social responsibility initiatives with a record profit in 2011-2012, for the first time in 17 years. But, the greatest challenge to quality service and profitability was faced by the human resources department, to retrench 4,459 workers by offering a voluntary separation scheme to non-core management staff in 2009. However, disregarding the successful impact on business performance, only 300 workers (approximately) had accepted the package in early 2010, while the rest questioned the decision of outsourcing non-core jobs and demanded reinstatement with the company, followed by a series of protests in January 2010. K-ELECTRIC needed to make some sensitive and timely decisions to ensure efficient and quality service to its customers as its top agenda.
Expected learning outcomes
The outcomes include: to understand the challenges faced by a recently privatized public utility service to become lean and efficient without compromising on its public mission of providing electricity to the residents of the city; to analyze the factors that influence choice of restructuring strategies and their effects on the employment relationship and organizational performance; to recognize the critical role of leadership in choosing a voluntary downsizing strategy and analyzing the sense of urgency needed to execute the decision; and to recognize the role of legal and organizational consultancy needed in critical decision-making to prevent workplace violence.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes and teaching guide.
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Keywords
Daniel Diermeier and Gregory L. Hughes
United Learning is a family-owned leader in the K-12 supplementary teaching material market. In January 2001, United Learning realized that sales for one of its flagship products…
Abstract
United Learning is a family-owned leader in the K-12 supplementary teaching material market. In January 2001, United Learning realized that sales for one of its flagship products, a drug and prevention program, were rapidly deteriorating because the program was not mentioned on a recently released U.S. Department of Education list of recommended products. United Learning must decide on which action to take: regain sales or focus on its other educational products—which are also threatened by changes in the regulatory environment.
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Rukhman Solangi, Waheed Ali Umrani, Iqra Solangi and Mumtaz Ali Memon
This case will enable students to develop an understanding of starting a single proprietorship business focusing on the real estate; understand the possible challenges that an…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
This case will enable students to develop an understanding of starting a single proprietorship business focusing on the real estate; understand the possible challenges that an entrepreneur faces in the beginning; apply ethical decision-making frame works when faced in ethically conflicting situation; andlook at the career anchoring theory.
Case overview/synopsis
The case study takes a look at the ways and means of starting a small business depending on the owner managers experience, capabilities and skills including networking which are germane to success. It also highlights the ethical issues that small business proprietors have to face in order to make money and grow. The setting of the case is a town in Sindh province of Pakistan, which setting generally represent the arena where such business (Single Proprietorship) develop and get involved in the economic development of a backward area. Finally, the case study highlights the significant but realistic expose of career anchor theory, which stipulates that people normally start with a job but switch jobs over their working life.
Complexity academic level
Graduate and undergraduate.
Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
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