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The study focuses on primarily big U.S. firms' joint venture activities with the Soviets after the break‐up of the former Soviet Union. It examines U.S.‐Soviet joint ventures in the following sectors: oil and gas, soft drinks, consumer products, gold mining, aircraft engines, telecommunications, and software. Data were collected by mail and interviews in order to identify the obstacles in the negotiation and operational stages of the venture. Furthermore, business and governmental organisations' recommendations as to whether or not U.S. firms should engage in joint venture activities in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) were elicited.

Campaign contributions are typically seen as a strategic investment for firms; recent empirical evidence, however, has shown few connections between firms’ contributions and regulatory or performance improvements, prompting researchers to explore agency-based explanations for corporate politics. By studying intrafirm campaign contributions of CEOs and political action committees (PACs), we investigate two hypotheses related to public politics and demonstrate that strategic and agency-based motivations may hold simultaneously. Exploiting transaction-level data, with over 6.8 million observations, we show that (i) when PACs give to specific candidates, executives give to the same candidates, especially those who are strategically important to the firm; and (ii) when executives give to candidates who are not strategically important, PACs give to the same candidates potentially due to agency problems within the firm.

The purpose of this chapter is to offer instructors and students a real managerial dilemma faced by a large Brazilian company in the cosmetics industry as it ventures into the European arena after successful expansion in Latin America.

This is a teaching case for use in class discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of certain courses of internationalization, in particular, standardization versus adaptation of the marketing mix, the choice of entry and operation modes, and the management of international acquisitions.

Since this is a teaching case, there are no “findings” in the usual sense of the word related to traditional empirical studies.

Data for the case came mainly from the manifested perspectives of the company’s Vice-president of International Operations, complemented by the opinions of the company’s Senior Manager of Strategic Planning and of a business analyst of the cosmetic industry, which has been following the company for years. Such data may reflect the particular views of these actors. The authors also used public secondary data from the company’s presentations to the public, consulting companies, and business magazines. Although these accounts may be partial, this is not a severe limitation since a teaching case is expected to provide some information, but not a full set of information, in order to reflect better the real context of managerial decisions.

This teaching case study can help students reflect upon a real managerial dilemma related to international expansion of a firm into psychically distant markets.

This teaching case discusses how an emerging market firm can challenge strong incumbents in developed markets and find a viable positioning, based on a distinctive sales model and value proposition for customers.

Proctor & Gamble is having difficulties. In July the 156 year old consumer products giant announced that it would be closing 30 of its 147 manufacturing facilities over the next three years and eliminating 13,000 jobs. One of the reasons for this massive downsizing, as described in the July 26, 1993, issue of Newsweek, is Proctor & Gamble's “proclivity for hanging on to outdated brands.” Coincidentally, in the same issue, Newsweek reported that Apple CEO John Sculley was forced to relinquish his position because the company posted a 1993 third quarter loss of $188 million. The loss and the soft market will force Apple to lay off 16 percent of its 13,000 employees. Some reasons for Apple's problems: soft sales of its primary products and increased competition from Microsoft's Windows. Both Apple and Proctor & Gamble temporarily neglected a traditional factor of marketing: products have life cycles that must be monitored if those products are to produce the required profits and return on investment.

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

Scans the top 400 management publications in the world to identify the most topical issues and latest concepts. These are presented in an easy‐to‐digest briefing of no more than 1,500 words.

In 2004 consumer products giant Proctor and Gamble (P&G) reported a 17 percent increase in volume, a 19 percent increase in sales, a 25 percent raise in earnings and a total shareholder return of 24 percent. Pretty impressive by anyone's standards. For P&G's competition, the question, of course, is how did they do it? For Wall Street and the City on the other hand, the most pressing concern is whether or not this growth bubble will burst.

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

This exercise describes the competitive dynamics situation faced by two large companies, Colgate – Palmolive and Proctor and Gamble in oral care business. Both of them introduced a tooth whitening solutions and anticipated to sustain their competitive lead. P&G introduced its solution in August 2000 and Colgate followed it in September 2002. This was followed by another introduction by Colgate April 2003. The intensified the competitive battle between the two companies. The participants are required to get into the shoes of either Colgate or P&G to think through a competitive strategy. The case provides information on the estimated demand for tooth whitening solutions, gains and losses of the two companies, R&D expenditure, players in the oral hygiene market and legal framework for complaining to facilitate the analysis of the situation and decision making by the participants. The case can be used in modules on competitive strategy, innovation, and economics of strategy.

As value innovation becomes a core top management concern, there is a growing recognition that “design thinking,” or the creative principles long associated with the design function, may now have something very significant to offer when applied more broadly to business management and strategy development. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

The paper analyzes the techniques of Roger Martin, one of design thinking's most widely recognized advocates. Martin introduces a set of concepts that are not familiar to most managers: the knowledge funnel, the distinction between reliability and validity, and abductive reasoning.

Using case examples of leading companies such as Proctor & Gamble, the paper shows how they have developed a capacity for design thinking.

The paper presents case reports.

The paper provides a detailed description of how Proctor & Gamble and its CEO A.G.Lafley introduced and implemented design thinking.

This is a unique exploration of value innovation in general and how design thinking can be a key capability for company leaders.

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

According to US writer Denis Waitley, imagination combined with innovation leads to realization. Such sentiments have obviously been taken on board at Lunar Design, a new product design company able to boast an impressive record of providing groundbreaking solutions that help its clients sustain competitive advantage. As the last decade has brought profit, excellence awards and recognition as a benchmark organization, this company is clearly doing something right. Lunar is big on imagination and innovation. Then again, it has to be. Many of its new and established clients operate within high‐speed industries where technology's unrelenting progress ensures that product life cycles are invariably short lived. Against this background of perpetual change, success depends on being able to identify developments before they actually take root.

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Considers reasons why consumer response has, at best, been mixed with regard to “Green” marketing. Proposes reasons why consumer response has not been overwhelmingly positive and then, based on a review of key research findings, presents guidelines for the development of three components of environmental product advertising: the specificity of the environmental claim, the level of emphasis given the environmental claim and the context for presenting the claim.