Valve, one of the world’s leading video game software companies, has also become an iconic example of an organization without hierarchies. An organization of 400 people, Valve’s unique organizational form (detailed in the case and in the accompanying employee manual) includes 100% self-assigned time, no managers (and therefore no management oversight), such a fluid structure …
AlcatelLucent (ALU) was preparing to launch a new business: mobile payment services. Mobile payment comprises cash transactions between consumers and merchants or between consumers using their mobile phones. The emergence of a new technology in which ALU had strong expertise in Nearfiled Communication (NFC) presented a great opportunity as analysts expected the mobile payments market …
Covers the story of Hermes, a large telecommunications and networking equipment company that has grown from a sole proprietorship to a diversified company from 1980 to 1995. It investigates the use of corporate affiliates for product development and rapid growth. Other topics include the challenges of running a two-handed organization and the problems a CEO …
DayTwo is a young Israeli company that researches the gut microbiome and machine learning algorithms to provide users with personalized dietary recommendations to minimize blood sugar spikes after meals. After a first year of implementation in Israel, CEO Lihi Segal and her team are developing a global Gotomarket plan for the company. The team is …
In 2006, the management team at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. had to decide whether to keep the R&D organization in functional departments or reorganize it into multidisciplinary teams. This case follows the results of this decision from 2006 to mid-2014 and examines its effects on productivity, responsibility, communication, and skills development from the perspective of employees …
This case focuses on Kit Hinrichs, a 65-year-old partner at Pentagram, a privately owned multidisciplinary design company. Pentagram, one of the most recognized design studios in the world, was founded in London in the 1970s by five designers from different disciplines. Until 2008, Pentagram stayed small with fewer than 30 partners, each a true star. …
Trek Bicycles (Trek) entered the Indian market in 2007. Although Trek’s market share in India was small compared to its global presence, India held a significant position in Trek’s global aspirations and the country’s growth potential led to Trek to enter that market. The company firmly believed in innovation and in delivering value to its …
In mid-2005, Intel is examining its options for the location of its next assembly and test facility. The short list of potential locations includes locations in China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. Each country has its own unique benefits and risks in terms of infrastructure, governance, education, business culture, intellectual property protection, labor markets, experience working …
This case series describes the strategic decisions that Jean-Michel Gires, Vice President of Sustainable Development at Total E&P France (TEPF), faces when developing and implementing a community engagement strategy. Case A begins with the approval of a pilot carbon capture and storage (CCS) system at TEPF Lacq’s facilities in France and describes the strategic context …
Dr. Edson Bueno founded Amil, the largest health insurer in Brazil. Unlike many others, it is vertically integrated. Dr. Bueno has two opportunities for growth. Which, if any, should he pursue?