Amazon’s HQ2 (C): Choices

Amazon’s first bid for a second headquarters (HQ2), published in September 2017, attracted a lot of attention and eventually proposals from 238 cities and regions in North America. In this case, it is about the company’s decision to split its HQ2 into two locations and the resulting reaction from local politicians and the public.

The Incentive for Legacy: Tsinghua University Education Foundation

Vivian Yuan aims to support the fundraising efforts and investment goals of the Tsinghua University Education Foundation in a new era of Chinese higher education. Competing with the elite C9 League members of China’s top universities, she must develop a range of incentives and benefits for alumni and unaffiliated donors that can fill gaps in …

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Mid-Missouri Energy: Ethanol from Corn

MME is an agricultural cooperative that produces ethanol from corn. The cooperative performed well compared to other manufacturers, but margins in the industry had declined as the industry’s production levels approached the limits of market demand. MME farmers had to decide whether to build on its success and expand through acquisitions, whether to sell the …

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Survival Analysis in Microsoft Excel without Add-ins

Survival analysis refers to a collection of statistical techniques used to analyze the occurrence and expected timing of events. Survival analysis can provide not only the probability that an event of interest will occur, but also the time when the event is likely to occur. A particularly useful application of survivorship analysis is in the …

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Brand Portfolio Strategy and Brand Architecture

While companies brand their products and services in many different ways, there are a few key principles that help define an optimal brand portfolio and associated brand architecture. The brand portfolio strategy involves designing, implementing and managing multiple brands as a coordinated portfolio of significant assets that meet the needs of different clients in a …

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DuPont-NASCAR Marketing

In 1992 Joe Jackson, a twelve-year manager of DuPont Motorsports, wanted to acquire the paint business at all sixty-five Rick Hendricks car dealerships in the United States. To win the Hendrick dealership paint job, Jackson and Hendrick met to discuss the possibility of sponsoring Hendrick’s new team and NASCAR rookie driver Jeff Gordon. As a …

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Financial Policy at Apple, 2013 (B)

The Inside the Case video included with this case contains teaching tips and insights from the author (only available to registered teachers).