Arcano Partners: Scalling Imapct With a Fund of Funds (A) SM-1713-E
Arcano Partners: Scalling Imapct With a Fund of Funds (B) SM-1714-E
The Responsible Investing Landscape: From SRI Through ESG to IMPACT (Technical Note, SMN-704-E)
Oltre Venture: The Impact Revolution (A) SM-1669-E / Oltre Venture: la Revolución del Impacto (A) SM-1669
Oltre Venture: The Impact Revolution (B) SM-1670-E / Oltre Venture: la Revolución del Impacto (B) SM-1670
Oltre Venture: The Impact Revolution (A and B) Teaching Note SMT-122-E
Pennies From Heaven? Strategic Turnaround at J.C. Penney SM-1665-E / ¿Un regalo del cielo? El giro estratégico de J.C. Penney SM-1665
The case discusses the formulation and implementation of the strategic turnaround of J.C. Penney, a major U.S. retailer, by Ron Johnson, a star executive who previously led the creation and expansion of the Apple Store. The turnaround is bold and far-reaching, raising questions about whether it will work or not.
Digital competition in Fashion & Luxury Goods: YNAP versus Farfetch SM-1656-E / Competencia Digital en Moda y Lujo: YNAP frente a Farfetch SM-1656
In 2015, Federico Marchetti became CEO of the largest luxury online retailer in the world, after orchestrating the merger of Yoox Group with Net-a-Porter Group. Two years later, in 2017, the financial community was expecting him to deliver results. However, the new combined ¿1.8 billion company was not growing as fast as it used to, and questions remained about the synergies that could be achieved between two companies with very different business models. Moreover, a new threat had emerged. Farfetch, a luxury platform that aggregated the inventories of over 500 luxury boutiques all over the world, had become the new unicorn of the industry. After less than ten years of operations, it had reached $800 million in sales in 2016, with a staggering 70% year-on-year growth. What could the Yoox group do in order to foster growth, stave off threats like Farfetch and improve its margins?
Superdry: un japonés de Cheltenham SM-1653 / Superdry: A Japenese Brand from Cheltenham SM-1653-E
El caso se centra en la situación de la firma de ropa Superdry en 2016, año en el que enfrenta diversas oportunidades de crecimiento y la necesidad de decidir cuál seguir. La firma, fundada en el Reino Unido en 2003, había experimentado una década de rápido crecimiento, a través de tiendas propias y franquiciadas. El caso, que recoge su evolución, permite discutir los desafíos del crecimiento en el sector de la confección.
Strategic Leadership: A Roadmap for the General Manager’s Journey SMN-701-E / Liderazgo estratégico: un plan de implantación para el director general SMN-701
Strategic leadership is the core responsibility of general managers. By strategic leadership, the authors refer to the responsibility of identifying the key challenges for the company, outlining a coherent set of actions to respond to these, and guiding the organization in implementing those actions. This technical note provides a framework to organize this process and suggests a way of combining diverse tools that can help general managers to carry out their work.
Style Knows No Season: Moncler’s Leap From Piste to Street SM-1621-E / El estilo todo el año: Moncler, de la pista a la calle SM- 1621
The case describes how Moncler, the 1950s and ’60s leader in mountaineering jackets, transformed itself into a key player in the luxury goods market within the sub-sector of fashion apparel. It looks at the key decisions taken in the pre-IPO decade and at the dilemmas the company faces in 2014. How much should they extend their product lines? They had already ventured into accessories, footwear and eyewear, but there were fears that further diversification might dilute the brand. Furthermore, other luxury brands, attracted by Moncler’s high growth rates and margins, also offered down jackets and skiwear. Finally, Moncler needed to consider how to best organize its international distribution.
It’s in the Bag. Or Is it? Michael Kors’ Quest to Stay at the Top SM-1619-E / Michael Kors: la guerra de los bolsos SM-1619
The case describes how Moncler, the 1950s and ’60s leader in mountaineering jackets, transformed itself into a key player in the luxury goods market within the sub-sector of fashion apparel. It looks at the key decisions taken in the pre-IPO decade and at the dilemmas the company faces in 2014. How much should they extend their product lines? They had already ventured into accessories, footwear and eyewear, but there were fears that further diversification might dilute the brand. Furthermore, other luxury brands, attracted by Moncler’s high growth rates and margins, also offered down jackets and skiwear. Finally, Moncler needed to consider how to best organize its international distribution.
Marco Arcelli at ENEL (A) SM-1568-E / (B) SM-1569-E
Marco Arcelli at ENEL (A) follows the acquisition and integration of Slovenské Elektrárne, the dominant power producer in Slovakia by the Italian company ENEL. The case adopts the perspective of Marco Arcelli, the general manager who took the helm of Slovenské Elektrárne, and can be used to discuss the challenges of successfully managing acquisitions in an international context. The case (B) analyzes the choices Marco Arcelli made in the integration of Slovenské Elektrárne, and provides an update to ENEL’s situation in 2010.
Vueling, The New Generation Airline (A) SM-1561-E / (B) SM-1562-E
Vueling (A) case follows start-up and growth of a Spanish low-cost carrier from 2004 until 2007. Barcelona-based Vueling set out to offer “high quality at low price” to travellers in South-Western Europe. The case describes the strategy and competitive situation, Vueling’s business model, and the challenges the company faced in an increasingly competitive environment. Vueling (B) case follows Vueling from its IPO (December 2006) until 2009 and the challenges it faced in reaching financial viability because of the strong competition of incumbents Iberia, Spanair and Clickair, and low cost giants Ryanair and Easyjet. The option of a merger with Clickair is discussed.
Xing AG: Securing Leadership in the European Online Social Networking Market SI-173-E
The case explains how the German-based professional social networking site Xing was trying to figure out how to compete against its US competitor LinkedIn for the dominance of the European market in 2009. It was facing a series of land marking decisions, ranging from a revision of its pricing scheme to the expansion into business to business operations.
Driving Sustainability at Bloomberg L.P. HBS 9-411-025
Describes the addition of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance indicators to the Bloomberg terminal. The initiative grew out of Bloomberg’s broader sustainability initiatives and is an example of how committed employees can create positive social change within organizations. Issues highlighted in the case for discussion include: How can committed employees implement an innovative sustainability initiative within a large corporation? How can ESG data be more strategic for both Bloomberg and investors? And finally: How should the ESG data industry be structured, and what impact does ESG data have on the future institutionalization of sustainability?
Diesel SpA: Sustaining Growth in the Fashion Industry (A) DG-1496-E / (B) DG-1497-E
In 2000, Renzo Rosso, the founder and CEO of the Italian apparel company Diesel, is wondering whether the company’s strategy can help it grow in the millennium. By 2000, the Diesel brand had become one of the hottest in the denim fashion segment, but Rosso now needs to consider whether their current market positioning is sustainable in the long term and whether they should invest more in their retail operations. He also needs to consider how the current organizational structure and processes fit with the new strategic direction and whether they can sustain further growth. The (B) case, set in 2005, discusses the evolution of the company and provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges associated with the long term sustainability of strategic positioning in the fashion industry.
The Diesel SpA (B) case, set in 2005, discusses the evolution of the company between 2000 and 2005, and provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges associated with the long term sustainability of strategic positioning in the fashion industry.
Lew Wasserman and the Motion Picture Industry DG-1494-E
Lew Wasserman achieved a position of immense power in the movie industry and in the political arena. Before him, old-time moguls like Louis B. Mayer and Jack Warner, had exerted enormous power within their particular domains, but none of them had been able to move outside of the confines of the motion picture industry. Wasserman became enormously powerful in the 1950s, as both an agent and a producer, moving beyond Hollywood to dominate the emerging medium of television. However, it was in the 1960s, with MCA’s acquisition of Universal Studios, that he was able to formally consolidate his grip over the industry, and make Hollywood a much stronger political force in Washington. This case shows how exogenous shocks, both regulatory and technological, can be opportunties for resourceful actors to shape the industry structure.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Creating and Nurturing your Social Network: The Art of Building Long-Term Mutually Beneficial Relationships SMN-676-E
Networking is the art of building long-term mutually beneficial relationships, and this note will describe what social networks can do, what networking is, and what is not. We provide seven suggestions on how to begin the process of building your network.
Visualizing Your Social Network SMN-687-E
One picture is worth a thousand words and drawing a picture of your social network within your company (and beyond), might help you go beyond a simplistic view of what your contacts are (who do you know?) and think about how the people in your company are connected to each other (your indirect contacts) and what that means for you. This note suggests how you can draw a map of your network, and leverage existing online tools to visualize your online network.