| Business
Updates
Disney's
Strategies in China -- Satya
Prakash Medisetti
©
2007, ICMR. All Rights
Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted
in any form or by any means—electronic or mechanical,
without permission. To order copies, call +91-40-2343-0462/63
or write to ICMR, Plot #49,
Nagarjuna Hills, Hyderabad 500 082, India or e-mail: info@icmrindia.org.
Website: www.icmrindia.org
Cheap
Chinese Goods : Boon
or Bane for Consumers? -- Shirisha Regani
©
2007, ICMR. All Rights
Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted
in any form or by any means—electronic or mechanical,
without permission. To order copies, call +91-40-2343-0462/63
or write to ICMR, Plot #49,
Nagarjuna Hills, Hyderabad 500 082, India or e-mail: info@icmrindia.org.
Website: www.icmrindia.org
Balancing
Creativity and Ethics in Advertising -- Debapratim
Purkayastha, Rajiv Fernando
©
2007, ICMR. All Rights
Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted
in any form or by any means—electronic or mechanical,
without permission. To order copies, call +91-40-2343-0462/63
or write to ICMR, Plot #49,
Nagarjuna Hills, Hyderabad 500 082, India or e-mail: info@icmrindia.org.
Website: www.icmrindia.org
Case
in Focus
Volkswagen's
Acquisition of Skoda Auto : A
Central European Success Story
-- Shirisha
Regani and SS George
This
case discusses Volkswagen's (VW) acquisition of Skoda, a Czech
Republic-based car manufacturer. Set up in the late 1800s,
Skoda was one of the oldest car companies in the world. The
company and its cars had enjoyed considerable repute in the
first half of the 1900s. However, its fortunes turned after
the Second World War, when it first came under Nazi control
and was later nationalized by the Czechoslovakian government.
By the 1980s, Skoda cars had lost track of the technological
advancements in the West, and were widely derided for their
poor quality and unreliability. In 1991, VW acquired a stake
in Skoda. Following this, VW went about systematically transforming
Skoda's image and establishing it as a reliable mass market
car brand.
The
steps VW took to transform Skoda are discussed in this case.
The case talks about the various dimensions of the transformation,
including the HR aspects, the production improvements, new
products launches, and image-building initiatives. It concludes
with a discussion of Skoda's role and position in VW's business
portfolio, and the company's future prospects.
©
2007 ICMR. All
Rights Reserved. For accessing and procuring the case study,
log on to www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk or www.icmrindia.org
The
Chappell Way (A) : A
Case Study in Team Building and Group Dynamics -- Debapratim Purkayastha and Rajiv Fernando
This
case is about the coaching style adopted by Australian cricket
legend, Greg Chappell (Chappell) as the coach of the high
profile Indian cricket team. The case discusses the various
initiatives undertaken by Chappell to bring about a radical
change in the Indian team as part of his `Vision 2007' and
make them top contenders for the 2007 World Cup. The coaching
method, which was personally researched by Chappell and his
business partner Frazer, was very unconventional. In addition
to unusual training drills, the team members also took part
in lectures on concepts in lateral thinking and other concepts
and methods that are generally used in management training.
The
case also discusses the public spat between Chappell and India's
most successful captain Sourav Ganguly (Ganguly) which led
to the ouster of Ganguly from the team. Chappell's handling
of the issue related to Ganguly, who had many loyal supporters
in the team, was criticized. Some experts felt that Chappell
lacked the human touch and cultural sensitivity that was so
important for the success of a coach.
The
case highlights various issues in human resource management
and organizational behavior and generalizations can be made
to the corporate work environment.
©
2007 ICMR. All
Rights Reserved. For accessing and procuring the case study,
log on to www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk or www.icmrindia.org
Marketing
Strategies of Harley-Davidson
-- Indu
P and Vivek Gupta
The
case discusses the marketing strategies of the US-based motorcycle
manufacturer Harley-Davidson Motor Company (H-D). It details
the marketing mix elements of H-D including product, price,
distribution and promotion strategies of the company. Notwithstanding
the success of H-D's marketing strategies, some critics were
of the opinion that H-D was not focusing on its core competency,
i.e., motorcycles, and said that by putting its logo on several
products, the company was diluting its brand. Analysts also
criticized H-D's dealers, saying that they still had a long
way to go in maintaining good relationships with the company's
customers.
©
2007 ICMR. All
Rights Reserved. For accessing and procuring the case study,
log on to www.ecch.cranfield.ac.uk or www.icmrindia.org
Book
Review
It
Happened in India : The Story of Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Central
and the Great Indian Consumer
--Authors:
Kishore Biyani and Dipayan Baishya Reviewed
by Kankana Chaudhury
It Happened in India is the autobiography of Kishore Biyani,
the man behind the retail revolution in India (Big Bazaar,
Pantaloons, Central et al). The book also provides an insight
into the Indian retail market and the mind of the Indian consumer.
It Happened in India—The story of Pantaloons,
Big Bazaar, Central and the Great Indian Consumer is a personal
account of the growth of the entrepreneur Kishore Biyani.
In his book KB (as Kishore Biyani is popularly known) describes
his journey from an introverted child from a middle-class
Rajasthani family to becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs
in India.
©
2007 Kishore Biyani. All Rights Reserved. IUP holds the copyright for the review.
| 
