On the case

8/10/2012 - The best business lessons are learned by example. And Kellogg professors have plenty to share — not only with their own students at Kellogg, but also with students at institutions worldwide.

Each year, Kellogg faculty produce a wide variety of case studies highlighting timely and provocative business issues. More than 134,000 copies of these studies were purchased last year by academics and corporate trainers via Kellogg Case Publishing, which offers 650 case products written by 80 Kellogg professors.

“Our mission is to improve the in-class experience for both faculty and students and to enhance the Kellogg brand,” says editorial coordinator Katharine Kruse. “Every year, we’ve seen growth in both case writing by our faculty and adoption of our cases across the globe.”

From Google’s negotiating strategy to Toyota’s crisis management, here is a sample of some of the 35 to 40 intriguing new cases Kellogg Case Publishing is introducing this year.

Unintended Acceleration: Toyota’s Recall Crisis
by David Austen-Smith and Daniel Diermeier

By the time Toyota Motor Company President Akio Toyoda apologized after multiple deaths and injuries were attributed to accidents resulting from the unintended and uncontrolled acceleration of its cars, Toyota’s stock price had suffered a $35 billion loss of market value in just over a month.

Starbucks: A Story of Growth
by Craig Garthwaite, Meghan Busse and Jennifer Brown

Over the course of four decades, Starbucks grew from a single Seattle location to a multibillion-dollar enterprise with 17,000 retail stores in 50 countries. But part of that aggressive growth strategy weakened assets and activities central to its competitive advantage, making it vulnerable to competitive threats.

Positioning the Tata Nano
by Alice Tybout

Ratan Tata’s inspiration for developing the world’s smallest and most fuel-efficient car was the common sight of an Indian family of four traveling the streets precariously perched atop a motorbike. He embraced the challenge of building, positioning and selling a low-cost “people’s car” for India’s rapidly growing middle class.

A New Approach to China: Google and Censorship in the Chinese Market
by Jeanne Brett

In March 2010, Google reevaluated its position on self-censorship in preparation for negotiating the renewal of the Google.cn license with the Chinese government. But founders were divided on what the company’s strategy should be, demonstrating the complexity of negotiating on both sides of the table.

Old Spice: Revitalizing Glacial Falls
by Derek Rucker

In late 2007, Procter & Gamble assistant brand manager Mauricio O’Connell ’08 was tasked with evaluating how to revitalize sales for Glacial Falls, the worst-performing scent not only in Old Spice’s portfolio but also in the entire category.

Polio Eradication — Within Our Reach?
by David Besanko

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s target date has been pushed back three times. Some experts believe polio eradication is unachievable, and argue that efforts should focus on controlling the disease. Is eradication the appropriate global public health objective?