Klaus Meyer

Teaching Cases: Businesses in Emerging Economies

I am occasionally writing teaching cases on international businesses, mostly with a focus on emerging economies. Recently, my focus has been on business in China. Cases published by Ivey Publishing are available to instructors through the Ivey Publishing website. Cases published as integrative cases in our textbook (M.W. Peng & K.E. Meyer, 2016 / 2019, International Business, 2nd ed., 2016 / 3rd ed. 2019, Cengage Learning [P&M]) are available in the book, or directly from the publisher.

Title	Keywords	Context	Publication
BMW Mini: Big Decisions Under the Brexit Cloud (with Ken Mark)	Brexit, decision making under uncertainty, location choice, automotive industry	UK, Germany	Ivey (2019) 9B19M013
McDonalds reinvents itself in India	Entry strategies, joint ventures, partner conflict,	India, USA	P&M (2019), p. 555-
Cars made in Britain, post-Brexit	Brexit, automotive industry	UK	P&M (2019), p. 522-526
Negotiating Brexit	Brexit, EU, negotiations, international trade and investment	UK	P&M (2019), p. 516-521
BMW faces technological disruption	Industry 4.0, technological change, automotive industry	Germany	P&M (2019), p. 508-512
SSI Schaefer: Internationalization of Intra-Logistics	Industry 4.0, logistics, business-to-business, business models, foreign market entry	Germany	P&M (2019), p. 505-507
Bossard AG: Enabling Industry 4.0 Logistics, Worldwide	Industry 4.0, logistics, business-to-business, business models, digital technology	Switzerland	Ivey (2017) 9B17M149
The Edificio Espana: Global investors meets local politics (Dalien Wanda)	Emerging Economy Multinationals, international entrepreneurship, political risk, public relations, real estate development	China, Spain	Ivey (2017) 9B17M108
CNOOC Engages with Canadian Stakeholders (with Alexandra Han)	Emerging Economy Multinationals, stakeholders, mergers and acquisitions, public relations, environmental standards, crisis management, media relations	China, Canada	Ivey (2017) #9B17M0005
Canada and the EU negotiate CETA	International trade and investment agreements, Business-government relationships	EU, Canada	P&M (2016), p. 534-543
German Chamber of Commerce develops social responsibility in China	Corporate Social responsibility, headquarters-subsidiary relationships, NGOs	China, Germany	P&M (2016), p. 540-543
Tackling Corrupt Practices: GSK China	Corporate social responsibility, headquarters-subsidiary relationships, corruption	China, UK	P&M (2016), p. 544-549
Xiaomi challenges global smartphone leaders (with Jianhua J. Zhu)	Entrepreneurship, Innovation, competition in emerging economies	China	P&M (2016), p. 506-510.
Dürr AG: A German Premium Manufacturer Goes Mid-Market in China (with Jianhua J. Zhu)	Competition in emerging economies, good enough market, headquarters-subsidiary relationships	China, Germany	Ivey (2015) #9B15M071
ShangGong Group: Chinese challenger acquires German premium brands (with Daniel H.M. Chng & Jianhua J. Zhu)	Emerging Economy Multinationals, Mergers & Acquisitions, Post-acquisition integration, cross-cultural conflicts	Germany, China	Ivey (2015) #9B014M095
Arcelik Grows in Advanced and Emerging Economies (with Saul Estrin)	Emerging Economy Multinationals, Foreign Entry Strategies, Mergers & Acquisitions, Global brand management	Turkey, EU, South Africa etc.	Ivey (2015) #9B15M021
Bayer MaterialScience (A): Opportunities in Complex Global Value Chains, and (B): Opportunities for Independence	Disaggregation of value chains, competition in business to business markets, industrial marketing	China, Germany	Ivey (2015) #9B15M109 and 9B15M110
Wolters Brewery (A): Negotiating Restructuring, and (B): Traditions for the Future [click for abstract]	Entrepreneurship, Management buy-out, Downsizing (in an MNE), Business and government relationships, local brand management	Germany	Ivey (2012) #9B12M009 and #9B12M010
Rolls Royce: from insolvency to world leadership	Corporate growth, restructuring, long-term development of resources and capabilities	UK	P&M (2011/2016), p. 511-519
Ethics of Offshoring: Novo Nordisk and Clinical Trials in Emerging Economies [click for abstract]	Ethics, Stakeholder management, engaging with media	Denmark	Ivey (2009) #9B09M001
GN Netcom in China (A) and (B) [click for abstract]	Global strategy, entry strategy	Denmark, China	London Business School (2002) # LBS-CS02-036-00

 

CNOOC Engages with Canadian Stakeholders

In 2012, the Chinese state-owned oil corporation China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) acquired Nexen, a Canadian oil exploration company, in what was the largest-ever acquisition abroad by a Chinese company. The Chinese economy had become increasingly dependent on imported energy and the aim of this acquisition was to secure access to natural resources around the world. The deal received intense media attention and its merits for Canada were widely discussed in the media. Eventually, it was approved by the Canadian government after CNOOC made substantial commitments regarding Nexen’s future operations. However, after the acquisition, Nexen experienced considerable challenges regarding its financial performance and its health, safety, and environment processes. Financial performance was undermined by a sharp drop in the price of oil from 2014 onward. Moreover, Nexen’s operations were disrupted by a pipeline leak, a closure of pipelines by the regulator, and a plant explosion. Each event challenged the Chinese and Canadian leadership of Nexen to face the media and minimize reputational damage and safeguard its health and safety record. How could the company cut its losses and downscale its engagement in Canada? Did it need to refocus its Canadian operations to use its assets in a different way?

This case provides a basis for discussing how a foreign-owned company ought to engage with the media and other stakeholders in Canada. This case has been designed for use in class in combination with publicly available videos. The case is intended for advanced international business and business and society classes. In an international business class, the key concepts include subsidiary strategy, multinational enterprise–government relationships, host-country legitimacy, stakeholders of multinational enterprises, non-market strategies, and institutional environment for mergers and acquisitions. In a business and society class, the key concepts include multinational enterprises, stakeholder engagement, media engagement, and health, safety, and environment standards.

The case has been designed to be used in class in combination with videos available from Youtube and other sources.
 

Published by Ivey Business School (reference-# 9B17M005) and available from European Case Clearing House (ECCH).

 

Wolters Brewery (A) and (B): Negotiating Restructuring

This sequence of two cases presents in the (A) case the situation of a multinational brewer, Inbev, having acquired several breweries in Germany, wishing to proceed with operational integration and the closure of smaller, less efficient plants. This move triggers resistance not only from the local workforce, but the local community. For Inbev, this is a case of corporate restructuring and strategy implementation. Yet for a group of local entrepreneurs, this is an opportunity to plot a management buy-out (MBO) and to recreate a historical local brewery. The case is designed as a business negotiation setting bringing together the multinational, local entrepreneurs, the city council, and a local bank; instructions for 4 teams involved in the negotiations are provided in the teaching note. The case can also be used as a conventional case on entrepreneurship or strategy implementation.

 Suggested Classroom Use:
• Business Negotiations (MBO team v Global MNE v Local city council v Local bank),
• Entrepreneurship (Management Buy-Outs),
• Strategy (Strategy Implementation, Business-Government Interfaces),
• International Business (Global-Local Tensions),
• Marketing (Local Brand Strategy, Exporting [B-case])
 

Published by Ivey Business School (reference-# 9B12M009  and # 9B12M010) and available from European Case Clearing House (ECCH).

 

Ethics of Off-shoring: Novo Nordisk and Clinical Trials in Emerging Economies

The case outlines the conflicting ethical demands on a Danish pharmaceuticals company, Novo Nordisk, that is operating globally and is aspiring to high standards of corporate social responsibility. A recent report alleges that multinational pharmaceutical companies routinely conduct trials in developing countries under alleged un-ethical conditions. The company's director reflects how to respond to a request from a journalist for an interview. This triggers a discussion on the appropriate ethical principles and how to communicate them.

As a company emphasizing corporate responsibility, the interaction with the media presents both opportunities and risks to Novo Nordisk. The case focuses on clinical trials that are required to attain regulatory approval in for example Europe and North America, and that are conducted at multiple sites around the world, including many emerging economies. Novo Nordisk has implemented numerous procedures to protect its various stakeholders, yet will this satisfy journalists and non-governmental organizations, and how should the company communicate with these stakeholders?

Published by Ivey Business School (reference-# 9B09M001) and available from European Case Clearing House (ECCH).

 

GN Netcom China (A) and (B)

This case reviews the global strategy and emerging challenges of GN Netcom. GN Netcom is a division of GN Great Northern, a Danish electronics conglomerate. At the onset of the new millenium, GN Netcom had to address inefficiencies in its global operations after the acquisition of several smaller competitors, and changing patterns of global demand. The possibilities to be considered include relocation of production to China, but that would impact on the global supply chain. Moreover, China was expected to become an attractive market due to WTO membership. 

The case has been written primarily for graduate courses in international business. It allows in particular to address the mutual interdependence between global strategy and entry in specific markets. Specific issues arising include the reorganization of production worldwide, the establishment of new facilities in China, the reorganization of global supply chain management, and the entry into China as market.  The (A) case serves as a basis to discuss global strategy and its linkage to entry strategies for a specific market. The (B) case outlines GN Nectcom's actual involvement in China as it was built up in the year 2001, and serves as a basis to discuss the impact of economic recession on a globally operating B2B business.

Published by London Business School and available from European Case Clearing House (ECCH).