Case Assignment Questions
Case 1 – Jollibee Foods Corporation: International expansion
1) How was Jollibee able to build its dominant position in fast food in the
Philippines? What sources of competitive advantage was it able to develop
against McDonald’s in its home market?
2) How would you evaluate Tony Kitchner’s effectiveness as the first head of
Jollibee’s international division? Does his broad strategic thrust make sense? How
effectively did he develop the organization to implement his priorities?
3) As Noli Tingzon, how would you deal with the three options described at the end
of the case? How would you implement your decision?
Case 2 – Philips versus Matsushita: The Competitive Battle continues
1) How did Philips become the leading consumer electronics company in the world
in the postwar era? What distinctive competence did they build? What distinctive
incompetencies?
2) How did Matsushita succeed in displacing Philips as No 1? What were its
distinctive competencies and incompetencies?
3) What do you think of the change each company has made to date – the objectives,
the implementation, and the impact? Why is the change so hard for both of them?
4) What recommendations would you make to Gerald Kleisterlee? To Eumio
Ohtsubo?
Case 3 – Transforming Carlsberg into a Cosmopolitan Firm: The Acquisition of
Scottish &Newcastle
1) Why do we see so many cross-border mega mergers in the global beer industry?
2) What are Carlsberg’s acquisition capabilities and how did they emerge over time?
How did the acquisition process evolve over time?
3) Was the acquisition of Scottish and Newcastle the right move for Carlsberg?
Case 4 – Fiat’s Strategic Alliance with Tata
1) What is Fiat’s current situation in India?
2) What is the business opportunity in India? Do you think that Fiat needs a partner?
3) Do you think that Fiat and Tata make for good partners? Compare the Fiat-GM
relationship with the Fiat-Tata relationship.
4) Is the business case convincing for the joint venture? Back your answer up with a
financial analysis (see the supplement “Fiat-Tata NPV Analysis”).
5) How would you assess the negotiation process between Fiat and Tata?
6) What would you recommend for the alliance to be successful?
Case 5 – Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century
1) Why is the soft drink industry so profitable?
2) Compare the economics of the concentrate business to the bottling business: Why
is the profitability so different?
3) How has the competition between Coke and Pepsi affected the industry’s profits?
4) Can Coke and Pepsi sustain their profits in the wake of flattening demand and the
growing popularity of non-carbonated drinks?