Finance

Take a look at finance-related case studies from the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit at Case Western Reserve University.

  • Viridity Energy: The Challenge and Opportunity of Promoting Clean Energy Solutions

    Company: Viridity Energy, Inc.

    Publisher: Ivey

    Call Number: 9B12M035

    Year Published: 2012

    Viridity Energy, a smart grid company, is engaged in sustainability for two reasons. On one hand, it finds profitable opportunities by helping its customers cut energy bills. And on the other hand, it’s getting credit for that environmental responsibility. This case highlights the challenges and opportunities of smart grid companies to promote clean energy solutions, especially the challenge of doing less harm to include progressively greater eco-effectiveness in competitive markets.

    What is the dilemma or tough decisions?

    Viridity Energy, a smart grid company, is engaged in sustainability for two reasons. On one hand, it finds profitable opportunities by helping its customers cut energy bills. And on the other hand, it’s getting credit for that environmental responsibility. This case highlights the challenges and opportunities of smart grid companies to promote clean energy solutions, especially the challenge of doing less harm to include progressively greater eco-effectiveness in competitive markets.

    Website where case study can be found

    https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/viridity-energy-the-challenge-and-oppor…

  • Tennant Company: Can “Chemical-Free” Be a Pathway to Competitive Advantage?

    Company: Tennant

    Publisher: Ivey

    Call Number: 9B12M020

    Year Published: 2012

    The case of Tennant Company is one that describes a floor-cleaning company that differentiated itself by introducing chemical-free cleaning equipment. Not only did it strategically evolve as an environmentally responsible sustainable business, it also used that same principle to its competitive advantage. By marketing its products as equally effective in performance, competitive in price and “greener” on the environment, the revamp was a success to all involved parties.

    What is the dilemma or tough decisions?

    Is a proven ecological innovation without any customer or financial trades-off enough of a business proposition to meet customers’ expectations, investors’ ambitions, and the company’s goals? And if so, where do you draw the line in making superior environmental performance the basis for competitive advantage?

    Website where case study can be found

    https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/tennant-company-can-chemicalfree-be-a-p…

  • Root Capital

    Company: Root Capital

    Publisher: Harvard

    Call Number: 9-510-035

    Year Published: 2009

    Founded in 1999, Root Capital had loaned $150 million to nearly 250 small and growing businesses, mainly in Latin America. In 2009, as the organization launched a five-year, $55 million capital campaign, it had to determine a strategic path going forward in keeping with its goal of achieving financial sustainability by 2013.

    What is the dilemma or tough decisions?

    How can Root Capital achieve financial sustainability by 2013

    Website where case study can be found

    http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/product_detail.seam?E=1314158&R=510035-PDF-EN…