Take a look at strategy-related case studies from the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit at Case Western Reserve University.
Molten Metal Technology (A)
Company: Molten Metal Technology
Publisher: Boston University
Call Number: 99-03A
Year Published: 1999
Just six years after its founding in 1989, Molten Metal Technology Inc. (MMT) was on the verge of huge successes. The company had successfully developed an exciting new technology, catalytic extraction processing (CEP) that would not only break down hazardous and radioactive wastes into benign forms but also recycle them back into marketable products. This new technology had great potential but the growth strategy was critical.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
How can a small start up company go about commercializing a revolutionary technology?
Website where case study can be found
https://acquia-prd.case.edu/fowler/sites/case.edu.fowler/files/2022-08/Molten%2…
Sustainability at Millipore
Company: Millipore
Publisher: Harvard
Call Number: 9-610-012
Year Published: 2009
This case describes Millipore Corporation's approach to becoming a more environmentally sustainable company. The Director of Sustainability needed to recommend whether the company should purchase carbon offsets to help meet its aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets, and whether to continue publicly reporting its greenhouse gas emissions and strategies despite recent problems. On a more strategic level, he needed to recommend how to take the company's Sustainability Initiative to the next level and consider whether changes were needed to its organizational structure.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
How to develop a more systematic approach to prioritizing investments in various projects being proposed to improve environmental performance?
Website where case study can be found
http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/product_detail.seam?E=1051151&R=610012-PDF-EN…
Corporate Citizenship and Sustainable Community Development: Fostering Multi-Sector Collaboration in Magadi Division in Kenya
Company: Magadi Soda Company
Publisher: ICCSR
Call Number: N/A
Year Published: 2007
This paper explores Magadi Soda Company’s efforts to initiate a multi-sector collaboration to facilitate sustainable community development in Magadi division in Kenya. A narrative is presented of the process that led to the design of a community development plan intended to be the development blueprint guiding all actors (non-governmental organisations, the community, the government and Magadi Soda Company) operating in Magadi division.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
How to tackle complex social problems of deprived communities?
Website where case study can be found
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241892925_Corporate_Citizenship_and_Su…
Living Homes
Company: Living Homes
Publisher: Oikos
Call Number: N/A
Year Published: 2008
Steve Glenn, a successful internet start-up entrepreneur, returned to his love of architecture and commitment to sustainability by creating a company that would provide signature, green, prefabricated homes to the “cultural creative” market. The case outlines the state of both the housing industry and the green building industry in 2007.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
Can Living Homes merge prefabrication, green and high end in the housing market?
Website where case study can be found
Kimpton Hotels: Balancing Strategy and Environmental Sustainability
Company: Kimpton Hotels
Publisher: Oikos
Call Number: N/A
Year Published: 2006
Michael Pace faced a dilemma. He was determined to help the boutique hotel chain "walk the talk" regarding its commitment to environmental responsibility, but he also had agreed not to introduce any new products or processes that would be more expensive than those they replaced. Now that the first phase of the program had been implemented nationwide, he and the company's team of "eco-champions" were facing some difficult challenges with the rollout of the second, more ambitious, phase.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
Products considered for phase 2 of operations would require additional budget to mark total transition to an environment friendly hotel.
Website where case study can be found
https://oikos-international.org/publications/kimpton-hotels/
IDEAAS and PSA: Replication in the Amazon
Company: IDEAAS and PSA
Publisher: Stanford
Call Number: E-264
Year Published: 2007
The case describes two social ventures' experience of collaborating with each other through a replication project. Each venture served different purposes: IDEAAS installed and operated alternative solar energy equipment in locations without access to Brazil's electricity grid, and Saude & Alegria educated populations in the Brazilian Amazon jungle on matters of health, environment conservation, and self-sustainable wealth generation. It highlights the core success factors that possibly led to the project's ultimate outcomes.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
Students can debate and discuss as to what factors led to this success
Website where case study can be found
http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/product_detail.seam?E=65501&R=E264-PDF-ENG&co…
Environmental Product Differentiation by the Hayward Lumber Company
Company: Hayward Lumber Company
Publisher: Stanford
Call Number: OIT-38
Year Published: 2003
The case traces the greening of Hayward Lumber Company, a family-owned company based in California. As an initial step toward serving an environmentally focused market niche, the firm began selling Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Lumber to meet a growing demand for green building materials in California’s central coast market. The company found that while supplying FSC wood afforded entry into the green builder market, horizontal expansion into higher margin green building materials created a greater opportunity for revenue enhancement.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
What should HLC do about potential sustainable investment opportunities?
Website where case study can be found
https://oikos-international.org/cases/hayward-lumber-company/
Good Health: Making Medicine Work for a Sustainable Future
Company: Good Health
Publisher: ESMT
Call Number: 705-0036-1
Year Published: 2008
The case study analyzes the project 'Integrating Sustainable Development in Industrial Operations and Environment' at Good Health, a research-based international pharmaceutical company. Maintaining a strong reputation in sustainability issues has become a growing concern within the pharmaceutical branch. The case explores the different challenges and obstacles the project team is facing during the different project phases in trying to expand and implement a new sustainability program at Good Health.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
How to integrate sustainability into the business strategy?
Website where case study can be found
GOJO Industries: Aiming for Global Sustainability Leadership
Company: GOJO Industries
Publisher: Ivey
Call Number: 9B13M108
Year Published: 2013
GOJO Industries, a U.S.-based hand hygiene company, plans to use sustainability as a business strategy in its big hairy audacious goal of reaching one billion people every day by 2020. It uses a six level framework to embed sustainability in every aspect of its business internally and externally. The company has a long history of using sustainability to drive innovation and facilitate expansion into new markets and sees sustainability as a key differentiator from its competitors to achieve its goal. In order to so, the company must also consider the importance of employee engagement in order to further embed sustainability and increase the number of people it reaches with its products.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
For a company pursuing sustainability leadership with a visionary BHAG, how might it engage employees more deeply in the pursuit of such outcomes in ways that are both good for society and the environment and good for customers and the business? What would make it possible for every employee to be even more inspired and authentically engaged in the kind of creativity and innovation that will be needed for the company to achieve its goals?
Website where case study can be found
https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/product/gojo-industries-aiming-for-global-susta…
The Freeplay Energy Group and Foundation Company
Company: The Freeplay Energy Group
Publisher: IESE Business School
Call Number: 0-305-005
Year Published: 2004
The Freeplay Energy Group was founded in 1995 to produce wind up radios. It took its social responsibilities seriously from the beginning and in 1998 founded the Freeplay Foundation to enable the sustained delivery of radio information and education to the most vulnerable populations via self-powered radios. At the beginning of 2004 The Freeplay Energy Group and the Freeplay Foundation faced important decisions about their future to ensure the future growth and sustainability of both organizations.
What is the dilemma or tough decisions?
How can FEG continue to expand and deal with lack of capital to introduce new products while balancing the interests of its Foundation?
Website where case study can be found