Microsoft's vice president of the Far East had recently announced that China was a strategic market for Microsoft. The objective of the recently appointed director of the End User Customer Unit for China and Hong Kong was to establish Chinese Windows 95, slated for release in March 1996, as the new standard for operating systems in China. With the launch date only four months away, she realized that she needed to initiate a sales and marketing .....more

Teaching note for product 9A95M007.

The director of human resources for Grupo Industrial Bimbo, S.A., was involved in a corporate re-engineering initiative. In response to the changing Mexican business environment, the company's senior executives had initiated a review of operations in an attempt to increase competitiveness and ensure the company's survival. The conclusions of the initial benchmarking studies, and some people dedicated to the re-engineering effort, recommended .....more

The director of human resources for Grupo Industrial Bimbo, S.A., was involved in a corporate re-engineering initiative. The conclusions of the initial benchmarking studies recommended laying off 6,000 of the company's 40,000 workers to reduce and control costs. This case describes what the company did and is intended to be used in conjunction with the (A) case, 9A98M010.

After a substantial devaluation in the value of the Mexican currency, a major automaker attempts to reduce the price it is paying to a Mexican based supplier. The supplier (Ventramex) is put in a difficult position because a large portion of its costs is based in US dollars. The company must decide how to respond to the automaker while considering options that would increase the proportion of its costs that are based in Mexican pesos.

This case explores a proposal by Labatt management to purchase a 22% interest in a Mexican brewing business and strike associated agreements for cooperative activities throughout North America. An evaluation of the deal requires an assessment of the prospects of the venture in the Mexican and U.S. beer markets, the potential for synergies in the cooperative activities, and ultimately the pricing and financing of an investment in a developing economy. .....more

This case explores Labatt's purchase of a 22% interest in a Mexican brewing business and the associated agreements for cooperative activities throughout North America. An evaluation of the deal requires an assessment, in particular, of the prospects of the venture in the Mexican and U.S. beer markets, the potential for synergies in the cooperative activities, and ultimately the pricing and financing of an investment in a developing economy. This .....more

The export director for Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, of Monterrey, Mexico, must develop a sophisticated marketing strategy in order to earn a permanent place for the brewery's SOL brand in the UK brewing market, considered to be one of the world's most dynamic and competitive beer markets. Specifically, he must decide how to position the brand; what brand characteristics, if any, should be modified; what new distribution channels, if any, .....more

The president and owner of a small sandal factory realizes that if his company is to survive in the long-run, the manufacturing operation would need to become more efficient. Relaxed tariff barriers had increased the level of foreign competition in the country, particularly in the footwear industry. He had recently attended a seminar on total quality control (TQC) sponsored by the local trade association. Despite the potential benefits of TQC and .....more

The president and owner of a small sandal factory decided to implement TQC in his company factory. This case outlines the steps he followed, the problems he encountered and the measures he took to correct them as he introduced his employees to TQC. This case is intended to be used in conjunction with Sandalias Finas de Cuernavaca, S.A.: Total Quality Management (A), case 9A95C018.