In November of 2005, Canada's largest steelmaker, Dofasco, has received two competing bids - the first from Luxembourg-based Arcelor for Cdn$4.3 billion, and the second from German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp for Cdn$4.8 billion. Dofasco's board must now develop a strategy to deal with both bids. In the process, they need to decide on what the company would be worth to both companies and Dofasco's shareholders.

Production of rebar steel had recently started in Rebar Steel Limited's Rolling Mill. The Rolling Mill was located in Fernando, a small developing country in the Western Hemisphere. The plant manager of Rebar Steel was concerned about quality losses at Rolling Mill, which he felt were far too high. Using information on the history of quality defects and production rates in Rolling Mill, he must evaluate the magnitude of the losses and decide what .....more

As a follow-up to the Sandvik AB (A) case (9A98M012), the (B) case outlines the organization changes undertaken in the pursuit of synergies. Students can be asked to evaluate the magnitude and appropriateness of the changes and propose other ideas. The case allows for consideration of how the CEO of a large complex organization actually accomplishes strategic change.