Course title: Entrepreneurship; Faculty of Business Administration; Students: 2nd year, Master of Business Administration

Case: Sony Europa

1. What are the most important forces in the ‘90s that are shaping the market for consumer electronics in Europe?
2. What was the logic behind Sony Europa’s reorganization?
3. How appropriate are the changes initiated by Sony senior management in Europe in response to the evolving
market and distribution realities?
4. Assess the results of the reorganization seven months into its implementation: What has been gained or lost?
5. What steps should Ron Sommer take as of the end of the case? More specifically, should he appoint Shin Takagi
as vice president of consumer marketing Europe?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a decentralized country management structure of a company vs. a
pan-regional centralized organization?
7. What are the changes taking place in ’70, ’80 and ’90 in consumer electronics market in Europe?
8. What is the state of Sony Europa’ reorganization after appointment of Takagi as VP-CME? Was Takagi a good
choice for appointment to VP-CME? Where is Sony Europa heading with Takagi as VP-CME?
9. As Ron Sommer, what would you do next? More specifically, how would you react to the function chart? Also,
would you accept Rupsch’s proposal for creating a consumer sales office? Why?
10. Evaluate the market for consumer electronics in Europe. What forces are operating on manufacturers like Sony
(forces affecting reorganization of Sony Europa)? What should they do to prosper in the market?
11. Was there a need for change in Europe? Why, what kind? How appropriate are the changes initiated by Sony
senior management in Europe in response to the evolving market and distribution realities?
12. What is the state of Sony Europe’s reorganization now? Where is it heading with Takagi as VP-CME?
13. As Ron Sommer, what would you do next? More specifically, how would you react to the function chart? Also,
would you accept Rupsch’s proposal for creating a consumer sales office?
14. As Jack Schmuckli, what would you do now? Why?
15. For a globally operating company like Sony, could other changes be triggered by how this plays out?
16. Assess the reorganization of Sony Europa seven months into its implementation: What has been gained or lost?
17. As Jack Schmuckli, what would you do now? Are you reassured or concerned by what has taken place? Is your
change process on track? What are you planning to do next? Why?

Case: Spotfire

1. What is the nature of the opportunity for Spotfire? What strategy should the company pursue over the next 3-5
years?
2. Spotfire expects to raise additional capital in December 1998. How much capital is needed? What is the
valuation of the company? Under what terms should Spotfire seek to raise capital?
3. Spotfire’s development group and the rest of the firm work in geographically separate locations. (Goteborg,
Sweden and Boston.) Is this strategy sustainable? Why? Why not?
4. What are the company’s products? Its sources of revenues? What is the size of opportunity? The market size
in $?
Course title: Entrepreneurship; Faculty of Business Administration; Students: 2nd year, Master of Business Administration

5. How has Spotfire sold its software in the past? How is Spotfire planning to sell its software in the future?
What are the challenges associated with the new top-down approach for Spotfire?
6. Spotfire plans to continue its development activities in Goteborg but have the rest of its operations in Boston.
What are the relative advantages of each location? What are the disadvantages of a dual location strategy?
7. What is the value of Spotfire at the time of the case? Explain your valuation approach.
8. Why would Spotfire go after the pharmaceutical industry first? Who are its competitors? In which other
markets could Spotfire sell its software?
9. Which factors determine Spotfire’s profitability? What is your assessment of the evolution of Spotfire’s
development expenses? Forecasts regarding the development expenses are realistic? What about the estimates of
marketing expenses?
10. What is your assessment of the people behind Spotfire and can they exploit the opportunity? What is missing
from this team?
11. What is the value of Spotfire at the time of the case? Explain your valuation approach.

Case: Singulus

1. What is the nature of the opportunity?

2. What will it take for Schroder Ventures to make this deal happen successfully?
3. What are the major risks for Schroder Ventures? In the short-term? In the long-term?
4. What price should Schroder Ventures offer for Singulus?
5. What incentives does Schroder Ventures need to set for Singulus’ managememt?
6. In your opinion should Singulus offer an integrated replication line?
7. Do you find the business appealing? Assess the upside and the risks (technology, market, management, financing)
of an investment in Singulus by Schroder Ventures (SV).
8. What kind of buyer is OBH (a Swiss machinery and engineering conglomerate Oerlikon-Buehrle Holding AG)
looking for?
9. From Schroder Ventures’ perspective, what concerns you about the opportunity (acquiring Singulus)?
10. How important is Lacher for Singulus? How much equity should Lacher receive? Is this enough? What kind of
risks does Lacher face?
11. Why is Singulus for sale? How did the deal come to Schroder Ventures (SV)?
12. From Schroder Ventures’ perspective, what are the strengths of the opportunity (acquiring Singulus)?
13. How much should Schroder Ventures be willing to pay for Singulus? Determine a maximum price that SV should
pay for Singulus. Explain your valuation approach.
14. At what price should Lacher join? Estimate what is takes to get Lacher on board, both in terms of salary and
ownership in the company. What kind of risks does Lacher face?

Case: Tetra Pak

1. What business is Tetra Pak in? What are the important features of the Italian milk market and what was Tetra
Pak’s strategy toward this market?
Course title: Entrepreneurship; Faculty of Business Administration; Students: 2nd year, Master of Business Administration

2. As Daniel Fortina, what do you want to achieve? How viable was Fortina’s “enriched milk” solution to Pontero’s
market share problems? Why was it rejected by Pontero?
3. Should the CSI program be continued? What should be the priorities for improving customer satisfaction at Tetra
Pak?
4. Assess the three new corporate-wide initiatives introduced by Tetra Pak to address customer satisfaction. How do
customers interpret these decisions? What is the typical managing director’s perspective on Tetra Pak initiatives?

1. How well did Tetra Pak diagnose Pontero’s market share problems? Should Tetra Pak be a consultant for Pontero
to improve its competitiveness?
2. As Pontero, how satisfied are you overall with Tetra Pak as supplier? (use a scale from 1 to 5). Explain your
valuation approach. What do you expect next from Fortina (or Tetra Pak)?
3. How would you respond to the Tetra Pak Managing Director’s question on the last page, part A of the case: What
else do we need to do to stay close to the most important customer – Pontero?
4. Why did Pontero react negatively before and later embrace the new product (“enriched milk”)?