Nanyang Case

The Nanyang Case Collection
(including cases from the IMARC Case Series and

The Asian Case Collection)
Housing cases from the following subjects:

Strategy & Organisation
Accounting
Business Communication
Economics
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Human Resource Management

International Business
Infocomm / IT & E-commerce
Management of Technology & Innovation
Marketing
Productions & Operations Management
NOTE: For a more detailed look at our cases, please visit http://www.asiacase.com/nanyangCase.
html. For cases in our IMARC case series and Asian Case Collection, please visit http://
www.asiacase.com/nanyangCase-imarc.html and http://www.asiacase.com/asianCase.html
respectively.
Last updated on 3 February 2012

*New* Singapore Chinese Orchestra
(A): Building a Sustainable 21st Century
Arts Enterprise
By Wee Beng Geok & Yvonne Chong
Publication reference no: ABCC-2011-004A
Issues: Managing an arts enterprise; Strategy
planning and implementation; Board-management

roles in a non-profit; Artistic enterprise business
models; Stakeholders management
Abstract:
Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) was one of three

flagship arts companies under the governments
Renaissance City Plan to develop a dynamic global
city for the arts. To achieve its mission to be a
world renowned orchestra and longer-term goal
of building a sustainable arts enterprise, SCOs
executive team initiated a strategic planning
process and set about implementing its plans
which included: programming that reflected
the orchestras core artistic values, audience
development, talent acquisition and development,
and corporate partnerships.
*New* NanoBright Technologies,

Singapore: Transition into a
Commercial Venture
By Olaf Rieck & D G Allampalli
Publication reference no: ABCC-2011-003
Issues: Technology commercialisation; Product-
market evaluation; Securing commercial orders for

new technology-based products
Abstract:
The case study on NanoBright documents the

technology development and commercialisation
process with limited capital grant or investment.
Although the young technology firm successfully
developed the nano-fluorescent materials (NFM)
technology and a number of new products such
as solar film, spray, paints and ink, it had to
grapple with the delay in licensing the new NFM
technology and the unpredictability of the process
of securing commercially viable orders based on
it, and manage its tight cash-flow situation of
technology startup.
*New* The Society for the Physically

Disabled: Managing Mission and Vision
in a Non-Profit Organisation Adaptation
in Dynamic Environments
By Wee Beng Geok & Ivy Buche
Issues: External environment of non-profit
organisations: Resources, stakeholders and

institutional fields; Impact of environmental
changes on social enterprise operations; Managing
mission, strategy and change.
Abstract:
The case is about the impact of the external

environment on the operations of a non-profit
organisation Society for the Physically Disabled
(SPD). The sustainability of its social enterprise
operations in such a context is also examined.
It describes how the charity managed the
continuous adaptation in the implementation
of programmes to meet the changing needs of
beneficiaries and other stakeholders. A Disability
Employment Network launched at a national level
would require the charity to further fine-tune the
founders mission of providing employment to
people with physical disabilities in Singapore.
The Demerger of Six Continents PLC(A)

By Siriwan Chutikamoltham & Yvonne Chong
Issues: M&As; Strategic issues of a demerger;
Benefits and costs of a demerger; Challenges of

raising capital during market turmoil
Teaching Note Available
Abstract:
Top hospitality group Six Continents announced

in 2002 the separation of its hotels and pubs
business, to be renamed InterContinental Hotels
Group (IHG) and Mitchells & Butlers. Set against a
backdrop of intense M&A activity in the industry
and the aftermath of the September 11 US terrorist
attacks, the case provides an opportunity to
debate the business and financial strategic issues
of a demerger.

Wilmar International Limited: Managing
Growth and Sustainability in a Global
Agribusiness Group
By Wee Beng Geok , Geraldine Chen & Ivy
Buche
Tata Consultancy Services: Sustaining

Growth Momentum in China 2010
By Wee Beng Geok, A. Lee Gilbert & Ivy Buche

Issues: Global agribusiness and sustainable growth;
strategy; Talent acquisition and development

in China
Teaching note Available
Stakeholder management; Environmental

NGOs
Background Note Available
Abstract:
Wilmar International, the third-largest listed oil

palm plantation company in the world, operated
across the entire value chain, from plantations
to processing, merchandising and distribution.
In 2010, Wilmar embarked on two strategic
initiatives acquisition of Sucrogen, Australias
largest sugar company and expansion into subSaharan Africa. As the global demand for palm
oil grew, environmental groups were concerned
about the adverse impacts on the environment.
The challenge for Wilmar was to manage the
new initiatives in view of the environmentalists
demands for more sustainable operations.
HCA Hospice Care Services (A):

Balancing Growth and Sustainability
Issues: Sustainable growth of a non-profit

Issues:Service delivery framework; Near market
Abstract:
In 2002, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) set

up operations in China. The aim was to grow
the China operations to become TCS second
global delivery centre after India, functioning
as its offshore IT outsourcing hub for the Asia
Pacific region. Chinas growing domestic software
market presented an attractive opportunity. In
2007, the company set a target to increase its
China-based manpower strength from 800 to
6,000 by 2011. However, the tight supply of IT
talent in China was a major challenge and in
early 2010, TCS manpower strength reached
1,100. The company set a new target to quadruple
manpower strength to 5,000 by 2014. What steps
should TCS take to tap the rising demand for
outsourcing services while tackling the problems
of achieving service excellence in execution in a
resource-tight situation?
Hyflux Limited and Water Sustainability

Treading Blue Oceans
By Wee Beng Geok and Ivy Buche with Mark
Kroll and Timothy Chua
organisation; Scaling up a charity to

meet growth in demand for palliative
care services; Healthcare professionals attraction and retention.

Issues: Capability building, business development,
Abstract:
Abstract:
HCA Hospice Care (HCA) was the largest homebased hospice care provider in Singapore. The
charity managed a successful turnaround from
three years of operating deficits (2001-2003) to
surpluses in the years that followed. As the general
population grew older, demand for hospice home
care services was expected to grow over and
above HCAs operating capacity. At the beginning
of 2010, HCAs leaders were at a crossroad as
the charity faced several resource constraints
to growth. Firstly, the challenge was to raise
sufficient financial resources to expand capacity.
Secondly, an adequate pool of competent palliative
professionals, were required to deliver the homebased hospice services. Finally, HCA needed ready
managerial talent if operations were scaled up.
strategic growth in new markets,

entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneur Olivia Lum, set up Hyflux Ltd in

1989 as a trading company, distributing water
treatment equipment. By 2009, the company
became one of Asias leading water treatment
companies providing integrated solutions mainly
for the municipal and industrial sectors. Despite
the 2008 global recession, Hyfluxs municipal
business remained strong as the company
succeeded in securing high value projects in
new markets. The challenge was to grow its
organisational capabilities to compete as a global
water treatment player.

National Kidney Foundation of
Singapore (A) Anatomy of a Crisis
By Wee Beng Geok & Yvonne Chong
Issues: Fund-raising strategies and the values
embedded in charitable giving; governance

of charities and the VWO leadership; the
board-CEO partnership; the roles and
responsibilities of crisis leadership; and
crisis management crisis communications
and management of stakeholders and other
actors in the external environment.
Abstract:
This case study is about the National Kidney

Foundation of Singapore (NKF), a major voluntary
welfare organisation (VWO) and examines
the issues leading to a leadership crisis in the
organisation in 2005. It explores the initiatives
taken by its CEO to build the NKF brand and reach
from 1992 to 2005. It examines the impact of NKFs
innovative fund-raising model and strategies on
the organisation and its external environment,
pre-crisis relationships and post-crisis responses,
and actions taken by key stakeholders in managing
the leadership crisis.
National Kidney Foundation of

Singapore(B) Leadership and Change
Publication reference no: ABCC-2009-002B
Issues: Leadership of VWOs; leading and managing
change in organisations; VWO leaders

as change agents managing multiple
stakeholders interests.
Abstract:
This case is about the pre and post-crisis leadership

at a voluntary welfare organisation (VWO),
the National Kidney Foundation of Singapore
(NKF), tracing its growth into one of the largest
charities in Singapore and the impact of this
on its leadership and stakeholders. It examines
the issues of change management at the VWO
as its leaders take action amidst an increasingly
complex and changing external environment. The
case also explores the challenges confronting the
post-crisis leadership team in managing change
inside the VWO after the exit of a charismatic
leader, while taking action to meet the change
expectations of external stakeholders.
Tata Consultancy Services of India

(B): Building an Offshore IT Software
Outsourcing Hub in China
Issues: Building competitive advantage through
people, Talent acquisition in a new market.

Teaching Note available
Abstract:
In 2006, TCS articulated its near market strategy

and announced a new service delivery model
- Global Network Delivery Model (GNDMTM),
underlining the global scale of its business
operations. In 2002, TCS established operations
in China, following multinational clients who
were setting up large scale operations there. By
February 2007, TCS China employed nearly 800
IT consultants and served more than 25 clients in
the Asia Pacific region. TCS goal was to build the
China operations into the companys second global
delivery centre after India. To give the initiative a
kick start, it had to increase its workforce strength
in China to 6,000 by 2010/11. In April 2008, TCS
China faced major challenges in talent acquisition
and development. What should the company do to
meet its manpower target in China for 2010/11?
Sri Lankas Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings:

Competitive Strategy and Sustainable
Tourism (A)
Issues: Sustainable tourism, Brand equity, Managing
hotels in a war-torn context.
Abstract:
Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC (ASHH), a

leading Sri Lanka hotel group was well known for
the iconic resorts, including Heritance Kandalama,
a resort which had won many international awards
for its ecological and environmental practices. At
the end of 2008, the groups key strategic overseas
thrusts were: (a) Expanding the groups premium
Heritance brand of hotel properties in India and
Oman and (b) Growth through hotel management
contracts in India and the Middle East. A key
challenge was to successfully and profitably export
its Heritance brand without diluting the current
brand equity. Could the hotel groups sustainable
development philosophy be successfully deployed
overseas? What were the challenges and how
could they be overcome?

Sustainable Tourism: Heritance
Kandalama Resort of Sri Lanka (B)
Issues: Sustainable tourism in an Asian context,
Organisational culture, HR practices and the

service delivery model.
Abstract:
In 1992, when ASHH announced its intentions

to build a tourist resort, Heritance Kandalama,
in Sri Lankas Cultural Triangle, the local
communities and environmentalists were
apprehensive. In response, ASHH embarked on
sustained environmental, social and community
development programmes. This case examines
(a) the environment management and social
and community development programmes at
Heritance Kandalama (b) the emergence of an
organisational culture among employees anchored
on sustainable development (c) HR practices
that engendered and reinforced employees
commitment to implement sustainable tourism
practices and strong employee support for the
customer service delivery model.
Developing Sustainable Fertilization:

Is NFL Ready for the Challenge?
By Ritu Narang
From the Asian Case Collection
Issues: Challenges of promoting balanced
agricultural fertilization in India. Addressing
the needs of a huge market with an
incomplete product portfolio.
Abstract:
The case is based on a public sector undertaking,

National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Indias second
largest producer of nitrogenous fertilizers.
Indiscriminate usage of fertilizers by farmers had
caused nutrient depletion in the soil leading to
decreased yields. Mr. Subodh Gawande, Dy GM
was confronted with the challenge of promoting
balanced fertilization among farmers. Gawande was
constrained by NFLs incomplete product portfolio
but also had to address the needs of a huge potential
market. He drafted a two-pronged proposal to handle
this scenario. As decisions were taken very slowly in
public sector undertakings, would NFL be able to
respond quickly to meet the current challenges?
Indias Insurance Industry:

Liberalization, Deregulation and Private
Sector Opportunities
By Ashish Lall & Shirley Koh
Issues: Liberalization of Indian insurance industry.
Abstract:
Since 1999, Indias insurance industry had been

undergoing transformation brought about by
liberalization and detariffication. Liberalization
had opened the former government-operated
insurance industry to private competition and
foreign minority ownership. Macroeconomic
factors especially high GDP growth rates were
fostering growth in the industry. While the
incumbent insurers still dominated the market,
private insurers were meeting the competition
with new products and distribution channels in
the brave new world of post-detariffication.
A Tale of Two Shipyards Strategies for

Competing on the Edge
Issues: The strategic challenge of change, Strategies
for survival/performance in dynamic

environments, Innovation and adaptation
Case Supplement available
Abstract:
In 2006, Keppel Offshore & Marine and SembCorp

Marine, two Singapore-based marine engineering
groups, were leaders in the global market for
the construction of offshore drilling platforms
and vessels. The last four decades had been
characterised by high velocity and unpredictable
changes. The ongoing challenge was to stay
flexible, continually adapting their strategies and
reinventing themselves to manage the disruptive
changes in the business environment. However
as more international competitiors moved in to
carve their share of the offshore construction
market, the race was on as to whether the two
could hold on to their leadership positions.

DBS Bank Ship Financing Challenges
in Asia
By Wee Beng Geok, Thomas Gleave &
Ivy Buche
Issues: Organizational design, Strategy
implementation, Knowledge networks,

Managing complexity, Organigraphs
Abstract:
The move from being a Singapore-centric bank

to one anchored in Asia, saw DBS extending its
presence in Asian markets and increasing the
depth and breadth of its services across the region.
The success of the banks strategic thrust into
Asias ship financing market would depend on its
ability to build a portfolio of shipping clients by
leveraging on the knowledge networks and other
invisible links across the extended group. The case
focuses on the issues of organisational design, its
impact on strategy implementation and developing
knowledge networks in geographically distributed
organisations, especially in the highly specialized
and competitive business of ship financing.
HTL International: Manufacturing for

Design
By Wee Beng Geok, Ivy Buche & Seow Jia Min
Issues: Design as an integral part of business
strategy, Strategic Alliances, Vertical

Integration, B2B Business Model
Chinese translation available
Abstract:
The case traces the evolution of a Singapore-based

leather sofa manufacturer, HTL International
Holdings Ltd, from an Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) for global furniture
wholesalers and retailers to become one of the
largest Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) in
Asia. The companys concept of Manufacture
for Design was the central attribute of their B2B
business model. Design featured strongly in terms
of the strategic choices made by the company with
regard to: the alliances formed with international
players, their value chain model, the key markets
they served and building core competence within
the company. In 2005, the key challenge facing
Y T Phua, the co-founder and Group Managing
Director, was to find a niche between low-cost
manufacturers and the high-end design furniture
players and to build a unique HTL identity in
leather sofa design.
6
Kaiten Sushi (Thailand) Company

Limited: Battling for Growth
By Chan Teng Heng & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Marketing and sales management, financing
growth and business strategy

Industry Note availabe
Abstract:
In 2000, Kaiten Sushi (Thailand) Company

Limited (KST) opened its first franchised sushi
restaurant in Bangkok. The company opened
three more outlets in the next four years so as
to enjoy economies of scale. While the outlets
initially attracted large crowds, customer arrivals
and sales declined with time. Price discounts,
loyalty programmes, new menu items and joint
promotions with shopping malls were some of
the measures that were introduced to sustain
customer arrivals, albeit with limited success. In
the first 10 months of 2004, the chains daily
sales declined from a range of 10 to 47 percent
and its operations suffered losses. BL Van, director
of KST had to decide how he could boost customer
arrivals and turn around the chains operations.
JTJB Advocates and Solicitors: Growing

the International Client Base through
Competitive Positioning
By Wee Beng Geok & Shirley Tan
Issues: Expanding client base, Strategy
Abstract:
In 2000, Joseph Tan Jude Benny (JTJB), a law

practice in Singapore, had opened its first overseas
office in Greece. It was the first Singapore law
practice as well as the first Asian law firm to set
up an office in the ancient port city of Piraeus.
At that time, Jude Benny, a senior partner, knew
very few people in the shipping community in
Greece. He remembered making the rounds and
knocking on the doors of Greek shipowners,
many of whom were unaware of the law firm from
Singapore. Four years on, he and his collegues
could count many Greek shipowners as friends
or close associates. Since then, the firm handled a
steady flow of legal work from Greek clients.

IMC Pan Asia Alliance Building
Strategic Resilience Through
Organisational Transformation
By Wee Beng Geok, Chung Chee Kit &
Yang Lishan
Issues: Organisational/cultural change, strategic
resilience
Abstract:
In late 2004, managers from the Asian shipping

group, IMC Pan Asia Alliance (Pte.) Ltd., had
just completed a four-day management retreat.
Forty managers from various divisions of the
Group had huddled together at a training facility
in a university campus at the western end of
Singapore, far from IMCs corporate office in the
city centre. The four-day session was to discuss
the implementation of IMCs business strategy for
the coming decade, and in particular, to identify
the key organisational capabilities that would be
essential if the Groups new business strategy was
to succeed.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

Inc.: Asia Pacific
By Leong Choon Chiang & D.G. Allampalli
Issues: Merger and Acquisition in the Hotel
industry, Entrepreneurship and Strategic

Planning
Abstract:
The case describes how Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Worldwide Inc., founded in 1991, grew under the
visionary leadership of Barry Sternlicht, its founder
and CEO. It documents how Sternlicht acquired,
financed and integrated two leading hotel brands
- Westin and ITT Sheraton during 1997, to become
a globally diversified leading hotel chain. However,
Starwoods operations were severely impacted by
the September 11 terrorist attacks and weaknesses
in the global economy. When business and leisure
travel in North American and European markets
entered a downturn, it leaned towards Asia for
future growth. However, the regions recovery
prospects deteriorated further due to the 2002 Bali
terrorist attacks and the 2003 Iraq war. For Miguel
Ko, Starwoods newly appointed president of Asia
Pacific, boosting the share of operating profit from
10 to 25 percent by 2007, was a tough challenge.
Singapore Airlines 2004 Managing

Organisational Change in a Turbulent
Environment
By Wee Beng Geok & Shirley Koh
Issues: Managing change and high performance
work systems in a turbulent business

environment
Abstract:
In early 2004, the emergence of low cost carriers

in Asia was a threat to Singapore Airlines (SIA)
proven and successful business model, based on
premium fares for premium services. To maintain
acceptable returns for the airlines shareholders
while continuing with its well-developed and
highly effective work processes and systems,
the company had to make deeper cost cuts in
its operations. Consequently, carefully nurtured
and well-established relationships between
employees and management were badly strained.
The challenge for CEO Chew Choon Seng was to
balance the different and sometimes conflicting
needs of various stakeholders while effectively
managing the imperatives of the massive changes
taking place in the airline industry in Asia.
SingTel and Cable & Wireless Optus

By Andrew Inkpen & Chung Sang Pok
Issues: Merger and acquisitions, strategic fit and
rationale
Abstract:
With a market capitalisation of S$28.1 billion

in March 2001, Singapore Telecommunications
Limited (SingTel) was the largest listed company
in Singapore. In late April 2001, SingtTel
was finalising their position on the proposed
acquisition of Cable & Wireless Optus Limited, the
second-largest telecommunications company in
Australia. This would help it to become the leading
integrated communications service provider in
the Asia Pacific region. SingTels proposed bid
was expected to be approximately A$15 billion in
a cash-and-share offer for a 53 percent stake in
Optus. In order to convince Optus shareholders,
it was essential to identify a compelling strategic
rationale for the deal and the significant benefits
for both SingTel and Optus.

The Port of Kaohsiung: Competing to be
the Global Logistics Hub in the East
By Chen Shao Xiang & Shirley Tan
Production & Operations Management
Issues: Port Strategy, Strategic Analysis, Global
Logistics, Supply Chain
Abstract:
In 2001, the port of Kaohsiung in Taiwan was

the largest international harbour in the country
and the fourth largest container port in the
world. Huang Ching-Tern, Director of Kaohsiung
Harbour Bureau, was reviewing recent events and
considering some fundamental questions critical
in formulating port strategies. After its ascension
to WTO, the emergence of China created many
strategic opportunities, as well as threats. Huang
had to consider how to respond to these and what
other strategies were needed to transform the port
into a global logistic hub.
Telenor Asia (A): Mobile Data Service

By A. Lee Gilbert & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Industry and Competitor Analysis, Business
Strategy
Abstract:
Entering the Asian market in 1998, Telenor Mobile,

the mobile arm of the Norwegian company,
Telenor ASA, acquired controlling stakes in mobile
operators in Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand
and Malaysia. It evaluated each opportunity on a
stand-alone basis. The market potential for voice
and data, wireless penetration and the degree
of deregulation in the region differed widely.
However, voice and data traffic between Singapore
and Malaysia offered some common ground to
harness operational synergies. Concerned about
the medium-term outlook of Asia, Telenor Mobile
had to review its medium-term strategy and
decide on the introduction of mobile data services
only in Malaysia and/or Singapore.
Knowledge Flows and the New

Comprador: A Mini Case on the Pearl
River Delta
By A. Lee Gilbert
Issues: Knowledge Management, Entrepot trade
Abstract:
In our post-industrial economy, effective

knowledge management is viewed as a key factor
for the success of individuals, firms and nations.
The key insight is that stocks of knowledge, however
comprehensive and specific, are quite useless
unless there is a way to ensure their availability to
the decision-making process. As decision-makers
are rarely omniscient, this demanded a knowledge
delivery system, which might take either a human
or technological form. To illustrate such a system
in action, this mini-case explores the evolution of
knowledge flows in the late eighteenth century
entrepot trade, from the perspective of Chinas
Pearl River Delta region, which for many years was
the economic growth engine of southern China.
The IOP Institute of Printing

(Asia Pacific)
By Wong Wai Mong
Issues: Strategic planning, Porters Five Forces,
Niche service

Abstract:
On 23 March 2001, Major (NS) Wong took

over the presidency of the Institute of Printing
(IOP), the professional organisation for printers
and others in printing-related trades in the AsiaPacific. He realised that the IOP was capable
of increasing its contributions to the printing
industry in Singapore, particularly in manpower
skills development. Having identified vocational
training as a niche service that the Institute could
lend its leadership, Major Wong pondered over
a host of other roles that the IOP could provide.
He had to quickly prepare a strategic plan on the
vision and the directions of the Institute before the
first meeting of the new executive committee in a
months time.

Singapore Airlines (A) 2001
By Toh Thian Ser & D.G. Allampalli
Issues: Corporate Strategies, Business Strategies,
Alliances, International Aviation

Abstract:
Singapore Airlines evolved from a fledgling

player in the 1960s into an industry leader. In the
process, SIA rewrote the rules for competition and
earned accolades for its excellent aviation record,
constantly modernizing its fleet of planes and a
reputation for delighting customers. Bilateral air
service agreements negotiated between individual
nations limited the routes of a given airline and
hence the airlines growth. The global airline
industry had responded to this challenge with
a mix of acquisitions, strategic alliances and
related diversification strategies. But would these
strategies be sustainable in the near future? What
course of action should SIA undertake?
Singapore Airlines (B) 2001

By Toh Thian Ser & D.G. Allampalli
Issues: Business Strategies, Organizational
Development, Organizational Culture, Core

Values
Abstract:
Singapore Airlines achieved excellence in its

service orientation, won dozens of industrial
awards and accolades, and beat industry
downturns thrice in the last three decades. By
2000, as international expansion and operations
grew, it became necessary for SIA to define a set
of core values that would apply across cultures
and geographical boundaries. Described as the
software of SIAs award-winning organisational
culture, the case documents how core values
enabled it to achieve sustainable business
excellence.
NTUC Income: Managing Social Mission

and Business Goals in a Market-Driven
Economy
By Wee Beng Geok, Robert Lian & Shirley Koh
Issues: Cooperatives in Singapore, Business
Strategies, Organisational Development,

Financial Liberalization
Abstract:
This case traces the corporate history and

development of NTUC Income (INCOME), the only
insurance cooperative in Singapore. Since 2001,
the local insurance industry had undergone major
changes in the form of new regulations following
the Monetary Authority of Singapores liberalization
of the financial services industry.The liberalization
was also expected to attract new players to the
insurance market. With new challenges posed
by the liberalization, what would the future hold
for INCOME? INCOME had enjoyed tremendous
growth and had emerged from the Asian Crisis
relatively unscathed. Could its previous success
help pave the way for continued prosperity? Facing
greater competition, how should INCOME continue
to meet social objectives without neglecting or
giving up some of its business goals?
ASM Pacific Technology Limited

By Tang Hung Kei
Issues: Corporate History, Organizational
Development, Research and Development,

Singapore and Hong Kong Business
Environments
Abstract:
The case traces the corporate history and

development of ASM Pacific Technology Limited,
a public-listed technology firm in Hong Kong. It
was founded in 1975 as a two-man outfit that sold
encapsulation equipment from the Netherlands
and materials from the US. In 1998, the firm
developed and mass-manufactured its own
award-winning semiconductor products, and
spun-off operations in China and Singapore. The
case focuses on technological and organisational
challenges facing the firm, the strategies that
could be implemented to meet these challenges
and contrasts the working styles of employees in
Hong Kong and in Singapore.
9
Accounting
*New* Charities Accounting Standards
2011 Implications for Singapore
Charities
By Chan-Ng Ai Lin, Wee Beng Geok and Ivy
Buche
Issues: Accounting standards for Singapore
charities
Abstract:
With the issuance of the Singapore Charities

Accounting Standard (CAS) on 24 June 2011,
charities in Singapore that were already complying
with the Singapore Financial Reporting Standards
(FRS), were presented with a choice should
they continue to comply with FRS or switch to
CAS? On the other hand, charities that were
complying with the Recommended Accounting
Practice 6 (RAP6) (Revised 2006), which would
be withdrawn, had to adopt a new accounting
standard. Would it be FRS or CAS?
Olam International Managing Growth

and Business Risks
By Foo See Liang & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: International merger and acquisitions,
leveraged financing of growth and risk

management
Abstract:
In 2005, Olam International Limited, a Singaporebased global agri-business trader and supply
chain manager complemented its organic growth
strategy with mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
To build its M&A capabilities, Olam developed
guidelines for its four business group heads to
identify and evaluate businesses for investment,
and integrate them to realise targeted synergies.
Recognizing the risks of global trading operations,
it built a robust risk management system (RMS).
By 2008, the strategic shift in business growth
had thrown up new challenges for Olam in
managing its RMS and performance.
10
Jet Airways (India) Limited Brand

Building and Valuation
By Asheq Razaur Rahman & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Trademark and brand ownership, cross-
holding of ownership, business and brand

valuation.
Teaching and Industry Note available
Abstract:
In 2005, Jet Airways priced its initial public

offering aggressively but investors feedback
called for brand and trademark ownership,
which it licensed from Jet Enterprises Limited.
The carrier hoped that its Mumbai-based auditor
would arrive at a formula to value the brand and
trademark, and complete its transfer in six months
time. However, the trademark registration in some
countries hit a snag. This case study provides
students with an opportunity to appreciate the
business setting of an emerging market system
and analyse economic, regulatory, management,
marketing, financing, accounting and valuation
issues, and their interrelationships affecting the
case company.
Olam International Singapore Building

a Risk Resilient Enterprise
Issues: Enterprise risk management, risk audit
and documentation, and management of

oversight risk.
Industry Note available
Abstract:
The case delineates how Olam International

Limited (Olam) became a global supplier of 14
agro-products. With wholly-owned subsidiaries
in 36 countries, Olam supplied agro-products
from producers farm gates to factory gates of
over 3,300 customers in 40 markets and achieved
organic growth by seizing on adjacent business
opportunities. Against the backdrop of agricultural
crop seasonality, industry deregulation and
cyclicality, and trade liberalisation, Olam weathered
fluctuations in demand, supply and price with
origination (procurement), integrated supply chain
and marketing capabilities, which were supported
by a risk management system. As Olam embarked
on a growth-by-acquisition model, in addition to its
organic growth model, the company had to reassess
the need to adjust its present risk management
system.
Accounting
United Test and Assembly Center
Limited, Singapore
DMX Technologies: Assessing the Risks

Amidst Rapid Expansion
By Foo See Liang & Chung Sang Pok
Publication reference no.: ABCC-2005-013

Issues: Managing economic cycles, business risks

Issues: Risk Management, Corporate governance
and growth
Abstract:
In April 2004, Lee Joon Chung (JC Lee), CEO

of United Test and Assembly Center Limited,
Singapore (UTAC), announced the acquisition of
UltraTera Corporation (UTC), a Taiwan-based
semiconductor test business. The managements
valuation of UTC at US$476 million and the
share swap ratio (1.6 UTAC shares for every UTC
share) was based on UTCs 2004 profit estimates.
Three months after the announcement, UTC
issued a performance alert. By July 2004, when
management of both companies agreed to revise
the terms of the acquisition, the semiconductor
industry had entered a downturn and Taiwanese
semiconductor assembly and test services (SATS)
players began to migrate to China. With UTAC
operating in a highly cyclical industry, its
management pondered over options to manage
business risk and growth.
Abstract:
At the end of 2002, Mr Giang Phung, the Chief

Executive of DMX Technologies was assessing
the opportunities and the risk exposure of the
company he established. Focusing on developing its
proprietary e-solutions, the company was founded
on the philosophy that it should be capable of
selecting the best products from different vendors
and integrating these into its own value-added
software solutions for the benefit of its clients.
Amidst all these exciting developments, Phung
was concerned about the risk exposure associated
with rapid regional expansion. Despite healthy
revenue, the company required a substantial cash
infusion to fund its R&D efforts and ambitious
regional expansion plan. The proposed IPO that
aimed to raise S$9.4 million which would benefit
both endeavours.
11
*New* Singapore Chinese Orchestra (B):
Developing Corporate Partnerships
By Yang Mei Ling
Issues: Communicating with sponsors; Cause-
related marketing; Corporate sponsorship;

Arts sponsorship; Fundraising by a non-profit
organisation; Developing a communication plan
Abstract:
The case discusses efforts by the Singapore Chinese

Orchestra Company (SCO) to review its fundraising
and corporate sponsorship programmes. SCOs
aim was to forge more corporate partnerships
by leveraging on its brand name and services
to effectively support its marketing efforts. In
2010, the SCO set about to explore ways to
persuade potential corporate partners to use SCO
as a marketing or branding partner to reach their
customers and target audience, or to boost their
reputation in the community.
Flesh Imp Street Wear: Breaking New

Ground in Singapore
By Elizabeth ONeil & Irene Wong
Issues: Corporate Communications
Abstract:
Nicholas Cho and Vincent Quek, two young

Singaporean entrepreneurs, were ready to extend
their line of street wear, Flesh Imp. After two
years of steadily increasing sales, the team felt
the time was right to create the breakthrough
retail environment that would fuse fashion,
lifestyle, culture and art and bring the street
movement to life. This lifestyle boutique would
feature the Flesh Imp brand exclusively. The only
remaining question was how to convince a group
of financiers of the power of street culture, of
the scale of their idea, and of the viability of their
business entity, despite their youth and the trendy
crowd to whom their products appeal.
12
InterContinental Resort Bali

By Priscilla Rogers & Gunter Dufey
Issues: Crisis Management
Abstract:
The two bomb blasts that went off in Bali in

October 2002 not only had devastating effects on
human lives, but also had a far-reaching impact
on the tourism industry in Bali. The case focuses
on the InterContinental Resorts management
and the actions and decisions it made during the
aftermath of the bomb blast in ensuring the safety
of hotel guests and the future job security of hotel
employees.
Flying Through Turbulent Times:
Cathay Pacific
By Joan C. Henderson
Singapore Airlines and Flight SQ006:

Managing an Airline Crisis
By Joan C. Henderson

Issues: Crisis management, Communication

Issues: Media communication, Crisis Management,

Abstract:
After recovering from the Asian financial crisis

at the end of the 1990s, Cathay Pacific was to
confront a number of difficulties in 2001. Amid
the growing competition amongst airline carriers
worldwide, a long-standing dispute between the
company and its pilots surfaced again in the
middle of the year and resulted in flight delays
and cancellations. Terrorist attacks in the USA in
September 11 then had dramatic consequences for
global air travel, leading to a fall in demand and
revenue. The case outlines these events and their
consequences for Cathay Pacifics management
and describes its responses, providing an insight
into some of the challenges of airline operation
in a period of uncertainty and its vulnerability to
internal and external pressures.
Organisational Learning
Abstract:
Flight SQ006, operated by Singapore Airlines

(SIA), crashed on 31 October 2000. The accident
was the first with fatalities in the 28-year history
of the airline, although everyone on board a plane
of its wholly-owned subsidiary (SilkAir) had died
in a crash three years earlier. More accustomed
to favourable reports associated with its successes,
the airline now confronted the challenges of
managing a fatal accident and adverse publicity
potentially damaging to its image and reputation.
After dealing with the immediate consequences
of the crash in the period up until 6 November,
when final casualties were confirmed, there was
an opportunity for the company in general and
the Public Affairs Department in particular to
pause and review the situation.
13
Economics
Monetary Authority of Singapore: Its
Establishment, Growth and Changing
Role
By Ramin Cooper Maysami & Shirley Tan
Issues: Central bank independence, banking reforms
Abstract:
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) was

established in 1971 to perform essentially all
the functions of a central bank except currency
issuance that remained under the jurisdiction of
the Board of Commissioners of Currency. It was
responsible for implementing monetary policies,
supervising financial activities in the country, and
being adviser, banker, and financial agent to the
Singapore government. In October 2002, the Board
of Commissioners of Currency was integrated
into MAS as its currency department. This case
documents the rationale for the establishment,
growth and development of MAS and delineates
its changing role during the last three decades
in the face of rapid financial liberalisation and
banking reform in Singapore.
14
Singapores Exchange Rate

Management System
By Ramin Cooper Maysami & Shirley Tan
Issues: Exchange rate management, Exchange rate
policy
Abstract:
Traditionally, in an era of limited capital mobility,

where the domestic financial markets were still
relatively undeveloped, the Monetary Authority
of Singapore (MAS) relied on direct control
measures as the main instruments of monetary
policy. From 1965 to the early 1970s, monetary
control policies were mainly targeted to reduce
growth in bank deposits and limit the availability
of foreign assets in domestic banks. In the late
1970s, the traditional instruments of monetary
policies - interest rate regulations and direct
capital controls - were found to be incompatible
with the overall economic thrust of developing
a global and sophisticated financial centre in
Singapore. Since 1981, MAS had formulated
a unique exchange rate policy to achieve
the ultimate target of low inflation. This case
documents the evolution of Singapores monetary
policy over the last three decades and allows
students to explore the reasons and possible
consequences of this monetary policy.
Entrepreneurship
Ezra Holdings: Entrepreneurship and
Capability Building From Regional
Operator to Global Offshore Services
By Wee Beng Geok, Yvonne Chong and Rajeev
Batra

Issues: Assembling resources - financial and human
capital; Organisational culture; Linking

human capital management and business
strategy
Abstract:
This case discusses the growth path of a Singaporebased marine services company. Started in 1992,
the entrepreneurs were able to leverage on
in-house competencies and knowledge of the
Oil& Gas (O&G) sector to grow Ezra into a
global offshore support services company with
market capitalization of US$1.2 billion by midJanuary 2010. As Ezra faced new challenges from
established O&G service providers, how should
it go about acquiring capabilities for its growth
strategy?
Nanyang Optical: Beyond Product

Design From Idea to Launch
By Wee Beng Geok & Nigel Goodwin
Issues: New product development, combining
innovation with business processes like

production, product launch and outsourcing
Abstract:
This case illustrates the process and challenges

of designing a new product and then making it
a reality. Yang Wah Kiang had innovative ideas
for spectacle frames and created two unique
new product designs. But Yang was not just
a product designer he was also a practical,
hands-on entrepreneur who owned and operated
a medium-sized company. He was not content
to leave his ideas on the drawing board; instead,
he would do whatever it would take to make
his designs become real products, ready for
the market. This involved both creative and
practical challenges. The case examines product
development, manufacturing and launch issues.
from two perspectives, that of a product designer
and that of an entrepreneur and business owner.
MarkPlus&Co (A): Managing for Growth

By Nigel Goodwin & Hooi Den Huan
Issues: Organisational design, Sustainability

Abstract:
MarkPlus&Co (A) tells the story of a small

professional services firm on the verge of
expansion. What had begun as a think tank
and a boutique research, consulting and training
firm in the area of marketing strategy was now
receiving heightened publicity and rapidly
increasing demand. The founder, thought leader
and principal consultant could not respond to
all of the current and potential clients personally
but they expected his level of expertise. As an
additional challenge, the founders own name
or brand was more prominent than the firms.
The founder therefore had to raise staff levels,
institutionalise his own knowledge and values
among his people and reposition the firms brand
relative to his own.
MarkPlus&Co (B): Expanding in

Southeast Asia
Issues: Regional expansion in SE Asia, Sustainability

Abstract:
MarkPlus&Co (B) presents a company that is a

leader in its national market and asks how this
company might replicate its success at the regional
level. MarkPlus&Co, a consulting, research,
corporate training and publishing company with
expertise in marketing and corporate strategy,
was Indonesias leading domestic consulting
firm. With regionalisation and globalisation
creating new opportunities throughout Southeast
Asia, the firm looked to Singapore and other
markets for expansion. The case examines the
firms sustainability, go-to-market strategy and
entrepreneurship.
15
Entrepreneurship
BreadTalk: Managing Expansion
Through Franchising
By Foo See Liang & Chung Sang Pok
Issues: Franchising, financial risk
Abstract:
When BreadTalk made its debut on the Singapore

stock exchange in late 2002, George Quek, the
founder and Managing Director of the bakery
chain, was assessing the opportunities and
risks facing the company. BreadTalk had made
progress in establishing its brand name and
expanding into emerging markets like China
and Indonesia. BreadTalk brought in a famous
Taiwanese dumpling restaurant to Singapore
through a franchise agreement. As its business
growth gained momentum, the company sought
to assess the risks associated with its growth by
franchising model in the overseas markets.
Singapore Mobile Company: Managing

for Profitable Growth
By Chan Teng Heng & Shirley Tan
Issues: Growth strategies, entrepreneurial
personality, human resource management
Abstract:
Singapore Mobile Company was established in

2000 with a mission to develop and provide
innovative applications for mobile phones. In
late 2003, Marcus Lee, Chief Executive Officer,
found himself confronted with a tough challenge
in growing his company. Market rivalry had
increased with the advancement of bigger phone
manufacturers into the industry as they sought
new growth avenues. Given the new market
pressures, he had to evaluate his current business
strategies and make several key decisions. What
kind of people would he need to recruit to support
the companys future expansion? Were there
other measures that he should take in the area of
organisational design? Lee had to address these
issues.
16
Intertainer Asia (A): Programming and

Distributing Hollywood Movies Online in
the Asia Pacific Countries
By Olaf Rieck & Shirley Tan
Issues: Telecommunications value chain, business
model
Abstract:
Intertainer Asia was set up in 1998 in the business

of home video distribution. The company licensed
its basic video-on-demand (VOD) platform
technology from Intertainer, Inc., the forerunner
of VOD services based in Santa Monica, USA, but
negotiated separate content deals directly with the
studios. Over the next two years, Intertainer Asia
developed itself into a leading entertainment-ondemand-company, streaming Hollywood movies
online to homes in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan
and later, in China, Australia, New Zealand
and Korea. In October 2002, Intertainer, Inc.
announced the suspension of its service in the
USA after filing an anti-trust lawsuit against the
studios. Although the service suspension did not
affect the management and business operations
of Intertainer Asia, it triggered some questions,
which Andrew Yap, CEO and Executive Vice
Chairman had to address.
iProperty.com: Creating an Internet

Venture
By Michael Heng & D G Allampalli
Issues: Financing the Business
Abstract:
Tracking the start-up and growth of a new Internet

venture at the start of the industrys boom in mid1999, the case delineates the experiences of two
entrepreneurs: Alex Koo and David Leong, who
set-up a B2C portal for the real estate industry
(REI). They drew up aggressive growth plans,
which included setting-up a B2B network for the
Asian region and listing on the Stock Exchange of
Singapore. By March 2000, after two rounds of
financing from angel and private investors, it was
on course to achieving the initial public offering
(IPO) goal. But the Internet industry bubble started
to burst and dotcom stock valuations crashed.
By July 2000, Leong and Koo had spent nearly
S$300,000 on IPO preparations. Facing a bleak
business environment and uncertain outcome of
the IPO, Leong and Koo wondered as to how to
proceed: to list or not to list?
Entrepreneurship
The Shiatsu School (A)
By Wee Beng Geok & Tom Gleave
Issues: Business Strategy, Decision Making,
Competitive Analysis
Abstract:
In December 1996, Terry Liew set up the Shiatsu

School. This was a considerable challenge for
the fledgling entrepreneur, requiring significant
personal investment. Liew made a considerable
effort to develop the business; however, in
December 1999, he was unexpectedly served
an eviction notice demanding that he vacate the
premises within four months. This meant he had
to scramble to find a new location that could
accommodate the growing business, as well as
appeal to his existing and future customer base.
After three months of searching, the choice of
where to relocate boiled down to two properties:
a shophouse in a commercial district on River
Valley Road or a private residence in the affluent
neighbourhood of Stevens Close. The decision was
critical because of the important implications it
had on the companys finances, market positioning
and future growth prospects.
The Silkroute Group: Achieving Success

in the Internet Age
By Harminder Singh & Christina Soh
From the IMARC Case Series,
Publication reference no: I-00-006
Issues: Internet Strategy, Technopreneurship,
Business Development
Abstract:
In Asia, as elsewhere around the world, many

dot.coms arrived on the business map in a
blaze of publicity but had to scale down their
expectations and promises. This case studies one
such Internet business the SilkRoute Group
from Singapore. Its striking feature had been its
atypical profitability since it began operations in
1994. It had matured into a holding company of a
whole range of Internet firms, running the gamut
from financial services to website development
to business-to-business networks. Its founder,
Wong Toon King, was held up as an example of
the breed of entrepreneur that Singapore needs.
The case explores the stages through which the
business developed and explains the strategic
decisions that Wong had to make.
The Shiatsu School (B)

By Wee Beng Geok & Tom Gleave
Issues: Sustaining and growing the revenue share
for a new business; Surviving an economic

slowdown
Abstract:
In March 2000, Terry Liew, decided to relocate

his Singapore-based business from a traditional
Chinese shophouse on Devonshire Road to
similarly styled property on nearby River Valley
Road. Liew was confronted with a variety of new
challenges, all of which he was able to resolve
with reasonable success. The need to develop
other revenue streams took on greater urgency
after the events of September 11, 2001. Liew was
forced to cancel classes that had been scheduled
for October and November 2001 because the
international students decided to stay at home. By
mid-December 2001, the situation had become
dire, as the level of international travel remained
depressed, with no major upsurge in sight over the
next several months. This left Liew pondering what
types of revenue streams he should quickly develop
in order to ensure the Schools continued success.
17
Finance
The Demerger of Six Continents PLC(B):
Intercontinental Hotels Group and
Mitchells & Butler
By Siriwan Chutikamoltham & Yvonne Chong
Reliance Industries Limited Unlocking

Shareholder Value Through Demerger
By Nilanjan Sen, Ho Kim Wai &
D. G. Allampalli

Issues:M&As; Financial analysis and outcomes of

Issues: Valuation of a diversified large business,
Abstract:
Abstract:
a demerger; Shareholder value creation;

Business strategy.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and

Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) were demerged from
hospitality conglomerate Six Continents to better
pursue their own growth strategies. In 2007,
IHG was the worlds largest hotelier with nearly
4,000 hotels while pub owner MAB had evolved
into one of Europes most successful foodservice
operators. This case examines the demergers
financial outcomes; with a focus on shareholder
value that the spinoff might have created.
Kingfisher Airlines - Acquisition of Air

Deccan: Indias First Low-Cost Carrier
By Mahmud Hossain & D. G. Allampalli
Issues:Valuation of low-cost carrier; merger and
integration; growth of airline businesses.
Abstract:
In 2007, Vijay Mallya, the founder of Kingfisher

Airlines, a premier full service carrier (FSC)
was forced to acquire Air Deccan as the lowcost carrier (LCC) competed vigorously with low
and unsustainable fares. The case highlights the
difficulties of valuing a loss-making new airline
business model and its post acquisition integration
challenges for the two airlines managements due
to contrasting business models, leadership and
management styles, brand and company cultures.
18
demerger of corporate assets and investor

value creation.
The case depicts how Dhirubhai Ambani founded

the Reliance Group with only Rs. 50,000 in
late 1950 and grew it into an US$17 billion
conglomerate in a span of fifty years. The founder
completed large expansion projects in record
time, acquired related businesses and ventured
into new businesses to create the Reliance
Group. In 2005, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)
announced the break-up of the groups businesses
to unlock its value and offer stakes to investors
in the new businesses. However, analysts were
wary to hazard a guess on the size of returns to
investors due to uncertainty of the drop in RILs
value and valuation of an unlisted telecom firm
in the Group.
Air Sahara: Implementing the

Acquisition Bid of Jet Airways
D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Due diligence and valuation of an
acquisition target, Implementation of merger

bid and business ethics.
Abstract:
Jet Airways made a successful bid to acquire Air

Sahara in 2006. To implement the merger, the
two airlines formed a joint management group
(JMG) and set March 2006 as the deadline for
the completion of the merger. As more time was
required to sort out financial issues and structure
the merger deal, apply for regulatory clearances
and prepare documents for ownership transfer,
the JMG extended the deadline. On 20 June 2006,
a day before the expiry of the extended deadline,
Alok Sharma, President of Air Sahara informed
the media that Jet Airways wanted to renegotiate
its US$500 million acquisition price. Sharma was
left to mull over the options for bailing out Air
Sahara.
Finance
Tata Steel Acquisition of Natsteel
Impact on Economic Value Added
D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Economic value added (EVA) analysis,
international business valuation and

overseas acquisition.
Abstract:
In August 2004, Tata Steel, India, made an

unsolicited offer to acquire the steel business of
the National Iron and Steel Company, Singapore
(NatSteel). Valued at US$289.50 (S$486) million,
the acquisition was Indias second largest in
that year. Although the deal looked inexpensive
as compared to setting up a new integrated
steel plant of a similar size, successful crossborder acquisition management remained a key
challenge.
Financing Structures in the Shipping

Industry: Singapores Pacific Shipping
Trust
Bobby Financial Associates:

The Australian Dollar
By K. Chandrasekhar & D.G. Allampalli
Issues: Investment risk analysis & management
Abstract:
The case presents the predicament of an investor

and day trader who speculates in the global
currency markets. It also illustrates the popular
stock market maxim - timing is the essence of
investing. However, no investor has an unfailing
skill in prediction. Bobby, anticipating a cut in the
interest rate, entered the currency spot market
in Australia and punted with a short position
of A$200,000, a day before the Reserve Bank of
Australia (RBA) was scheduled to meet to discuss
the economic and monetary policy in July 2003.
While Bobby thought he had timed the entry into
the Australian dollar spot market, the anticipated
interest rate cut by the RBA on the following day
did not occur. As a result, the Australian dollar
appreciated against the US dollar. Wrong-footed,
Bobby faced a paper loss of A$1,971. What are
his options?

Issues:Ship financing alternatives, Shipping Trust
Chinese Translation Available

Abstract:
Singapores first shipping trust Pacific Shipping

Trusts (PST) initial public offering (IPO) launched
in May 2006 presented an alternative source
of funding for ship owners and operators. Six
months later, after announcing a higher than
promised yield to its investors, the trust manager
- PST Management Pte Ltd was eager to enhance
and diversify both its assets as well as its customer
base. However, over this period, the share price
had fallen below the IPO price and trading
volumes were relatively low. The case describes
the challenges faced by PST Management in
growing the trust what steps could be taken to
generate awareness about the business of shipping
and the role of shipping trusts? How could they
improve market perception and enhance investor
confidence in PST as an attractive investment
option?
19
Finance
Pidemco Land and Orchard Parade
Holdings Medium-Term Note
By Low Buen Sim
Issues: Decision-making

Abstract:
In 1998, a year after the Asian currency crisis,

a Singapore-based property developer, Pidemco
Land, was presented with a proposal by a merchant
bank, Credit Agricole Indosuez (Asia). The bank
was arranging for another developer, Orchard
Parade Holdings (OPH) to issue a S$90 million, 5year medium term note through a subsidiary, OPH
(Orion) which was set up to hold a piece of prime
land in Singapore. As a result of the slump in the
property market in Singapore, there was a credit
squeeze for the property sector and the outlook
for a successful issue of the 5-year medium-term
notes was bleak. Under the deal, Pidemco Land
would provide an option to Orion and the holders
of Orions medium-term note. Exercising the option
would enable Orion and the note holders to sell their
shares and notes to Pidemco Land. In return, Pidemco
Land would receive an upfront undertaking fee. To
OPH, the option could provide much needed credit
support for the medium-term note and enhance the
probability of a successful subscription of the note.
20
Building Financial Market Institutions in

Emerging Economies: The Government
Pension Fund of Thailand
By Gunter Dufey, Katja Funke &
Georg Stadtmann
Issues: Financial Institutions & Markets,
International Investments
Abstract:
The case reviews the history and foundation of

the government pension fund (GPF) of Thailand.
Established just before the Asian crisis, the story
of GPF introduces students to various pension
arrangements and illustrates the challenges and
opportunities confronted by such a capital market
institution in the financial market environment of
a developing country.

Eastport Maritime Pte Ltd: Building
Essential Competencies for Sustainable
Growth and Development
By Wee Beng Geok, Ivy Buche and Yvonne
Chong
Issues:Role of shipbroker in the maritime industry;
Shipbroking as a career; Changing context

of shipbroking; Employee attraction and
enagement, training and development
Abstract:
In a highly specialised and relationship-intensive

business, shipbrokers acted as intermediaries
between shipping companies and their customers.
In 2010, Eastport Maritime, a Singapore-grown
international shipbroking group was keen to
develop its talent pool. In a constantly evolving and
competitive global maritime service environment,
how could Eastport shape its employer value
proposition to attract and to develop the skills of
the younger generation of shipbrokers and ensure
the firms success in the long run?
Dove Financial Services and CustomerRelationship Management Systems or

People?
By V.Padhmanabhan
Issues:Work culture; Turnover; Customer
relationship management; Management style
Abstract:
The case is based on a CRM crisis faced in a

branch operation of Dove Financial Services. It
discusses about the contemplation of the branch
manager Mr. Raj on the impact of a service
culture, which was carved and customised by
a former relationship manager Mr. Shankar, on
the company. The case narrates how Shankars
successors, after his transfer, face turmoil in
adhering to the service culture framed by him
beyond organisational formal service culture. The
case also provides the scenario about a successive
branch managers failed attempt to upgrade the
CRM system without understanding the existing
style of operation. Finally, the case leaves current
branch manager Mr. Raj with questions in his
mind like how an individual can create an
image larger than the organisation? What is the
sustainability of a work culture created by an
individual beyond his/her tenure? Can a new
system be upgraded without understanding the
existing style of operation?
HCA Hospice Care Services (B): The

Design of the Home Hospice Work
By Wee Beng Geok and Ivy Buche
Issues: Delivery of palliative care; Work & job
design - impact on capacity building;

Analysis of key competencies
Abstract:
HCAs multidisciplinary team, comprising of

doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors and
volunteers, provided home-based hospice care
to needy patients with terminal illnesses. The
case focuses on the design of hospice home care
services provided by HCA, in particular, the work
performed by two groups of professionals (doctors
and nurses) in the delivery of palliative care. The
key competencies required of such workers and
job-specific context of home hospice care are also
discussed.
Singapore International Airlines

Moving to a Flexi-Wage System during
Volatile Times
By Hesan Quazi & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Human resource management, Wage
reforms and restructuring
Abstract:
From 2001 to 2003, Singapore International

Airlines (SIA) faced triple disasters: the 9/11
terrorist attacks, SARS epidemic and the Iraq war,
which forced it to reduce capacity, reform and
restructure its wages. Having managed costs like
a tight ship, SIA found it difficult to negotiate
wage restructuring and retrenchments with its
unions. Operating in a rigid regulatory and
business environment, SIAs management found
it challenging to tweak the Seniority-based Wage
System, and migrate to a more flexible and
competitive compensation structure. With lower
yield, high-cost branding and intense competition
from the full-service global and low-cost carriers,
SIAs management explored ways to balance its
strategic elements, attain flexibility and sustain
wage and cost competitiveness to earn doubledigit returns for its shareholders.
21

Changi General Hospital: Balancing
Work-Life in a Healthcare Organisation
By Tan Joo Seng & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Work-Life balance, attrition and retention,
human resource management.

Background Note available
Abstract:
Changi General Hospital (CGH) implemented

work-life programmes (WLPs) and familyfriendly support programmes for their staffs
physical, social and emotional well-being from
2003 to 2005, and aimed to become an employer
of choice. CGH found that WLPs contributed to
the overall improvement in the hospitals key
performance indicators. However, operating in
a tight labour market for skills in the healthcare
sector, CGH needed to deal with the higher
attrition rates and absenteeism in a critical
department.
Tata Consultancy Services of India

(A): Human Capital Management as
Competitive Strategy
Issues: Systems thinking in training and
development.
Abstract:
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), Indias

largest IT service provider crossed the 100,000
employees mark in October 2007. Based on
a business model heavily reliant on low-wage
software engineering talent, TCS tapped Indias
large pool of engineering graduates, with great
success. These software project consultants
formed the backbone of the companys service
delivery system and the lynchpin of TCS growth
as a global IT company. However, as TCS followed
its multinational clients and set up operations in
developing countries, governments required TCS
to tap local engineering talent. The challenge
for TCS was whether its essentially India-based
talent development and management model could
continue to be a major source of competitive
advantage in these developing countries.
22
Evaluating the Worth of Human Capital:

The Raffles Swisstel Merger and
Acquisition of 2001 (A)
Issues: Due diligence stage of the M&A process,
Human capital issues.
Abstract:
This merger and acquisition (M&A) event is

used to explore the key human capital issues
that should be addressed as part of an M&A due
diligence exercise to: i) Enable the company to
make an informed assessment of the human
capital assets and liabilities of the company being
acquired. ii) To anticipate key people issues that
might arise during the integration stage of the
M&A, and which could affect the value creation
goal for the acquisition.
The Raffles Swisstel Group M&A of

2001 (B): Integration Issues
Issues: Integration planning and implentation,
achieveing balance between strategy

implementation and HR integration .
Abstract:
On 5 June 2001, Singapore-based hotel group,

Raffles Holdings Limited, owner of Raffles Hotels
and Resorts, announced that it had purchased
Swisstel Hotels and Resorts. As the merger moved
into the integration planning and implentation
stage, the immediate challenge for Raffles
management was the integration of over 6,000
employees from the Swisstel group into the
new organisation. For the merger to achieve its
strategic potential, Raffles management had to
examine the strengths of both hotel chains, to
maximise synergies and secure specific areas of
cost-savings and revenue enhancement. Over a
six-month period, Raffles management strived
to achieve a balance between the desired pace
of strategy implementation and that of human
resource integration, given the human dynamics
confronting the post-merger situation.

Philips Singapore: Creating Value
Through Human Resource Shared
Services Centre
By Hesan Quazi & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Sharing HR services and outsourcing, value
creation and cost reduction in delivering HR

services, strategic HR in global organisations.
Nemo Holdings Singapore:

Promotion Blues
By Klaus-J. Templer & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Senior Management Recruitment, Succession
Planning, Performance Evaluation,

Leadership
Abstract:
Abstract:
The case describes the business growth of Nemo

Holdings Private Limited (NHPL) from 1992 to
2003, an electronic component distribution and
marketing firm, under CEO Bruce Poon. In mid1997, Poon appointed Ben Tan, a friend and
former colleague as the sales manager for NHPL
and promoted him to senior sales manager in
1999. In 2000, affected by slowdown in the
electronics sector, NHPLs growth slowed. NHPL
bought controlling stakes in three businesses in
the non-electronics sector and promoted Tan
as GM of the new joint ventures. The number
of staff reporting to Tan rose from 2 to 40.
By mid-2003, NHPLs growth had declined, an
Enterprise Resource Planning project was delayed,
the company lost a contract in the Philippines
and a supply agreement for a large Shanghai
MNC. Faced with these setbacks, Tan resigned in
November 2003, a move which stunned Poon.
Setting the Stage for Service DramaBased Workshops for Soft Skills
Development
TEL Systems and Engineering Singapore

Managing Employee Turnover
By Hesan Quazi & D.G. Allampalli
In 2003, Philips Electronics Private Limited,

Singapore (Philips Singapore), launched Philips
People Services (PPS), a shared services centre to
provide various standardised human resource
services to its 3,500 employees at an annual
service fee of S$550 per employee. With
centralisation and value creation, and outsourcing
of HR activities, Dr Martin, Executive Director,
Country Management and Vice-President of
Human Resource was able to demonstrate that PPS
reduced the cost of business support function and
improved decision-making related to recruitment
and retention activities. At the end of 2004,
just when PPS performance improvement had
gathered pace to raise its value proposition to
customers, Dr Martin had to mull over a product
division heads expectation of a lower annual
service fee.

Issues: Hotel/Retail Service, Drama Based Training,
Building Soft Skills
Abstract:
In 2004 and 2005, The Theatre Practice (TTP),

an established theatre company in Singapore
conducted a series of drama workshops for
service staff of InterContinental Singapore. The
workshops focused on liberating the individuals
energy blocks that inhibited self expression
and limited his capacity for enjoyment and
engagement in his work life. Compared with
other skills development programmes, these
workshops seemed unstructured and almost
random in the instructional approach. TTP hoped
to extend the programme to other hotels/firms
in the service industry. To do so, TTP needed to
convince the managements of service firms that
theatre techniques could help in building the soft
skills critically needed by many service workers
in Singapore.

Issues: Sustaining business growth, managing
employee turnover and compensation
Abstract:
TEL Systems and Engineering (TEL) a fast-growing

Singapore-based information technology (IT)
and industrial automation (IA) services company
overcame the small domestic market and tight
labour market conditions during the mid-to-late
1990s by internationalisation. It experienced high
manpower turnover, particularly in the cadre of
fresh engineers and junior executives from 1995
to 1997. While the national average of employee
turnover in the IT sector from 1996 to 1997
remained around 16-17 percent, TELs employee
turnover grew from 36 to 43 percent during
the same period. Although TELs management
implemented an employee stock option scheme
(ESOS) in two stages in 1997 and early 1999,
Daniel Lee, the head of the HR pondered over the
options to halt the exodus of young engineers.
23

GMP Recruitment Services:
Recruitment Tracking System
By Klaus J. Templer & D.G. Allampalli
Issues: Computerisation of recruitment services,
competition in online recruitment services

Abstract:
The arrival of corporate recruitment websites

in the mid-1990s and the onslaught of new
entrants, such as job portals and foreign online
recruitment companies in the late 1990s
impacted the Singapore recruitment services
industry and altered the basis of competition.
Tracking the development and growth of GMP
Recruitment Services (S) Private Limited, a
recruitment services company in Singapore, the
case describes implementation of its three stages
of computerisation from 1994 to 2003. However,
this was inadequate to cope with its growth and
competition from job portals. What should GMP
do to compete in the new environment? What
should its recruitment business model be?
24
DCrypt Private Limited: Managing

Talent in a Techno-Centric Organisation
By A Ahad M. Osman-Gani & D.G. Allampalli
Issues: Managing technical Professionals, Sustaining
Employee Motivation
Abstract:
The case describes the challenges of a technology

dominant start-up business that aimed to
develop products for the information security
assurance industry in Singapore in early 2000.
Two technopreneurs, Antony Ng and Chew
Hwee Boon, identified, attracted and selected
technical professionals to build DCrypt, a
cryptographic design and development house in
Singapore, where cryptographic and technical
professionals more disposed to learning, were
in short supply. While its intellectual property
(IP) and technological capability increased, the
technical professionals behavioural differences
became an organisational concern. When Ng was
mulling on ways to motivate and lead a technocentric organisation to the next stage, Glenda Tan,
the HRD manager confirmed that Lionel Teo, a
programmer in Crypto Products Group had failed
to submit the signed IP agreement despite several
deadlines. As Ng pondered on the options, the IP
risk burgeoned.
Global Shipbroking New Challenges
to Communities of Practice
By Wee Beng Geok, Yvonne Chong
Hotel Wuxi International: Expansion into

China
By Leong Choon Chiang

Issues: International shipping; Maritime industry;

Issues: Market and financial analyses; project
Global shipbroking; Financial derivatives;

Organisational learning; Communities of
practice
Case Supplement Available
Abstract:
This case describes the emergence of the global

shipbroking community from its origins in
London 200 years ago and how brokers were able
to evolve and stay relevant despite the threat to
their traditional middlemen role. As shipbrokers
diversified into financial services, the growth of
freight derivatives trading and the shipping boom
in 2004-2008 attracted new market players into
the sector. How would these changes impact the
future role of shipbrokers as dealmakers in the
shipping industry?
Freight Derivatives
By Low Buen Sin
Publication reference no: ABCC-2009-009CS

Issues: International shipping; Maritime industry;
Global shipbroking; Financial derivatives;

Organisational learning; Communities of
practice
Abstract:
The paper provides an overview of freight

forward agreements and freight options, as well as
developments in the freight derivatives market in
early 2010. Derivative contracts refer to contracts
that trade the underlying asset in a manner
that differs from a normal spot transaction. In
May 1985, the Baltic Exchange through the
Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange,
launched a freight forward contract written on
the Baltic Freight Index. The trading of the freight
derivatives in the over-the-counter markets
(OTC) began in the early 1990s. Basically there
are two main types of freight derivatives - freight
forward contracts and freight option contracts.
The underlying asset for freight derivatives is the
future levels of freight rates for a specific trade
route or for a basket of trade routes. A freight
rate refers to the price at which a certain cargo is
delivered from one point to another.
costing and hotel operations.

Abstract:
In December 2006, Sinchong Property Investment

Pte Ltd (SPIPL), a Singapore-based property
investment firm, signed a letter of intent to take
over a partially completed hotel project from
the Wuxi City Authority for consideration of a
sum of RMB45 million. The original property
development called for a 22-storey three-star
hotel building with 220 rooms and a four-storey
staff building. The concrete structure had already
been built, but due to financial difficulties, the
Chinese owner had to relinquish the project.
Within sixty days prior to the signing of the final
agreement to take over the project, SPIPL was keen
to ensure that the project was feasible and that the
new hotel, its first such project in China, would
succeed. During this period, Liang Chee-Sian, the
Chief Executive Officer of SPIPL must assess the
business challenges of developing and operating
the new Hotel Wuxi International.
The MV Petro Ranger Arbitration:

A Post-Mortem Analysis
By Tan Lay Hong, Wee Beng Geok &
Ivy Buche
Issues: Defence of frustration and excepted peril
of arrest or restraint by public authority.

Pitfalls of arbitrating in a third country
forum.
Abstract:
MV Petro Ranger was hijacked by pirates in the

South China Sea on 17 April 1998. She was then
detained by the Haikou authorities on charges
of attempted smuggling. On 28 May 1998, the
Haikou authorities released the ship but auctioned
off the remaining cargo for US$1.1 million. Petec,
the cargo owner, brought arbitration proceedings
against Petroships, the ship owner, for breach of
contract. Petroships lost the case. This case explores
in depth the ship owners defence of frustration
and excepted peril of arrest or restraint by public
authority under Section 4(2)(g), The Carriage of
Goods by Sea Act, 1936 (US) as well as the pitfalls
of arbitrating in a third country forum.
25
Citigroup: Private Banking in Asia
By Nigel Goodwin & A. Lee Gilbert
Pacific International Lines

By Wee Beng Geok, Yang Lishan & Ivy Buche

Issues: Capturing the HNW segment, branding,

Issues: Family Owned Business, Corporate life-
Abstract:
Abstract:
private banking
Citigroup was a leader in private banking the

provision of investment products and wealth
management services to affluent and high net
worth individuals. The private banking sector was
growing rapidly in Asia, fuelled by the regions
economic development and the subsequent
accumulation of personal wealth. Clients were
becoming more sophisticated and demanding
and market liberalisation fostered competition
between domestic and foreign private banks.
Against this backdrop, Citigroup attempted to
expand its private banking market share in the
key markets of mainland China, South Korea and
India. This case examines a fragmented market split
between global giants and domestic champions.
Key issues include market segmentation, strategic
positioning, international expansion, market
entry barriers, industry regulation, corporate
governance, channel distribution, and a choice
between organic growth versus acquisitions and
alliances.
26
cycles, Succession, Business Strategy, Asian

Shipping
Pacific International Lines (Private) Limited (PIL)

was ranked the 20th leading container shipping
company in the world in 2005. The growth of this
privately-held, family-owned shipping firm was
achieved against several odds in the political and
economic environment faced by many Singaporebased shipping firms that emerged in the 1960s.
The first generation entrepreneur had been able
to carve out niche strategies by identifying market
segments where competition was unlikely to be
very strong. In the 21st century, the baton had
been passed on to the second generation and the
key challenge was to achieve sustainable growth
so as to maintain the companys position among
the top twenty container shipping lines in the
world.
Infocomm/IT & e-Commerce

Asia-Pacific Strategy for Online
Hotel Reservations: Cendant Travel
Distribution Services
Judy A. Siguaw & Nigel Goodwin
Issues: Could a business model that was originally
developed for the United States be applied to

the Asia-Pacific?
Teaching and Backgroud Note available
Abstract:
This case describes one of the worlds leading

online hotel reservation companies and presents
its prospects in the emerging Asia-Pacific markets.
Cendant Travel Distribution Services had acquired
a number of online hotel distribution businesses
around the world and was in the process of
integrating them and leveraging their assets
across the entire portfolio. The case examines
how Cendant TDS might overcome the industrys
cultural, structural, technological, strategic and
competitive challenges to become the regions
number one player.
The Worlds First Web Services

Community Portal: Bigtrumpet.com of
NTUC Income, Singapore
By Neerja Sethi & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Web Services Technology, Portal
Development and IT Project Management
Abstract:
The case describes the successful creation and

Phase One launch of the worlds first web
services, technology-based portal BigTrumpet.
com in October 2002 by the NTUC Income
Insurance Cooperative Limited Singapore (NTUC
Income). With its ability to glue disparate systems,
savings in integration and middleware costs
and interoperability, the web services technology
was a new lifeline for obsolete mainframes. Set
to launch in seven months, James Kang, CIO of
NTUC Income overcame the challenges of new
technology, multi-agency coordination and tight
deadlines. Kang wondered what options were
available to improve the portals take-up rates by
other service providers and value proposition to
its customers.
NTUC Income of Singapore:

Re-Architecting Legacy Systems
By Neerja Sethi & D. G. Allampalli
Issues: Integration of Legacy Systems, Web Services
Technology and IT Outsourcing
Abstract:
The case describes various information technology

(IT) initiatives undertaken by NTUC Income
Insurance Cooperative Limited, Singapore, from
1980 to 2002 to be a leading player in a highly
competitive market. Although the cooperative
attained a state-of-the-art front-end and a lowcost service delivery model, its back-end legacy
applications and architecture were still antiquated
in 2002. Lack of flexibility, poor connectivity to
the Internet and new devices, lack of maintenance
support for the hardware and software, and
frequent breakdowns of the mainframe forced
the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to mull over
a re-architecting project in mid-2002. He had
three options: build in-house, outsource, or buy
a ready package to customise. Describing the
pros and cons of these options, the case provides
comparative profiles of two bids: one by a local
vendor to build a new system and the other an
international vendor, eBao, a young upstart from
China, to buy a ready package and customise it.
Enabling Digital Government through

E-Services: Second-Wave
Re-engineering in the Inland Revenue
Authority of Singapore
By Neo Boon Siong & Sia Siew Kien
Issues: Business Process Re-engineering, Systems
Implementation
Abstract:
IRAS successfully managed an IT-enabled

transformation to achieve improvements in tax
collection, increased taxpayer satisfaction, and
enhanced effectiveness of taxpayer compliance. Phase
1 (1993-1998) saw massive reengineering through
cross tax type integration and the implementation of
a $69m mass-production Inland Revenue Integrated
System (IRIS) under the leadership of Commissioner
Koh Yong Guan. Under the new Commissioner Koh
Cher Siang, Phase 2 (1998 onwards) began with an
imperative to sustain the early success. However,
two years into stable operations, the trade-offs
related to the earlier success resurfaced.
27

Lite-On of Taiwan: Towards a Leading
Global Technology Corporation
By Tang Hung Kei & Chung Sang Pok
Pacific Internet Limited Seizing the

Future
By Olaf Rieck & Tom Gleave

Issues: Value-chain analysis, Investment in China,

Issues: Telecommunication Business Strategies,
Corporate strategy
Abstract:
This case study traces the development of

Taiwans first listed electronics company Lite-On
Technology Corporation during the period 2000
to 2002. Established in 1975, the founders saw
the growth potential in the global PC market and
decided to expand into the PC peripheral products
market in the late 70s. The strategy of riding on
the wave of rapid global PC growth had paid
off. Lite-On became one of the most prominent
Taiwanese semiconductor and information
technology (IT) firms in terms of revenue and
world market share of its key products.
SingChina Tire Pte Ltd: Managing an

International Joint Venture
By A. Ahad. M. Osman-Gani & D G Allampalli
Issues: Cross Cultural Management, International
Joint Ventures, National & Organisational

Culture
Abstract:
On 20 January 1995, Kimberley Tan was

reviewing an expatriation offer from SingChina
Investments Holdings Ltd (SCIHL), Singapore. It
was a three-year contract as finance manager
for its joint venture, SingChina Tire Pte Ltd, Hefei,
China (SCT). On the upside, Kimberley was aware
that SCT transition from state-owned to joint
venture enterprise offered immense challenges
which she was looking forward to from an
overseas assignment. In addition to generous
allowances for agreeing to work in China, the
new position of finance manager brought her
authority and responsibility. On the downside,
Kimberley wondered how she would handle
the differences in national and organizational
cultures and balance the conflicting interests of
joint venture partners.
28
E-Strategies, Strategic Analysis, Formulation

& Evaluation, Product Differentiation
Abstract:
Pacific Internet Limited (PacNet), Singapores

second oldest and second largest Internet
Service Provider (ISP), signalled a new stage in
its development when it appointed Tan Tong
Hai as its new CEO in February 2001. Tans
mandate was to return PacNet to profitability.
After five months on the job, Tan could focus on
guiding the new-economy company through a
classic old-economy problem. He had to decide if
PacNet should try to capture more of the Internet
services-related value chain through vertical
integration. If so, he needed to identify the specific
domains in which the company should compete.
At the same time, Tan needed to determine what
markets to prioritize in terms of the companys
existing services, as well as any future services.
Emerging Chinese MNCs: Konka Group

Company Limited
By Biswatosh Saha
Issues: Global Business Strategies, Government &
Business, Entry Modes
Abstract:
Set in the late 1990s, the case study describes

the entry of a leading manufacturer of colour
television sets in China into the Australian,
USA and Indian markets. In spite of foreign
competition, Konka became a leading company
and brand in China. With financial assistance
from domestic banks and financial institutions,
the company embarked on an expansion into
the global market using assimilated imported
technology. This model bore a close resemblance
to the successful internationalisation model of
the Japanese and Korean companies in the period
before 1980. Would Konkas strategies and the
elements of its internationalisation model ensure
continued success in the future?

Opti-Tech Limited Developing an
Asian Sales and Service Network
By Xia Yang & Tom Gleave
Issues: Cross-Border Marketing, Distribution
Strategies & Decisions

Abstract:
In April 2001, Peter Schmidt, Director of Sales

(Asia) for Opti-Tech Limited, was preparing his
business development plan for the new fiscal year,
and had spent much time travelling throughout
Asia to learn about the optical disk manufacturing
industry. Prior to Schmidts arrival, the company
had demonstrated a lack of commitment to the
region, which resulted in a significant slump in
sales and poor after-sales service. It was then that
senior management realised a more concerted
effort was needed to develop an effective sales and
service network in Asia, beginning with the hiring
of Schmidt. Having assessed Opti-Techs relative
position in Asia, Schmidt concluded that his first
priority should be determining who should be the
companys key agents in selected markets.
Global Sources, Inc.

By Christina Soh & Harminder Singh
From the IMARC Case Series
Issues: B2B Business, Growth Strategy, Competition
Abstract:
Global Sources is a rare entity: a profitable dotcom. This case study explores how it came to
arrive at this exceptional situation, by tracing the
development of its business since its founding.
Over the thirty years of its existence, Global
Sources has developed various strengths and the
case explores how it leveraged these to stake out a
prominent location in the Asian Internet landscape.
It also explains how it acquired the requisite
expertise to transform itself into a technology
savvy organisation. As it adapted its business to fit
the changing business environment, it now finds
itself competing against an extremely different
set of competitors, who are international, young
and nimble. Its ability to maintain the pace of its
change will be increasingly crucial in the face of
these new challenges.
Vertical Net, Inc.

ECNet: From Dot.Com to Sustainable

Business Model

Issues: B2B Business Model

Issues: Strategy Formulation
Abstract:
Abstract:
After the fall from grace of Internet-based retailers,

the business-to-business (B2B) industry was
enthusiastically promoted as the next beneficiary
of the diffusion of the Internet in business.
Among the many firms that were founded to take
advantage of this wave of goodwill was VerticalNet.
It became a highly visible success story and within
three years, it had opened twenty-four verticals
or industrial communities. This case study traces
the evolution of its strategy, as it progressed
from providing basic matchmaking services for
businesses in specific industries to offering the
software that would enable firms to improve
their procurement processes and enhance their
links with their partners. VerticalNet faced a fastshifting competitive landscape and its responses
to these challenges are detailed in the case in an
effort to understand the mechanics of its strategymaking process, as well as provide some guidance
on its future trajectory.
In mid-2000, ECNet, a subsidiary of Silkroute, the

first dot.com company in Singapore, established
an electronics e-marketplace, ECnet Exchange,
and had earlier relocated the global headquarters
to Silicon Valley as part of a series of strategic
initiatives. By the end of 2001, the e-marketplace
folded up, operations in the US were shut down,
and the headquarters were relocated to Singapore.
Nevertheless, the company reported a turnover
of US$8.5 million for 2001. Over 70 major
manufacturers and more than 1,600 suppliers
were said to use ECnets solutions and services
with transactions of over US$1 billion per month
recorded in 2002. The company had found new
strategic directions to remake itself and reposition
for long-term viability.
29

Citibank Asia Pacific: Rearchitecting
Information Technology Infrastructure
for the 21st Century
By Christina Soh & Neo Boon Siong
Convergence Meets Liberalization:

The Starhub Experience
By Arthur L. Gilbert

Issues: E-Strategy, Technology Infrastructure,
Systems Implementation

Issues: Policy Shifts, Liberalization, Emergence of
New Technologies
Abstract:
Abstract:
Technology has played a key role in Citibanks

realisation of Citibanking - the ability to serve
its customers anywhere anytime. Focusing on
the Asia-Pacific, this case explores the steps
taken by the banks senior management in
enhancing its technological infrastructure to
enable it to improve its operational efficiency
and organisational effectiveness. Beginning in
the early 1990s, it traces the development of the
Regional Card Centre in Singapore and carries on
through to the end of the decade where the advent
of the Internet brought forth new challenges in
its business environment. It examines the close
linkages between its business strategy and its
technological evolution and the processes it went
through to achieve its position of technology
leadership.
30
The case explores the impact of an abrupt

policy shift on a new market entrants strategic
deployment of advanced next-generation
intelligent network technologies. Accompanied
by the material on emerging mobile commerce
technology, the case facilitates analysis of the
implications of this new platform from two
perspectives: the impact on the national
telecommunications industry, and in terms of
shifting standards, laws, and behavioral norms:
rules that will shape the future of the industry.

Managing Intellectual Capital at Tata
Consultancy Services
By Ravi S. Sharma & Shirley Koh
Issues: How is KM leveraged as a growth strategy?
What is a Knowledge Audit? Why is it

critical to manage KM tools and programs
with a strategic perspective?
Abstract:
As a global IT services company, Tata Consultancy

Services Limited (TCS) was confronted with
issues of growth, attrition, cultural diversity
and management of intellectual capital. TCS
had undertaken Knowledge Management (KM)
initiatives in the belief that they could leverage its
existing resources for growth. Could KM be a key
differentiator for TCS? The company was at the
crossroads even as it celebrated the launch of its
new one-stop KM platform.
State Support and Development of

Indigenous Capability in a High-Tech
Industry: The Telecom Equipment
Industry in India and China
By Biswatosh Saha
Issues: Technology & Strategy, Product Strategy
Abstract:
C-DoT was a public sector research institution set

up by the government of India in 1984 to develop
capabilities in the design and manufacture of
telecommunications equipment. By 1994, it had
succeeded in designing large-capacity telecom
switches enabling India to join a select band
of developing economies, alongside South
Korea, Brazil and lately China, to have such
capabilities. At the turn of the century, C-DoT was
confronted with a crisis. In the last decade of the
1990s, changes in telecom technology as well as
changes arising from increasing deregulation and
introduction of competition in telecom service
markets fundamentally altered competitive
dynamics in the telecom equipment industry.
Moreover, the achievement of C-DoT, in terms
of technology development and market-making,
appeared modest when compared to enterprises
like Huawei Technologies, which had expanded
rapidly into international markets.
TNTs Clinical Express Service in Asia

By Tang Hung Kei & Shirley Tan
Issues: Growth strategy, business development,
marketing strategy
Abstract:
This case focuses on the developments of TNTs

Clinical Express Service in Asia. TNTs global
ambition by 2005 was to gain a majority share
of the clinical trials logistics market. By August
2003, the company had established a track record
for timely delivery and reliability for this service
in its first phase of development in Asia. Ni Sheng
Jie, General Manager of Life Sciences Asia, had to
consider the growth challenges and strategy in
the second phase of development which would
begin with a new launch in the upcoming SEA
Games in December 2003. There were several
questions he had to consider in creating the next
wave of growth: What expansion opportunities
were there? How could he improve TNTs position
in this industry in Asia?
From Paper to Screen: Voyage towards

Real-Time in Maritime Navigation
Singapores Hydrographic Services
By Wee Beng Geok, Chung Chee Kit &
Yang Lishan
Issues: Implementation of digital technology,
managing technology change, social context

of technology change, stakeholders analysis
Abstract:
In 1996, Singapores national hydrographic

services commenced production of Electronic
Navigational Charts (ENCs) of Singapores port
waters. In March 1998, the first official Singapore
ENC was ready for commercial use. By 2000,
the Hydrographic Department began to promote
the use of ENCs. Electronic Chart Display and
Information System (ECDIS) advocates faced a
number of challenges. Firstly, shipowners and
operators had to be persuaded to invest in
new and expensive equipment, when, for over
200 years, vessels had relied on paper charts.
Secondly, official electronic chart coverage had
to be improved worldwide and littoral nations
around the worlds major sea lanes would have
to invest public funds to undertake new surveys
of their seas and coastlines, in order to produce
ENCs that would complied with international
standards.
31

Seatek Systems Pte Ltd
By Tang Hung Kei

Issues:Technical, organisational and human
resource management issues faced by an

engineering company
Abstract:
Seatek Systems, a Singapore-based engineering

company, embarked on a new project to develop a
new product, the M2K data logger. It encountered
serious problems, dogged by technical difficulties
as well as organisational problems, in particular
untimely changes in key personnel. Also, the
new product development required technological
capability which Seatek had outsourced in the
past. Although Seatek had overcome the hurdles
so far, the failure of an initial batch of 50 M2K
data loggers during the field trials to perform
satisfactorily was a serious cause for concern to its
general manager. He had two months to rectify or
lose the entire order of 500 data loggers and also
face compensation claims from the customer.
Seagate Technology International (A)

Enhancing Supply Chain Collaboration
By Tang Hung Kei & Tom Gleave
Issues: Internet enabled supply chain management,
B2B model, Technology adoption life cycle

Abstract:
Singapore-based
Seagate
Technologies
International (Seagate), the worlds largest diskdrive manufacturer, along with nine industry
leaders, launched the Internet based portal
e2open.com in August 2000 as a means to secure
greater collaboration among industry players and
improve supply chain efficiencies. However, a
severe downturn in market sentiment towards
Internet portals hampered the adoption of new
online business models. Two of Seagates key
Singapore-based managers involved in the e2open
project were tasked to draft recommendations to
attract more interest and participation from other
industry members.
32
Seagate Technology International (B)

Enhancing Supply Chain Collaboration
Issues: Internet enabled supply chain management,
B2B model, Technology adoption life cycle

Abstract:
As a sequel to Seagate Technology International

(A), Case B provides an assessment of the progress
made in the utilisation of the portal e2open.com
co-founded by Seagate Technologies International
with two former employees in late August 2001.
Ever since its founding, the portal faced strong
resistance from various industry players because
the Internet revolution of the late 1990s had
turned into an Internet bubble and, in the
process, had left many investors and potential
customers sceptical about its feasibility. Despite
such scepticism, several positive developments
had occurred over the past four months that
gave both Seagate and e2open.com reason for
optimism. Goh and The, the founders pondered
on ways to ensure its long-term viability.
Marketing
Singapore Childrens Society: Delivering
the Brand Promise
By Wee Beng Geok and Yvonne Chong
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel:

Aligning Development with Operation
By Nigel Goodwin & Russell Arthur Smith

Issues: Formulating and implementing a branding

Issues: Alignment of hotel development,
exercise in a charity; To follow through

a successful branding exercise and its
implications for the VWO, including
perceptions of multiple stakeholders with
regard to the impact of its programmes and
activities
Abstract:
A nonprofits decision to embark on a corporate

communications exercise evolved into a broader
branding exercise and internal organisational
change process for Singapore Childrens Society,
which conducted more than 50 programmes for
various beneficiaries. Success in branding also
meant that the charity would have to confront
new perceptions and perspectives from its
multiple stakeholders regarding the effectiveness
and impact of their programmes.
Cleanup Corporation Leading Design

Innovation in a Japanese Firm
By Masakazu Sugiura
Issues: Innovation and product development,
Product strategies for new markets
Abstract:
In the late 1990s in Japan, lingering depression was

taking a toll on the housing equipment industry
as new residential construction continued to
decrease. Cleanup Corporation (Cleanup), which
ranked third in the kitchen industry at the time,
was no exception. Business was stagnant and price
competition was getting out of control. Cleanup
decided it was time to leave the price war behind
and compete with added value. The company
launched a project for a full model change of its
flagship product Cleanlady which accounted
for 40 percent of its sales. The project became a
great success design innovation resulted in the
development of the hallmark Floor Containers
with clearly visible aluminum front design. The
case outlines how creativity came into full play
to develop a value added product targeted at a
new market.
construction and operations; challenges of

managing a government-owned hotel.
Abstract:
Bangkok hotel operator Universal Hospitality

Group and French hotel and leisure company
The Accor Group were jointly awarded the
management contract for Novotel Suvarnabhumi
Airport Hotel. This was after the hotels design
had been finalized and construction had begun.
The management consequently felt they had no
meaningful input in the development process.
Furthermore, the hotel had been built on a turnkey
basis. When the management group assumed
responsibility for the hotel in April 2006, they
discovered many operational challenges stemming
from a misalignment of the hotels development,
construction and operation. The management
group spent the first few months grappling with
those challenges and seeking solutions.
Yamaha Indonesia (A): Positioning and

Launching Automatic Motorcycles in
Indonesia
Issues: Market segmentation, product launch,
Recovery from unsuccessful product launch

Abstract:
This case study examines the product positioning,

branding, launching and marketing campaigns
for the first two automatic motorcycle models
available in Indonesia. The case examines the
lessons learned from the unsuccessful launch of
the Nouvo automatic motorcycle in 2002 and
challenges students to reposition Nouvo in 2003.
It also challenges students to develop a better
campaign for a second automatic motorcycle,
Mio, which was to be launched in 2004. It
examines a range of issues in marketing,
advertising, promotion, brand management,
channel management, new market development
and international marketing, as well as competitive
strategy.
33
Marketing
Yamaha Indonesia (B): Nouvo and Mio
Market Position
C-Map Norway in Southeast Asia:

Electronic Navigational Charts (Encs)
By Xia Yang & D. G. Allampalli

Issues: Product Positioning, Brand management,

Issues: Electronic Navigational Charts, Buyer
Competitive Strategy
Abstract:
This case follows Yamaha Indonesia (A): Positioning

and Launching Automatic Motorcycles in Indonesia.
Yamaha Indonesia (B) continues the story by
describing the Nouvo and Mio efforts and
examining the companys subsequent position in
the automatic motorcycle category. By December
2005, Yamaha controlled roughly 95 percent of
the category; however, the category constituted
only a small fraction of the total motorcycle
market. In addition, Yamahas rivals planned
to introduce competing automatic products in
2006. The case examines the two-fold challenge
of expanding the automatic category while
defending Yamahas share. It examines a range
of issues in marketing, advertising, promotion,
brand management, channel management and
new market development, with the emphasis on
product positioning and competitive strategy.
Asia Pacific Branding for Online Hotel

Reservations: Expedia, Inc.
By Nigel Goodwin & Judy A. Siguaw
Issues: Internet Marketing, Business to Consumer
Teaching and Backgroud Note available
Abstract:
Expedia, Inc. was the worlds largest Internetbased distributor of travel products, including
hotel reservations, air tickets, car rentals, cruises
and vacation packages. Having secured market
leadership in North America and Europe, the
company was in the early stages of expansion
into the Asia Pacific region. The case examines
this expansion from a marketing and branding
perspective and asks whether a business model that
succeeded in western markets could successfully
be applied to Asian markets. The case focuses on
the hotel segment of Expedia, Incs business.
34
Behaviour, Marketing Strategy
Abstract:
The case describes the market development efforts

made by C-Map Norway AS, a leading producer
of electronic charts to undertake the production
and distribution of Electronic Navigational
Charts (ENCs) for Singapore waters from late
1990s to mid-2002. In mid-2002, Electronic
Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)
remained non-mandatory carriage equipment.
Therefore, many shipping companies delayed
retrofitting vessels with ECDIS, and chose not
to migrate from paper charts to ENCs. Lack of
technological capability and financial resources of
some national hydrographic organizations limited
oceanographic surveys and data availability
for ENC production. It hampered geographical
coverage of busy shipping routes and delayed
the market development of ENCs. Tor Svanes,
president and CEO, and Hilton Cowei, marketing
manager of C-Map Norway AS wondered how
the company could develop and realise the market
potential without a push from the national and
international regulatory organisations.
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, 2003:

International Marketing Management
By Xia Yang & Shirley Tan
Issues: International marketing, market
development, international expansion
Abstract:
In 2003, Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts was

at a decision-making juncture. Banyan Tree
was a rapidly expanding resort company that
had secured a competitive niche position in
the global tourism industry, and created
substantial differentiation through strong brand
identification and unique production concepts.
With increased rivalry in the international
market, Edwin Yeow of Banyan Tree, deliberated
on ways to maintain its differentiated position,
strengthen its international presence, and deliver
more value to customers. A fundamental issue
facing the company at this stage was where and
how fast the company should move to develop
a stronger presence without jeopardising the
carefully cultivated brand equity.
Marketing
Strategic Innovation at RISIS:
The Risis Orchid The Science and Art
of Can-Do Innovation (A)
By Wee Beng Geok & Seow Jia Min
Raffles: Branding a Historic Hotel

By Nigel Goodwin & Joan C. Henderson

Issues: Innovation process, Design values, Branding
Segmentaton, Balancing commercial and

public interests
Abstract:
Abstract:
The RISIS orchid, a gold-plated orchid, was

invented in the 1970s as a souvenir to promote
Singapores fledgling tourism industry. The
challenge for its inventor was to develop a
souvenir that could be identified as uniquely
Singaporean, without belonging specifically to
any of the major ethnic groups that made up
Singapores population. The case describes the
path the inventor took to create such an object. It
examines the development process including the
thought processes and actions of the inventors as
he conceptualized the design, developed and then
manufactured the object. The case provides also
an opportunity to discuss the issue of what design
is about and the role of science and imagination
in creating the RISIS orchid.
Strategic Innovation at RISIS:

Redefining Design Values (B)
Issues: Revitalizing a brand, Innovation through
design, New Product Development

Abstract:
The RISIS orchid, (a gold-plated orchid,) was

invented in the 1970s as a souvenir to promote
Singapores fledgling tourism industry. However,
30 years later, in the context of Singapores
globally tuned economy and more sophisticated
consumers, the RISIS brand was losing its
appeal in the local markets and to some extent,
among tourists as well. The challenge for RISIS
management in 2004 was to re-define the
design values of RISIS products so that it would
continue to capture the imagination of Singapore
consumers. The new generation of RISIS products
would have to be novel and interesting enough
for tourists visiting Singapore to want to acquire
them as souvenirs and mementos. RISISs CEO saw
the challenge as one of revitalizing the brand and
moved to introduce fashion accessories and other
products to appeal to global modern life-styles.

Issues: Modernising an established brand,
This case illustrates the challenges of branding

and management of a hotel that was both a
commercial enterprise as well as a historical
and cultural landmark. The world-renowned
Raffles Hotel Singapore, founded in 1887, was
famous for its history and its British colonial style.
Faced with more modern competition, Raffles
suffered alarmingly low occupancy rates and fell
into disrepair in the 1970s and 1980s. Seeking
to recapture its former grandeur and recreate
the atmosphere of its 1920s heyday, the hotel
closed its doors in 1989 for a 30-month, S$160
million restoration and redevelopment project.
New facilities, including restaurants, a theatre
and a shopping arcade, built in the same style
were added. As the reopening approached, the
management had to ensure the projects financial
success while managing the hotel as a national
monument and public interest site.
Raffles International: Positioning the

Acquired Swissotel Brand
By Nigel Goodwin, Elizabeth Ann ONeil &
Russell Arthur Smith
Issues: Postioning two Brands, Brand Integration,
Communication Strategy, market

segmentation
Abstract:
Diana Ee-Tan, Senior VP of Marketing for Singaporebased Raffles International Limited, pondered on
ways to position a recently acquired brand. Over
the preceding decade, Raffles International had
built its Raffles Hotels and Resorts brand into
one of the worlds premier purveyors of luxury
accommodation and lifestyle with particular
strength in Southeast Asia. In April 2001, Raffles
International acquired the international deluxe
business chain Swissotel Hotels and Resorts,
which appealed to business travellers and had a
broader geographic reach. Ee-Tan now faced the
challenges of positioning these two brands relative
to one another and deciding what degree of brand
integration was appropriate.
35
Marketing
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts: Designing
Romance
Asia Pacific Breweries Anchor Beer in

Singapore (B): The New Challenges
By Chung Mann Yien, Cindy & Shirley Tan

Issues: Differentiating Strategy Competitors

Issues: Brand strategy, marketing strategy,
Abstract:
Abstract:
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts (BTHR) opened

in 1994, with its small and luxurious boutique
style hotel which until then, had been dominated
by large hotels. Early on in the planning of their
resorts, BTHR chairman Ho Kwon Ping and his
brother, chief designer of the resorts, Kwon Cjan,
decided that the most meaningful experiences
were locations which gave one a sense of place.
The two brothers went about building a romantic
atmosphere for all Banyan Tree resort locations,
with each resort reflecting its locations culture,
yet with a consistency that was standard across all
Banyan Tree locations. Kwon Ping wanted to open
a new Banyan Tree resort in Bali. However, the
market was flooded with other hotels and resorts
of equally high standard. What could BTHR do to
stand out from the crowd?
Asia Pacific Breweries Anchor Beer in

Singapore (A): A Repositioning Decision
By Chung Mann Yien, Cindy & Shirley Tan
Issues: Brand portfolio management, segmentation
and positioning, consumer behaviour
Abstract:
In August 2001, Dorit Grueber, Assistant

General Manager (Marketing) and Melvyn Ng,
Senior Brand Manager (Specialty Brands), were
discussing Anchors future and examining the
options available to them. Anchor beer was a
mainstream value label that had been in the
market for more than 70 years. The brand
suffered ten years of continuous decline in the
1990s and its market share had fallen to less than
6 percent. At this time some drastic decisions were
clearly needed to either reposition or retire the
non-performing brand. Melvyn Ng believed that
repositioning was the best option but had to now
convince Dr. Les Buckley, General Manager, who
had suspended all future expenditure on Anchor,
that repositioning would return the sagging brand
to profitability.
36
Repositioning marketing implementation
It was in mid-2002 when a key decision

concerning Anchors future was finally made.
After rounds and rounds of internal debates, Dorit
Grueber, Assistant General Manager (Marketing)
of Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore, and Melvyn
Ng, Senior Brand Manager (Specialty Brands),
managed to convince Dr Les Buckley, General
Manager, that Anchor should be repositioned for
the 20-25 age segment. This was the companys
latest attempt to salvage the heritage brand of
more than 70 years, as sales figures for the
brand had been on a downward trend for the
last 12 years. Melvyn Ng and Samantha Chan,
Brand Executive, were both charged with the
responsibility to plan and execute a new campaign
for Anchor. The first phase of the campaign lasted
for three months from August to November 2002.
A key presentation was scheduled at the closing
of this phase to evaluate the brand and sales
performance.
Banyan Tree (A)

Issues: Expansion in Asia, Market Positioning,
Brand Building and Extension
Abstract:
Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts was established in

1994 by a group of Singaporean entrepreneurs.
Within five years, Banyan Tree had established
itself as a chain of luxury resort hotels in Asia.
In 1999, encouraged by its remarkable success,
Banyan Tree began to explore the possibilities
of offering branded resort and spa services to
international resorts. While the top management
was confident about this new business challenge,
the decision was not easy to reach, because the
environment in 1999 was very intensive. Besides,
to establish branded resort and spa services, much
like the companys previous efforts at brand
building, all details would need to be carefully
planned and managed.
Marketing
Banyan Tree (B)
Issues: Expanding the company, marketing,
branding
Abstract:
Banyan Tree (B) is the second case in the Banyan

Tree case series. In this case, the Banyan Tree
Hotels and Resorts had engaged itself in an
aggressive market expansion program. Major
activities in the expansion program included
the internal development of more resort and
spa locations, as well as the establishment of
some tie-up agreements with selected external
parties who could facilitate rapid and wide
market penetration. Among the immediate tasks
for finalising the expansion programme was to
determine the impact that these internal as well
as external efforts would have on the companys
future.
InterContinental, Pudong, ShanghaiRepositioning to Address a New

Challenge
By Xia Yang & Chung Sang Pok
Hi-Tech Associates (A) Accept the

E-Business Challenge?
By Tom Gleave & Edna Reid
Issues: E-business, New Market Entry, Diversification

Abstract:
In late-1998, Sarah Fraser, Director, High-Tech

Associates Pte Ltd, a marketing consultancy
firm in Singapore, reviewed enquiries about the
companys e-business service line. The increase
in the number and diversity of the enquiries
corresponded to the rising global interest in
the transformational potential of the Internet
in the business world. Having purchased a 50percent stake in the company, Fraser was keen to
explore new growth avenues for High-Tech but
it had limited resources to develop the services.
Uncertainty over the ultimate direction and impact
the Internet would generate in the business arena
also called for careful consideration. Fraser had to
decide whether to propose the development of an
e-business services stream in High-Tech to her
partner, Jenny Smith.

Issues: Marketing strategy, Competitive forces
Hi-Tech Associates (B) Accept the

CRM Challenge?
By Tom Gleave & Edna Reid
Abstract:

Issues: E-business, New Market Entry, Diversification
analysis, Repositioning
In January 1999, InterContinental Hotel Pudong,

Shanghai, was awarded five-star status by the
National Tourism Administration of China. First
opened in 1996, the hotel was formerly known as
the New Asia Thomson Hotel. After the takeover by
the InterContinental Hotel Group, the hotel went
through a massive renovation and retrofitting in
2001. As Shanghai was rapidly developing into
a new business and convention hub of Asia, the
marketing team at InterContinental Pudong had
to consider how to reposition the hotel to take
advantage of the many exciting opportunities
created in the fastest growing city in Asia.

Abstract:
In late-1998, High-Tech Associates Pte Ltd

developed new e-services to cater to two target
client groups, upstart dot.com companies which
offered innovative ways of doing business, and oldeconomy firms which used the Internet to achieve
cost and business process efficiencies. Response
was initially very encouraging but fizzled out in
March 2000 with a loss of investor confidence
in Internet ventures. The 11 September 2001
incident further drove home the need to source for
new revenue streams for High-Tech as a general
malaise descended on the local business scene.
Sarah Fraser, Director, was tasked with deciding
whether Customer Relationship Management
consulting and project implementation was a new
viable growth opportunity for High-Tech.
37

*New*Dial 108 in an Emergency
By Divya Singhal and Yuri Dias-Amborcar
Issues: Operations in an emergency and how to
evaluate the service; non-profit organisation
Abstract:
In early-2010, GVK Emergency Management and

Research Institute (GVK EMRI) was reviewing one
year of its operations in Goa, India. The case study
examines the organisations working methods
and the operation of its 1-0-8 service. Recent
initiatives like the Emergency Room services and
the Automatic Vehicle Location Tracking system
as well as certain issues facing the Goa operations
are also discussed.
Four Star Industries Matching Supply

with Demand
By S. Vishwanathan and D G Allampalli
Issues: Inventory and supply chain management;
Production scheduling; Managing product

proliferation
Abstract:
Four Star Industries faced intense competition from

a number of foreign mattress manufacturers in
the seasonal and volatile local market. In response
to customer demand, the company increased
its product offerings which created significant
challenges in its order fulfillment, production
scheduling and inventory management. What
were the short and long term options for Four Star
Industries to move towards a responsive yet costeffective operations model?
38
Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula Hong

Kong
By Sheryl E. Kimes
Issues: Revenue management concepts, Operational
management
Abstract:
Even though Afternoon tea at The Peninsula Hong

Kong was extremely successful with both guests
and local residents, it seemed that there might be
opportunities to increase revenue.
Quality Management in a Small

Engineering Firm: Barcol-Air
Engineering and ISO 9002-1994
Certification
By Hesan Ahmed Quazi & Quek Pek Noi
Issues: Quality management
Abstract:
Faced with a client not trained to draft the

quality and procedure manuals of an ISO9000
certification project, Alex Tan, the principal
consultant, pondered over the alternatives of
motivating his client to resume the project. In
1996, Daniel Ang, Managing Director of BarcolAir Engineering Pte Ltd (BAE) in Singapore, decided
to pursue a project to seek certification under the
ISO9000-certified small and medium enterprises
in tendering for contracts in the public growth.
However, Alex Tan and Jason Goh, two consultants
from Entrepreneurship Forum Singapore hired
to guide BAE in the project, suggested the firm
prepare the quality and procedure manuals under
the facilitation of the consultants. With less than
13 full-time employees, Daniel Ang was hardpressed to spare two to three staff to fully devote
their attention to ISO9000 matters. The project
was eventually delayed for one year.

Quality Management at the National
Archives of Singapore
By Hesan A. Quazi & Elizabeth ONeil
Issues: Quality management, Information systems

Abstract:
In late 2000, Mr Pitt Kuan Wah, Director of the

National Archives of Singapore (NAS), was in
the position to implement an organisation-wide
quality assurance system. His task was to assess
and compare the following options: Singapore
Quality Award for Business Excellence (SQA), ISO
9000, Six Sigma, to create in-house guidelines,
and to select the most appropriate system to
implement within the NAS.
Komalas Restaurant of Singapore

By D.G. Allampalli & S. Viswanathan
Issues: Service operations, Process Analysis,
Capacity Planning
Abstract:
The Little India outlet of Komalas Restaurant of

Singapore adopted the fast-food concept for the
first time to cater ethnic Indian food and realise
its service goal of three minutes as against 1015 minutes in traditional restaurants. Its welldesigned, four-station operations system with
clearly specified tasks for the crew enabled it to
accomplish many other business goals: offering
a large product range, providing a superior
ambience to customers, attracting skilled
manpower and competitive pricing. As a result,
the volume of business operations soared.
However, seasonal peak demand created capacity
constraints and this resulted in customers being
lost to neighbouring restaurants. Komalas
founders had to decide how to increase the
capacity of their restaurant.
39

ST Microelectronics Partnering for
Profit
Issues: Business Planning, Total Quality
Management Techniques, Distributor

Relationships
Abstract:
The semiconductor industry was experiencing

intense competition which led to sustained
downward pressure on prices and profit
margins across many product categories. In
the face of these pressures, ST Microelectronics
(formerly SGS-Thomson) shifted its product
mix towards higher value-added items. This in
turn, affected the companys relationship with
its distributors. To facilitate the shift in product
focus, ST Microelectronics developed a Roadmap
business planning tool. By negotiating targets and
actions steps contained in the Roadmap with its
distributors, the company could build a common
mindset with them. But first, the compnay would
have to convince its distributors to adopt the
Roadmap as a planning tool.
The Port of Singapore Authority :

Competing in a Declining Asian
Economy
By John Gordon, Tang Hung Kei, Pui Mun Lee,
Henry C. Lucas Jr. & Roger Wright
Issues: Information Technology, Operations
Management, Port Infrastructure,

Competitive Advantage, Transshipment
Abstract:
The case explores how the city state of Singapore

developed deep-water harbour and strategic
location to become one of the worlds leading
ports. To extend port capacity without adding
proportionate number of employees or land, the
Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) invested heavily
on its Operations Management and Information
Technology applications. In the 1970s, the PSA
anticipated containerisation to take off in a
big way and began preparing for this mode of
shipping. By focusing on customer service, PSA
encouraged shipping lines to use Singapore as a
transshipment hub for Southeast Asia. PSA aimed
to minimise turnaround time for ships and to
provide the highest quality of service.
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40
Alphabetical Listing
A
A Tale of Two Shipyards Strategies for
Competing on the Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula Hong Kong . . .38
Air Sahara: Implementing the Acquisition Bid of
Jet Airways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Asia Pacific Branding for Online Hotel
Reservations: Expedia, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Asia Pacific Breweries Anchor Beer in Singapore
(A): A Repositioning Decision . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Asia Pacific Breweries Anchor Beer in Singapore
(B): The New Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Asia-Pacific Strategy for Online Hotel
Reservations: Cendant Travel Distribution
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
ASM Pacific Technology Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
B
Banyan Tree (A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Banyan Tree (B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, 2003:
International Marketing Management . . . .34
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts: Designing
Romance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Bobby Financial Associates: The
Australian Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
BreadTalk: Managing Expansion Through
Franchising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Building Financial Market Institutions in
Emerging Economies: The Government
Pension Fund of Thailand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
C
Changi General Hospital: Balancing Work-Life in
a Healthcare Organisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Charities Accounting Standards 2011
Implications for Singapore Charities . . . . . .10
Citibank Asia Pacific: Rearchitecting Information
Technology Infrastructure for the 21st
Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Citigroup: Private Banking in Asia. . . . . . . . . . . .26
Cleanup Corporation Leading Design
Innovation in a Japanese Firm . . . . . . . . . . . .33
C-Map Norway in Southeast Asia: Electronic
Navigational Charts (Encs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Convergence Meets Liberalization: The Starhub
Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
DBS Bank Ship Financing Challenges in Asia . 6

Developing Sustainable Fertilization: Is NFL Ready
for the Challenge? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Dial 108 in an Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
DMX Technologies: Assessing the Risks Amidst
Rapid Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Dove Financial Services and CustomerRelationship Management Systems or
People? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
E
Eastport Maritime Pte Ltd: Building Essential
Competencies for Sustainable Growth and
Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
ECNet: From Dot.Com to Sustainable Business
Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Emerging Chinese MNCs: Konka Group
Company Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Enabling Digital Government through E-Services:
Second-Wave Re-engineering in the Inland
Revenue Authority of Singapore . . . . . . . . . .27
Evaluating the Worth of Human Capital: The
Raffles Swisstel Merger and Acquisition of
2001 (A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Ezra Holdings: Entrepreneurship and Capability
Building From Regional Operator to Global
Offshore Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
F
Financing Structures in the Shipping Industry:
Singapores Pacific Shipping Trust . . . . . . . .19
Flesh Imp Street Wear: Breaking New Ground in
Singapore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Flying Through Turbulent Times:
Cathay Pacific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Four Star Industries Matching Supply with
Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Freight Derivatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
From Paper to Screen: Voyage towards RealTime in Maritime Navigation Singapores
Hydrographic Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
G
Global Shipbroking New Challenges to
Communities of Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Global Sources, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
GMP Recruitment Services: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
DCrypt Private Limited: Managing Talent in a

Techno-Centric Organisation . . . . . . . . . . . .24
HCA Hospice Care Services (A): Balancing

Growth and Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
41
HCA Hospice Care Services (B): The Design of the
Home Hospice Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Hi-Tech Associates (A) Accept the E-Business
Challenge? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Hi-Tech Associates (B) Accept the CRM
Challenge? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Hotel Wuxi International: Expansion
into China. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
HTL International: Manufacturing for Design . . 6
Hyflux Limited and Water Sustainability
Treading Blue Oceans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
I
IMC Pan Asia Alliance Building Strategic
Resilience Through Organisational
Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Indias Insurance Industry: Liberalization,
Deregulation and Private Sector
Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
InterContinental Resort Bali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
InterContinental, Pudong, ShanghaiRepositioning to Address a New Challenge .37
Intertainer Asia (A): Programming and
Distributing Hollywood Movies Online in the
Asia Pacific Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
iProperty.com: Creating an Internet Venture . .16
J
Jet Airways (India) Limited Brand Building and
Valuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
JTJB Advocates and Solicitors: Growing
the International Client Base through
Competitive Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
K
Kaiten Sushi (Thailand) Company Limited:
Battling for Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Kingfisher Airlines - Acquisition of Air Deccan:
Indias First Low-Cost Carrier . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Knowledge Flows and the New Comprador: A
Mini Case on the Pearl River Delta . . . . . . . . . 8
Komalas Restaurant of Singapore . . . . . . . . . . . .39
MarkPlus&Co (A): Managing for Growth . . . . .15

MarkPlus&Co (B): Expanding in
Southeast Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Monetary Authority of Singapore: Its
Establishment, Growth and Changing Role 14
N
NanoBright Technologies, Singapore: Transition
into a Commercial Venture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Nanyang Optical: Beyond Product Design From
Idea to Launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
National Kidney Foundation of Singapore (A)
Anatomy of a Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
National Kidney Foundation of Singapore(B)
Leadership and Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Nemo Holdings Singapore: Promotion Blues . . .23
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel: Aligning
Development with Operation . . . . . . . . . . . .33
NTUC Income of Singapore: Re-Architecting
Legacy Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
NTUC Income: Managing Social Mission and
Business Goals in a Market-Driven
Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
O
Olam International Managing Growth and
Business Risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Olam International Singapore Building a Risk
Resilient Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Opti-Tech Limited Developing an Asian Sales
and Service Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
P
Pacific International Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Pacific Internet Limited Seizing the Future. . .28
Philips Singapore: Creating Value Through
Human Resource Shared Services Centre . .23
Pidemco Land and Orchard Parade Holdings
Medium-Term Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Lite-On of Taiwan: Towards a Leading Global

Technology Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Quality Management at the National Archives of

Singapore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Quality Management in a Small Engineering
Firm: Barcol-Air Engineering and ISO 90021994 Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Managing Intellectual Capital at Tata

Consultancy Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
42
Raffles International: Positioning the Acquired

Swissotel Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Raffles: Branding a Historic Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Recruitment Tracking System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Reliance Industries Limited Unlocking
Shareholder Value Through Demerger . . . .18
S
Seagate Technology International (A)
Enhancing Supply Chain Collaboration . . .32
Seagate Technology International (B)
Enhancing Supply Chain Collaboration . . .32
Seatek Systems Pte Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Setting the Stage for Service Drama-Based
Workshops for Soft Skills Development. . . .23
Singapore Airlines (A) 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Singapore Airlines (B) 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Singapore Airlines 2004 Managing
Organisational Change in a Turbulent
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Singapore Airlines and Flight SQ006: Managing
an Airline Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Singapore Childrens Society: Delivering the
Brand Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Singapore Chinese Orchestra (A): Building a
Sustainable 21st Century Arts Enterprise . . . 2
Singapore Chinese Orchestra (B): Developing
Corporate Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Singapore International Airlines Moving to a
Flexi-Wage System during Volatile Times .21
Singapore Mobile Company: Managing for
Profitable Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Singapores Exchange Rate Management
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
SingChina Tire Pte Ltd: Managing an
International Joint Venture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
SingTel and Cable & Wireless Optus . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Sri Lankas Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings:
Competitive Strategy and Sustainable Tourism
(A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ST Microelectronics Partnering for Profit . . . .40
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.:
Asia Pacific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
State Support and Development of Indigenous
Capability in a High-Tech Industry: The
Telecom Equipment Industry in India and
China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Strategic Innovation at RISIS: Redefining Design
Values (B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Strategic Innovation at RISIS:The Risis Orchid
The Science and Art of Can-Do
Innovation (A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Sustainable Tourism: Heritance Kandalama

Resort of Sri Lanka (B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
T
Tata Consultancy Services of India (A): Human
Capital Management as
Competitive Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Tata Consultancy Services of India (B): Building
an Offshore IT Software Outsourcing Hub in
China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tata Consultancy Services: Sustaining Growth
Momentum in China 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Tata Steel Acquisition of Natsteel Impact on
Economic Value Added . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
TEL Systems and Engineering Singapore
Managing Employee Turnover . . . . . . . . . .23
Telenor Asia (A): Mobile Data Service . . . . . . . . . 8
The Demerger of Six Continents PLC(A) . . . . . . . 2
The Demerger of Six Continents PLC (B) :
Intercontinental Hotels Group and Mitchells
& Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
The IOP Institute of Printing (Asia Pacific) . . . . 8
The MV Petro Ranger Arbitration:A Post-Mortem
Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
The Port of Kaohsiung: Competing to be the
Global Logistics Hub in the East . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Port of Singapore Authority : Competing in a
Declining Asian Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
The Raffles Swisstel Group M&A of 2001 (B):
Integration Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
The Shiatsu School (A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The Shiatsu School (B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The Silkroute Group: Achieving Success in the
Internet Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The Society for the Physically Disabled:
Managing Mission and Vision in a NonProfit Organisation Adaptation in Dynamic
Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The Worlds First Web Services Community
Portal: Bigtrumpet.com of NTUC Income,
Singapore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
TNTs Clinical Express Service in Asia . . . . . . . .31
U
United Test and Assembly Center Limited,
Singapore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
V
Vertical Net, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
43
W
Wilmar International Limited: Managing Growth

and Sustainability in a Global Agribusiness
Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Yamaha Indonesia (A): Positioning and

Launching Automatic Motorcycles in
Indonesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Yamaha Indonesia (B): Nouvo and Mio Market
Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
44

Nanyang Case

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Nanyang Case

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The Nanyang Case Collection

(including cases from the IMARC Case Series and

Housing cases from the following subjects:

Human Resource Management

Strategy & Organisation

planning and implementation; Board-management

Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) was one of three

*New* NanoBright Technologies,

market evaluation; Securing commercial orders for

The case study on NanoBright documents the

*New* The Society for the Physically

organisations: Resources, stakeholders and

The case is about the impact of the external

The Demerger of Six Continents PLC(A)

Benefits and costs of a demerger; Challenges of

Top hospitality group Six Continents announced

Strategy & Organisation

Tata Consultancy Services: Sustaining

Publication reference no: ABCC-2010-004

strategy; Talent acquisition and development

Stakeholder management; Environmental

Wilmar International, the third-largest listed oil

HCA Hospice Care Services (A):

Publication reference no: ABCC-2010-002

In 2002, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) set

Hyflux Limited and Water Sustainability

organisation; Scaling up a charity to

Publication reference no: ABCC-2009-003

strategic growth in new markets,

Entrepreneur Olivia Lum, set up Hyflux Ltd in

Strategy & Organisation

embedded in charitable giving; governance

This case study is about the National Kidney

National Kidney Foundation of

change in organisations; VWO leaders

This case is about the pre and post-crisis leadership

Tata Consultancy Services of India

people, Talent acquisition in a new market.

In 2006, TCS articulated its near market strategy

Sri Lankas Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings:

hotels in a war-torn context.

Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC (ASHH), a

Strategy & Organisation

Organisational culture, HR practices and the

In 1992, when ASHH announced its intentions

Developing Sustainable Fertilization:

The case is based on a public sector undertaking,

Indias Insurance Industry:

Since 1999, Indias insurance industry had been

A Tale of Two Shipyards Strategies for

for survival/performance in dynamic

In 2006, Keppel Offshore & Marine and SembCorp

Strategy & Organisation

implementation, Knowledge networks,

The move from being a Singapore-centric bank

HTL International: Manufacturing for

strategy, Strategic Alliances, Vertical

The case traces the evolution of a Singapore-based

Kaiten Sushi (Thailand) Company

growth and business strategy

In 2000, Kaiten Sushi (Thailand) Company

JTJB Advocates and Solicitors: Growing

In 2000, Joseph Tan Jude Benny (JTJB), a law

Strategy & Organisation

New NanoBright Technologies,

New The Society for the Physically