Transfer of Experiential and Innovative Teaching Methods for Business Education - Poland

Navigator Consulting is participating in a Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation project entitled “Transfer of Experiential and Innovative Teaching Methods for Business Education.”

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This project is  co-funded by the European Commission's Leonardo da Vinci programme under contract  No. 2010-1-PL1-LEO05-11462.

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This project aims to develop the case writing and learning method in higher business education institution in Poland and Lithuania. The project consortium is lead by the University of Economics in Poznan, Poland. Consortium members include the ISM University of Management and Economics, Lithuania; the Wielkopolska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Elmfield House Associates Ltd.

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The objective of the project is to promote the case learning method in Poland and Lithuania, focussing on the development of case studies using well-known, national companies. This imparts new training skills and knowledge among university professors and lecturers, but also improves the pedagogical impact of the training among students.

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Navigator’s role is to support the case writing method by training trainers on in-company corporate analysis techniques and methods. This is intended to make the case studies more realistic and grounded in real corporate challenges and issues.

A brief overview of the cases and case writers follows.

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Poland

 

Kruk

 

The Kruk case reflects on the issues of maintaining strong competitive position of a family owned firm operating in jewellery and luxury goods industries in Poland. Facing global downturn as well as strategic changes in its ownership structure the company must predict what managerial decisions should be made so as to suppress the potential threats.

 

Teaching objectives:

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• To highlight the external key factors determining company’s competitive position within the local and global industry

• To evaluate the significance of internal factors on creating advantage in the industry

• To explore and discuss the possible scenarios for the company’s development

• To discuss to what extend the global downturn may have caused the ongoing uncertainty and what impact on the companies involved that has

 

Case Writers:

• Marlena Dzikowska

• Barbara Jankowska

• Milena Ratajczak-Mrozek

 

Company X

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The case explores the field of real estate investments and company’s loan application process in Poland. It brings forward two perspectives - Company X, financial intermediation for small and medium sized businesses, which has issued an application to be provided financing for a land investment and Bank’s which appraises the submitted proposal.

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Teaching objectives:

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• To reveal the complexity of assessing the value of investments in the real estate industry

• To trigger discussion covering pros and cons of granting the loan

• To identify and assess the role of the human element in the appraisal process

 

Case Writers:

• Przemysław Garsztka

• Piotr Pietraszewski

 

inLand

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The case refers to a Polish business venture in the ICT field founded by a student and deals with issues related to its development and optimisation. It consists of five parts, corresponding to five consecutive stages of company’s development. Each stage is followed by a set of questions related to the evaluation of the company's current situation and possible future actions undertaken.

 

Teaching objectives:

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• To identify possible solutions for companies facing market saturation

• To explore the threats and opportunities for companies involved in market and product diversification

• To foresee possible obstacles in introducing a new service to the market and the impact the widening of company’s portfolio may have on its effectiveness

• To identify core competence needed for introducing and adjusting the product to clients needs

 

Case Writers:

• Jakub Jasiczak

• Jacek Jankiewicz

• Lech Wojciechowski

 

Sphinx

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The case describes the foundation, development, internationalisation and finally acquisition process of a chain of casual dining restaurants in Poland, Sphinx. It raises the matter of legal framework and antitrust policy binding the entities willing to acquire other companies as well as the way it reflects on the company’s stock prices.

 

Teaching objectives:

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• To predict the effect of entering stock market on company’s stability and ownership structure

• To discuss possible strategic decisions for companies willing to enter or penetrate the market

• To show the students the significance of acknowledging and tracking the rapid changes in the market

 

Case Writers:

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• Jacek Jastrzębski

• Sławomir Kalinowski

 

Wykrojniki

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The case handles the issue of a SME company in Poland manufacturing customized blanking dies for cardboard goods. The analysis determines the bargaining power of customers toward Wykrojniki as well as additionally the financial situation of the company.

 

Teaching objectives:

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• To be able to name parts and develop the idea of value chain

• To find solutions for restoring company’s liquidity

• To prepare different scenarios based on the factors listed in the case

• To find means of weakening the bargaining power of company’s customers

 

Case Writers:

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• Konrad Fuks

• Piotr Januszewski

• Arkadiusz Kawa

 

Partners for Local Government

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The case presents an example of a Polish Foundation focused on providing consulting services for, among others, the municipalities and aiming on conquering new markets. Strong competition, lack of workforce and high requirements in tenders seem to be main obstacles for surviving in the market and therefore question of having and adequate service portfolio is raised.

 

Teaching objectives:

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• To discuss possibilities of entering a new market

• To analyse and trigger discussion on the issue of current portfolio

• To define employment policy and establish rules of collaboration

• To identify and apply measurement tools adequate for each stage of analyse

 

Case Writers:

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• Aleksandra Gaweł

• Maciej Pietrzykowski

• Konrad Sobański

 

Lithuania

 

Balcikonis Gymnasium

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Protagonist of a case – young teacher, V. S., at Balcikonis gymnasium at Panevezys city. Case refers to first half year of V.S experience. She faces challenges to come to good terms with the older generation of teachers and active students. The case describes the ways she overcame this with a help of a mentoring leadership style of the Schools Director. Teaching objectives:

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• To understand the importance of socialisation (orientation) in establishing person-job and person-organisation fit

• To examine socialisation (orientation) as an outcome and as a process, formal and non-formal types of it;

• To understand the difference in behaviour change tactics: behaviour modification and socialisation

 

Case Writers:

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• Dr. Raimonda Alonderienė,  Associate Professor, ISM

• Dr. Margarita Pilkienė, Expert – consultant. Head of ISM Applied Organisational Psychology Programme (Executive School)

 

Denticija Dentistry Clinic

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The Clinic is a below-average performer in the dentistry market in Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city with a population of 400,000 inhabitants. The Clinic’s internal situation and its external environment show that the lack of a simple strategy prevents it from gaining a competitive advantage despite its long history in the regional market. The Clinic was started in 1957: it has 23 well-trained dentists, is equipped with modern technology, and is located in the Kaunas city centre. Case readers received information on the Clinic and its market sector. They are asked to implement a strategic analysis including internal and external factors, and apply methods such as PEST, customer analysis, competitor analysis, CSF, Porter 5 Forces analysis, core competencies, etc.

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Case Writers:

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• Šarūnas Abramavičius, ISM Dean of Human Resources

• Ilma Danielienė, Project Manager

• Birutė Ruplytė, Project Manager, Senior Assistant Professor

• Tadas Šarapovas, ISM Head of International Office

 

E-cito

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e-Cito, a Lithuanian company, tried to introduce a car sharing service in Vilnius in 2010. Although car sharing services have been developed in several European cities, in Vilnius the service proved to be unsuccessful and had to close due to insufficient customer attraction rate after almost a year.

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Teaching objectives:

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• To understand the development and applicability of established business models in given cultural and economical environments

• To learn to analyse the macro and microeconomic environments and evaluate business development and potential

• To assess the actions of starting a business in light of potential success.

• To identify and analyse factors that are necessary for successful diffusion of new service

 

Case Writers:

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• Benas Adomavičius, Expert-consultant

• Indrė Pikturnienė, ISM Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs

 

Shopping Centre Europa

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Due to the economic downturn and high competition in the Vilnius retail segment, the owners of the Europa shopping centre face challenges in terms of rising vacancies and keeping tenants happy. The flow of customers must be increased in order to achieve cash flow targets and strategic goals. This case study addresses issues that investors and property managers have to solve in their work. This case has three teaching objectives:

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• To apply knowledge of retail segment functions and discuss major drivers in the shopping centre business.

• To apply knowledge of strategic management principles in retail property management in different economic and market cycles

• To apply knowledge of real estate investment and evaluate major value determinants, investment and principal risks when investing into shopping centres.

 

Case Writers:

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• Ieva Kvedaravičienė, Associate Professor, ISM

• Lilija Vilkancienė, Senior Assistant Professor, ISM

 

Fermentas Biotechnology

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At any given time the Fermentas Biotechnology Company has 5-12 new products under development in Lithuania. For a better control of the new product development process, a “Stage-Gate” management system was implemented in the company in 2004. This has reduced the number of research ideas being developed into products from 20 to only about 3-4 per 100. Plasmid Miniprep Kit is one of a new product idea to be examined by Fermentas’ New Product Committee. This case describes the main stages and questions raised along the decision making process in order to decide whether it can be turned into a profitable commercial product.

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Learning objectives:

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• To understand the stages and identify the roles involved in a decision making process for new product development and launch in the biotech sector;

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• To discuss the strategic factors which determine positioning as a price-taker or a price-setter in an R&D intensive industry;

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• To practice setting long-term targets for new product value proposition, price and financial performance;

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• To understand how to obtain, integrate and manage the relevant technological, competitive and financial information in this sector, supporting new product launch and pricing decisions in the company.

 

Case Writers:

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• Juozas Granskas, Senior Assistant Professor, ISM

• Aušra Jurkštienė, Senior Assistant Professor, ISM

• Asta Klimavičienė, Associate Professor, ISM

 

Kraft Foods Lietuva

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The case presents a number of Customer Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives carried out at Kraft Food Lietuva towards its employees, customers and society at large. Looking at CSR from a multiple stakeholder perspective, the case provokes a discussion of organisational motives for engaging in CSR and CSR return on investment.

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The case has three teaching objectives:

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• to reveal the essence of corporate social responsibility;

• to show how an organisation can address CSR through different stakeholder groups and what CSR practices are implemented to meet different stakeholder needs;

• to discuss organisational benefits of CSR, i.e. to debate if it is worth for an organization to invest and engage in CSR.

 

Case Writers:

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• Violeta Aušvicaitė, Senior Assistant Professor, ISM

• Ilona Bučiūnienė, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor, ISM

• Rūta Kazlauskaitė

 

Paparazzi Night Club

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After a successful business running the Paparazzi Night Club in Vilnius, Lithuania for almost 7 years, the three owners of the bar, in 2011 faced a new challenge in that they had to leave the old premises. On the other hand, it was high time to revitalize the business adjusting it to the dramatically changing business environment and redefine customer value proposition. The questions they had to find the answers were: How to move successfully the business concept to another location? What brand image did Paparazzi develop during 2004-2011, and how the business movement to another location could help to revitalize the Paparazzi brand? What new opportunities occur for the Club’s customer value proposition?

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This case has three teaching objectives:

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• To trigger discussions around relationship marketing paradigm in service industry

• To explore the importance of value proposition redesign in dramatically changing business environment.

• To involve students in a “live” consultancy project, develop their competence to present and defend their solutions to the client.

 

Case Writers:

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• Viltė Auruškevičienė, ISM Dean of Studies, Professor

• Vida Škudienė, Head of Subjects Group, Professor