Assignment 1: Atari

You have been asked to suggest a merger, acquisition, or alliance partner/target for video game producer Atari. First, you need to identify an industry of interest. Please explain why you have made this choice. Once that decision is made, please offer a list of potential acquisition or alliance targets from that industry. From that point, it would be useful to create a set of knockout criteria and then reduce the list of possible targets down to one. Then you need to assess whether an alliance or an acquisition is its best option. You then need to either price the acquisition candidate or place a value on it as an alliance partner. You also need to convince your audience, the Board of Directors of the client firm, that your company can competently perform the role of consultancy. Please reference online information sources appropriately using endnotes. Please end the analysis with a discussion regarding implications. In other words, after gathering the data, so what? What does it mean?

Suggested Reading:

• Dyer, J. Kale, P., & H. Singh. When to Ally and When to Acquire. Harvard Business Review, July - August. 2004 109 - 115

Written case assignments:

Groups of students will undertake 7 written case assignments. The focus of seven of these assignments will be to respond to the specific questions. These are described further on in this course outline. Each assignment shall be limited to three single spaced pages plus diagrams and appendices. A paper version or hard copy of the assignment shall be handed at the start of class which it is due. Please use APA style when citing and referencing information. http://apastyle.apa.org/

Assignment 2: Objet Geometries Ltd. As if your project scope was not broad enough, another client Objet Geometries has hired your team to help it understand the state of competition in the 3-D printer industry. Objet Geometries would like you to help them with a number of tasks. They are interested in knowing more about how they can protect their intellectual property. Specifically they would like your team help them understand their options in regards to patent strategy. From the USPTO patent database, the client would like you to identify three key competitors, three potential alliance or acquisition targets, four potential new personnel hires, and two or three logical locations to situate an operating facility should they choose to ally with, or acquire one of the suggested alliance or acquisition targets (Use one as an example). What is Nautel patent strategy? Your client is also interested in your thoughts on the patent activity of its two major competitors. Is a patent race underway? Who is winning? Please reference online information sources appropriately using endnotes. Please end the analysis with a discussion regarding implications. In other words, after gathering the data, so what? What does it mean?

Suggested Reading:

• Deepak Sumaya and David Teece (2012) Business Model and Patent Strategies in Multi Invention Contexts Ivey Business Journalhttp://iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/innovation/business-models-and-patent-strategies-in-multi-invention-contexts#.VAeummOwWSo

• http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/intproperty/834/wipo_pub_834_ch4.pdf

Assignment 3: Brookdale Senior Living Solutions

Having a lot of extra money lying around, the client has come back to you for one more assignment and that is to learn more about a potential partner. Specifically they are interested in how socially responsible the behavior of Brookdale Senior Living Solutions. They would like to know what the company says about itself in this regard and what outside observers have to say. Is the firm under study financially stable?Is there any evidence to suggest that the organization does not respect its physical environment?Are the products and services of the organization manufactured, developed and delivered to consumers and clients using the highest available standards? Are there any reasons to accuse the firm of not treating its human stakeholders with dignity and compassion?Is the corporation of interest supportive of local community needs?Please reference online information sources appropriately using endnotes. Please end the analysis with a discussion regarding implications. In other words, after gathering the data, so what? What does it mean?

Suggested Reading:

• Mel Wilson (2003) Corporate Social Responsibility. What is it and where does it come from? Ivey Business Journal.

http://iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/social-responsibility/corporate-sustainability-what-is-it-and-where-does-it-come-from#.VAerJ_mwJcR

Assignment 4: DHX Media

Just when you thought you had time for a vacation one more lucrative consulting assignment dropped into your schedule. DHX Media Is considering entering the market in Vietnam specifically by opening an office. Opinions are mixed on the company board of directors as whether this is a good idea. Your firm has been asked to assess the cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance between your company and its industry in North America and that in this Asian country. The board has also asked that your firm offer evidence to support your assessment of each of these four distances. Please reference online information sources appropriately using endnotes. Please end the analysis with a discussion regarding implications. In other words, after gathering the data, so what? What does it mean?

Suggested Reading:

• Ghemewat, Pankaj (2007) Distance Still Matters Harvard Business Review, March.