Innovative Business ManagersBy: Shawn Cooper

Introduction

Main Idea: This case study explains the management style of six diverse CEO’s and how they have each been able to benefit their companies survival .

Questions: The questions asked pertain to how well these companies are ran and what can be done to improve each business.

Jeff Immelt, General Electric (GE) Created a custom-driven global

culture.

Restructured GE’s portfolio in healthcare, entertainment and commercial finance.

Question: Explain the value chain and how a company like GE can use it to improve operations.

Steve Reinemund,PepsiCo

Developed strong and diverse leadership within PepsiCo.

Attained consistent double-digit growth through product innovation and smart marketing.

Question: Which of the three generic strategies is PepsiCo following?

David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg,

DreamWorks Founded 10 years ago.

DreamWorks animation turned a 187 million dollar loss in 2003 into a 196 million dollar profit in 2004.

Computer-animated Shrek 2 set a record with gross of 437 million.

Question: Why is it important for all of DreamWorks functional business areas to work together? Provide an example of what might happen if the DreamWorks marketing department failed to work with sales department?

Robert Nardelli, Home Depot

Took risks by allocating 14 billion into upgrading merchandise, renovating outdated stores, and investing in new technology.

Expanded into other countries.

Turned a 46 billion dollar company focused on big stores into a 70 billion dollar company focused on urban/suburban outlets.

Question: Which of Porter’s Five Forces is most important to Home Depot’s business?

John Henry, Boston Red Sox

Sold out all 81 home games for the first time in team history.

Brought the team its first World Championship since 1918.

Came up with the Sabermetrics system.

Question: Why is information technology important to an organization like the Boston Red Sox?

Philip Knight,Nike

Got his start by selling Japanese sneakers from his trunk.

He transformed high-performance sports equipment into high-fashion gear.

In 2004 Nike’s earnings increased 1 billion dollars.

Question: How could Nike use a Chief information officer (CIO), chief technology officer (CTO), and a chief privacy officer (CPO) to improve business?

Current Information

General Electric has recently signed on as a partner in Masdar City in Dhabi. It will be the first carbon neutral, zero waste, renewable energy powered city.http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/01/01/ge-ecomagination-centre-masdar-city

PepsiCo is now ran by Indra Nooyi ranked 11 in the most powerful women in Forbes magazine. http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/1.html

DreamWorks is pairing up with PepsiCo and handing out 125 million Intel 3d glasses. http://foodbev.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?contentId=2055

Home Depots CEO Mr. Nardelli resigned in 2007 the company is now being ran by Frank Blake. Blake will have troubles due to a slow housing market.http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/frank_blake/index.html

Boston Red Sox plan on building a new stadium for spring training, land alone could cost 30 million dollars. http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/jan/12/red-sox-stadium-site-selection-process-moving-alon/

Nike sales has risen 30% in the 3rd quarter overseas due to dollar being weakhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23725212/