Case Studies

This chapter, Case Studies, provides real-world examples of the strategies and tactics used by leading international businesses to succeed in the Chinese market. Using cases of actual companies provides students with experience in strategic analysis, including designing and implementing strategy. Each case sets forth, in a factual manner, the events and organizational circumstances surrounding a particular managerial situation. The provision of case studies places students “at the action scene” and familiarizes them with relevant examples. In addition, the case studies assist students in understanding the complex negotiations, entry challenges, strategies, and other issues faced by foreign companies in entering the Chinese market. The case studies provided concern four international companies, namely China Silk Inc., Apple Inc., IKEA, and Google, and illustrate key issues relevant to entering the Chinese market by analyzing each company’s structure, strategy, management, and approach to globalization. The aim of the case studies is for students to become actively engaged in exploring the managerial problems posed in each case, to propose workable solutions, and to explain and defend their assessments—in this manner, the case studies provide students with meaningful managerial practice. The students are encouraged to use systematic approaches, such as SWOT analysis and evaluations, to investigate and explore the international strategic management and decision-making process and to then evaluate the problems’ contexts and determine what alternatives are available to decision-makers when entering the Chinese market or expanding their business in China.