After guiding his team through a major upgrade of the production process, Wim de Boer, production manager and a board member of a newly bought-out cosmetics firm, struggles to find time to think about strategic issues. Tired of approving and following up on every move his people made, he resolved to keep two hours of uninterrupted time each day to think more broadly about the business.

This series of cases tells the story of a functional specialist whose career goal is to become a general manager. Harris Roberts is repeatedly promised a promotion that never comes around. He must decide whether to be patient and improve his internal lobbying efforts, or instead look outside the firm, perhaps making a more entrepreneurial move.

This series of cases tells the story of a functional specialist whose career goal is to become a general manager. Harris Roberts is repeatedly promised a promotion that never comes around. He must decide whether to be patient and improve his internal lobbying efforts, or instead look outside the firm, perhaps making a more entrepreneurial move.