Akita, a global manufacturer of injection-molding machines and provider of associated services, lost the sale of a large machine of over 5,000 tons to Fortune Precise Plastic Technology (FPPT) in China.

The case highlights the role of innovation in the conservative oil and gas industry. A team of Italian engineers in the turbomachinery solutions unit in GE Oil & Gas division, based in Florence, build a centrifugal compressor that is half the weight and a third of the size of a traditional compressor.

The case illustrates the challenges faced by entrepreneurs launching a new product in an highly competitive market with limited resources. The case is set in 2005 and puts the student in the shoes of Michel and Augustin.

The Michel et Augustin case tells the story of Michel de Rovira and Augustin Paluel-Marmont as they set up their company Michel et Augustin in 2005 to brand and sell sablé cookies. The founders have a vision of creating a brand that can prosper in a competitive market dominated by big players and full of commoditized offerings.

Having turned around the financial performance of Black & Decker, CEO Nolan Archibald faces a significant decline in market share in one customer segment for its flagship product, power tools, as a result of strong competition from Makita, a Japanese manufacturer. Does this problem require a change to an otherwise successful brand?