This case accompanies 1) a collection of business press articles; 2) two video clips; 3) a teaching note; 4) lecture slides. While the case and articles will be assigned as pre-reading, the video clips and lecture slides will be shown in the classroom by the instructor.

This case chronicles the development of the market for electronic books – the success of Amazon’s Kindle reading device, and Apple’s April 2010 launch of the iPad for e-book reading and also for watching videos, surfing the web, etc. The broader context is the book publishing industry and how e-books and e-readers affect its dynamics.

The (A) case involves a strategic alliance between an electric utility and a firm developing pollution control technology under considerable regulatory and technological uncertainty. The deal structure involves a licensing agreement and a minority equity purchase structured as an option.

The (B) case concerns the implementation of the alliance.

The case describes the dramatic transformation of General Electric in the decade of the 1980s, under the leadership of Jack Welch. It is written in a synopsis form, tailored to the needs of senior executive programmes, and highlights the role of the CEO in initiating and leading the process of corporate change.