MBA dissertation Topic.
08-20-08, 06:01 PM
#1
pan y agua
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MBA dissertation Topic.
Any of you new MBA's students starting to school this fall, I got your dissertation topic: The destruction of the American Bicycle Manufacturer.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
08-20-08, 09:26 PM
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I am a b-school prof and I believe this general topic would make for a good case.
08-20-08, 09:38 PM
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Any of you new MBA's students starting to school this fall, I got your dissertation topic: The destruction of the American Bicycle Manufacturer.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
fail
without the mention of China anywhere...
this topic is severely lacking.
08-20-08, 09:39 PM
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MBAs don't write dissertations...just saying.
08-20-08, 09:43 PM
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Any of you new MBA's students starting to school this fall, I got your dissertation topic: The destruction of the American Bicycle Manufacturer.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
How is this different than any other "short term profit at the long term expense" story so prevalent in business today?
If you can't find something specific to the bicycle industry....
08-20-08, 10:22 PM
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I'm not in business school but it would be an interesting read for us cyclists
And MBAs don't write dissertations but they do write a thesis, which is the dissertation's little cousin.
08-20-08, 10:33 PM
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One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
Premium brand acquisition and buy out is nothing new, it's a trade off between unforeseeable long term profit (which could also be losses) and immediate short term gain. Shareholders often would like to see immediate gain and return-of-investment so the company who acquired the brand can go on other ventures.
08-20-08, 10:58 PM
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08-20-08, 11:41 PM
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Just like an MBA is the little cousin of a real degree.
joking for all you thin skinned smartest guy in the room types
joking for all you thin skinned smartest guy in the room types
08-20-08, 11:59 PM
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As a former MBA student myself, I'd rather do a case study on BikesDirect.
08-21-08, 04:13 AM
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08-21-08, 04:24 AM
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Any of you new MBA's students starting to school this fall, I got your dissertation topic: The destruction of the American Bicycle Manufacturer.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
Start with the destruction of the value of the Schwinn brand by its post bankruptcy owners, the devaluation of the Merlin brand by ABG, and then pontificate on C'dales future in the clutches of Dorel Industries.
One hypothesis would be that you can acquire a premium brand, bleed it for cash (through assorted questionable practice such as on line/ Walmart sales, etc), totally devalue the brand in the process but generate enough cash to more than fund the acquistion cost and provide an acceptable return on investment.
Recently, they announced the resurrection of GT into the IBS system (IBS is Independent Bicycle Shop, for those of you following along). They are putting it under the umbrella of the Cannondale Group, it will retain it's GT name, redesigned bikes, and they say top end stuff like GT used to make (Mostly known for MTB's). Same for road bikes.
It's been my experience that in business school, one of the first things professors look for is accuracy and facts.
With all due respect...
Last edited by roadwarrior; 08-21-08 at 04:28 AM.
08-21-08, 04:27 AM
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Both my wife and I attended a top 10 business school neither of us wrote a thesis.
This is reserved for the folks that go straight from undergraduate to graduate school. No, job, no experience, no idea. But they think big thoughts. And write them down.
08-21-08, 04:32 AM
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The problem with this thesis is it is likely already discussed in various fields of business. You aren't adding anything different. What you could do is add a different approach and analysis.
Premium brand acquisition and buy out is nothing new, it's a trade off between unforeseeable long term profit (which could also be losses) and immediate short term gain. Shareholders often would like to see immediate gain and return-of-investment so the company who acquired the brand can go on other ventures.
Premium brand acquisition and buy out is nothing new, it's a trade off between unforeseeable long term profit (which could also be losses) and immediate short term gain. Shareholders often would like to see immediate gain and return-of-investment so the company who acquired the brand can go on other ventures.
As mrbubbles said, this problem is non-unique to the bicycle industry. If I recall correctly, this can (sort-of) also be said of how Motorola's cell phone division dwindled to practically nothing, and how Bell Labs (now Alcatel-Lucent) lost a LOT of clout through obsolescence and mismanagement.
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08-21-08, 04:34 AM
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Secret war BEGIN
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08-21-08, 06:11 AM
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08-21-08, 06:22 AM
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My 2 bits.
08-21-08, 06:28 AM
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Agreed. In my field (engineering), a master's thesis doesn't necessarily have to make substantial advancements in the science like a PhD. dissertation; applying existing theory to new applications is often sufficient.
08-21-08, 06:36 AM
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If you think that the bike biz is bad....look at fashion. I use a small mens clothing store, and we got on the subject one day. Countless examples, Tommy Hilfiger being one of the most prominent.