Case Study Short Questions

Question 1

What year was RDB set up?

Answer 1

1915

Question 2

2. How old was Valdemar when he started How old was Valdemar when he started working at RDB?

Answer 2

21

Question 3

Where are RDB’s 3 megafactories?

Answer 3

Sweden, Northern Germany and Denmark

Question 4

Where did Anna Holstein work as an investment banker before joining RDB?

Answer 4

New York

Question 5

What job did Valdemar do at RDB before he took over as CEO

Answer 5

-

Question 6

When did RDB start to face new competition from Japanese firms?

Answer 6

Straight after the Second World War

Question 7

In which markets is the demand for ball bearings currently growing substantially?

Answer 7

Brazil, China and India

Question 8

What are RDB’s 2 main competitors called?

Answer 8

UAB and FIB

Question 9

Which technological disaster did the company avoid in the year 2000?

Answer 9

Millenium bug

Question 10

What type of business ownership does RDB have?

Answer 10

Private Limited Company

Question 11

Which calendar does RDB follow?

Answer 11

European Christian

Question 12

What proportion of the funds required for the 12 new factories Anna is proposing will come from the sale of the megafactories?

Answer 12

-

Question 13

Where did Anna Holstein earn her IB diploma?

Answer 13

Copenhagen

Question 14

Which lean management techniques did Valdemar Holstein implement during his time as CEO?

Answer 14

Benchmarking, TQM and Kaizen

Question 15

What kind of leadership style did Valdemar Holstein have?

Answer 15

Paternalistic, but occasionally autocratic

Question 16

Which of the 3 mega factories is Anna proposing to shut down?

Answer 16

Germany and Sweden

Question 17

In which department did Anna first work in when she joined RDB?

Answer 17

Engineering

Question 18

What is the name of the 2 Icelandic banks that collapsed in 2008?

Answer 18

Kaupthing and Landsbanki

Question 19

What year did Valdemar start working for RDB?

Answer 19

1951

Question 20

Which stock exchange is Anna suggesting RDB lists on?

Answer 20

Frankfurt

Question 21

What was Anna Holstein’s degree in?

Answer 21

‘Green’ Engineering

Question 22

What types of business did RDB sometimes accept one off special orders from?

Answer 22

Power Stations or mines

Question 23

What type of payment system is Valdemar proposing for the Local Salesman?

Answer 23

Low basic salary plus commission

Question 24

Which of RDB’s factories is so large it has had railroad lines installed to it?

Answer 24

Swedish

Question 25

How many new small factories does Anna propose to open?

Answer 25

12

Question 26

In which area of the business does Anna believe RDB need to significantly increase their spending?

Answer 26

R&D

Question 27

Why were environmental campaigners putting pressure on RDB?

Answer 27

Because of high levels of pollution in the vicinity of the factory

Question 28

What methods of promotion does RDB currently use?

Answer 28

Trade Journals and Trade Shows

Question 29

What year did Valdemar take over as CEO of RDB?

Answer 29

1965

Question 30

How old was Anna when she started working at RDB?

Answer 30

30

Question 31

In what year did Anna start working at RDB?

Answer 31

2005

Question 32

What type of co-operation is Valdemar proposing to set up with other companies in other countries?

Answer 32

Strategic Alliances

Question 33

What type of workers does Anna envisage becoming the new salesmen?

Answer 33

Engineers

Question 34

Which governments did RDB have a public-private partnership with?

Answer 34

Swedish and German

Question 35

What is the proposed new name for RDB that Valdemar has suggested?

Answer 35

Green Bearings

Question 36

What type of objectives will Valdemar’s proposed new autonomous cells be able to set?

Answer 36

Strategic, tactical and operational

Question 37

What does Anna believe is the ultimate aim of innovation in the ball bearing market?

Answer 37

Saving energy

Question 38

What new methods of promotion does Anna suggest that RDB uses?

Answer 38

Advertising in E-zines, professional websites for industrial design and architectural robotics.

Question 39

How many years did Valdemar work at RDB before becoming CEO

Answer 39

-

Question 40

What did Anna name her strategic plan?

Answer 40

RDB 2020