Introducing the tutor2u Twelve for 2012

After a relatively successful series of picks last year, we’ve now come up with our suggestions for twelve firms to follow for A2 business students wanting to deepen their understanding of real businesses as they prepare for their final exam papers this summer.

The tutor2u Twelve has been chosen entirely subjectively, based on the following criteria:

Each entrant had to have;

- Widespread media coverage
- Good mix of written, audio & visual materials
- Fighting for market leadership
- An international/global dimension
- Reasonable expectation of examiner familiarity
- Strong potential for compare and contrast
- Strong connections with the AQA BUSS4 research theme for 2012

The list is shown below, with a brief comment on the reason for selection. We’ve created a seperate blog channel for the portfolio into which we’ll add suggested resources, links, new stories etc.

What do you think of the selection? Is there something obviously that we’ve missed out? Add your suggestions using the Discus form below.

Apple
Essential for all A2 business students and perfect for any “compare and contrast” analysis by BUSS4 students.. Phenomenal organic growth record and reputation for innovation, which has made Apple the world’s most valuable business. The one remaining question for 2012 seems to be - what should Apple do with its $100bn+ of cash? A high profile case study too for CSR, technological change, leadership (Jobs v Cook) and culture too.

British Airways
Merger with Iberia and subsequent takeover of BMI makes this great for M&A. Great too for employee relations, economic cycle, leadership (Willie Walsh) and for Porter’s strategy of cost leadership. Airlines operate in a highly cyclical and competitive industry - will IAG survive and thrive?

Google
Highly acquisitive but also with a strong organic growth record. But is the business losing some strategic focus. The competition between Apple, Google, Nokia, Samsung, HTC and others in smartphone and tablets is a key story to follow in 2012. Lots of scope for compare and contrast with Apple.

Kraft / Cadbury
The classic hostile, cross-border takeover story with lots of depth to the issues surround stakeholder response, leadership, change management, cultural compatibility. No research pack on M&A should be without this one.

News Corp / Sky
The takeover that never was, with a superb link to business ethics (e.g. phone hacking) and leadership styles (Murdoch etc). Perhaps a better case study than Kraft/Cadbury in terms of the breadth of the stakeholder reaction; also key to understanding the nature/process of competition in policy in the UK. BSkyB itself is also a classic case study in organic growth strategy.

Nokia
One of our favourite retrenchment case studies and still highly topical and dynamic. Has Stephen Elop made the right strategic choices and can Nokia take on the ferocious competition from the likes of Apple, Google and Samsung? Some 40,000 Nokia employees have lost their jobs since Elop took the helm in 2009; the rest are still still swimming with Elop in the icy waters after jumping off that “burning platform”.

RBS
The ultimate disastrous takeover story - which nearly brought down the UK banking system with it. A catastrophic failure of leadership and corporate culture too.

Santander
My “dark horse” selection for BUSS4 Section A 2012, on the basis that Santander’s external growth strategy in the UK is a classic example of how to use takeovers effectively. From nowhere ten years ago, Santander has built a strong market position in retail banking with over 1,000 branches carrying the Santander brand (whatever happened to Abbey, A&L & B&B?!) Good for business ethics too - like the rest, Santander has been hit hard by costs of the various mis-selling scandals.

Sony
An emerging story for 2012 which combines just about everything you might want in an A2 business studies case study. The “Apple of the 80’s” has ensured a terrible time recently. Hit by the Japanese earthquake (contingency planning; external shocks); a change in leadership this year (Howard Stringer moves on after a troublesome 7 years); heavily losses due to intense competition and the high Yen. Great for product innovation (great products, but always too late) and culture too.

Starbucks
A favourite for several years - surely you can’t teach A2 business without using Starbucks! Howard Schultz is everywhere explaining the turnaround story he has delivered at Starbucks. Ideal for Ansoff, Porter’s generic strategies, emerging markets, globalisation, leadership styles - the list is endless!

Tata Group
Now the UK’s biggest employer in the manufacturing sector, the Tata Group story has lots of angles. The takeovers of Jaguar Land Rover (successful) & Corus (less so) provide lots of scope for compare and contrast. Tata’s expansion into emerging markets (sometimes partnering with brands like Starbucks) is also great for international markets & globalisation).

Unilever
Another essential. Great for takeovers (e.g. Ben & Jerry’s) and even better for CSR, long-term strategy, portfolio management etc. CEO Polman is also great material for leaderships styles.