Corporate Strategy

Dear students,

Greetings!

In our next case discussion (i.e. on Monday, 12th September) all the group executives must submit the case analysis report. In addition, you have to submit the following assignment:

1. Li& Fung owes much of its ongoing success to its expertise in global value chain configuration. Define the concept of value chain and critically discuss the importance of value chain management for global companies. How did Li & Fung use the value chain configuration in its globalization process?

2. According to John Mathews, a Professor of Management in Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Sydney; and the author of "Dragon Multinational: A New Model for Global Growth," Li & Fung is one of the first truly global companies. Describe the various stages in the globalization process. Examine the role played by alliances and acquisitions in a company's globalization strategy, with specific reference to Li & Fung.

3. William Fung believes that Li & Fung is an information and knowledge-based business. Discuss the importance of knowledge management for global companies. Describe the knowledge management initiatives typically taken by global companies and examine the implementation process of a knowledge management system at a company. Study Li & Fung's organizational structure and examine how such a structure enables efficient and effective knowledge management at the company.

4. According to William Fung, it has always been a policy at Li & Fung to embrace information technology (IT) in all aspects of the company's business to provide more value added services to its customers worldwide. Critically comment on the importance of IT for global companies. How did Li & Fung use IT to enhance its global competitiveness?