HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to Homeback to Research & KnowledgeSkanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (B)back to

Case Study

Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (B)

By Philip Rosenzweig

4 pages

June 2014

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-1587

The B case describes what bid was entered by Skanska USA Building, and what eventually happened – what rivals offered, and who won the bid. It allows a discussion of what constitutes a sound bid, how much risk to take, and what may be excessive risk.

Learning Objective

Examine a strategic decision under conditions of intense competitive rivalry and high uncertainty. Explore decision biases and errors, and think about the way that managers make decisions under pressure.

Keywords

Decision Making, Competitive Strategy, Construction

Settings

Northern America, United States of America
Skanska, Construction and Engineering
2009-2010

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

Related material

Video

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

This case study is part of a series

Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (A)
Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (B)

This case study is part of a series

Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (A)
Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (B)

Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (A)

By Philip Rosenzweig
Case reference: IMD-7-1586 ©2014

Summary

In 2010, Skanska USA Building is involved in a competitive bid for the National Security Agency’s Utah Data Center. President Bill Flemming must su...

Reference IMD-7-1586

Organization Skanska

Industry Construction and Engineering

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Skanska USA Building and the Utah data center bid (B)

By Philip Rosenzweig
Case reference: IMD-7-1587 ©2014

Summary

The B case describes what bid was entered by Skanska USA Building, and what eventually happened – what rivals offered, and who won the bid. It all...

Reference IMD-7-1587

Organization Skanska

Industry Construction and Engineering

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

The reset premium: Option value under asymmetric price commitment

We show that a one-sided price-adjustment rule, with free price cuts but a fixed daily reset for price increases, raises the reset price even under risk neutrality, mean-zero wholesale cost shocks, and perfect consumer information. The mechanism i...

Economics

By Harry J. Paarsch and Karl Schmedders

in Economic Letters

September 2026, vol. 268, 113146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2026.113146

Article

The tragedy of the horizon: A contracting account

The “tragedy of the horizon” captures the gap between long-horizon climate damages and the shorter horizons of corporate decision-making. We provide a contracting account of this idea using a deliberately standard CARA-normal moral-hazard model. U...

Finance Economics

By Christos Cabolis and Karl Schmedders

in Economic Letters

September 2026, vol. 268, 113154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2026.113154

Article

How the Mulliez family built a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem

How the Mulliez family built a global entrepreneurial ecosystem, combining shared ownership, governance, and capital to sustain business creation across generations.

Family Business

By Peter Vogel and Anouk Lavoie Orlick

in I by IMD

Video

Building trust in a complex global business - Chi Jingtao- I by IMD

Former COFCO International CEO shares leadership lessons on globalization, cross-cultural management, and building a global agricultural business.

Culture Leadership Strategy

By Mark J. Greeven

in I by IMD

Article

How to spot – and fix – pseudo-engagement in your team

Spot pseudo-engagement in teams and learn six proven steps to restore genuine collaboration and high performance.

Culture Human Resources Leadership Talent Management

By Amy Bradley

in I by IMD

Article

Board Diversity: Why Constructive Dissent Matters

Discover why effective board diversity requires constructive dissent, independent thinking and the courage to test business strategies against extremes.

Board Corporate Governance

By Parminder Kohli

in I by IMD

Article

The CFO’s balancing act: Delivering more intelligent growth

The era of unchecked expansion has passed – for Søren Westh Lonning, CFO at FinTech Pleo, the challenge now is to drive balanced, disciplined growth.

Finance Finance Leadership Technology Management

By I by IMD

in I by IMD

Case Study

Entrepreneurship through acquisition: NCA's operator-led search fund approach

Entrepreneurship Strategy Finance

By Benoit F. Leleux

Article

AI corporate governance: Is your AI a witness?

Discover why AI corporate governance must move beyond performative oversight to reduce regulatory, legal and reputational risks for boards and businesses.

By Abraham Hongze Lu

in I by IMD

Article

Are you embracing your inner founder?

HubSpot-style insight on AI leadership: Embrace your inner founder to achieve operational clarity, dynamic direction, and reimagined teams that leverage AI.

Decision Making Entrepreneurship Leadership

By I by IMD

in I by IMD

The reset premium: Option value under asymmetric price commitment

By Harry J. Paarsch and Karl Schmedders
in Economic Letters September 2026, vol. 268, 113146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2026.113146

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Economics

Browse all topics

The tragedy of the horizon: A contracting account

By Christos Cabolis and Karl Schmedders
in Economic Letters September 2026, vol. 268, 113154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2026.113154

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Finance

Economics

Browse all topics

Building trust in a complex global business - Chi Jingtao- I by IMD

By Mark J. Greeven
in I by IMD

Summary

Former COFCO International CEO shares leadership lessons on globalization, cross-cultural management, and building a global agricultural business.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Culture

Leadership

Strategy

Browse all topics

How to spot – and fix – pseudo-engagement in your team

By Amy Bradley
in I by IMD

Summary

Spot pseudo-engagement in teams and learn six proven steps to restore genuine collaboration and high performance.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Culture

Human Resources

Leadership

Talent Management

Browse all topics

Board Diversity: Why Constructive Dissent Matters

By Parminder Kohli
in I by IMD

Summary

Discover why effective board diversity requires constructive dissent, independent thinking and the courage to test business strategies against extremes.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Board

Corporate Governance

Browse all topics

The CFO’s balancing act: Delivering more intelligent growth

By I by IMD
in I by IMD

Summary

The era of unchecked expansion has passed – for Søren Westh Lonning, CFO at FinTech Pleo, the challenge now is to drive balanced, disciplined growth.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Finance

Finance Leadership

Technology Management

Browse all topics

Entrepreneurship through acquisition: NCA's operator-led search fund approach

By Benoit F. Leleux
Case reference: IMD-7-2513 ©2026

Summary

The case investigates the supported search fund model pioneered by Novastone Capital Advisors (NCA) through which mid-career executives can achieve their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs though the acquisition of an SME. NCA provides support through the various phases of the program, from talent selection, training, target searches, due diligence, M&A, value creation and exit engineering.

Reference IMD-7-2513

Organization Novastone Capital Advisors

Industry Finance and Insurance, Private Equity

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Entrepreneurship

Strategy

Finance

Browse all topics

Are you embracing your inner founder?

By I by IMD
in I by IMD

Summary

HubSpot-style insight on AI leadership: Embrace your inner founder to achieve operational clarity, dynamic direction, and reimagined teams that leverage AI.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Decision Making

Entrepreneurship

Leadership

Browse all topics