Case Study

A CEO caught off-guard

4 pages
June 2013
Reference: IMD-3-2394

Robert Visser was the CEO of a €8.2 billion media and publishing company, Köhler Gesellschaft based in Frankfurt, Germany. He was interested in Web-enabling Köhler’s book publishing, radio, and television content. Visser just learned that competitors were developing new generic Top Level Domains and he is wondering what approach Köhler should take in presenting itself on the Internet. The more Visser studies the challenges the more he realizes that no one in his company is responsible for the management of domain names more specifically or for Internet strategy more generally. It is black hole with huge ramifications for the company going forward. The case presents a forum for discussing Internet governance and strategy issues.

Learning Objective

The case provides a good overview of developments in creating and managing Top Level Domain names. It enables students to assess various stakeholders in the decision-making process and review an effective approach to governance. It also provides an opportunity to assess how companies with large portfolios of brands and products can best organize a customer engagement strategy for the Internet.

Keywords
Communications, General Management, Strategy
Settings
Germany
2013
Type
Generalized Experience
Copyright
© 2013
Available Languages
English
Case clearing houses
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]

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Discover our latest research
IMD's faculty and research teams publish articles, case studies, books and reports on a wide range of topics