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Product cover image for Robert Bosch Power Tools: Regional Headquarters Structure for Eastern Europe and the Middle East (A)

Robert Bosch Power Tools: Regional Headquarters Structure for Eastern Europe and the Middle East (A)

Jan Schmitt, Phillip C. Nell

Product #:W24932
Supplier:CEMS Collection
Discipline:International Business, Strategy
Setting:Germany; Hungary; Romania; United Arab Emirates, 2015
Details:Case (PDF) • 10 pages • 2021-09-21 (Rev: 2026-04-30)

Subjects:

SubsidiariesEmerging marketsOrganizational transformationEconomicsBusiness managementInternational businessStrategy

Industries:

Fabrication and manufacturing

Geography:

EuropeGermanyHungaryRomaniaUnited Arab Emirates
Your Price:$9.49

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Two managers in the Power Tools division of German multinational corporation Robert Bosch GmbH (Bosch) have been tasked with devising potential solutions for addressing tensions between the regional headquarters (RHQ) for the Eastern Europe and Middle East region of Bosch Power Tools' Blue Emerging Markets business unit. The RHQ faces challenges in managing its geographically dispersed subsidiaries, with the subsidiaries complaining about slow decision-making, a lack of efficiency, and a limited understanding of customer needs. Bosch Power Tools must rethink its approach to the Blue Emerging Markets unit and the organizational set-up of the RHQ. Thus, the two managers are meeting with senior managers from across the Eastern Europe-Middle East region and the board of management (Case A) in order to determine the best way to address the issues (Case B).

Learning Objectives

This case is suitable for international business/management or global strategy courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It is highly suitable for engaging students in problem-solving in complex international management settings and having them evaluate different solution approaches considering a diversity of internal and external data. After working through the Case A, students will be able to do the following:
  • Assess and discuss the role and functioning of RHQs in MNCs, including the challenges they face.
  • Develop suggestions, based on structured reasoning and coherent argumentation, for how to steer MNC regional operations.
  • Identify and evaluate the key drivers of a location choice on different levels, considering country-, industry-, and firm-level aspects.
  • Analyze the dynamics and complexity of managing business units in emerging markets.
  • Critically discuss and evaluate managerial options in an international setting.
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Case Study: Robert Bosch Power Tools: Regional Headquarters Structure for Eastern Europe and the Middle East (A) (English version) | Ivey Publishing