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Note: INSEAD used to offer free evaluation copies of their cases. They no longer do...

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Few of us have kin whose life spans hundreds of years, but the Wendel family could consider its baby long-lived. The family founded a company in 1704 and it's still prosperous. Professor Ludo Van der Heyden and Christine Blondel trace the family tree and the family business in this case.

"This case shows the history of a large family firm over nine generations of family managers," says Ms Blondel. "It is a remarkable story of continuity of a family business, not through steady growth, but through a series of renewals in hardship, made possible by the commitment of family members. The case shows that family businesses can be very large companies. It illustrates the role of roots and values, and a form of capitalism which goes beyond purely financial shareholder value."

Note: INSEAD used to offer free evaluation copies of their cases. They no longer do...

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In 1984, a small band of Canadian street performers set out to breathe life back into the tired circus industry. In creating Cirque de Soleil, a unique amalgam of circus, opera, theater, and spectacle, founders Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier turned what used to be traditional circus shows for kids into unconventional entertainment, primarily targeted to adults. This case explores how this troupe went about creating a new market space, a strategy that has proven highly successful and hugely profitable.

Note: INSEAD used to offer free evaluation copies of their cases. They no longer do...

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Professional wrestling has been popular in North American for over a century, though mostly limited to small arenas and controlled by local promoters. It was Vince McMahon, head of an East Coast operation, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), who made the sport a national enthusiasm in the 1980s.

This was all to change in 1988, when Ted Turner and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) arrived on the scene.

Thomas Mannarelli, Professor of Organizational Behavior, and Research Associate Christopher Baty, both of INSEAD, examine the changes in wrestling over the past twenty years, with a view towards understanding the ethical and managerial dilemmas faced by wrestling executives.

This three-part case focuses on the WWF-WCW rivalry and explains why the appearance of the WCW brought McMahon into conflict with his top wrestler, Bret Hart.

Part one traces the history of wrestling in North America, and discusses the phenomenal rise to success of the WWF in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the ever-increasing challenge posed by Ted Turner's nascent WCW. Part two narrates the longstanding tensions between Hart and McMahon, and discloses the astonishing outcome of the 1997 Montreal match between Hart and Shawn Michaels, and its surprising impact on the WWF as whole. Finally, part three looks at what happened next, examining how McMahon manipulated the aftermath of the Hart-Michaels fight and Hart's subsequent departure from the WWF to boost ratings. It also explores Hart's brief career at WCW and the final conclusion of the decade-long WWF and WCW rivalry.

The authors ask you to consider the factors of charismatic and transformational leadership as well as management ethics and integrity. The cases also outline the importance of innovation in entrepreneurship, the role of motivation in privately owned family business, and the debate over whether it is management or talent that drives a company's success.

Note: INSEAD used to offer free evaluation copies of their cases. They no longer do...

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The logistics of disaster relief projects using supply management technology and the complex relationships between numerous parties during a series of natural disasters in El Salvador are mined for key lessons and their pertinence to future international rescue projects. The case analyses the management of this series of disasters and lays out key learning points for such future projects with especial relevance for international multi-partner projects.