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Cases: MG 800, Spring, 2017
Case 1: New York Times Strategic Case
You are a new employee at the New York Times. A second meeting has been set by top
management to discuss the newspaper’s strategic direction. Your boss wants you to come
up with intelligent suggestions for the next meeting. Your boss knows you studied
strategy in the MBA program. He wants “ideas that work.”
You had a meting with your boss after the first meeting. Here are the notes you took from
the meeting with your boss.
Meeting Notes
1. The company is in financial trouble. Newspaper circulation is
falling. More layoffs expected. Poor investments.
2. A lot of newspaper talent, but poor financial results.
3. Maybe we should have started a cable news station. Too late
now.
4. Don’t have money for mergers and acquisitions. Other
newspapers are in trouble. Even cable TV has “issues.”
5. Can’t stand President Trump. Worried that his policies may make
things worse for the Times. One executive said “Trump is the
cause of all our trouble. Maybe Chuck Schumer will help
us.”Another executive suggested suing Trump.
6. Several reporters said the economy is poor and “We’ll just have
to lay off more people. Let’s save our jobs.”
7. Not sure where we are going as an organization. Hired
consultants who did a SWOT analysis. Never led to any good
ideas. Consultants not helping. Top management said the
consultants told the Times to “come up with a plan.” This led to
angry comments by senior people at the paper. One idea was to
increase ”publishing.” Senior executives think this is ridiculous.
“No money in the area,” was said by one executive.
8. This led to a free-for-all with people suggesting various courses
of action, which included,
a. Buy the New York Yankees
b. Open newspapers in the BRICS.
c. Go back into radio – as a way of competing with CNN and
Fox.
d. Work with a hedge fund, maybe Cerberus, or with Goldman
Sachs, to improve the cash flow.
Your task is to recommend sound STRATEGIC solutions, not to express opinions. You
need to find out (from research) the following: MG800 Cases Spring 2017 What is the New York Times’s strategy? Good to look at class notes and the text!
What should it be? The same? Something different?
How can you show that your solution makes sense?
Be specific. Companies in trouble do not appreciate vague ideas and superficial
recommendations.
You must first understand the situation by reading articles in The Wall Street Journal and
other publications. This situation calls for a clear STRATEGIC plan. Hence, you cannot
take the view that the situation is too complex or that you do not have enough
information. That would be unworthy of an MBA candidate!
Here are some major issues to consider:
1. The company has been sagging financially for years but generates reasonable
revenue. Top management is frustrated that they have not been able to turn things
around.
2. Whatever you recommend should not bring a decline in quality.
3. With little money, the focus should be on a long-term approach. It may take years
to see a significant change.
4. This is a course in strategy. The solution to all cases must be strategic not
operational. Therefore, pumping more money into the company, which they do
not have, or developing a marketing plan will not suffice. Students must apply
concepts from the course – both the class discussions and the text. Further Instructions:
There are many issues to look at in this case. You must read about the topic and
formulate a credible “solution” that will please top management of.
1. When you identify a solution, evaluate all alternatives. Select one – the best –
alternative and develop a comprehensive plan to carry it out.
2. Be specific. Give facts. Do not rely on opinion. Quote credible sources.
Don’t use expressions such as “People say…”
3. Use the Problem—Solution —Benefits format to solve the problem. Do not
create a paper that merely describes the problem. Your problem description
should not exceed one page. Do not waste time defining the problem or the
history of the company as told in Wikipedia. You must SOLVE the problem.
4. Write, rewrite and proofread the paper for excellence. Include a specific
bibliography. If you quote from a source, show that you are quoting.
5. Papers must be turned in on the due date. They must be typed, proofread
and must contain a bibliography of works cited. Failure to turn in on the
scheduled date will incur a penalty.
6. Papers that are turned in but do not earn a grade will be returned to the
student. The paper must be resubmitted in two weeks following the guidance
provided by the Instructor.
A few tips for sharp MBAs: 2 MG800 Cases Spring 2017 1. Remember that you are working for company management. Do not set yourself
up as smarter than they are. Do not fall into the trap of telling them to shift
direction without solid evidence. This would not be smart or strategic. They do
not have the money or skill for such a shift.
2. Avoid expressions such as “I think” and “I feel.” This is a Master’s level course in
a business program. Personal feelings are less important than FACTS and the
ability to protect the company.
3. Read over the case several times. Begin to work on your paper well before the
deadline. It would not be a good idea to react to the case. Think about it;
understand the issues involved. Make sure your final product takes into account
the issues that Times executives are worried about.
4. This is a course in Strategic Management. In a course on strategy, the cases you
are asked to work on deal with strategy. Apply strategic concepts from class
discussion and from the textbook. As you work on your solution, ask yourself if
you are taking a strategic approach.
5. It is strongly advised that students grasp the central problem in the case. This is
the single most important issue the company is facing.
Keep these ideas in mind for all papers in the course including the Integrative
Project. 3 MG800 Cases Spring 2017 4

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