Cases June 24, 2015

Hopworks Urban Brewery: A Case of Sustainable Beer

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Founded in 2007 in Portland, Oregon, Hopworks Urban Brewery is a sustainability-focused brewpub that produces certified organic beer. The State of Oregon is the second largest producer of hops, a main ingredient in beer, in the United States, and also has more craft breweries per capita than any other state. The metro area of Portland, home to over 2 million people, has over 84 craft breweries within its borders.

The craft brewing industry has grown rapidly in the United States over the last decade, with an annualized growth rate of 9.6% from 2009–2014 and a $14.3 billion market in 2013. Craft brewers are small enterprises, producing fewer than six million barrels of beer per year, employing both traditional and innovative brewing methods, and focusing on quality products and connecting with their local community. To date, Hopworks has thrived in this competitive environment, producing over 12,000 barrels of beer per year while staying carbon neutral and diverting 98.6% of their total waste from landfills. Hopworks’ top quality beers have won prestigious national awards. Additionally, Oregon’s Governor has honored the brewery for its achievements as a sustainable business.

However, to expand, Hopworks is faced with a number of key decisions that affect its sustainability both economically and ecologically. Christian Ettinger, founder and brewmaster of Hopworks, must make strategic decisions about capital investments, labor allocations, and even the future of their organic certification as he executes a growth plan in line with their sustainable values. In this case, students will be challenged with analyzing all aspects of a sustainability-focused business and considering the many choices a craft brewer, or any small business owner, faces.

AuthorsMadeleine Pullman, Jacen Greene, Devin Liebmann, Nga Ho and Xan Pedisich
InstitutionPortland State University, United States
Competition Year2015
PlaceFirst Prize
TrackCorporate Sustainability
Key WordsCraft Brewery, Beer, Break-even, Sustainability Manager
CoursesMarketing, Operations & Supply Chain Management, Human Resources
Target AudienceMBAs and Advanced Undergrads
Permission RightsThis case is part of the oikos free case collection. Download a free online copy below. If you are a faculty member and you are interested in teaching this case, you can request a free teaching note by sending us an email to freecase@oikosinternational.org.
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posted June 24, 2015

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Cases

Succession at Berrett-Koehler Publishers: Institutionalizing the “BK Way” and Protecting BK Values for Future Success

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Many for-profit enterprises with a strong social or environmental mission, as well as businesses with a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility, struggle with the issue of keeping their social or environmental mission alive as the companies grow larger, bring in new investors, deal with mergers and acquisitions, and change leadership. There have been many failures chronicled as various founders dealt with this issue. Unfortunately, there is a gap in the case materials that speaks to this issue. This case helps to address that gap.

The Berrett-Koehler (BK) case highlights the efforts of a competitively successful, mission-driven, socially responsible publishing company to preserve its values, culture and practices while ensuring continued future success.  BK’s stated mission is “Creating a World that Works for All.” In pursuit of this mission, BK published 35-40 titles per year, each of which focused on fundamental transformation at the individual, organizational or societal level. The wide array of efforts pursued in protecting its mission include innovative approaches, such as consideration of Benefit Corporation status and adoption of a constitution.  The case provides an opportunity to cover corporate governance topics such as:  ownership structures, shareholder relations, CEO and organizational succession planning, and board roles and responsibilities.

This case takes place just prior to and immediately following Berrett-Koehler’s July 2012 Annual Shareholder Meeting and 20th Anniversary celebration.  The case highlights BK CEO, Steve Piersanti, and the Board of Directors in their efforts to institutionalize the “BK Way” through a variety of legal and operational methods.  BK is a socially responsible and mission-driven business working to protect the values, practices and culture it considers to be a critical component of its fundamental success.  BK has outperformed rivals from a financial standpoint in the intensely competitive publishing industry, and is well-known for its integrity and unique procedures.  Specifically, CEO Steve Piersanti and the BK board consider several specific and different options for embedding the BK values in the organization’s operating and ownership structures.

AuthorsMurray Silverman and Sally Baack
InstitutionSan Francisco State University, United States
Competition Year2015
PlaceRunner up
TrackCorporate Sustainability
Key WordsProtecting the social mission, stakeholder management, corporate governance, benefit corporation
CoursesStrategic management, Business, Government & Society, Sustainable Business
Target AudienceMBA's and Undergrads
Permission RightsThis case is part of the oikos free case collection. Download a free online copy below. If you are a faculty member and you are interested in teaching this case, you can request a free teaching note by sending us an email to freecase@oikosinternational.org.
DownloadFree Online Copy
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posted June 24, 2015

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Events June 16, 2015

oikos Summer School 2015

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More information will be out soon.

Read at

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posted June 16, 2015

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Newsletters June 9, 2015

oikos Newsletter June 2015

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“Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care” proclaims the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to commemorate the World Environment Day on June 5, 2015. Let us raise the curtains to the June edition of the oikos newsletter with a pledge to contribute towards the responsible management of our environment. In this edition we announce the winners of this year’s oikos Case Writing Competition and invite you to join and engage with the stimulating Learning Circles. Likewise, we are calling for fashionistas to showcase their management skills and lead the Fashion Supply Chain Learning Circle. In this edition the “30 Seconds with” feature Malvika Garg and the newly wed Raisa Adhikari from oikos New Delhi who share their experiences of organizing the Asia Meet 2015.
All these and a lot more coming your way this warm June, so go ahead and dig into it!

Read more here.

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posted June 9, 2015

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Events

oikos Central and Eastern European Meeting in Vienna: Circular Economy

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oikos Vienna proudly invites you to join the first international meeting in Vienna:

The oikos CEE Meeting 2015 will be hosted from September 16th-19th, 2015 in Vienna under the main theme:

Circular Economy.

Our current economic system is based on a linear production, where worn out element are being burned or disposed on a landfill. Circular economy on the other hand describes a manufacturing process where materials are reused in production after their “previous” life cycle has ended. Basis for the concept of the circular economy is the realisation that within a world of planetary boundaries production cannot rely on endless resources in the long run.

The oikos CEE meeting will focus on three cycles within a circular economy in particular:

wear, water & waste.

For more details on what we are going to do, please see the programme.

We are looking forward to welcome you all in Vienna to discuss about this interesting and important topic! In case of any questions, please send us an email to ceemeeting2015@oikosvienna.at.

See you soon,

Your CEE Meeting Organization Team

aka

Anna, Astrid, Lena, Melanie, Michi & Sandra

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Register here within June 30th.

Check our project page for more information.

Stay updated, join this event on Facebook!

When: September 16th, 2 pm to September 19. approx. 1 pm

Where: Vienna University of Business and Economics, Vienna

Language: English

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posted June 9, 2015

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Events June 8, 2015

Dinner in Paris

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Join the oikos Alumni for a summer evening to remember with great food, great talks and great people. The event will start at 8pm at the vegetarian restaurant called  called Saveurs Végét’halles (41 Rue des Bourdonnais, 75001 Paris).

If you are in Paris this date, come and join us!

Please contact Clémentine Robert for more information.

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posted June 8, 2015

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News June 5, 2015

Re-defining Sustainability at the oikos Germany Meeting

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oikos members gathered at the second oikos Germany Meeting (2015) and stirred up a discussion about definitions of sustainability. Set in Leipzig, the Germany Meeting was given the topic of “Re-thinking Sustainability”. More than 45 oikees from German speaking countries to explore views, attitudes and practices on individual approaches towards sustainability. oikos Leipzig prepared a two-day program full of interactive  sessions amongst oikees accompanied by wasted (and re-utilised) vegan food.

The Germany Meeting kicked-off on May 29th with a dinner, followed by an introductory talk by the oikos President, Anita Negri, recalling oikos values and spirit. The first lecture of the meeting was devoted to introducing debates in the sustainability field – an important start for the following day. The day finished with an open air networking session in front of the University of Leipzig.

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Group work and presentations

On the second day, participants had the opportunity to widen their horizons and hold discussions on varied aspects of sustainability: from sustainable education to alternative means of transport to understanding co-operative food systems. An oikos member even taught members how to longboard. Almost all the sessions were prepared and delivered by oikos members who contributed to the content of the meeting with their different expertise. The second day ended with a group exercise workshop where all participants gathered and co-produced the definition of sustainability via a highly democratic, alternative methodology. The long Saturday finished in the biggest park in Leipzig where the dinner was served right from the grill.

On Sunday, the last day, the organizing team took the participant around Leipzig on bikes to see Leipzig’s urban gardens and to a place where some smart people are trying to question and rethink our current economic system.

The results were a lot of inspiring poster presentations and a definition of sustainability. We, however, cannot share this definition yet as it was not approved by 100% of the participants. The meeting was once again a great platform that enabled oikos members to connect, share, think their minds out and create a responsible future!

Thank you oikos Leipzig!

Author: Jakub Blaha

Photo credits: Kristýna Jaklová

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oikos International

posted June 5, 2015

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