Case Study Shell

As part of the course, students will work on a case study in collaboration with Shell on the topic of hydrogen infrastructure and present it to representatives of Shell management. The case study is a 'feasibility' study in which the students design a proposal for the commercialization of a filling station network for hydrogen. The aim of the case study is to sensitize the students to practical challenges in the development of an international competitive strategy on a future topic.

Against this background, the following learning objectives should be achieved:

• Application of theoretical concepts and instruments of international strategic corporate management in the practical case of „The Hydrogen Challenge“.
• Developing an awareness of practical challenges in the field of international strategic corporate management.
• Developing the competence to translate a complex task into a project and to work on and manage it in a team.

The event is divided into two blocks: After the kick-off event and group division on Thursday, October 15, 2015, 09:00 - 14:00, the phase begins in which the students prepare a presentation on the case study and write a written elaboration in the group. After an interim meeting with Shell and the professorship, there will be a presentation day at Shell on Friday, December 4, 2015, 09:00 - 17:00, on which the students will present the results of the case study and discuss them with the Shell management team. The students will then have until Sunday, January 31, 2016 to complete the written elaboration.

In the kick-off event on October 15, 2015 from 09:00 - 14:00, the company Royal Dutch Shell, the topic of hydrogen and the specific case study will be presented by representatives of Shell. The students will then be divided into three groups. The kick-off event will also provide general information on the expectations regarding the content of the group work, the case study and the written assignment.

After October 15, 2015, the phase in which the students work on the case study in the group begins. After a four-week familiarization period, students are given the opportunity to discuss an initial outline for the paper with their supervisor. The deadline for discussing the outline, November 15, 2015, is also the cut-off date. All students who have not officially deregistered from STiNE by this date will begin an examination attempt.

Following the outline feedback, each group is given the opportunity to conduct a conference call with a Shell employee to further prepare the presentation. On the presentation day at Shell, each group receives feedback from Shell and members of the professorship, which should be further considered in the written elaboration of the case study. The students receive a standardized group grade for both the presentation and the written elaboration.

The following requirements apply for passing the course:

• All students in a group must work on the case study and prepare a (PowerPoint) presentation. The groups must give this presentation in an oral presentation during the presentation day at Shell (group presentation). Not all students in the group have to present during the presentation, although they can do so.
• The oral presentation can be given in English or German and should last approximately 50 minutes in total (per group).
• You must contribute to the written group work and pass it with a grade of at least 4.0.
• The written version of the group work must be 20-30 pages long and must be written in English.
• Papers that are not submitted on time are considered failed and canot be reworked!

The grade for the course is made up as follows:

Term paper 50% / Presentation 50%.