At the beginning of 2006, one of the biggest takeovers in the sporting goods industry took place: the leading German sporting goods company Adidas acquired its U.S. competitor Reebok. Building on an analysis of the sporting goods industry and the characteristics of Adidas and Reebok, the present case study explores the complexities of the cross-border acquisition. It outlines not only the motives and risks associated with the acquisition but also some major consequences for Adidas’ and Reebok’s strategy, structure and culture. In particular, the case study examines the brand positioning of Adidas and Reebok before and after the acquisition as well as the related challenges. Furthermore, it analyses the integration of Reebok into the Adidas Group between 2007 and 2017, especially in the context of increasing levels of competition, such as competition by industry rivals Nike and Under Armour.
Within the retail industry, the grocery discount segment has grown in importance during the last decades. Aldi and Lidl are the two leading grocery discounters worldwide. The present case study outlines the internationalization of Aldi and Lidl. Not only market entry strategies but also target market and timing strategies as well as the standardization-differentiation controversy are addressed.