Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid Net Present Value (NPV) / MBA Resources

Introduction to Net Present Value (NPV) - What is Net Present Value (NPV) ? How it impacts financial decisions regarding project management?

NPV solution for Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid case study

At Oak Spring University, we provide corporate level professional Net Present Value (NPV) case study solution. Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid case study is a Harvard Business School (HBR) case study written by Jacques Neatby, Louis Hebert, Jean Poitras. The Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid (referred as “Vice Affairs” from here on) case study provides evaluation & decision scenario in field of Leadership & Managing People. It also touches upon business topics such as - Value proposition, Decision making, Leadership, Leading teams.

The net present value (NPV) of an investment proposal is the present value of the proposal’s net cash flows less the proposal’s initial cash outflow. If a project’s NPV is greater than or equal to zero, the project should be accepted.

NPV = Present Value of Future Cash Flows LESS Project’s Initial Investment

---

Case Description of Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid Case Study

Supplement to case W18067. Two executives at Express Trucking-the vice-president of legal affairs, and the vice-president of sales-were preparing for an executive team meeting. The two vice-presidents were disputing the terms of a customer contract to be signed the following day. According to the vice-president of legal affairs, the contract needed to be revised to include a standard clause regarding Express Trucking's liability, whereas the vice-president of sales feared losing the contract if any changes were made. The company's chief executive officer asked the two executives to resolve this dispute before the upcoming executive team meeting. How would the two executives resolve their differences? The case involves the students in a role play to develop their competence to address typical conflicts between executive team members, by reproducing the complex environment in which executives operate. Students will be assigned the role of the vice-president of legal affairs (9B18M014); the vice-president of sales (9B18M015); or the observer (9B18M016). The authors Louis Hebert and Jean Poitras is affiliated with HEC Montreal.

Case Authors : Jacques Neatby, Louis Hebert, Jean Poitras

Topic : Leadership & Managing People

Related Areas : Decision making, Leadership, Leading teams

---

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 6% for Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid Case Study

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 6 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10021548)	-10021548	-	-
Year 1	3463235	-6558313	3463235	0.9434	3267203
Year 2	3965448	-2592865	7428683	0.89	3529235
Year 3	3955401	1362536	11384084	0.8396	3321031
Year 4	3233182	4595718	14617266	0.7921	2560983
TOTAL			14617266		12678451

The Net Present Value at 6% discount rate is 2656903

In isolation the NPV number doesn't mean much but put in right context then it is one of the best method to evaluate project returns. In this article we will cover -

Different methods of capital budgeting

What is NPV & Formula of NPV,
How it is calculated,
How to use NPV number for project evaluation, and
Scenario Planning given risks and management priorities.

---

Capital Budgeting Approaches

Methods of Capital Budgeting

There are four types of capital budgeting techniques that are widely used in the corporate world –

1. Profitability Index
2. Payback Period
3. Net Present Value
4. Internal Rate of Return

Apart from the Payback period method which is an additive method, rest of the methods are based on Discounted Cash Flow technique. Even though cash flow can be calculated based on the nature of the project, for the simplicity of the article we are assuming that all the expected cash flows are realized at the end of the year.

Discounted Cash Flow approaches provide a more objective basis for evaluating and selecting investment projects. They take into consideration both –

1. Magnitude of both incoming and outgoing cash flows – Projects can be capital intensive, time intensive, or both. Vice Affairs shareholders have preference for diversified projects investment rather than prospective high income from a single capital intensive project.
2. Timing of the expected cash flows – stockholders of Vice Affairs have higher preference for cash returns over 4-5 years rather than 10-15 years given the nature of the volatility in the industry.

---

Formula and Steps to Calculate Net Present Value (NPV) of Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid

NPV = Net Cash In Flowt1 / (1+r)t1 + Net Cash In Flowt2 / (1+r)t2 + … Net Cash In Flowtn / (1+r)tn
Less Net Cash Out Flowt0 / (1+r)t0

Where t = time period, in this case year 1, year 2 and so on.
r = discount rate or return that could be earned using other safe proposition such as fixed deposit or treasury bond rate. Net Cash In Flow – What the firm will get each year.
Net Cash Out Flow – What the firm needs to invest initially in the project.

Step 1 – Understand the nature of the project and calculate cash flow for each year.
Step 2 – Discount those cash flow based on the discount rate.
Step 3 – Add all the discounted cash flow.
Step 4 – Selection of the project

Why Leadership & Managing People Managers need to know Financial Tools such as Net Present Value (NPV)?

In our daily workplace we often come across people and colleagues who are just focused on their core competency and targets they have to deliver. For example marketing managers at Vice Affairs often design programs whose objective is to drive brand awareness and customer reach. But how that 30 point increase in brand awareness or 10 point increase in customer touch points will result into shareholders’ value is not specified.

To overcome such scenarios managers at Vice Affairs needs to not only know the financial aspect of project management but also needs to have tools to integrate them into part of the project development and monitoring plan.

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 15%

After working through various assumptions we reached a conclusion that risk is far higher than 6%. In a reasonably stable industry with weak competition - 15% discount rate can be a good benchmark.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 15 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10021548)	-10021548	-	-
Year 1	3463235	-6558313	3463235	0.8696	3011509
Year 2	3965448	-2592865	7428683	0.7561	2998448
Year 3	3955401	1362536	11384084	0.6575	2600740
Year 4	3233182	4595718	14617266	0.5718	1848582
TOTAL					10459280

The Net NPV after 4 years is 437732

(10459280 - 10021548 )

---

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 20%

If the risk component is high in the industry then we should go for a higher hurdle rate / discount rate of 20%.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 20 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10021548)	-10021548	-	-
Year 1	3463235	-6558313	3463235	0.8333	2886029
Year 2	3965448	-2592865	7428683	0.6944	2753783
Year 3	3955401	1362536	11384084	0.5787	2289005
Year 4	3233182	4595718	14617266	0.4823	1559212
TOTAL					9488030

The Net NPV after 4 years is -533518

At 20% discount rate the NPV is negative (9488030 - 10021548 ) so ideally we can't select the project if macro and micro factors don't allow financial managers of Vice Affairs to discount cash flow at lower discount rates such as 15%.

Acceptance Criteria of a Project based on NPV

Simplest Approach – If the investment project of Vice Affairs has a NPV value higher than Zero then finance managers at Vice Affairs can ACCEPT the project, otherwise they can reject the project. This means that project will deliver higher returns over the period of time than any alternate investment strategy.

In theory if the required rate of return or discount rate is chosen correctly by finance managers at Vice Affairs, then the stock price of the Vice Affairs should change by same amount of the NPV. In real world we know that share price also reflects various other factors that can be related to both macro and micro environment.

In the same vein – accepting the project with zero NPV should result in stagnant share price. Finance managers use discount rates as a measure of risk components in the project execution process.

Sensitivity Analysis

Project selection is often a far more complex decision than just choosing it based on the NPV number. Finance managers at Vice Affairs should conduct a sensitivity analysis to better understand not only the inherent risk of the projects but also how those risks can be either factored in or mitigated during the project execution. Sensitivity analysis helps in –

What are the key aspects of the projects that need to be monitored, refined, and retuned for continuous delivery of projected cash flows.

What will be a multi year spillover effect of various taxation regulations.

What are the uncertainties surrounding the project Initial Cash Outlay (ICO’s). ICO’s often have several different components such as land, machinery, building, and other equipment.

What can impact the cash flow of the project.

Understanding of risks involved in the project.

Some of the assumptions while using the Discounted Cash Flow Methods –

Projects are assumed to be Mutually Exclusive – This is seldom the came in modern day giant organizations where projects are often inter-related and rejecting a project solely based on NPV can result in sunk cost from a related project.

Independent projects have independent cash flows – As explained in the marketing project – though the project may look independent but in reality it is not as the brand awareness project can be closely associated with the spending on sales promotions and product specific advertising.

---

Negotiation Strategy of Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid

References & Further Readings

Jacques Neatby, Louis Hebert, Jean Poitras (2018), "Express Trucking: Executive Team Dynamics (Role Play) (C): Observer Grid Harvard Business Review Case Study. Published by HBR Publications.