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Strategy

Sustainability

Ventures in Salt: Compass Minerals International

By

Rebecca M. Henderson

Ramana Nanda

John D. Sterman

Jul 10, 2009

Abstract

In late 2003, salt producer Compass Minerals celebrated its first day trading as a public company on the NASDAQ. Knowing that it would continue to wrestle with how to price its product and respond to competitive and environmental challenges as a publicly traded company, Compass Minerals would now have to make a compelling case for investors to hold a stand-alone salt company in their portfolio.

Learning Objective

To illustrate the challenges of pricing in a commodity market with variable demand.

Instructor Note

This case is to be used in conjunction with “Salt Seller: A Commodity Pricing Simulation.”

Appropriate for the Following Course(s)

sustainability, strategy

Ventures in Salt

*An educator (non-watermarked) copy of this case is available only to individuals who hold teaching positions at academic institutions and want to use the case in a course.