Volkswagen and Porsche: One Family, Two Car Companies, & a Battle for Corporate Control

Abstract

This case provides background material about the takeover attempt of one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers, Volkswagen, by the small sports car manufacturer, Porsche. It covers the period from spring 2005 through August 2009. This drama ends in a complete reversal, the acquisition of Porsche by Volkswagen. The case includes such topics as options, disclosure regulations, short sales, corporate governance, corporate strategies, and family owned firms. It exemplifies the impact of an economic culture, especially that of stakeholder versus shareholder economies. This case material is unique since it contrasts these two perspectives, thus illustrating that there are multiple points of view behind apparent 'facts.'The material consists of the case study and a separate teacher's manual also available on SSRN (http://ssrn.com/abstract=1996440).