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This is the second of a two-case series. Case (A) exposes the growing pains of an older, brick-and-mortar, company as it attempts to join the New Economy. The focus is on synergy; pushed by converging technologies and managed by a young and energetic leader, Bertelsmann attempts to overcome a history of decentralization to create a more integrated and Internet savvy corporation. Case (B) picks up after the ousting of the former CEO of Bertelsmann, following his attempts to push the company forward in its exposure to the capital markets and the extent of corporate synergies. It shows how unforgiving the New Economy could be to dreams of Internet driven synergies. It also shows how business unit profitability remains a key concern, and especially as economic conditions change, although ideas for greater cooperation are not lost but re-sized.