Case studies

The learning outcomes are as follows: understanding strategic decision-making in EdTech: students will analyse the dynamics of strategic decision-making in the EdTech sector, exploring the rationale behind Unacademy’s shift from online to offline learning; assessing business model transformation: learners will evaluate the challenges and opportunities associated with Unacademy’s transformation from an online-centric model to venturing into physical coaching centres, and this includes considerations of market trends, competition and financial implications; managing competitive dynamics: students will examine the competitive landscape in the Indian EdTech sector, comparing Unacademy’s offline move with industry players, and this objective aims to enhance students’ ability to assess competitive strategies and positioning; strategic response to funding challenges: participants will explore how Unacademy strategically responds to the funding winter, addressing questions of financial stability, organic growth and sustainability in a dynamic market; leadership in uncertain environments: the case aims to develop insights into effective leadership during periods of uncertainty, and students will assess Gaurav Munjal’s leadership decisions and the management team’s role in steering Unacademy through challenges.

These objectives align closely with the case’s focus on strategic management, innovation and business transformation within the context of EdTech, providing students with practical insights and decision-making skills applicable to real-world scenarios.

The case study revolves around Unacademy, a prominent EdTech player in India, undergoing a strategic shift since May 2022. Facing a decline in demand for online education, the company ventured into the offline learning space by establishing physical coaching centres, directly competing with established offline and hybrid players. The case spans the period from the strategic pivot in 2022 to the challenges faced during the funding winter. The protagonist is Gaurav Munjal, the CEO of Unacademy, leading the management team amidst uncertainties.

The case is designed to teach strategic management in the EdTech sector, focusing on the challenges associated with entering the offline education space, particularly without prior experience and amid stiff competition. It explores questions of achieving organic growth, ensuring profitability and making strategic decisions during a funding winter. The industry context is EdTech in India, and the sub-fields of academia include strategic decision-making, business model transformation and competition dynamics within the education sector.

Level and field of study: The case is designed for MBA students with a focus on strategic management, innovation and the EdTech sector. It can also be suitable for executives participating in short courses on business strategy and organizational transformation.

This case is structured for Undergraduate, Postgraduate, MBA and Management Development Programs, aiming to enhance learning in the strategy field through real-world insights and challenges encountered in a dynamic business environment.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS11: Strategy.

Working through the case and the questions that follow will allow students to evaluate: critically assess the effectiveness and feasibility of Berrylush’s business model through the lens of the Business Model Canvas; understand: explain the strategies used by the organisation to gain and sustain a competitive advantage; apply: use the principles of judo strategy to develop tactics for competing effectively against well-established brands; analyse: examine how environmental changes affect the organisation; and create: formulate a growth strategy for Berrylush.

Two young MBA graduates from a top Indian management institution dreamed of running a large-scale business, providing women all over India with high-quality western clothing. In 2017, Berrylush was born with an initial business model where they designed and manufactured all their products in-house. While at one point, their maximum production capacity was only 900 units a month, within a handful of years, the brand saw its highest selling week of 2022 with sales of over 50,000 orders on India’s largest apparel and fashion website. Co-founder Alok Paul is spearheading the company’s channel expansion, taking it from only direct-to-consumer online sales to offline sales, creating an omnichannel experience for shoppers.

The case can be used for an undergraduate or MBA program teaching a strategic management course after the fundamentals of strategic management have been taught but before strategy execution and implementation have been discussed.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

The primary learning objective is to challenge students to evaluate the decision facing The Magic of Sarees (MOS) Preloved. The students will need to assess the risks involved versus maintaining the status quo. Students should apply strategic management concepts in their analysis. The second learning objective focuses on developing the students’ understanding of effective merchandising and pricing strategies for MOS Preloved. This case study discusses how MOS Preloved manages its inventory, the constant refreshing of collections and seasonal relevance and also discusses challenges and opportunities associated with managing a preloved inventory, considering factors like authenticity and quality control. This case study also considers pricing strategies (BCG matrix could be referenced for differential pricing) that could be used to strengthen the brand’s identity of “affordable, accessible, and authentic sustainable fashion”.

This case study is based on the brand “MOS Preloved”, an e-commerce market place in India for the buying and selling of preloved sarees. Founded by Susmita Misra in July 2021, the objective of the business is to create an online marketplace, buy and sell, for preowned sarees that facilitates circular economy. The accompanying saree stories add to the allure and ensure the magic of these sarees continues for the entire lifetime of each saree. Being an unstitched garment, the saree has no size limitation and with a little care could last for at least 100 wears. This case study discusses the founder’s dilemma of deciding to premiumize the merchandise which would include both adding higher priced preowned sarees as well as charging 50% of market price for current merchandise (currently being priced at 25%–40% of the current market price). The decision requires considerable investment in terms of information technology, infrastructure, human resources and marketing spends. Given how nascent, unorganized and unbranded the preloved saree market is, the founder is unsure of the time that it could take to get the return on investment. The risk: the longer she hesitates, the more vulnerable her monopoly becomes. The case study also discusses the evolution of saree into contemporary wear, the hurdles and possibilities in the preloved fashion sector and brand MOS Preloved’s attempts at creating a distinctive positioning.

This case study is suitable for postgraduate programme for MBA.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS11: Strategy.

After completion of the case study, students will have the ability to identify and apply various distribution strategies in the low-income market segment, to identify how last mile distribution is organized and executed in unconventional market situation and to identify and apply the 4Ps to support low-income market in last mile situations.

Mariam Atinga, the founder and owner of Mariam Special, was a native of Garu in the Upper East region. Mariam Special had specialized in the processing of freshly grown sorghum in the community into sorghum drink alongside some other natural spice additives. The drink was popularly called and known in the Garu community as “Zomkom”. Although there were other women who also processed and sold the drink in the community, the competitive advantage with Mariam Special was on the hygiene and innovative way it was prepared. She was also outward looking and had already made some attempt at expanding her business and passion beyond the community/district and into the villages. This was where her passion and interest caught the attention of a non-governmental organization (NGO) with interest in supporting low incomes in last mile situations. Atinga’s main interest and that of the NGO was hence to develop a route-to-market and associated strategic marketing approaches to reach this type of market or audience in Garu environs in the Upper East region of Ghana.

This case study is suitable for undergraduate students.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS8: Marketing.

After reading and discussing the case, the students will be able to: apply paid, owned and earned digital marketing tools to Zilli’s, analyze the omnichannel and e-commerce strategy of Zilli’s, evaluate digital marketing strategy of Zilli’s and elaborate resources available to Zilli’s in the context of emerging markets.

Anubhav Bhatnagar founded Zilli’s – The Spice Company to bring grandma’s recipes to modern kitchens. This case study chronicles the growth and challenges faced by the company. Zilli’s philosophy relied on hand-pounding spices, which retained their aromatic signature, flavor intensity, nutritional value and cultural importance better than their commercially processed counterparts. Bhatnagar started his business during the lockdown. The founder aimed to produce spices that were free of preservatives and had long-lasting aromas. His kitchen trials demonstrated that hand-pounded spice powders simplified cooking and improved flavor. Direct manufacturer ties and a Hyderabad production plant managed by local rural women enabled the firm to expand to India and a few neighboring markets. Zilli’s growth was slow due to heavy competition from well-known brands. E-commerce was Zilli’s only viable option. The prospect sounded great, but the company needed to strategize differently to build an effective digital marketing strategy. Marketing and sales of Zilli’s products presented various constraints as it was difficult to convince consumers of Zilli’s products’ authenticity, quality and pricing. Many retail outlets and e-commerce platforms already sold numerous competitor’s products. The company’s aspiration to establish a global footprint could be hampered by low consumer acceptance of Zilli’s goods due to its limited reach. Thus, Bhatnagar sought digital marketing tactics to promote Zilli’s products and create brand awareness and recall for his spice powders in the competitive spice powder category. This case requires the reader to debate, analyze and propose digital marketing strategies to boost Zilli’s product visibility, acceptability and sales. The readers could identify gaps in Zilli’s existing digital marketing strategy and offer suggestions to Zilli’s for increasing spice powder sales in the online marketplace.

This case study applies to a postgraduate-level management course.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

This case study offers the following learning opportunities for students: to identify and assess how a management team can establish effective working relationships to build a cohesive team during times of severe crisis and to prepare business for the restoration period; and to find alternative ways aimed at restoring the company’s operations and suggest ways of adapting to the new, normal situation.

This case study examines the strategic decisions of IT-Integrator, a Ukrainian IT company, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It highlights the leadership of vice president Nadiia Omelchenko in navigating the crisis, focusing on initial chaos, the development of a business continuity plan and efforts to restore operations and ensure employee safety. Despite warnings, the outbreak of war on February 24, 2022, was unexpected, with no established emergency protocols. Companies independently decided on measures for safety and business continuity, especially those critical to infrastructure and banking. In 2021, IT-Integrator faced reluctance within its executive team regarding resource allocation for wartime scenarios. Omelchenko’s push for a comprehensive business continuity plan proved crucial. Despite the plan’s effectiveness, unpreparedness for the crisis’s scale hindered recovery efforts. During the early days of the invasion, Omelchenko managed the dual challenge of safeguarding the business and its employees amid uncertainty and workforce reduction. Each decision had significant implications, requiring a balance between immediate survival and future stability. The case of IT-Integrator underscores the importance of proactive crisis management, strategic planning and resilient leadership. Omelchenko’s experience offers valuable lessons for businesses facing similar crises, emphasizing preparedness, adaptability and a focus on both immediate and long-term recovery.

This case study is suitable for MBA and executive development programs.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: human resource management.

This case study can be used to highlight aspects of classic strategic management, such as industry analysis as well as cost leadership strategy, in the context of the space industry. After working through the case study and assignment questions, the students will be able to identify industry dynamics in a high-tech industry (space), examine the strategy of a focal organisation, in light of external and internal factors, evaluate the decision-making process behind adopting new technology and whether the strategic motivations for competing with global players are justified and develop recommendations to help an organisation in achieving its strategic goals.

This case study outlines the remarkable success of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as well as the formidable challenges facing its chairperson, S. Somanath. While Somanath could point to major recent successes – ISRO’s picture perfect landing near the moon’s south pole, and successful deployment of a solar probe – he could also see two formidable missions ahead. First, there was Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight, which had already slipped its launch schedule a couple of times. Second was the mission to establish a space station by 2035. The first mission had been plagued by delays due to the long process of developing technology indigenously, as international technology transfer at an affordable price was not forthcoming. The second mission required ISRO to develop an ability to keep humans in space indefinitely, which again required acquisition of new technology. In addition, ISRO’s service of launching satellites in low Earth orbit was threatened by SpaceX, which delivered similar service at a much lower cost due to a new reusable rocket technology. In response to the new challenges, Somanath had accelerated collaboration with Indian private sector companies, including start-ups. The goal was to outsource and expand ISRO’s rocket development and launch capability. While the outsourcing might free up ISRO’s capacity, the technology and knowhow development required would still take a while to develop from scratch. Hence, Somanath (and learners) need to consider: What other strategic options might ISRO consider to adapt to the dynamics of the space economy?

This case study is suitable for courses in MBA/Masters.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

The following are the objectives of the case study: building and leveraging core competence, realizing the strategic advantage of incumbency and contribution to nation building as a business potential.

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) started as a trading company in 1938. By 2023 L&T was a mammoth infrastructure company with a market cap INR 4,750bn operating 800–1,000 projects in engineering and construction at any point in time. It also worked in the domain of hydrocarbons, power and heavy engineering including defence engineering, financial services and development projects supported by technology. The company went through several phases of environmental disruptions in the form of the Second World War and India’s independence, which brought several opportunities for growth. L&T built competencies to leverage these opportunities, which also contributed to the nation building efforts in India. In 2023, several changes were occurring in the ecosystem in the form of energy changes, sustainability becoming a way of life and digitalization impacting every aspect of business. The managing director and chief executive officer Mr S.N. Subrahmanyan reiterated the need to focus on performance to make L&T a global leader in futuristic tech-driven engineering and solutions. He faced three major challenges – reducing exposure in non-core businesses, adopting technology to strengthen traditional business and leveraging the competence built over 85 years to improve the performance of L&T, while contributing to nation building.

This case study is suitable for MBA and executive programmes.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Video of protagonist in conversation with Anant Maheshwari, President Microsoft India discussing the future plans of L&T for adopting new age technology. The video is available at the following YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKb-_z_ch4E

CSS 11: Strategy.

This case can be used to highlight aspects of strategic management, such as industry analysis as well as country competitiveness. After working through the case and assignment questions, the students will be able to analyse the competitiveness of – the green hydrogen industry in India – while comparing key structural elements with international benchmarks with European Union and China; examine the strategy of India’s Ministry of New and Renewal Energy an anchor entity implementing India’s National Green Hydrogen mission; assess the recent strategy of India’s ministry of new and renewal energy implementing Indian Government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission to contribute to India’s sustainability and climate goals including net zero targets, and motivations for the shift and its fit with the broader external environment; and suggest recommendations that might help Indian Government in achieving its strategic goals of improving India’s competitiveness in green hydrogen energy industry.

This case, based on actual events, described a situation faced by Raj Kumar Singh, the Cabinet Minister for Power & New & Renewable Energy, Government of India. The “National Green Hydrogen Mission”, launched by the Government of India in January 2023, is seen as a strategic endeavour to position India at the forefront of green hydrogen production globally. The budget allocated for the mission is $2.4bn (INR 19,744 Cr) until FY 2029–2030, and it aspires to stimulate the paradigm shift in India’s energy landscape. The mission seeks to reduce India’s dependence on its energy imports by capitalizing green hydrogen’s potential, lowering the production cost to $1 per kg by 2030, and develop a formidable 5 million metric tons (MMT) annual production capacity with potential expansion to 10 MMT. The success of the mission is dependent of several key factors like decrease in production costs, advancements in electrolyser technology, support system of the government and the strategic collaborations. However, the path towards mission’s success faces challenges such as infrastructure development, storage and distribution. Despite these challenges, the government is determined in its commitment to scale up green hydrogen production, positioning India as a global center for this sustainable energy source. This case provides a rich context for discussions on how policy, technical and economic factors will interact for shaping the future of green hydrogen industry in India.

Case applicable for management classes preferably in MBA class.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Porter, Michael E. (1990–03 - 01). “The Competitive Advantage of Nations”. Harvard Business Review. No. March–April 1990. ISSN 0017–8012.

CSS 11: Strategy.

The learning outcomes are as follows: to comprehend the dynamics of crisis management in the airline industry and appreciate how sudden shifts in critical human resources, like a pilot exodus, can impact an airline’s operations and its market position and image; to explore the legal and ethical considerations involved in managing employee contracts and transitions, emphasizing the complexities and responsibilities in this process; and to evaluate human resource retention strategies in a competitive market highlighting the importance of these strategies in maintaining a stable and skilled workforce.

In August 2023, Akasa Air, an emerging Indian airline barely a year old, found itself entangled in a challenging predicament due to an abrupt pilot exodus to rival Air India Express. This development resulted in significant operational setbacks for Akasa Air, notably the cancellation of over 800 flights as 43 pilots departed within weeks. In reaction, Akasa Air initiated legal proceedings against the pilots, accusing them of contract violations for not adhering to the required six-month notice period. Represented by Nora Chambers, a leading company law firm, the airline navigated a complex legal landscape, contending with both the pilots and Air India Express. The defense from Air India Express hinged on the argument that the pilots had settled their early departure through substantial bond payments, alleged to cover training expenses. This legal conflict occurred against a backdrop of broader challenges within Akasa Air, particularly concerning the viability of their business model in a fiercely competitive aviation market. The airline’s strategy, involving a significant increase in pilot salaries, mirrored industry-wide efforts to secure and retain skilled aviation personnel. The crisis at Akasa Air underscored the turbulent dynamics of the Indian aviation sector, already shaken by similar issues in other airlines like Indigo. Confronted with this critical situation, the leadership at Akasa Air was compelled to make a pivotal decision: either to overhaul their recruitment and retention policies, engage in negotiations with Air India Express or aggressively pursue legal action against any entities hiring their pilots. This strategic choice was not only vital for Akasa Air’s immediate trajectory but also for shaping its influence in the competitive Indian airline industry.

This case is ideal for Masters-level courses in Strategic Management, Human Resource Management and Aviation Management. It also fits well into executive education and professional development programs, particularly for those focused on crisis management and legal aspects of employee relations in the aviation sector. Suitable for a 60–80-min class discussion, the case is beneficial for both management students and professionals, offering practical insights into managing complex industry-specific challenges.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.