Case studies

After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following: • Analyse the aspects of strategic leadership and evaluate effectiveness of the leadership in the case study. • Identify stakeholders in a large-scale project and differentiate between their needs and sources of power. • Establish what behavioural mechanisms can be used by leaders to gain support from stakeholders with seemingly divergent pro-poor and pro-growth development orientations for expansion in an emerging market context. • Generate recommendations to communicate the benefits of expansion plans.

On November 8, 2019, Jack van der Merwe, the chief executive officer of the public rapid rail organisation, Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), was considering how to influence stakeholders to support the pace of the expansion planning phase, without alienating the surrounding communities and balancing the various and sometimes opposing stakeholder interests. The case highlights the background to this dilemma in offering the financial background of the Gauteng province and the evolution of the Gautrain project in the context of an emerging market country characterised by institutions at different development levels and how the unique characteristics of the protagonist could influence stakeholder orientations. The case illustrates how the Gautrain is at the centre of a complex transport conflagration in the South African transport ecosystem. Specific stakeholders and their needs are exposed in the case to enable students to analyse their several levels of influence on the project and proposed expansion. The differences between pro-poor and pro-growth development orientations are also highlighted in this case as input to describe the dilemma Van der Merwe faced in his influencing role in this particular South African context. Students will gain insight into how to manage the tensions between pro-poor and pro-growth orientations.

The case is suitable for a graduate-level course on strategy; organisational behaviour; or leadership. The case is also suitable for a post-graduate-level course on an MBA or MPhil program on strategy and leadership.

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CSS 7: Management Science.

Learning outcomes are as follows: Students will understand the main characteristics of Agile leader and importance of these characteristics in successful change management. Students will understand how Agile leader works to manage changes in organizations and what steps the leader must take to make successful changes in the organization. Students will know in details the Kotter change management model, will recognize and will be able to apply this model in real-life situations.

The case study is about the College of Business Administration (CBA). The CBA is a private higher education institution located in Riga, Latvia, Eastern Europe. The CBA provides professional higher education programs. The case study tells the story how Susan was at first hired as free-lancer for specific tasks at the College in 2017. After successful competition of these tasks, Susan was hired as the new director in 2018. The management at the College was almost non-existent at that moment, and Susan had to face the question how to develop the CBA and make it profitable. Susan had to build her management team, had to review and describe all processes and had to build the internal culture of the organization. Susan implemented change management plan, and in four years, the number of students and lecturers at the College had doubled, and the turnover of the CBA had reached more than one million euros. The case study shows Agile leader characteristics and change management process in details.

Undergraduate studies.

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CSS 7: Management Science

Following discussion and analysis of the case, students should be able to explore how an individual’s background affects his/her perspective on entrepreneurial opportunities; analyse leadership behaviours that support an innovation process; and understand that constraints can enhance innovation.

This real-life case explores the main protagonist, Joni Brenner, an arts university professor at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, and how over the past 10 years she worked with a group of co-operative beaders in Zimbabwe who developed hand loomed necklaces that were sold locally and internationally, placed in the African section of museum stores.The case provides an opportunity to explore the evolution of the Marigold product, the characteristics of an entrepreneur and how innovation can come from a very focused and constrained approach. Brenner’s involvement with the co-operative involved the supply of materials, design innovation and product sales. Innovation had come through focusing on the evolution of the core product, through different designs and colour combinations, learning through mistakes and through other artistic collaborations. The case concludes with Brenner questioning whether the innovation approach should be adapted to meet the needs of a potential new customer.

This case is appropriate for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate, MBA and executive education students focusing on entrepreneurship, small business development and/or innovation.

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CSS 7: Management Science.

This case study aims to be taught at an MBA level. Students who are majoring in the supply chain would benefit the most from this case study. This case study has elements of logistics management, supply chain management, supply chain strategies, warehouse and logistics and responsible supply chain. The learning outcome of this case study could be seen if the students identify the gaps in the real market setting and come up with strategies that would connect and/or fill the areas missing. Teaching objective 1: students should be able to identify unstable demand scenarios and learn how demand collaboration could be implemented in that setting. Teaching objective 2: students should identify how a transparent and interconnected supply chain, both upstream and downstream, can be created. Teaching objective 3: students should be able to understand the role of a responsible supply chain and to define the role and responsibility of each party. Teaching objective 4: students should be able to learn the dynamics of safety stocks, reorder points and incorporate that in warehouse management decisions.

Based in Lahore, Pakistan, Total Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd is a company that supplies medical equipment and provides solutions in the health-care industry. This case explores the supply chain issues faced by Tallat Mehmood, who is the Managing Director of the company, during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021. Oxygen cylinders have become the need of the hour as more and more patients need oxygen. The supply of medical gases across Pakistan has become a logistical issue, causing hospital reserves to be drained without timely replenishment. Increasing the number of beds in hospitals, with limited oxygen outlets, has increased the demand for oxygen cylinders. Operating under unstable demand and not being able to meet it has caused Tallat to realize that the company is out of its comfort zone and is not responding well to the environment. The company needs to redesign the supply chain as well as collaborate with the supplier and buyer to provide better levels of service.

Masters level supply chain courses.

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CSS 9: Operations and logistics.

The learning outcomes are as follows: Understand the concept and characteristics of Bottom of Pyramid (BoP) markets; understand the concept and characteristics of frugal innovations; understand the Design Thinking approach to product design and how it might be useful to develop frugal innovations for BoP markets.

The case details the journey of a group of students at a premier engineering college in India. The group aimed to develop and implement a social innovation that addressed a serious and important health issue – menstrual hygiene practices among urban slum dwellers in India. The case begins with how a chance visit to an NGO inspired a pair of students to take up this issue, how the project unfolded at their college, the challenges faced in their journey and, finally, an outcome that was only a partial success. It raises important questions of challenges that are specific to bottom of pyramid markets in emerging economies. The case can provide a context for discussions on approaching frugal innovations from a Design Thinking perspective.

This case can be used in social innovation courses/modules at an undergraduate or graduate level in social innovation and social entrepreneurship courses. The case is best positioned towards the beginning of the course as an overview of the process of Social Innovation, and to discuss the relevance of concepts of BoP markets and frugal innovation.

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CSS 7: Management Science.

The learning outcomes are as follows: to explore the challenges associated with Information System Project Management; to explore how to navigate certain Information System Project Management challenges and make recommendations on how to address them; and to evaluate the application of user-centred design.

This case looks at the small to medium enterprises (SMEs) Digitisation project that was initiated by Dr Ndiege, Assistant Professor of Information Systems, and a team of faculty at the School of Science and Technology, United States International University – Africa in Kenya. Dr Ndiege is considering the project in September 2020 and its future viability. The project called for computer science students to voluntarily assist in developing an online presence for local SMEs. The idea is to help cushion them against the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Ndiege looks at the details of the project through the eyes of team leader Sylvie Sarabwe and her encounters on the project. She leads a team of four students in a user-centered design to develop a website for social enterprise Kraft Therapy Foundation (KTF), located in Kibera slums within Nairobi County, Kenya. Sylvie must navigate the client relationship with KTF. But she soon starts to experience the difficulties involved with navigating this process. For Sylvie, it quickly dawns on her that a user-centred design project requires both hard and the soft skills to successfully deliver the final project. By the conclusion of the case, Dr Ndiege recognises the multitude of issues that this project ultimately faces.

The primary target audience for this teaching case is undergraduate information technology students, especially students in software application design and project management with little or no work experience. The case is clearly structured and the length of the case lends itself to the audience. It does not contain excessive or irrelevant information. Hence, learners have more time to focus on the application questions presented.

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CSS 7: Management Science.

This case study aims to be taught at an MBA level. Specifically, those students who are majoring in supply chain would benefit the most from this case study. This case study has elements of supply chain management, supply chain strategy, warehousing and logistics, and a digital supply chain for Industry 4.0. The learning outcome of this case study could be seen if the students are able to identify the challenges and opportunities of a digital supply chain for Industry 4.0 and how it could be implemented methodically. Teaching Objective 1: Students should be able to identify what challenges organizations face if they implement a digital supply chain for Industry 4.0. Teaching Objective 2: Students should be able to identify what opportunities can be tapped if Big Data Analytics are used in a supply chain teaching. Objective 3: Students should layout a methodical plan of how an analogue company can gradually achieve the objective of implementing a digital supply chain for Industry 4.0 in procurement function.

Based in the Lahore region of Pakistan, Xarasoft is a footwear manufacturing company which has undertaken a decision to transcend to a digital supply chain for Industry 4.0 by 2027. Asif, who is the Head of the Department of Supply Chain, has to come up with a plan to present in the next meeting with the CEO. Xarasoft is a company that preferred to work in an analogue routine. The company set production targets and sold goods through marketing. With no forecast or exact demand, the company had decided to procure 140 million units of raw material and carrying a huge inventory, a percentage of which had to be thrown away as it started to degrade. While the company did have machinery on the production floor, they were operated manually and were a generation behind. Asif faced the question of what challenges he would face and exactly how would a digital supply chain for Industry 4.0 be implemented in the company.

Masters level supply chain courses

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CSS 9: Operations and Logistics.

The case depicts an opportunity for students to be exposed to the decision theory concept. The study aims to encourage them to use the data given in the case and exhibits to explore as follows: decision-making under uncertainty; decision-making under risk; compare and contrast uncertainty and risk; and evaluate the value of perfect information EVPI and understand its application in decision-making.

Vikas Teerth, a budding entrepreneur, wanted to venture out into the pineapple business. He had three land plots available, but he would like to take up a single plot after analyzing the possible returns factoring the volatile prices and other impending constraints. He wanted to use the decision-making approaches with the aid of probability to arrive at the best decision. This case helps the instructors to introduce the concept of decision-making under risk and under uncertainty which comes under the preview of decision theory. Students can use the data given in the case and exhibits to do the necessary calculations required and thereby get an insight into the process of calculated decision-making.

This case can teach decision theory in undergraduate-level and graduate-level courses in operations research, decision-making and industrial engineering. It can also be used to discuss issues and challenges faced in start-ups or SME entrepreneurship.

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CSS 7: Management Science.

Familiarize with the retail operations of handicrafts, facility location problem, apply multi-criteria decision through the goal programming approach and solving the same with MS Excel.

The case portrays a dilemma in the context of retail operations of a small-scale handicraft company known as Odisha Craft. Located in Odisha, Susanta Mohanty, the owner, was finding it a challenge to decide on the most promising location for his new retail outlet in the neighbouring city of Kolkata. He had five choices for the locations. Odisha craft was established by his father-in-law in 2009 with an objective to preserve and promote the rich culture of the handicrafts designed by the local artisans and ensure sustainable rural livelihood. The company had been facing numerous challenges and the pandemic has given a very formidable blow to the monthly revenues. The case brings out the multi-faceted dilemma of deciding on the facility location in 2020, involving a set of conflicting criteria. The case unfolds a systematic solution approach resolving the dilemma using MS Excel.

Courses such as operations research, operations management, service operations and retail operations for MBA students and trainings for junior-middle level executives.

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CSS 09: Operations and Logistics

The sub field of academia that the case is designed to teach is small business development, entrepreneurship or women in business.

This case is appropriate for graduate and post-graduate, MBA and executive education students focusing on entrepreneurship, small business development or women in business.

This real-life case is based on interviews that took place with Kate Rogan, the co-founder of Love Books, and other stakeholders associated with the small bookselling business that is based in the suburb of Melville in Johannesburg. It describes how Rogan’s past influenced how she saw and was open to the opportunity; and how, through passion, commitment, dedication and stakeholder management, she created a business that brought meaning to her and others’ lives. Rogan’s vast experience in editing, publishing and radio influenced how she evaluated the bookstore opportunity. For the past 11 years, she focused on building a loyal customer base through knowing her customers, staying on top of current industry and market trends and constantly thinking about how she could add value through minimal financial outlay. COVID-19 further complicated her thinking about how to traditionally market and sell books to her client base. As the case concludes, Rogan wonders how to build upon the foundations of her successful bookshop and grow profitability while remaining true to her and the business’s values.

The case allows students to consider the key enablers for assessing entrepreneurial opportunities and drivers of small business growth. Following discussion and analysis of the case, students should be able to: explore how cognitive dynamics affect an entrepreneur’s evaluation of opportunities; analyze the case against the 4Cs (continuity, community, connection and command) of competitive business advantage; evaluate building blocks for sustainable business profitability; and assess and recommend different learnings for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

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CSS 7: Management Science.