Case studies

Public data such as news reports, interviews and memos were used to craft the case. In addition, the technical reports released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), along with secondary data in the form of expert accounts and congressional hearings were used to round out the synopsis of the case study.

This case explores the Boeing–McDonnell Douglas merger and its impact on Boeing’s corporate culture, ethics and strategic decision-making. After the merger, Boeing shifted from a culture focused on engineering excellence to one emphasizing cost-cutting and shareholder value. This cultural shift contributed to the development failures and ethical lapses that resulted in the 737 MAX crisis, which involved two fatal crashes. The case is designed for courses in Strategic Management or Organizational Behavior.

Strategic Management or Organizational Behavior

This case was developed from published sources. Three types of data were used to develop this case. The accounting data were compiled by the case researcher from bank financial statements such as Form 10-K, Form 8-K and quarterly Financial Highlights issued by the bank. Market data were compiled from data providers such as FactSet, Yahoo! Finance, Pitchbook and the Federal Reserve System. Reports on market developments were gathered from major news outlets such as CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune and S&P Global.

Interest rate risk played a big role in the banking crisis of 2023. For Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), which specialized in providing banking services to venture-backed startups in the technology and life sciences sectors, its exposure to interest rate risk and the lack of hedging against interest rate risk had played a crucial role both directly and indirectly in the bank’s failure. This case study discussed the various channels that interest rate risk played in SVB’s failure as well as other risk factors that include an unusually high percentage of uninsured deposits and a high securities-to-asset ratio compared to its industry peers.

In the low interest rate years of 2020 and 2021, startups were able to fundraise a record amount of funding from venture capital (VC) investors. As many startups deposited their funds at SVB, they became an important and concentrated depositor base for the bank and held large deposit accounts that easily exceeded the $250,000 limit insurable by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. SVB benefited from the large deposit inflows in 2020 and 2021. The bank used some of the deposits to fund its loan portfolio, but most of the deposits were used to purchase debt securities such as US Treasuries and agency-used mortgage-backed securities. In fact, SVB’s investments in securities as a percentage of total assets were more than double its peers in the large banking organization (LBO) group, while the amount of loans funded as a percentage of total assets was almost half of its LBO peers.

As interest rates increased rapidly throughout 2022, bond prices fell. SVB experienced unrealized losses of $15.2bn in its held-to-maturity securities portfolio, which was almost equivalent to its equity of $16bn at the time. However, SVB implemented little or no hedging against the risk of rising interest rates. At the same time, fundraising activities slowed in the VC sector amid high interest rates and, thus, SVB’s startups clients had to draw on past deposits to continue to fund their operations. This resulted in SVB experiencing significant deposit outflows throughout 2022.

On March 8, 2023, SVB announced that it had sold all $21bn of its available-for-sale securities portfolio and suffered an $1.8bn in realized losses, which was greater than its entire last year’s net income. Markets jittered following the news. Over the next two days, depositors rushed to withdraw $142bn of deposits that represented 82% of its last year’s total deposits. Unable to withstand the crippling weight of deposit withdrawal, on March 10 the parent company of SVB filed for bankruptcy.

Given the multiplexity of the banking crisis of 2023, this case study specifically discussed the collapse of SVB, which was the second largest bank failure at the time of its collapse. This case would be valuable for finance and economics students to learn how various risk factors interact that precipitated SVB’s failure. While there were many risk factors at play, this case study homes in on how SVB’s exposure to interest rate risk and the lack of hedging contributed to its downfall. For purpose of pedagogy, this case also explains how a bank could use on-balance-sheet as well as off-balance-sheet methods to hedge interest rate risk. This case is appropriate for courses in Risk Management, Derivatives as well as Financial Markets and Institutions with a focus on interest rate risk and its corresponding hedging methods. A course in Money and Banking may also find this case relevant. Before starting, it is assumed that students have already taken foundational finance and macroeconomics courses, have a basic understanding of financial statement analysis and its interpretations, derivative instruments such as futures and swaps, as well as have prior experience with basic duration calculations.

This case is based solely on secondary, publicly available information. Sources include the X social media platform, Anna Maria College’s (AMC) website and the Massachusetts-based Spectrum News.

AMC administrators knew student-athletes held a stake in the institution’s success. After all, over 40% of the College’s students played on its 13 Division-III (D-III) teams, which meant a significant portion of the private institution’s tuition and student fees were paid by student-athletes. But student-athletes were not AMC’s only stakeholders. In Spring 2024, this came to a head when the College found itself intervening as a faculty member and his student-athletes struggled to communicate with one another. AMC administrators were left wondering: How should they reconcile the competing needs of their diverse stakeholder groups?

This case and its accompanying teaching note are appropriate for lower-level undergraduate organizational communications classes that explore how stakeholder theory can drive messaging development. The case was tested in the classroom with upper-level undergraduate students in a strategic managerial communication course. It was embedded in a unit that focused on stakeholder management and communication, and it should be a prerequisite to a unit in which students build on the case’s content to develop full, multi-touch communication campaigns.

This case study would enable the learners to identify and evaluate the factors impacting the strategic decision to enter international markets. The learners would be able to identify parameters such as level of competition, perception regarding foreign entrants and demand factors that are crucial for the form to consider while taking such an important decision. The case study will also allow learners to understand the challenges of an entrepreneurial journey.

This case study is an interesting story of two entrepreneurs’ dilemma of internationalization strategy of their firm Aeron. Their firm’s product Tilt Switch had a good international demand and both partners wished to capture this opportunity, post the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study shows how the firm looked into factors to study new international markets, balancing risk and opportunity. The case study highlights the important role of strategic planning in achieving successful internationalization by analysing various approaches to market entry and adaptation. The firm had a choice of either developing their domestic market India or going for international markets of the USA or European Union.

This case study is suitable for graduation and postgraduation courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 5: International Business.

The case was written using information and data from secondary sources. It describes real people, real companies and the situations experienced by them. It does not use any fictitious names, scenarios or organizations.

The case “Maggie Timoney of Heineken: Shattering the Glass Ceiling and Forging a New Path,” traces the career of Maggie Timoney (Timoney) (she), the CEO of Heineken USA (HU) – a subsidiary of Dutch multinational brewing company Heineken N.V. (Heineken). The case starts by documenting the early life experiences of Timoney that were thought to have shaped her thinking and strategic capability. It then describes in detail the 25+ years of her career at Heineken, wherein she held several senior positions and worked in various global offices of Heineken. Timoney had a leadership style that was transformational, collaborative and inclusive. In 2018, she was made the CEO of HU and consequently, she became the first woman to hold the top position at one of the top five beer companies in the USA.

The case then describes in detail the challenges she faced as the CEO of HU, which led her to formulate various strategies. Timoney brought innovation to Heineken’s core brands to meet customer needs and follow industry trends; diversified into new market segments; served new consumption occasions; and reached out to the customers through novel marketing strategies. Timoney did achieve excellent business results at HU, but the decline in the global beer industry was still a tough challenge. Having broken gender stereotypes and become a role model through her leadership capability, can Timoney put HU on the path of sustainable future growth?

The case is intended for use in teaching the subjects, “Leadership Skills & Change Management,” “Organizational Behavior” and “Organizational Development: Diagnosis and Interventions” in both graduate and postgraduate programs.

At the end of this case discussion, the students should be able to analyze the challenges of Strategic Talent Management in the expansion phase of a tech startup; analyze the strategic elements of “Recruiting ahead of the curve”; interpret the application of different employment nodes in creating a differentiated human resource architecture, particularly in the context of an ed-tech startup; recommend Talent Management interventions for Edtech startups.

The protagonist in the case Mr. Rohit Manglik started his EdTech startup EduGorilla in year 2020 in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. His passion for transforming test preparation assistance for competitive examinations coupled with innovative AI and ML-driven testing portals has led to tremendous growth. He has received several rounds of funding, and the investor community is now expecting robust growth and returns. Manglik is now expanding in other states and has already started expanding in the Middle East to attain his ambitious growth targets. His current organization design, structure and talent management approach have worked so far, and he has managed to retain a productive workforce. To cater to its fast-growing client, base the company followed a novice hiring strategy where Manglik decided to overstaff his recruitment team to overcome the challenge of manpower deficit. He has been on a hiring spree primarily driven by anticipated projections. The operations team was hired primarily from the Tier II cities of Uttar Pradesh, which allowed him to balance cost and demand effectively. Manglik planned to expand into Tier-1 cities in India & Middle Eastern countries, but he wondered if his over-hiring approach to the recruitment team a tactic or a long-term strategy. The case will explore the talent management issues in the expansion phase of startups, particularly in the context of emerging markets. Will talent management and HR strategies have to be adapted in the context of different economies of emerging markets? The case explores the talent management strategies of an Edtech startup that is growing tremendously in an emerging market context. Hence, the case will augment the understanding of talent management approaches in a startup.

Postgraduate business management students enrolled in SHRM & Talent Management courses. Prior knowledge of the basic concepts of human resources is required for analyzing the case. The case can also be used in Management Development Programs for senior HR professionals and HR consultants.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

This case study involves interviews with radiologists of various hospitals and with company personnel. Both primary and secondary data sources have been used. The first-hand perspective from the radiologists highlighted the challenges they face concerning time and the patient load. The company personnel highlighted using machine learning for used cases to make the platform more robust and accurate. This case has been tested with MBA students.

An emerging health-care artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, DeepTek.AI, wants to expand its reach in the radiology market. The company intends to leverage technology to assist radiologists in diagnostics. India's health-care sector faces the challenge of needing more trained doctors and nurses to meet the ever-increasing needs of patients. This case study revolves around the radiologists' concerns about implementing the new technology and its ease of use. The features and benefits of integrating AI in diagnostics are the need of the hour, but the reliability of results needs to be ascertained for adopting it.

This case was written for marketing applications and practices, trends in marketing, marketing strategy and technology adoption in marketing courses at the post-graduate level. Consumer adoption of finance, hospitality, travel and health-care technology is vital for increasing the company's market share and growth prospects. The students will have an opportunity to understand the challenges and the opportunities.

Specific teaching and learning objectives include to identify factors influencing market expansion decisions and recommend appropriate entry modes, understand factors in the international business environment that contribute to success or failure of international businesses in developing countries, evaluate strategies enabling international businesses to sustain market presence in developing countries and overcome local competition, analyze the concept of local responsiveness in international business operations and suggest strategies for internationalizing domestic companies from developing countries.

The McDonald’s case examines the challenges associated with market expansion by global brands. The case occurs during the early-globalization era in the 1990s. Barbados, a developing country, is the site for potential expansion. Prospective investors, the Winters, are desirous of establishing a McDonald’s in Barbados. They need to thoroughly analyze the previous experience of McDonald’s against the host country’s current international business environment, e.g. political, economic, cultural and competitive environment. This case analysis provides a framework for understanding the multifaceted reasons behind McDonald’s exit from Barbados, considering the complex interplay of political, economic, sociocultural, technological and legal factors in the international business environment. The case equips the instructor and students to explore the risks of international expansion, particularly in developing country markets. The case study on McDonald’s failure in Barbados highlights the need to thoroughly examine one’s market entry strategy and available information on the host market and be more locally responsive regarding tastes and preferences. The case study also presents essential lessons for firms and planners from developing countries. Local firms innovated and enhanced their operations in response to the threat from the entry of the global fast-food giant. Yet, they did not seek to internationalize once McDonald’s exited the Barbadian market. The case study, therefore, considers strategies firms from developing countries could utilize to penetrate markets from developed countries.

At the undergraduate level, the McDonald’s Barbados case can be used in international business classes to highlight risks in the international business environment and the need for a carefully planned and executed market entry strategy.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS5: International Business.

MBA.

Master’s level in Change Management, Organizational Leadership and Human Resource Management.

Mr Sharma, the dynamic and entrepreneurial Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly formed Soni Manipal Hospital (SMH), Jaipur, and Unit Head, Manipal Hospitals [Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd. (MHEPL)], in a meeting with SMH’s Head of Human Resources and the Head of the Nursing Management, Mr Yaduvanshi realised the exponential growth of employee resistance, their lack of skills and technological advancements for documentation hindering the hospital's transformation goal. The case study highlighted the challenges the protagonist faced when taking charge as the CEO after nine months of acquisition and the factors contributing to them.

Students reading this case are expected to understand leadership theories, strategic and quality management approaches, and theories of social behaviour, such as Herzberg’s two-factor theory and social exchange theory (SET) and the application of these concepts in acquired organisations to develop healthy leadership–employee relations and change management theories.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human resource management.

This case study is based on primary data collected through interviews with the company’s founder and CEO. It also includes secondary data collected through the Glassdoor job search and career community site. The names of the company and the employees have been disguised. However, the figures included accurately represent the primary data and the quotes are directly from the company representative.

When it was founded in 2009, employees were excited about the prospect of working at Wombat alongside its founder and CEO Dan Wallace. They had looked forward to making a difference in the lives of college students with the company’s higher ed-focused digital communication platform. But by 2022, Wallace could not ignore the significant change in these employees’ attitudes. Anonymous feedback pointed to employees’ commitment to Wombat having wavered, and employees’ reception of post-COVID organizational changes had become concerningly critical. Though he knew enough to be concerned, Wallace felt unsure of how to move forward based on the anonymous feedback alone. He was left wondering: how should Wombat communicate with employees to boost their attitudes and strengthen their commitment while making the hard decisions that best serve the company?

This case study is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in organizational communication courses. It can constitute the employee communication module in a class that surveys strategic managerial communication, or it could be used as one of many examples in a course specifically focused on the internal communication component of the discipline. Students will need an understanding of communication theory, specifically interpretive organizational communication theory, to grasp the complexities of the case. While the focus company is in the educational technology industry, the themes presented are faced by companies of all sizes in all sectors.

The case is a secondary sourced case. Information for the case was found from news articles and interviews.

David’s Bridal was a privately held corporation generating $1.3bn in annual revenue and employing over 12,000 employees. David’s Bridal filed bankruptcy not once but twice. This case examines the bridal industry and the environmental factors that led to the two bankruptcies. Bridal dresses are at the top of wedding categories. Environmental factors causing bankruptcy included online competition, reputation as seen through the eyes of the consumer, COVID, and supply chain challenges. David’s Bridal first looked to Jim Marcum to turn the corporation around and when this failed, they created a new management team after the second bankruptcy to save the company.

The case is designed as an interdisciplinary case for undergraduate leadership, advanced accounting or undergraduate strategy courses. The case was tested in MGMT 330: Leading People in Organizations. This case is appropriate for junior- and senior-level students.This case will be used in ACCT 402: Advanced Accounting – a senior-level course. The case gives perspective on going concern opinions and the strategic implications of bankruptcy.Possible textbooks▪ Christensen, T., Cottrell, D. and Budd, C. (2023). Advanced Financial Accounting (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill.▪ Hoyle, J., Schaefer, T. and Doupnik, T. (2024). Advanced Accounting (15th ed.). McGraw-Hill▪ Rothaermel, F. T. (2024). Strategic Management (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill

The case study used a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative data from interviews with Ross Black and quantitative data from company financials and market reports. The analysis focused on understanding the strategic decisions, operational challenges and market positioning of Get Simple Box.

Get Simple Box, led by Ross Black, specializes in versatile portable storage solutions, offering container rentals, sales, modifications and delivery services across seven locations. With a focus on simplicity and essential modifications like windows and AC units, the company has generated over $10m in revenue, primarily from container sales. Using a service-oriented approach, Get Simple Box emphasizes direct local business communication and cost-effective solutions, differentiating itself from competitors. Applying Oliver Gassmann’s Magic Triangle framework, the company targets diverse customers, maintains streamlined operations and provides practical value, positioning itself strongly in the growing market for shipping container solutions.

Undergraduate Business Students in Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship.

The data used to present this case was collected from secondary data sources. These sources included media reports associated with Michael Jordan and his trajectory since entering the sport, as well as specific information published about his time at the Chicago Bulls. Another key source of information is the ESPN documentary conducted specifically on Jordan’s relationship with his National Basketball Association (NBA) team.

The case follows the story of Michael Jordan, who took his team, the Chicago Bulls, to fame in a rather controversial manner. To do so, Michael Jordan had to alter his leadership style over the years to be respected as a leader and motivate his team to win one NBA championship after another. On 20th April 2020, ESPN’s “The Last Dance”, a 10-part documentary about Michael Jordan and his time playing for the Chicago Bulls was released to much acclaim. The documentary became highly noted as Jordan himself, both directed and starred in the documentary. Jordan’s great achievements stood out, but so did the conflicts that the basketball star had with The Bulls’ management team and mainly, his teammates. Relationships between teammates were far from harmonious, which led to questions around whether Michael Jordan was as good a leader, as he was a star player. Cultural change within the organisation was primarily linked to the often-contested leadership of Jordan.

The case can be used at UG, MSc and MBA levels. It works for in-person teaching and for online teaching. It is most suitable in leadership, strategy and strategy in practice courses. However, it is critical to note that the case can shed light on the dynamics that leaders and teammates have within their teams. Therefore, this case may be valuable to students studying courses where they themselves must work in groups and oftentimes encounter challenges in managing their team. These challenges can arise at all levels of experience. As such, the case provides particularly useful reflection for decision makers who may be beginning to develop their leadership skill (UG), those who have already experienced working in teams (MSc) or leading teams themselves (MBA, Executive MBA). The case addresses the challenges associated with achieving high team motivation and performance. It also sheds light on the challenges associated with leading a cultural change within a team and the approaches of different actors involved. It may be best to introduce the case in the context of a (1.5–2 h) workshop once students understand the basic frameworks and tools used to analyse leadership styles and their characteristics.

The case was developed from two 2-h interviews with the Chief Operating Officer of A-Basin, Alan Henceroth; there is no CEO of A-Basin. The second interview was recorded on a Zoom call to provide accuracy of quotations and information. A variety of secondary sources were used in terms of better understanding the current state of the ski industry, as well as its history.

Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin) is a historic, moderately sized, ski area with proximity to metropolitan Denver, Colorado. For over 20 years A-Basin partnered with Vail, allowing skiers to use the Vail Epic Pass, for which A-Basin received some revenue from Vail for each skier visit. The Epic Pass allowed pass holders unlimited days of skiing at A-Basin. More and more skiers were buying the Epic Pass, thus increasing the customer traffic to A-Basin. However, the skier experience was compromised due inadequate parking, long lift lines and crowded restaurants. The renewal of the contract with Vail was coming due, and A-Basin had to consider whether to renew the contract with Vail. The case is framed primarily as a strategic marketing case. The authors use Porter’s five forces model to assess the external environment of A-Basin, and the authors use the resource-based view and the VRIO tool to assess A-Basin’s internal strengths. Both frameworks provide useful analysis in terms of deciding whether to continue A-Basin’s arrangement with Vail or end the contract and pursue a different strategy. In 2019, after consultation with the Canadian parent company Dream, A-Basin made the decision to disassociate itself from the Epic Pass and Vail to restore a quality ski experience for A-Basin’s customers. No other partner had ever left its relationship with Vail. An epilogue details some of A-Basin’s actions, as well as the outcomes for the ski area. Generally A-Basin’s decision produced positive results and solidified its competitive position among competitors. Other ski areas have since adopted a similar strategy as A-Basin. A-Basin’s success is reflected in a pending offer from Alterra, Inc., to purchase the ski area.

The A-Basin case can be used in both undergraduate and graduate strategic (or marketing) management courses. It is probably best considered during the middle of an academic term, as the case requires students to apply many of the theoretical concepts of strategy. One of the best books to enable students to use Porter’s five forces is Understanding Michael Porter by Joan Magretta (Boston: Harvard Business Review Press, 2012). Magretta was a colleague of Porter for many years and was an Editor of the Harvard Business Review. For a discussion of the VRIN/VRIO concept, see Chapter 4 of Essentials of Strategic Management by Gamble, Peteraf and Thompson (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2019).

This case was developed via primary data collected from personal (one to one) interview with the CEO and founder of Dialogue in the Dark Malaysia (Dialogue Malaysia), Stevens Chan. With Stevens’ contact, the authors also conducted personal interviews with Kaye Chan (co-founder and wife of Stevens Chan), Lynn Foo (project manager since inception until early 2022) and Dr Foo Yin Fah (academic researcher in social entrepreneurship and advisor for Dialogue Malaysia). Secondary data included reports on visually impaired context in Malaysia, Dialogue Malaysia’s annual reports and online articles. Prior to the primary data collection, the authors obtained ethics approval from the University Human Ethics Committee (Project ID: 35461).

This case narrative focuses on Stevens Chan, a blind social entrepreneur who champions the empowerment of the disabled and marginalised community. Through a social franchising model, Stevens founded Dialogue in the Dark Malaysia in 2012. As a social start-up, Stevens showcases the strengths of blind and visually impaired individuals through transformative experiential encounters and reimagining future possibilities. Although there are constant challenges in securing financial and human capital, Stevens never lacks psychological capital, characterised by hope, self-efficacy, optimism and resilience. His vision is to educate society on the power of empathy (and not sympathy) and to create a holistic experience of celebrating diversity and inclusion through an innovative discovery centre, where the elderly and the disabled community (including the deaf, mute and those with mobility issues) share their lives with the public through fun activities. However, the future of this social enterprise is uncertain, and this case invites participants to embark on this journey with Stevens to uncover future pathways for growth and social impact.

The case is tailored for higher level undergraduates and entry-level and mid-level managers of executive education programs.

The main data used to develop this case were remote, synchronous interviews with the three characters in the case. The authors conducted two interviews with the main character in the case, Geoff Brown, specifically: (1) an initial 30 min interview to determine the fit and focus of the case and to help create the interview protocol for the full case interview (this initial interview was conducted on March 12, 2024); and (2) an hour-long interview to ask targeted questions to fully develop the case narrative (this interview was conducted on March 28, 2024). Geoff Brown was also involved in reviewing drafts of the case, approving the final version of the case and reviewing the assignment questions in this instructors’ manual (IM).

This case focuses on Geoff Brown, Executive Director at Alberta Chicken Producers (ACP), which is a not-for-profit organization in Alberta, Canada, that is responsible for representing 250 regulated chicken producers. Brown is grappling with what to do with the remote/hybrid work policy at ACP. Part of the impetus for reconsidering this policy was the comments from ACP’s long-tenured Office Manager and Executive Assistant, who had been asking Brown to bring this policy forward to a staff meeting for discussion throughout the past year. Brown now feels ready to move these discussions forward but is unsure of how to proceed and what the best practices would be to ensure that the policy in place for remote work is beneficial for work engagement, individual and organizational work performance, work–life balance, employee relationships and fairness perceptions.

The target audience for this case is undergraduate and graduate students taking a course in the disciplines of human resources management or organizational behavior. This case will be especially relevant for a human resources management course when studying the topics of employee benefits (e.g. work–life balance), health and safety (e.g. stress) and work design (e.g. telecommuting), and this case will be especially relevant for an organizational behavior course when studying the topics of motivation (e.g. fairness), communication, organizational culture and decision-making.

The case was devised using secondary sources of data collection from annual reports, sustainability reports and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) website. These documents provided insights into the HPCL’s sustainability initiatives, financial performance and disclosure practices. Other data were obtained through the websites of the relevant businesses/sectors.

In March 2022, Pushp Kumar Joshi, chairman and managing director of HPCL, contemplates the oil giant’s sustainability strategy amid challenges. Despite a 38% revenue increase in financial year 2021–2022, profits dropped because of reduced refinery capacity. HPCL, a major player in India’s oil and gas industry, recognized the need to align with climate goals and changing consumer expectations. Joshi emphasized stakeholder engagement, carbon mitigation, technology adoption and transparent environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. A materiality assessment highlighted key issues like gender diversity, air quality and the low-carbon transition. Joshi grapples with balancing profitability and sustainability amid stakeholder pressure and market fluctuations, seeking advice from the sustainability team for the future.

This can potentially be a case study for a business management course, particularly focusing on sustainability, corporate social responsibility and strategic decision-making. It could be used at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in courses related to business administration, sustainability management, corporate strategy, environmental management or stakeholder engagement. The case could be analyzed to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by a company like HPCL in balancing profitability and sustainability, developing effective sustainability strategies, integrating ESG considerations and managing stakeholder expectations.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

This case was written with publicly available information about Nintendo.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Nintendo dominated the video game industry with a market share of 90%. In 2020, Nintendo’s market share dropped to nearly 31%. This case examines a 40-year history of Nintendo, including its core strategy of video game and video game console development and its growth strategy using its intellectual property. Throughout its history, Nintendo has faced and continues to face stiff competition from Sony, Microsoft and new emerging technologies like virtual reality video games. Nintendo has the challenge of competing in a rapidly changing industry with changing customer preferences where it once had a dominant market share. Can Nintendo continue competing, relying on its core competency of developing new video games and consoles? Or moving forward, should it further define itself more broadly by continuing to leverage its intellectual property in the entertainment industry?

This case is suitable for undergraduate courses in marketing, marketing management and business strategy, or where an instructor focuses on strategic decision-making. This case will provide valuable in-class discussions on the importance of defining what a business should do and how it should grow. Additionally, this case will be useful for courses that include advanced discussions on tradeoffs between focusing on core competencies and growth by expanding into other opportunities that are not necessarily part of a business’s core strategy. A portion of this case was tested in an undergraduate marketing strategy and marketing principles course. The case created an excellent environment for critical thinking and analysis.

Interviewing the protagonist and collecting information from secondary resources such as company documents, company and competitor websites, industry reports and online databases like Euromonitor International.

The case explores the metamorphosis of JK Masale from a small-scale family business in India to a regional player. Over a period of six decades, JK Masale (JKM) has emerged against the backdrop of a fiercely competitive spice industry. India, being a confluence of varied regional cultures, poses a diverse consumption pattern. It varies to a great extent with respect to the specific food habits prevalent in each climatic zone of the country. While the brand had successfully captured the Eastern Market and the western market of the country, Mr. Vikash Jain, Managing Director of JK Masale, contemplated to venture in Southern India and introduce new product categories. The case delves into one of the major challenges faced by JKM over the brand architecture and labelling across product categories. Thus, the case provides an excellent opportunity for budding managers to: analyse the company’s performance in the backdrop of a dynamic competitive environment; understand the nature of strategic decision-making and its appropriateness for a small family-owned business; evaluate a brand amongst brands on the architectural framework and select appropriate brand architecture for new products; and understand applicability and risks associated with growth strategies.

The case study can be positioned in both undergraduate and postgraduate level programs for courses on marketing strategy and brand management. Primarily, this case would be ideal to discuss brand relationship and brand architecture in the given context. Instructors have an option to cover concepts like market structure, company analysis, growth strategies and emergent and deliberate strategy through the case.

The data has been provided by the protagonist in the form of interviews, tables and figures.

Abdul and his team, comprising MS Finance graduates from Lahore University of Management Sciences, embarked on a transformative process that led to the inception of their startup, Ingine. Originating from a discarded idea of importing recycling machines, the team pivoted to address a significant gap in the influencer marketing industry. They envisioned a subscription-based software-as-a-service platform that streamlines interactions between influencers and businesses, emphasizing secure payment processing, messaging and feedback features. The narrative underscores the intricate connection between influencer marketing and the return on investment for small businesses, recognizing the challenge of decoding tangible financial gains. Ingine’s mission is to unravel this puzzle, optimizing small businesses’ investments in influencer marketing while navigating the complexities of crafting a competitive influencer compensation model. The team’s background, strategic considerations and commitment to fostering sustainable relationships between influencers and businesses serve as a compelling backdrop to Ingine’s entrepreneurial aspirations.

The case can be used in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial finance. The case can be used in undergrad, master’s, MBA, executive MBA and short executive programs. The complexity of a case can be increased or decreased depending on the level of class, i.e. start, middle or end of the course, and the time allocation, i.e. 90 min.

The theoretical basis for the case is information asymmetry and signaling theory, with buybacks providing a mechanism for reducing information asymmetry between management and investors. The controversy surrounding buybacks has led to political and regulatory scrutiny, which, consistent with evidence from academic research, may affect corporate behavior.

The compact case is based on secondary, public information about stock buybacks. All sources used are cited in-text, with full citations included in the references section at the end of the teaching note.

Stock buybacks, a means of providing returns to shareholders, have recently received increased scrutiny by politicians, media and shareholder activists. Proponents have argued that buybacks result in efficient allocation of capital by returning funds to shareholders, whereas opponents have criticized buybacks for enriching executives, providing tax advantages to shareholders and contributing to income inequality. Corporations did not curtail their use of buybacks after the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 imposed an excise tax. The case frames the buyback debate in current events and focuses on the buyback activity of Apple. The case provides students the opportunity to analyze alternative ways that companies can provide returns to shareholders, evaluate impacts of buybacks on corporate stakeholders and appraise the reasons for, and implications of, current controversy regarding buybacks.

This compact case is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses in financial accounting, tax and finance. This case provides an opportunity to analyze and evaluate stock buyback decisions in the context of the current controversy related to buybacks.

The case has been developed by using secondary sources of information.

Tesla’s much-awaited foray into the burgeoning Indian electric vehicle (EV) marketplace had hit the “high import tariff” roadblock. Discussions ensued and finally, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and the Indian Government found common ground. The moot point of Tesla’s entry mode was resolved. Musk announced Tesla’s plan to set up an EV supply chain and manufacturing facility in the host country. This case discusses factors affecting location decision, market entry modes and international corporate-level strategies. Tata Motors sold affordable cars and was miles ahead in the EV race in India. Musk had to align Tesla’s India strategy with the company’s global strategy to woo the price-sensitive Indian consumers. What were the options available to him? This case examines different business-level strategic options that could help Tesla drive in the fast lane in India.

The case can be used in international strategy course at graduate level. It can also be used in a session on international marketing in marketing management course.

The research methodology used for this case study follows a comprehensive approach, combining both primary and secondary sources to ensure a well-rounded understanding of the subject. Primary sources include in-depth interviews with the founders of the company, providing valuable firsthand insights into their experiences and decision-making processes. Multiple company visits were also conducted, enabling a closer examination of the operational aspects and allowing for a more holistic perspective on the case. Complementing these primary sources, secondary sources were used, consisting of a diverse array of articles from leading journals, newspapers, magazines and other reputable sources. These secondary sources offer a broader context and perspective, enriching the case study’s content and ensuring a robust foundation for classroom discussion and analysis.

True Elements was a clean health food brand that emerged from the vision of Mr Sreejith Moolayil and co-founder, Mr Puru Gupta, who recognized the potential of promoting healthy foods in India inspired by the health-conscious lifestyle that they observed during their work tenure in China. The co-founders began their entrepreneurial journey in 2011 with “Healthy World” kiosks inside IT company campuses in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. However, early challenges surfaced as the target market narrowed. Undeterred, the founders sought innovative solutions to expand their reach and created “True Elements” – a brand that resonated with health-conscious consumers given its positioning as a clean and minimally processed food brand devoid of chemicals, preservatives and added sugars. True Elements excelled in the online market and catered to a few offline markets. To sustain and augment their success, the entrepreneurs sought a strategic partnership and succeeded with Marico Ltd. However, challenges remained on the horizon. One was the need to appeal to a new target group: the 25–45 age group with a lower monthly income of INR 30,000. Another pressing question was exploring the entry into the modern trade sector.

This case can be taught in undergraduate and post-graduate business management programs for marketing, strategy and innovation and entrepreneurship related courses. Apart from that, this case can also be discussed in incubator programs as cases highlighting entrepreneurship can facilitate discussions among early-stage founders, providing practical insights and lessons for their ventures. This case also can be discussed very effectively in management classes for working executives.

This case study was built from secondary data such as news articles and videos. Several drafts of the case study with teaching note were tested in classroom settings and shared at a case writing conference. The case was revised based on feedback from students and roundtable discussions from the conference.

“What’s next: Ever Given after the Suez Canal incident (Evergreen Marine Corporation in, 2022)” explores the situation of the firm Evergreen Marine Corporation, a world-leading cargo shipping company headquartered in Taiwan, and its efforts to deal with challenges stemming from a pandemic and the global supply chain transition. The case provides background on the latest changes in global business environments, the Suez Canal Incident stemming from the grounding of Ever Given and firm-specific information, which would help students to understand the context affecting Evergreen Marine Corporation’s (EMC) strategic decisions. The case enables students to evaluate EMC’s overall position and to analyze the actions that they can take to deal with these challenges in a dynamic global environment.

This case would be appropriate for a course in strategy or international business, especially with the topic of international supply chain management.

This case was developed from secondary sources such as industry reports, articles, news reports and social media sites.

This study offers a fresh perspective on leadership by exploring the nontraditional journey from human resources (HRs) positions to the esteemed chief executive officer (CEO) role. It highlights the transformation of HR from an administrative function to a strategic one. The study emphasizes the pivotal role of chief human resources officers (CHROs) in shaping company culture and ensuring employee satisfaction. It also delves into HR professionals’ unique skills and attributes to the CEO position, drawing examples from successful transitions such as Mary Barra at General Motors, Leena Nair at Chanel and Nigel Travis at Dunkin Donuts. The study addresses the growing trend in contemporary business discussions: the potential reshaping of the traditional CEO role by HR directors. It offers valuable insights for organizations looking to adapt to a rapidly evolving economic landscape by highlighting the synergy between CEO responsibilities and HR expertise.

This case is designed for undergraduates in various courses such as fundamentals of HR management, human capital management, strategic management, leadership development and career planning and management. It is appropriate for sections of the course focusing on managerial decisions and the changing role of HR managers. The case discussion is suitable for classes of 12–40 students and can be easily adapted for online courses using interactive discussion tools. Students are expected to read the case before participating in the discussion.

This case study was based on an in-depth investigation of multiple interactions with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and feedback from customers. Secondary research approaches involved reviewing articles and reports published on various media platforms. One of the authors has direct access to the CEO and staff members to collaborate on data and information for this case study.

The case study is about a dairy company operating its business in Manipur (Northeast India).YVU Milk Producer Company Limited (YVUMPCL) is focusing on the growth of its brand YVU Dairy in the northeast Indian market and neighbouring country Myanmar. It was founded in 2013 to provide a livelihood for dairy farmers and fill a demand gap for dairy products in Manipur. Despite numerous opportunities, competencies and efforts, the firm has yet to expand its business significantly. It faced several challenges in expanding the business. This case discusses the strategies adopted by YVU to overcome those obstacles and emphasises the strategy for its expansion.

This case study is designed for use in courses in the Bachelor of Business Administration and early Master of Business Administration program. It is ideal for topics such as international marketing, marketing, strategy and entrepreneurship.

The case study aims to provide students with an understanding of child labour in India and how the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) movement is facilitating the eradication of child labour in India. The key objectives are to understand the challenges of eradicating child labour in India, assess the approaches to rescue and rehabilitation for the protection of a child in India, analyse the personality traits of a leader and evaluate the charismatic leadership of a leader.

The case study discussed child labour and the movement started by Kailash Satyarthi to protect children through the BBA or Save the Childhood Movement in India. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for his contribution to creating an environment to abolish child labour. Headquartered in New Delhi, BBA was established in 1980 to eliminate child slavery and violence against children (BBA.org.in, 2017). Satyarthi’s effort brought regulatory changes in the Indian constitution in the form of “Education as a fundamental right” (The Novel Prize, 2023). As per census 2011, more than 10 million children were involved in various industries in India (Drishtiias.com, 2019). Satyarthi and his BBA were far behind the mission they were to achieve. How should he move to eliminate child labour from India? Will he be able to create any impact on citizens, society and government through his new approaches?

The case study is ideal for courses on understanding strategy, leadership, personality traits and labour laws. This case study is designed for use in undergraduate and graduate early-stage programmes. The main purpose of this case study is to be used in programmes leading to a Master of Business Administration or a Bachelor of Business Administration. This case scenario focused on the BBA movement in India and its aim to eradicate child labour in India. It discussed the child labour scenario in Indian industries and how Satyarthi started the BBA movement to protect the future of underprivileged children in India. The case study discusses the challenges faced in rescuing and rehabilitation of children in India. The authors applied the big five model to analyse the personality of Satyarthi in the case context. The authors also used the concept and components of charismatic leadership to evaluate the traits of charismatic leaders from a case perspective. This case study will benefit students by focusing on traits related to personality and charismatic leadership concepts. Students will get the opportunity to explore the practical and theoretical concepts that interplay in this study.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human resource management.

The students will be able to understand the diversity and inclusivity in the recruitment process and different sources of recruitment from the context of school’s managed by the government (state schools); execute job analysis thereby clearly mentioning objectives and performance metrics for the post of principal in the government (state schools); align the succession planning efforts with the organization’s strategic objectives and long-term vision; and evaluate the role of a leader involving integrity, fairness, transparency and accountability and applying ethical principles in decision-making and actions.

The case study exhibits the dilemma faced by a principal Mrs Veena Gandhi in the year 2020–2022 when manpower shortage was the major challenge being faced by the government-run schools in New Delhi NCR. She inculcated inventiveness and practicality in the teaching of elementary education in Nigam Pratibha Vidyalaya. The school’s philosophy was based on creating a learning environment for students so that they could express them, learn and memorize concepts, and had joyful learning. The school managed 50% of the teaching staff, as most of the teachers were promoted to Sarvodaya Vidyalaya run by the department of education in New Delhi. Whereas other teachers were not recruited for the same position which created a demand and supply gap among teaching staff. Now she was going to be retired in January 2023 and was facing a dilemma about her next successor, who could carry forward the philosophies of value-based teaching. She wanted to have such a successor who could carry forward the legacy of the school, but as the school was government-run and the appointment was seniority-wise complete freedom was not in her hands to choose the next principal. By keeping in mind the constraints of authority and entitlement after retirement, she wanted to have the best person for the job who would understand and implement the art integration in teaching and learning.

The case study further engaged the students of BBA in their HR class in reviewing the recruitment and selection strategies in general and succession planning in particular with class discussion. It also targets teaching job analysis concepts to them. Furthermore, it helps them to understand value-based prepositions from the point of view of leaders and comprehend how decisions impact organizational philosophies and culture.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS6: Human resource management.

This case is based on secondary information and data about the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women initiative and youth entrepreneurship programs from press releases, news articles and websites. The protagonist has been disguised. This case has been classroom-tested in a core MBA course in both face-to-face and online delivery methods.

In March 2021, Goldman Sachs launched its One Million Black Women initiative which expanded its inclusive growth goals to support Black women entrepreneurs who were under-represented and under-resourced. This initiative is one of Goldman Sachs’s sponsored programs that aid existing entrepreneurs. This program would invest $10bn over the next decade to advance racial equity, promote entrepreneurial activity and increase and economic opportunities for these highly motivated and resilient Black women. With the buzz from this initiative, Johnnetta who was a Black female manager at a financial services competitor of Goldman Sachs conceived another approach to groom and grow future generations of women of color entrepreneurs. Her idea was to implement youth entrepreneurship programs in middle schools in states with high populations of students of color. Based on a psychological theory of entrepreneurship approach, these students would learn about entrepreneurship and gain hands-on experience with starting and operating a business. The program was called “Planting 1000 Seeds of Entrepreneurs” to develop a pipeline of savvy, well-prepared future women of color entrepreneurs. Johnnetta’s dilemma was whether to pitch this new youth entrepreneurship program as an employee at her employer as a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative or start this program as an entrepreneur of a nonprofit in which she would have sole autonomy to administer this program. This case will enable students to develop ideas into a compelling business pitch while sparking debate about approaches to foster DEI initiatives that will have impactful economic benefits for women of color entrepreneurs.

This case is best suited for upper-level undergraduate or graduate students taking business administration courses in management, entrepreneurship, women studies or other courses that cover topics or modules related to DEI initiatives involving women in business.

In writing this case, the authors collected both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through personal observation and semi-structured interviews with Konstantinos Papageorgiou Jr, Papageorgiou Transports & Logistics’s (PTL) CEO. In 2014, Konstantinos Jr participated in an entrepreneurship course for executives instructed by the first author at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Since then, the first author has served as an advisor to PTL’s CEO. Furthermore, Konstantinos Papageorgiou Jr presented his case during an undergraduate management course at the Department of Business Administration at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in November 2020. Finally, three semi-structured interviews with the CEO were conducted from December 2020 until March 2021. Secondary data were collected from the company’s website and social media, as well as databases and annual reports. Since the academic year 2021/2022, the authors have each independently taught the case study in various courses, including strategic management (undergraduate and postgraduate), entrepreneurship (undergraduate) and innovation management (undergraduate and postgraduate). Testing the case in class has shaped the instructor’s manual.

The case study of PTL highlights a remarkable transformation in response to a critical business challenge. Facing the abrupt loss of their main client in 2010, PTL, led by Konstantinos Papageorgiou Jr, swiftly recovered and sought to proactively mitigate future shocks. Operating amid the Greek economic crisis, Konstantinos Jr recognized an opportunity in the niche market of juvenile Mediterranean fish (fry) transport. Despite lacking prior expertise in this field, PTL engaged in open innovation, collaborating with a variety of partners to acquire the necessary knowledge and capabilities. By 2013, PTL had successfully entered the niche market of fry transportation. Over the subsequent years, this venture grew, and by the end of 2022, PTL operated four trucks dedicated to this niche market. The company’s remarkable transformation exemplifies how a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) can adapt, innovate, and diversify its offerings beyond its comfort zone, ultimately achieving a tenfold increase in turnover. PTL’s journey showcases the strategic value of partnerships and the potential for SMEs to evolve into “innovation producers” in the face of adversity.

The PTL case is suitable for management, strategic management, innovation management and entrepreneurship courses. The case is recommended for use at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels (a different teaching plan is proposed for each level). It provides both undergraduate and master’s students studying business administration the opportunity to explore issues associated with the management of SMEs, the formulation and implementation of a business strategy and the management of innovation in SMEs.

This case study is intended to help students to evaluate Kavak’s business model, examine the global expansion strategy of Kavak, analyze the competitive strategy adopted by Kavak, recognize the ways in which Kavak leveraged technology in all its business operations, examine the key challenges faced by Kavak in the fragmented Latin American as well as global used car market and explore strategies that Kavak can adopt in future to maintain its dominance in the global used car market.

This case study is about the meteoric rise of Kavak, a Mexican used car retailer that aimed to disrupt the emerging pre-owned car markets with its unique value propositions and compelling global expansion strategy. Co-founded in 2016 by Carlos García Ottati (Ottati), in Mexico City, Kavak emerged as an end-to-end solution to buy, manage, sell and finance pre-owned cars. Using pricing algorithms driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning-based inspection tools and personalized recommendations, Kavak reshaped the mobility sector in the Latin American and Middle Eastern regions. In a mere six years of operation, the company established its presence in nine countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Turkey, the UAE and Oman. Kavak’s innovative yet simple business model ensured transparency and guarantees in all its transactions where reconditioned vehicles were sold to thousands of customers through its e-commerce platform as well as a network of brick-and-mortar hubs. Its in-house financing arm Kavak Capital was at the core of its business model, as it offered affordable leasing options, making car ownership possible for both first- and second-time car owners within just a few minutes of applying. The platform had an inventory of 40,000 vehicles as of 2023 with more than 50% of Kavak’s sales being financed by Kavak Capital. The case study discusses the challenges faced by Kavak in the fragmented used car market including rising interest rates for vehicle loans, managing capital-intensive operations, rising competition and external economic headwinds such as inflation and slowing economic growth. Going forward, the challenge before Ottati and his team was how to make profits, build customer trust, attract customers and achieve global success.

This case study is suitable for MBA/MS level and is designed to be a part of the business strategy/and international business curriculum.

CSS: 5: International business.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

This case was developed by using primary data collected from two separate one on one interviews, a panel interview in which Josee was featured and secondary data collected from news articles and publications featuring Josee. Information specific to Atikuss’ offerings was found through the Atikuss website. A translation software was used to understand many of the articles about Josee, as many were in French.

Atikuss (meaning young caribou in Innu) is the sustainable business founded by Josee LeBlanc, an Indigenous woman from Northern Quebec. As a workshop-boutique, Attikuss offers a diverse selection of hand-made traditional Indigenous items from her own Indigenous culture. Hopeboots is a project run through Atikuss which allows customers to create their own Mukluks while learning about Indigenous culture and the story behind every design. When starting her business, Josee learned that the women making mukluk boots were not earning a livable wage for their work. Her dilemma when creating a sustainable business was whether to increase the beaders wages to a fair wage, costing her and the consumer more, or maintaining the status quo by continuing to pay the beaders less then five dollars an hour. Josee’s decision to increase wages generated opportunities and increased well being through social investments in her community. This decision considers the cost to many stakeholders and offers an Indigenized perspective to entrepreneurship. This case is relevant to Indigenous entrepreneurship, sustainability, social innovation, business ethics, and corporate social responsibility.

This case is targeted toward university-level students and can be relevant to graduate-level students as well.

To write this case, several research methods were used. Most importantly, field interviews were conducted with employees at Banati foundation. The interviews were held with three different employees at different points in time, including the marketing manager, the executive manager and the head teacher working with the girls at the foundation. These interviews helped provide details regarding the foundation’s culture which is hard to get from secondary sources. In addition to this, one of the researchers was a volunteer at the foundation for 6 months before starting this research and so had strong background knowledge on the workings of the entity. Finally, secondary sources were used to provide accurate historical information and numerical statistics. These sources included the foundation’s website and annual reports as well as newspaper interviews with the Banati’s Chairperson.

This case poses the marketing dilemma faced by Banati Foundation, a non-profit organization (NPO) based in Egypt. Banati has offered child protection services to girls at risk since its establishment in 2009. In particular, the case focuses on the foundation’s strategy and operations in 2020. Since its inception, the foundation has been led by the main founder, Dr Hanna Abulghar. Under her leadership, the foundation flourished and won several international awards. The foundation became a home, a school and a support system to the girls who were once homeless. Yet even though Banati succeeded in improving the lives of many girls at risk, the foundation still sought ways to sustain its funds and to empower the girls to thrive after they left the foundation. As the key person responsible for setting the foundation’s direction and strategy, Dr Hanna faced marketing challenges that include overcoming social stigma, diversifying the donor base and increasing fundraising.

This case is suitable for undergraduate and Master’s students who already have an understanding of the basic marketing principles such as the marketing mix (4Ps)/market segmentation and have taken an introductory marketing course previously. Furthermore, the case presents an opportunity to apply marketing concepts such as segmentation, targeting, positioning and promotion within the context of social and NPO marketing. It is ideal for students studying social marketing, NPO marketing strategy, cause marketing, fundraising techniques and social inclusion.

The case is written based on publicly available data from primary sources like the company’s annual reports and presentations and from secondary sources, as indicated in the references.

Barnes & Noble Inc. (B&N), one of the oldest and largest American retail booksellers founded in 1917, was facing a grim business situation underpinned by a fall in demand, a change in consumer preference and stiff competition. After almost a century of being in the business, B&N was experiencing a fall in market share and weak stock market performance. In 2019, the company was sold to Elliot Advisors – a hedge fund – for US$638m. With the appointment of new chief executive officer (CEO) James Daunt in August 2019, a man known for the turnaround of similar businesses, B&N expected its business’s revival and reorganization strategy to turn profitable. Its long-term strategy of beating competitors with its offerings’ sheer volume and low prices was no longer viable. The turmoil was compounded by top management crises with the repeated changes and ousting of several CEOs in a short span, alongside the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. Daunt was considering how to overcome the crisis and act fast to reposition the company and regain the loyalty of its customers. Was there more that the company could do to improve the company’s position and restore profitability?

The case can be used in strategic management and entrepreneurship classes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The case can be used in an investment analysis and management course to teach students the industry analysis technique using Porter’s five forces model.

This case was developed using a mixture of publicly available documents created by the partner community, general information from public sources like the First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA) website and Government of Canada websites, and personal and first-hand experience of the indigenous coauthor, Storm Gould.

Wisikk is a Mi’kmaq sovereign reserve territory located in Mi’kmaq’ki in the place that settler governments call Nova Scotia. The community has existed in its location since time immemorial and has been recognized by the settler government since the early 19th century. An opportunity for community-run business has arisen for Wisikk based on the legalization of cannabis throughout Canada in 2018. This case’s protagonist is the community’s Vice-President for Business Development, Andrew Googoo, as he considers bringing a proposal for a cannabis retailing venture to the Chief and Council. Cannabis legalization in Canada left sales policies to the provinces and was silent as to the rules governing cannabis sales by indigenous communities on their sovereign territory. Considering both potential negative impacts to the community, as well as the potential financial benefits from a successful reserve-based cannabis dispensary, Andrew must soon present his initial findings to the Chief and Council for their deliberation and decision. Any venture undertaken by the reserve would require a loan from the FNFA, so Andrew must also consider the projections and reports that the FNFA would require to support their lending decision.

The case is appropriate for mid-level or capstone undergraduate and graduate business courses, especially those focused on entrepreneurship, business ownership or indigenous ownership. The case was originally developed for the accounting division of an international undergraduate case competition. In addition to accounting concepts like pro forma/budgeted income statements and decision analysis, it is intended to showcase some legal and cultural features of community-led indigenous business ventures. The idea is for students to explore concepts of sovereignty, community involvement and broader stakeholder impact, as well as more technical accounting and financial concepts.

The case is designed to be used with the digital business model framework developed by Peter Weill and Stephanie Woerner of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Weill and Woerner, 2015) and is referred to as the W & W framework. This approach provides a useful structure for thinking through the strategic options facing environments ripe for digital transformation.

Research for this case was conducted through face-to-face interviews with the protagonist, as well as through a review of their business planning documents and other data and documentation provided by the founder. Some of the market and industry data were obtained using secondary research and industry reports. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed to ensure accuracy.

The case follows the story of Kurt Waltenbaugh, a Minnesota entrepreneur who shared the dream of using data analytics to reduce costs within the US health-care system. In early 2014, Waltenbaugh and a physician colleague founded Carrot Health to bring together their personal experience and expertise in both consumer data analytics and health care. From the beginning, they focused on how to use data analytics to help identify high-risk/high-cost patients who had not yet sought medical treatment. They believed that they could use these insights to encourage early medical interventions and, as a result, lower the long-term cost of care.

Carrot’s initial success found them in a consultative role, working on behalf of insurance companies. Through this work, they honed their capabilities by helping their clients combine existing claims data with external consumer behavioral data to identify new potential customers. These initial consulting contracts gave Carrot the opportunity to develop its analytic tools, business model and, importantly, to earn some much-needed cash flow during the start-up phase. However, they also learned that, while insurance companies were willing to purchase data insights for one-off market expansion projects, it was much more difficult to motivate them to use data proactively to eliminate costs on an ongoing basis. Waltenbaugh believed that Carrot’s greatest potential lay in their ability to develop predictive models of health outcomes, and this case explores Carrot’s journey through strategic decisions and company transformation.

This case is intended for either an undergraduate or graduate course on entrepreneurial strategy. It provides an effective introduction to the unique structure and constraints which apply to an innovative start-up within the health-care industry. The case also serves as a platform to explore the critical criteria to be considered when developing a digital transformation strategy and exposing students to the digital business model developed by Weill and Woerner (2015) at MIT (referred to in this instructor’s manual as the W&W framework). The case was written to be used in an advanced strategy Master of Business Administration (MBA) class, an undergraduate specialty health-care course or as part of a health-care concentration in a regular MBA, Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) or Master of Public Health (MPH). It may be taught toward the end of a course on business strategy when students are building on generic strategy frameworks and adapting their strategic thinking to the characteristics of specific industries or sectors. However, the case can also be taught as part of a course on health-care innovation in which case it also serves well as an introduction to the health-care payments and insurance system in the USA. Finally, the case can be used in a specialized course on digital transformation strategy in which case it serves as an introduction to the MIT W&W framework.

The case is particularly well-suited to students who are familiar with traditional frameworks for business strategy and business models. The analysis builds on this knowledge and introduces students interested in learning about the opportunities and challenges of digital strategy. Equally, the case works well for students with clinical backgrounds, who are interested in how business strategy can influence changes within the health-care sphere. Finally, an important aspect of the case design was to develop students’ analytical confidence by encouraging them to “get their hands dirty” and to carry out some basic exploratory data analytics themselves. As such, the case requires students to combine and correlate data and to experience the potentially powerful combination of clinical and consumer data. Instructors should find that the insights from these activities give students unique insights into the potential for of data analytics to move health care from a reactive/treatment ethos to a proactive/intervention ethos. This experience can be particularly revealing for students with clinical backgrounds who may initially be resistant to the use of clinical data by commercial organizations.

Data for the case came from public sources, including legal proceedings, court filings, company press releases and Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

In June 2020, former Pinterest employees made public charges of gender and racial discrimination. Despite changes implemented by the company, several Pinterest shareholders filed derivative lawsuits charging the company with breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets, abuse of control and violating federal securities laws. The case provides an overview of the company’s management, board and stock structures, as well as information on the shareholders who sued the company and their concerns. The case raises substantial questions about management’s and board member’s responsibilities in corporate governance, illustrates how stock structures can be used to impede governance and suggests ways to evaluate activist shareholders.

This case is appropriate for graduate, advanced undergraduate or executive education courses in strategy, corporate governance or strategic human resources that discuss corporate governance, fiduciary responsibilities, designing workplace culture or management responses to shareholders. Instructors can apply two sets of theories and frameworks to this case: theories of corporate governance and Hirschman’s (1970) exit, voice or loyalty framework in the context of shareholder activism.

The case uses primary source documents, such as the court cases brought forth by the SEC and US District Attorney, for the specifics about the fraud and secondary sources for further background information about the town and industry. The individuals in the case are not disguised. The authors have no connection to the case.

Thomas Laws was a CPA, a registered investment advisor and a real estate broker. Laws made a poor business investment. Instead of taking the financial hit, Laws orchestrated a complex Ponzi scheme using clients from his CPA practice and embezzling money from an employer, Santa Fe Gold Corporation. Laws’ scheme continued until his employer confronted him about missing funds. Frank Mueller, the CFO of Santa Fe, did not exercise the due diligence necessary until it was too late. Rest’s framework for ethical decision making is used to frame the ethical decisions Mueller can make. The case examines the conflict-of-interest guidance issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and allows students to examine the due diligence and controls needed by employers and prospective investors.

This case is designed for undergraduate accounting students taking Intermediate Accounting I, ACCT 0312 at the authors’ institution, typically junior-level students. It would be appropriate whenever you introduce the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct during an ethics discussion.

The case was developed from secondary sources. This descriptive case was classroom tested in undergraduate organizational behavior courses.

The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, which honored movies released in 2021, was held on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Prior to Chris Rock announcing the winner in the category of best documentary film, Rock was assaulted on stage by Will Smith. On April 8, 2022, the Academy’s board of governors met to discuss disciplinary actions for Smith’s behavior. The Academy’s board decided to ban Smith from all Academy events for the next 10 years. Theories of individual behaviors and social processes can provide explanations for behaviors of Chris Rock, Will Smith, the producers and the Academy.

This descriptive case is most appropriate for undergraduate-level organizational behavior courses. The primary topics in this case align well with individual behaviors relative to emotional intelligence (EI) and motivation. The secondary topics in this case align well with social processes relative to decision-making, conflict and culture.

The case study is based on a social entrepreneurial journey where the authors have used an interview method to get the insights from the protagonists and the employees. Rigorous interviews were conducted online and in person for deep analysis of the protagonist’s strategies and decisive dilemma.

Secondary data was collected from company’s website for facts and figures.

This case study is a story of indigenous tribes of Odisha from the eyes of a woman who, with her co-founder, empathized with their vulnerable life and took on the challenge of creating sustainable livelihoods by establishing Millet Magic Foundation. The Millet Magic Foundation was established in 2021 by Shyama and her cofounder to uplift the indigenous tribe of Mayurbhanj by providing them livelihood through millet-based products. The foundation launched their millet-based snack products with the brand name WOWMOM. Millet Magic Foundation created social impact for the tribals by providing them with employment, fair wages, health care and social well-being. The specialty of the Millet Magic was reverse positioning and focusing on the bottom of the pyramid. The success of the Millet Magic Foundation relied on its mission to uplift the life of these indigenous tribal, especially the women, by overcoming the challenges with the strategies to establish Millet Magic as a social enterprise.

The case study is primarily suitable for postgraduate programme to teach the concept of social entrepreneurship in the entrepreneurship module. The case study can also be used for highlighting the role of social enterprise in sustainable economic development of emerging economies.

The case is based on interviews in 2022 with the founder of Shape, Monoshita Ayruani, supplemented by classroom testing and secondary sources such as textbooks, journals, newspapers and other pertinent sources such as reports produced by marketing and consulting firms.

Shape is a private limited company operating in Bangladesh, a country in South Asia. Bangladesh is a fast-developing country where the people (the vast majority of whom are young) are practical and forward thinking, conservative, yet also generally tolerant. Its CEO is Monoshita Ayruani, who has had several years of experience in a PR and Marketing agency before starting Shape. It produces and sells “innerwear” or undergarments, which are their staple products, as well as clothing, bath products, sleepwear and various other products targeted at women. Starting off as an online business in 2019, it was about to find its footing in the market when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The problem faced by Shape at the beginning was that digital marketing was not resulting in word of mouth for the product, as undergarments were considered too “taboo” to talk or share about with most people. The second problem faced was the sudden protests about Westernised clothing and culture in 2022, which may potentially threaten the company.

This case would be well suited for an undergraduate or graduate-level Marketing or Strategic Management course that exposes students to the challenges of promoting a new brand and marketing taboo products imported from abroad, in a largely conservative and culturally sensitive market, and preventing a potential crisis when protests break out. The case also touches on international supply chain problems, so may also be taught in an International Business course. The level of difficulty is intermediate as the problems are nuanced.

The case study is based on field data including semi-structured interviews with the main protagonist and related stakeholders of Karan Handicraft, a leather craft artisan enterprise. After informed consent, the interviews with the craft artisan entrepreneurs of Karan Handicraft were conducted, transcribed and analysed verbatim in the respondents’ native language, Kutchi Gujarati. The authors also used archival data given by the company. In addition, secondary data from industry reports and business magazines was used to create the case.

The case investigates the impact of digital technologies on the small handicraft artisan entrepreneurs by focusing on a family-run business of a leather craft. It traces the evolution of Karan Handicraft, based in Kutch district of Gujarat, India from the year 2007 to 2023. The third-generation artisan entrepreneur Karan Marvada attempted exploring the new-age social media platforms to showcase the products, modified his product designs to attract a new customer-base and adapted to digital marketing. However, in the wake of the crowding in the handicraft cluster, the central business problem that Karan was grappling with was, if he should scale up his artisanal entrepreneurial stint using electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a medium. Another allied issue is in such a scale-up, should he use e-commerce, i.e. as a medium of communication only or as a medium of both communication and delivery. While the latter may lead to scale, it may raise the challenge of not being able to preserve the traditional values of his ancestral business.

This case involves various issues that arise in entrepreneurship management, such as decisions related to growth strategy (remain small and unique vs become large and mass scale), to maintain a physical presence vs digital presence and the form of digital presence, are dwelt upon. The case is aimed at graduate students in an entrepreneurship or family business course. It could also be taught in other courses that focus on innovation and social entrepreneurship.

This case study aims to simulate the learners’ thoughts about the earnest comprehension of sustainable brands with zero waste policy. It will further prompt them to anatomize the growth strategy of a sustainable brand, as it delineates the challenges faced by a woman ecopreneur. In response to these causative conundrums, the incumbent would be able to develop an understanding on the evolving landscape in context to the association between meeting consumer expectations, brand positioning and its channelization towards growth and revenue generation. Furthermore, the learners will be able to analyse the stages of product life cycle of a sustainable product and recommend an effective strategic plan to meet the consumer expectations and achieve desired growth by the application of Kano model.

Thenga was a home-grown brand from Kerala (God’s own country) founded by Maria Kuriakose, a native of Kerala in 2019. Unlike other brands, which were using coconut as a source of flesh, water and oil, Kuriakose came up with an idea of using the tossed shells of coconuts which eventually used to end up at landfills. These shells were crafted into aesthetics by the team of Thenga while adhering to the zero-waste policy. The brand gained momentum with the overwhelming positive response from the natives of Kerala and carved a way across the boundaries of Kerala, gradually reaching to every corner of India. Kuriakose thought of scaling the brand in the international boundaries as well. Within no time, the brand was a success. However, over the time, the brand was confronted with two broad dilemmas. First, non-uniformity in the sizes of the products, especially in bulk orders where maintaining uniformity was essential. The customers complained that there was no uniformity in the size of the products because for gifting purposes, they wanted all the products to look alike. And second, selecting the stringent quality shells because the ones exposed to sun for a very long time were not ideal for crafting the products due to the cracking of the shells, thereby affecting their durability. It became difficult addressing to these complex issues because the shells were nature’s creations. These issues were very different from the managerial dilemmas. Would the perspectives of management provide a solution? Kuriakose had to find a way out in the long term for the survival of the brand especially during its growth phase.

The case study is relevant for students in disciplines of entrepreneurship, green marketing, brand management, corporate social responsibility and strategy. It is designed for advanced MBA/PGDM and capstone courses. The case study also addresses the elements of customers’ perceptions towards innovative products and can be used as an addition for marketing courses dealing with strategies to improve the awareness and adoption of sustainable products.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 4: Environmental management.

The case portrays an actual organization, real people and an authentic marketing situation. Both primary and secondary data were used to develop the case. Interviews with the company’s founders were a major source of primary data. Email exchanges with the company’s leadership were used to verify and elucidate details within the case and instructor’s manual. Other primary data included direct observations of how maize was milled, sold in the marketplaces and cooked into various staple foods. Secondary data about the company were obtained from the company’s website, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and articles in the press. Information on the company’s operating environment was derived from published government reports. The authors also drew on secondary data about the statistics, practices and issues involved in maize production and the agro-processing industry in Ghana.

This case features Sahel Grains Ltd, an agro-processing company based in Ghana, West Africa, striving to grow its maiden product, Faast Mmori. This ready-to-cook corn dough provides a more hygienic and convenient way of preparing local meals, compared to the traditional method, which involves taking maize grain to the local mill facilities and paying to have it milled before cooking. Alternatively, consumers purchase corn dough from the markets to make traditional meals. Since the company launched the product in Kumasi in 2018, sales have grown with the augmented street sales promotion and expanded distribution in premium supermarkets such as Shoprite and Citydia. However, starting in November 2020, the sales seemed to plateau with dwindling new customers, and the monthly dough sales in Kumasi dropped for the first time in December 2020. Although the sales regained positive growth, they then started to lose momentum.

In this scenario, Kofi, the CEO and co-founder, is considering marketing strategies to catalyze growth. Students assume the role of Kofi and are asked to recommend growth strategies to move the company forward. In doing so, they must scan the market environment and analyze the product’s market positioning. More importantly, they are challenged to develop strategies for managing growth.

This case is intended for undergraduate students in an introductory course in marketing, management, entrepreneurship and business in general. It introduces students to key marketing concepts, such as market environment scanning, positioning, product life cycle and market growth strategy.

This case study is built from secondary data such as news articles, regulations and videos. Several drafts of the case study with a teaching note were tested in the classroom setting and shared in a case writing conference. The case was revised based on feedback from students and roundtable discussions from the conference.

Mrs Hsu, the Deputy Director of the National Taxation Bureau’s Nantou County Branch in Taiwan, faced a dilemma in June 2021. One of her employees, Mrs Chiang, had requested to return to work after taking several years of parental leave since August 2017. This long absence had put a strain on colleagues, who either had to cover for her or work with temporary replacements. While Mrs Chiang’s actions were legal and protected by her government employee role, her decision to take another leave immediately after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine raised eyebrows. Her peers accused her of using her frontline worker status to gain early vaccine access and other work benefits. Mrs Hsu, upon reviewing Mrs Chiang’s employment history, pondered her next steps concerning Mrs Chiang’s new leave request.

This case would be appropriate for a course in Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior or Gender, Family and Work, especially with the topic of Employment Rights/Legal Protections (in HR), and/or Justice and Ethics (in OB).

Case information was mainly acquired through interviews with Richard Gammans, chief operating officer. Dr Gammans was a visiting professor at Fayetteville State University for a year, and two of the case authors developed personal friendships with Richard. Interviews were conducted over a two-year period as the accelerator got started. In addition, one author conducted a team-building session with the management team and one of the bio-startup researchers. An interview was also conducted with Clayton Duncan, chief executive officer, to gain his agreement with developing the case.

The Accele website included a write-up on each of the pharmaceutical startup companies. The write-up included a company summary, description of the science (disease and cure), the size of the market, results from testing, regulatory considerations and intellectual property. A literature review was conducted as the basis for the information on the pharmaceutical industry.

This case is about a biopharmaceutical accelerator founded in 2011 by two senior executives with experience in both large pharmaceutical companies and running biotech startup companies. The founders were successful in raising capital to start their first venture capital fund which they used to invest in four biotech startups. All four startups were working in very different disease areas. For example, one developed a drug to help with hearing loss that the department of defense was funding. Another of the startups discovered drug candidates that attack antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Biopharmaceutical accelerators were relatively new. They differed from business incubators because they invest in the startups and provide operational support, but the degree of support provided varies across accelerators. The Accele BioPharma accelerator operated in virtual, network type of organization, and Accele BioPharma provided primary strategic and operational management for the startups. The challenge in this case is to identify how the leaders managed the virtual network, and what additional resources were needed so that the management team could expand their ability to assist startups to get drugs approved by the food and drug administration.

This case is suitable recommended for undergraduate/graduate strategy, undergraduate/graduate organizational behavior, entrepreneurship and health-care management courses.

After completion of the case study, the participants will be able to understand the significance of quality as a pivotal domain within project management and to analyze the issues related to quality and offer logical solutions.

In this case, the Bharat Bijlee Construction Limited (BBCL) group, with a proven track record of over five decades in the transmission and distribution business in India, decided to venture into international projects, considering the prevailing stagnant domestic power sector. They secured contracts worth $85m from the “Shariket Karhaba Koudiet Eddraouch Spa,” a state-owned company responsible for power generation, transmission and distribution in Algeria. However, during the execution phase of these projects, BBCL encountered significant challenges related to product and service quality. These challenges arose due to the tight schedule constraints and cost considerations, as well as a lack of understanding of the dynamics involved in executing international projects, especially in the demanding conditions of the sub-Saharan desert. This case study addresses the complex issue of ensuring and maintaining high-quality standards in large-scale substation projects situated in the challenging environment of the sub-Saharan desert, highlighting the importance of effective project management and international project execution expertise. The case study is from quality management knowledge area and focuses on identification of root cause of quality noncompliance and for better decision-making in projects.

The teaching case is designed for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in project management, civil engineering and architecture domain. The participants will be able to understand the application of various quality tools, statistical process tools and control charts in problem identification, categorization, root cause identification and decision-making.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS2: Built environment

This compact case study was developed from secondary sources readily available in the public domain. These secondary sources included websites, videos and articles.

Throughout 2023, social media companies faced a wide range of criticism on several fronts. Critics claimed that the companies were not doing enough to manage content and the algorithms were influencing American public opinion in the Israel-–Hamas war. Others argued that social media was negatively impacting the mental health of American youth. In response, the platforms reiterated their neutrality and emphasized the features, functions and policies that were designed to address the issues and encourage a positive user experience. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) grew in popularity, the impact on social media was inevitable. Was the convergence of social media and AI inspiring progress or exacerbating problems? How would society balance the opposing forces in a rapidly evolving environment?

This case should be used in marketing and management classes at the undergraduate level. Applicable concepts include AI, social media, content and information.

The case was developed in partnership with the focal entrepreneur, Michael Maher, and relies on primary data he provided.

This case is based on the experiences of Michael Maher, a Cincinnati, OH (USA)-based entrepreneur whose ecommerce business failed in 2016, largely due to a major change in Amazon’s marketplace. The case puts students in Michael’s position as this is happening. It focuses on the fact that although Michael knew, logically, that the failure was largely beyond his control, and that he “should” think about failure as a learning opportunity, emotionally and psychologically he felt terrible. The case forces students to confront this reality as they reflect on the situation and determine how Michael might best respond. The case is intended to help instructors address the often undiscussed “dark sides” of entrepreneurship, which can include financial hardship and intense stress, and also cause or exacerbate depression, substance abuse and other mental and physical health issues (Shepherd, 2019). These challenges frequently impact other involved stakeholders (e.g. family members) and, as a result, can negatively impact familial dynamics, friendships and other relationships. The goal of the case is not to discourage students from entrepreneurial activity, but to make them aware of these potential dark sides. In addition to awareness, the teaching plan is designed to provide students with tools and strategies to recognize and navigate the dark sides.

This case is appropriate for introductory entrepreneurship courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. It might also be used in more advanced courses focused on developing/launching a new venture (e.g. “New Venture Planning” courses). The case can be taught at any point within a given course, but it is recommended after students have developed an understanding of key entrepreneurship concepts in the focal course or in previous courses. In particular, students should have a working knowledge of the concept of “learning from failure” and other tenets of the lean startup and similar approaches (Blank, 2013; Ries, 2011). This background knowledge is important because the case confronts students with the reality that, although “learning from failure” is central to entrepreneurship, that does not necessarily eliminate the social and psychological challenges that often follow failures. Assuming students possess this background knowledge, the case is most effectively used early in a course to make students aware of the “dark sides” they might confront as an entrepreneur and set the stage for the development of strategies and skills to navigate those dark sides throughout the rest of the course. The case’s brevity means it can be assigned to be read in advance of class or during the class session in which it is being covered.

The author employed a five-step approach: Data (e.g., qualitative primary and secondary data) collection (about a major project at the examined organisation), Critical thinking (in order to determine the dilemma), Setting learning objectives (e.g., with respect to the Bloom's taxonomy), Testing (in order to confirm the teaching plan) (e.g., with research assistants and doctoral candidates), and Ensuring clarity (e.g., especially for the case narrative).

The site manager at a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the name Ephesus in Türkiye (Turkey) was considering who would update the site management plan. UNESCO was regularly asking for updates. Would site management outsource the management plan from a firm? For example, the site management had had an outside firm develop the management plan and Ephesus had become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Otherwise, would the site management rely on their own experience this time? Was there another way?

The educators could use the case study to introduce graduate students to “the value conception” in “marketing management” courses and to “the social exchange school of thought” in “marketing theory” courses. The learning objectives develop over the tension between owning and outsourcing main responsibilities of a scientific field as well as the tension between claims and objective evaluations. “The value conception” in “the social exchange school of thought” could improve planning in favour of humanity in a way that the United Nations could recognise (e.g., “value-based planning”). Corresponding discussions motivate a main question about the future: What is marketing for?