Case studies

Graduate or Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Majors

Entrepreneurship/Venture Capital (VC) Investing

The case highlights a women-founded venture capital firm that values investments in diverse entrepreneurs and an innovative retail business started by two minority entrepreneurs. Students will be asked whether the firm should invest in the venture and will also be asked to discuss models that may help transform the retail business into a VC-backed scalable technology business.

By the end of the discussion, students will be able to evaluate the feasibility and scalability of a new business venture; and evaluate the alignment between a venture capital company and a new venture.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

This case highlights the lack of resources for women and minority entrepreneurs as well as the underrepresentation of minority women in the VC industry.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

The case could be effectively used in courses on entrepreneurship, strategy and brand management in MBA programs and executive-level training programs.

Entrepreneurship, strategy, marketing, women leadership and women in business.

This case deals with the business decision-making situation of Ms Jyotsna Ramachandran, a first-generation woman entrepreneur from Southern India, who has created a Global collaborative business network in self-publishing of books from India. After gaining industry experience for five years in some of the leading retail brands of India, she decided to take a plunge in entrepreneurship. She tried several businesses ranging from retail staffing to custom-made chocolates. Though it was profitable, the volumes and margins were smaller, and Jyotsna aspired big. As, at that time she was on her family way, she decided to identify a profitable business with better value creation and premium for the consumers and at the same time free from minute-by-minute concentration to take care of her child. In other words, a less-hassle home-based business with better revenue streams and margins. The case gives a thorough background of her rise in the industry and talks about some of her new ideas and plans.

Students will be in a position to: 1. Understand gender issues and bias affecting women in work. 2. Illustrate the initial phases of entrepreneurship. 3. Understand and apply the evaluation tools like PESTLE, SWOT and then business model canvas. 4. Understand the value chain and the intensive and integrative growth strategies. 5. Illustrate blue oceans in an industry setup – irrespective of the industry growth rate. 6. Apply perspectives on brand management.

Detailed teaching notes attached. Teaching notes are available for educators only.

The case addresses the important gender issues affecting women’s work–life balance. It will also inspire many women through the success of the woman protagonist and her project head well documented in this case study.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

The learning objectives of this case study are listed below: • What is corporate social responsibility (CSR)? • The role of CSR in creating opportunities to growth. • Distinguish the ways in which social marketing evolved differently in urban and rural areas. • Obstacles in CSR • CSR beyond the competition.

The case of CSR by Reckitt Benckiser (RB) follows the marketing practices through purpose-led marketing through CSR. RB Pakistan Limited is a fast-moving consumer goods provider in Pakistan following a vision of the world where people are healthier and live well. The purpose is to make a difference by giving people innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes. This means they are expending their capabilities and investing in innovation to stay ahead of the game. RB is trying to achieve this vision by following the strategy of health and hygiene awareness in rural marketing through various types of communications, by introducing low price products to reduce diarrhea and open defecation. In urban areas, the young generation is the trend creators and they are much involved in awareness of state of the world. RB is committed in providing innovative solutions with the help of well-organized programs such as reaching new moms, educating them and providing awareness sessions in schools to students for handwashing practices. RB carries these activities with the help of non-government organizations and small support of Government of Pakistan.

This case is appropriate for MBA (Marketing) courses. The case explains the significance of CSR in capitalizing the growing trend and unleashing untapped areas and remaining competitive by providing innovative solutions. The case can be taught to the strategic marketing students.

CSS 8: Marketing.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

This case study provides students with the challenge of advising a small restaurant reeling under the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in South Africa. In the process, they must use their analytical skills combined with tools derived from value-based management theory to develop a revised business strategy for the owner.

Agility in any business in modern times is essential to survival – and this is particularly so for small, entrepreneurial enterprises that lack the history and resources to survive dramatic changes in the operating environment. A small restaurant in the coastal holiday village of Port Alfred, South Africa is managing to deliver a reasonable return for its owner, a former corporate financier from Johannesburg. The Covid-19 crisis requires a fundamental rethink of business strategy to ensure a future for the business.

This case study is ideal for a module in entrepreneurship for delegates in a diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

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The main learning outcomes that can develop from this case are as follows. These have been articulated for an approximately 90-min class discussion. Opportunity identification in times of crisis: at a macro-level, the case serves to illustrate the nature of identifying and exploiting opportunities in times of crisis. In particular, it shows how an agile small team and quickly respond to need and develop a sustainable and scalable business. Pivoting the business model: the case raises an interesting and important debate as regards what constitutes a “pivot”. While the classical interpretation would be a change in direction without a change in strategy, this case within the context of Covid-19 challenges this definition. Resource use and allocation: The case illustrates well how existing resources, networks and skills can be used in a very different business venture to alleviate immediate cash flow needs and potentially build another business venture.

This case study explores how two Cape Town-based entrepreneurs, Josh Meltz and Adam Duxbury, responded to the Covid-19 crisis and the subsequent lockdown in South Africa. The pair had built a successful swimwear brand – Granadilla Swimwear – and two other businesses: a function venue and a kombucha brand sold at a well-known food market. As the Covid-19 lockdown tool effect, the entrepreneurs saw not only declining revenue in their food and function venue business but were about to enter a six-month period of negative cash flow on their seasonal swimwear business. The entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to deliver food boxes of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and other staples within the Cape Town metropolitan area. Their kombucha brand had a ready-made food processing and handling facility (including cold storage) and existing relationships with customers, suppliers and other vendors at the food market gave them ready access to a range of locally produced food products available immediately and on consignment. Meltz & Duxbury quickly launched an online shop and started marketing via Instagram. Within 48 h, they were delivering food boxes, with little risk and upfront capital investment. As the lockdown continued and other competitors entered the market, the team wondered at the longevity of the pivot and whether this was a business that would sustain itself or whether it was just a short-term fix for their immediate cash flow problems.

Undergraduate and postgraduate

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS: 3 Entrepreneurship.

Distinguir las diferentes estrategias de expansión. Discutir cómo mantener la cultura y los valores en una empresa a pesar del paso del tiempo y del crecimiento. Analizar el mercado actual y los objetivos a largo plazo, así como los diferentes competidores de la marca. Tomar decisiones estratégicas a nivel corporativo.

Marisa^® es una pastelería consolidada con una amplia variedad de productos de postre en Guadalajara, México. Ha logrado un rápido crecimiento y se ha diversificado con otras marcas, bien sea comprándolas o desarrollándolas. Los ejemplos son Tía Lola^® (tortas económicas) y Dolce Natura^® (helados artesanales). La fundadora de la compañía no solo ha mantenido el crecimiento y desarrollo de su marca, sino también sus valores y cultura organizacional, los cuales ha transmitido a sus 400 empleados. La compañía se encuentra actualmente en expansión.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Students are exposed to debt and equity financing; analysis of company affairs using selected financial statement information; use of ratios in financial analysis; the impact of adequate financing on company performance; and trade-offs companies must make in their day-to-day operations.

Jetcon Corporation’s business model involved the importation of pre-owned cars from Japan for re-sale in Jamaica. It was a fiercely competitive business as there were over 100 companies involved in this sector. There was also a vibrant new-car sector. Jetcon focused on importing mid to low price Japanese pre-owned models, which were already common on Jamaican roads, and which would be affordable to the larger segment of buyers. Like most small businesses, it experienced difficulty raising financing in the amounts and cost that is required and this contributed to its decision to raise equity capital through an initial public offer. It was the first used-car dealer to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

This case is suitable for final-year undergraduate students in finance. By that time they should already have been exposed to debt, equity and stock markets. It helps students to explore some of the issues involved in financing a company’s operations.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

The learning outcomes are as follows: understanding online, traditional and omnichannel retail and the challenges and benefits of each method; evaluating the effect of consumer buying behaviour on a company’s growth strategy; assessing the effect of changing industry dynamics and technology on consumer behaviour; and understanding the role of consistent customer experience across different retail mediums.

This case looks at Yuppiechef, a successful e-commerce business, and their move from “clicks to bricks” with the introduction of retail stores. Founder and CEO of Yuppiechef, Andrew Smith, shares the current business status and considers how to maintain the brand’s culture with the growth of retail and being an omnichannel pioneer.

The primary target audience for this teaching case is postgraduate business students, especially students of digital marketing, strategy and e-commerce. This teaching case is intended to be used as case study in postgraduate business programmes such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), a specialist masters’ programme such as MM (Entrepreneurship), post-graduate diploma in management (PGDip), as well as selected executive education programmes.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

Leadership and team building, Human resource management, Organizational behavior.

The case may be most useful for MBA or any other PG level courses, particularly in human resource management, team leadership, motivation and morale. The Case could also be appropriate in the courses that cover General Management or Business Management, Executive Education Programs. This case can also be taught to the middle level and senior level managers in Management Development Programs.

The case study describes the leadership lessons drawn from the role of Kattappa in the movie Baahubali. He took bold decisions to save the Mahishmati kingdom from Bijjaladeva. Being a slave and agile swordsman, he obeyed all the orders of the king of the realm. He made strategic decisions which resulted in positive outcomes for the kingdom. His leadership style can be linked with the theories of servant leadership style. The case tells us about some selected instances from the movies Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, which had happened with Kattappa which can be used to understand the different principles and philosophy of servant leadership.

The expected learning outcomes are as follows: to understand the different dimensions and essential skills of servant leadership; to analyze and learn the servant leadership style from the role of Kattappa; and to evaluate the appropriateness of servant leadership in context to other leadership styles.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

Entrepreneurship, innovation, marketing and strategy.

Master’s, postgraduate and executive level programs.

The fashion industry has evolved over the generations. Fashion is what defines any person. Your style and quotient statement gives you an edge. In a world which is getting smaller and smaller with evolving mobile and computer technology connectivity, there has been a rise in new startups in personalized fashion. This sector of personal styling has seen an investment of over US$220m in the past two years. Social media is connecting billions of people around the globe. Roposo is the brand of Relevant E-solutions and was launched in 2012. It is the brainchild idea of Avinash Saxena, Kaushal Shubhank and Mayank Bhangadia. It has created a buzz in the fashion and social media industry. This case illustrates the connective power of social media and personalized fashion. Roposo has over 2 million active users which includes a number of Bollywood stars. These users are creating their own stories related to styling and fashion tips and inspiring millions worldwide. The case explores the journey of how Roposo has changed the style statement of millions of people.

The expected learning outcomes are as follows: to identify the new business opportunity in the fashion industry with the use of a social media platform; to understand the evolution of fashion with the boom in social media and mobile communications; to learn how the brand grows and how celebrities are also motivated to be a part of it to connect to their fans for free; to provide inspiration for students to start up an entrepreneurial venture; to find out how the use of recommendation engines should be done to keep users engaged; and to discuss threats of competitors.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

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