Case studies

DSM Manufacturing has been around for 100 years. In that time, the company has grown considerably in size and is now a global enterprise. With the global expanse, DSM is now facing new challenges, leaving executives to determine what the next steps are in running an efficient supply chain, those that a network analysis will not necessarily address. This case illustrates DSM's process

Goodwill Industries warehousing operations has increased as the Used Merchandise Store Sales in the US has also increased to a total spending of $17 billion in 2013. Goodwill Industries faces warehousing issues as their inventory fluctuates seasonally. As people do their spring cleaning in the beginning of the year and rush to get their tax-deductible donations in by the end of the year, the warehouses are overflowed but in the off-seasons they are scarce. The following case poses the issue of an efficient warehouse operation that also supports the company sales plan.

In this case, teams can compete in the real-life situation produced by Tommasso-Southwest Sport Machines. Teams will act as the buyer or the seller and will need to consider the cost implications, risk and responsibility, and price negotiation.

Today's competitive market is very dynamic. New rivals emerge and customer expectations change—sometimes overnight. This case illustrates the following elements of supply chain management: Offshoring, Global Network Design, Country Selection and Facility Location.

AGL Energy operates in one of the most fiercely competitive markets in the world. Demand is volatile with high customer churn rates and supply procurement is real time with huge price variability. These characteristics make supply chain management difficult and the case study describes how information is used to match supply with demand.

The Megamart case study addresses demand planning challenges that retailers often face in categories that have bulky, seasonal, imported products. Historical point-of-sale data on gas grill SKUs is provided for analysis and developing appropriate product flow plan that meets the needs of all retail supply chain stakeholders.

Steel Corp has a large production capacity but a shrinking steel market in Europe. Reaching growing markets like China and U.A.E will be important to sustaining and growing revenue but is tough due to higher transportation costs. In this case, users must identify and use logistics data; logistics customer segmentation and related cost analysis.

The i-AM Tablet is an evolving gadget in a world of fast-paced technological change. Facing a new partnership with a major customer, the market for the i-AM is about to explode! This case explores the innovative concept of Supply Chain Resilience as the CEO of i-AM, Inc, develops a strategic plan for expansion. This case is based on theory and practices evolved at the Dow Chemical Company.

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.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.