Case studies

The case has the following learning objectives:

1. understand the various types of comparisons that are possible between groups over time and across space;

2. evaluate a policy intervention using relevant data and different methods; and

3. understand the meaning of the phrase “controlling for other relevant factors” in regression and non-regression contexts.

The difference-in-differences (DID) approach is a useful tool for making meaningful comparisons. This case tries to provide a non-technical introduction to the approach using a basic comparison of crime rates among districts in Punjab (Pakistan's largest province). Being the most populous region of the country, Punjab faces many governance challenges, and street crime is one of them. (Exhibit 5 provides additional information about the geographical and administrative setting used in this case study.) In 2016, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif established the Dolphin (police) Force in different locations to improve urban patrolling and reduce street crime. There were debates about the effectiveness of the Dolphin Force (DF).

Those who are skeptical of DF point to various situations that were handled incorrectly by DF personnel, as well as other administrative and operational problems in the initiative. Optimists believe it is beneficial and want it to be expanded to other districts and regions. The threat of street crime claims many lives and, according to optimists, necessitates the formation of a special force. Whether the huge resources invested in the DF worth their lot or not can be known through sound statistical analysis that can identify the difference in the rate of crime because of the DF. In this instance, the case provides information to answer the following question:

Is there a significant difference in crime rates between areas where the DF is operating and districts where it has not yet been installed?

In quantitative/statistical analysis classes, the case can be used to teach the DID technique to MBA/MS Applied Statistics/Applied Data Analysis students. It can also be used in undergraduate Econometrics classes.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 7: Management Science.

Business ethics, sustainability and economic development.

This case is suitable for both advanced undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The case presents a pioneering initiative run by the Egyptian General Authority for Investment (GAFI) to mitigate the implications of the 25th of January revolution on SMEs. The case describes the “Business Clinic” program that was designed to provide SMEs with world class consultancy services through the CSR programs of large local and multinational consultancy firms.

The case should help students in: defining corporate social responsibility and describing its importance; describing the role of SMEs in economic development; identifying the different growth obstacles that face SMEs; relating theories in different managerial fields that could be linked to CSR and development; investigating the Arab Spring and describing its repercussions on economic development and sustainability; and illustrating CSR role in solving SME problems.

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

In response to the potential collapse of large financial institutions in 2007, the U.S. government committed trillions of dollars to loans, asset purchases, guarantees, direct spending to provide fiscal stimulus, expansionary monetary policy, and bailouts of various private financial institutions. The bailouts were especially controversial because public money was used to protect private financial institutions and their wealthy executives while ordinary citizens received no such protection. One outcome of the government's response was the proposal to enact into law the Volcker rule, which prohibited banks from engaging in proprietary trading, or trading for their own---not their clients'---benefit. Proprietary trading was believed to generate up to 10 percent of total trading revenues, which would have exceeded $5.9 billion in 2010 for the six largest American banks alone. If the Volcker rule were to become law, government agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, would write the detailed regulations that would implement the law. These agencies employed civil servants but were run by political appointees with technical backgrounds. After issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking the agencies would solicit comments from the public, which would help shape the regulations. Executives of large banks needed to decide how to respond to this potential change in their business environment.

After analyzing the case, students should be able to: Understand and map out the various interests at work in shaping a regulation Develop a nonmarket strategy for a company facing a potential regulatory change Predict the likely outcome of a proposed regulation

A major barrier for growth of large multi-business unit firms is the inability to resource the critical initiatives to win—both in terms of dollars and people. The underpinning of the challenge involves the conflict between resourcing current cash-generating legacy businesses vs. new initiatives which may not, in the short term, produce positive financial results. Most companies do not have a formal portfolio process to deal with this fundamental issue. Danaka is a fictional company based on real business experiences. The company has strong growth markets as well as markets that are commoditizing. Unfortunately, the latter represent a sizable portion of the company's business. A framework is given that establishes a matrix to analyze the Danaka businesses using their critical financial criteria—cash generation and top-line growth. Projects are divided into four categories based on how they fit into the matrix, and resource allocations are then analyzed. Students discover that the current allocation does not enable Danaka to meet its aggressive growth goals. The case incorporates an interactive spreadsheet model in which students can dynamically change the various resource allocations and see the impact on future top-line growth. The essence of the case is how to manage the resource allocation for a multi-business unit firm when present allocations will not meet future growth goals.

The key learning of this case is that when business leaders set financial goals, they must understand how they are expending their resources. More often than not, significant changes must occur that could be wrenching to the organization. The key learning objectives are: (1) realize the importance of performing a portfolio analysis; (2) discuss the issues involved in making the changes; and (3) understand how to put the decision process in place.

Carolina Lunker Sauce is a new product attempting to break into the fishing attractants category. The company founders are evaluating cutting the retail price of the product in order to secure distribution. Analyzing this decision forces the leaders of this struggling company to evaluate their overall new product strategy and the product’s positioning in the market.

To focus on new product strategy, positioning, and pricing.

International management control and organisational behaviour.

This case is suitable for final year undergraduate and Master's students as well as for the general practitioner. It is suitable for the university course program and for in-company training seminars. For company training seminars, the human resources department and finance would most probably benefit from the discussion of the case.

This case was about a company that was eager to expand its business internationally as it gains success in the home market. Having being entrusted by the company CEO to lead the project, the enthusiastic “project champion” lavishly spent the company investments with minimal control from the parent company.

After carrying out this exercise, students are expected to be able to: first, decide a firm mode of entry, scale of entry and strategic commitment; second, determine the market potential of a particular business venture; third, suggest the management structure and control for international subsidiaries; fourth, decide the possible exit strategy of a business venture.

Teaching notes.

The learning outcome is to understand the difference between correlation and causation.

The case is set during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, globally a search for effective treatments were underway. An initial forerunner that was being considered was Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), given its effectiveness in the treatment of tuberculosis and other pulmonary-related infections. While there were a lack of randomised controlled trials, initial data from publicly related secondary data sources indicated that, in countries with BCG inoculation policies, the severity of the spread and mortality of COVID-19 was muted. The case is centered around the available information on BCG and COVID-19.

Post-graduate students learning statistics as part of a degree programme. The case assumes no prior statistics knowledge and therefore is aimed at teaching the difference between correlation and causation.

CSS 7: Management Science

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

The case describes the international problem of money laundering and summarizes U.S. bank regulations aimed at reducing money laundering activities. The introduction of H.R. 3886 in 2000 was one in a series of attempts to formalize U.S. banks' monitoring of their customers. The bill was prompted by a government report that named and criticized U.S. banks for laundering billions of dollars linked to drug trafficking, fraud, and organized crime. Interest groups in favor of H.R. 3886 were predominantly law enforcement agencies that viewed current anti-money laundering laws as ineffective. Groups opposed to the bill included the American Civil Liberties Union, which believed that the collection of more information about bank customers' activities was an invasion of privacy, and the American Bankers Association, which claimed that the legislation would impose unnecessary costs on banks. The case can be used to introduce the distributive politics framework for analyzing non-market issues and formulating nonmarket strategies in the context of government institutions. The epilogue reveals that H.R. 3886 died before it ever reached the House floor, but that an expanded version of the legislation ultimately passed---with the support of stakeholders who originally fought it---as part of the USA PATRIOT Act after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This stance reversal provides an opportunity to explore how events, public opinion, and the media can create windows of policy opportunity

Utilize a framework for analyzing options for non-market action – Formulate a strategy for nonmarket action – Recognize how public opinion influences the opportunity for non-market action through events and/or new information, political actors, media coverage, and policy windows

The case focuses on the career of Gil Mandelzis, a former Wall Street investment banker who recognized and seized an opportunity to build his company, Traiana, into a successful services provider for financial institutions in the foreign exchange prime brokerage market. The case describes Mandelzis's history, beginning with his earliest entrepreneurial effort as a Tel Aviv bar owner and continuing through his decision to start Traiana. Time and again, Traiana achieved success only to be undone by unexpected, uncontrollable events. Each time, Mandelzis rebuilt the company from scratch. In one memorable instance--the one that enabled Traiana's ultimate success--Mandelzis abandoned a business plan that had created a $10 million company, fired 40 percent of his employees, and embarked on a brand-new direction. At the time the case is set, Traiana appears poised to grow into a major force in the foreign exchange prime brokerage business. Then Mandelzis receives an offer to buy the company for $164 million. The management team must either accept the offer or assume the risk that Traiana's growth will continue and its value will escalate in the coming years. For a company that has repeatedly seen unexpected events derail management's plans, taking the risk is not easy. The case posits three choices: accept the offer, reject the offer, or seek out other buyers.

Students must determine Traiana's value and advise Mandelzis how to respond to the offer. In determining its value, students learn to consider factors outside the company. The key insight in analyzing this case is understanding that Traiana's value should be seen in terms of its worth to the potential buyer rather than only using typical valuation measures such as current or projected revenues.

Supplements the (A) case.