Case studies

This case study can be used to highlight aspects of classic strategic management, such as industry analysis as well as cost leadership strategy, in the context of the space industry. After working through the case study and assignment questions, the students will be able to identify industry dynamics in a high-tech industry (space), examine the strategy of a focal organisation, in light of external and internal factors, evaluate the decision-making process behind adopting new technology and whether the strategic motivations for competing with global players are justified and develop recommendations to help an organisation in achieving its strategic goals.

This case study outlines the remarkable success of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as well as the formidable challenges facing its chairperson, S. Somanath. While Somanath could point to major recent successes – ISRO’s picture perfect landing near the moon’s south pole, and successful deployment of a solar probe – he could also see two formidable missions ahead. First, there was Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight, which had already slipped its launch schedule a couple of times. Second was the mission to establish a space station by 2035. The first mission had been plagued by delays due to the long process of developing technology indigenously, as international technology transfer at an affordable price was not forthcoming. The second mission required ISRO to develop an ability to keep humans in space indefinitely, which again required acquisition of new technology. In addition, ISRO’s service of launching satellites in low Earth orbit was threatened by SpaceX, which delivered similar service at a much lower cost due to a new reusable rocket technology. In response to the new challenges, Somanath had accelerated collaboration with Indian private sector companies, including start-ups. The goal was to outsource and expand ISRO’s rocket development and launch capability. While the outsourcing might free up ISRO’s capacity, the technology and knowhow development required would still take a while to develop from scratch. Hence, Somanath (and learners) need to consider: What other strategic options might ISRO consider to adapt to the dynamics of the space economy?

This case study is suitable for courses in MBA/Masters.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

The learning outcomes are as follows: to evaluate the suitability of Surplus business model from accounting, finance, strategy and cultural perspectives; to identify the factors that contribute to the reluctance of business partners to join Surplus ecosystem and to suggest solutions; to identify the factors that contribute to the reluctance of consumers to join Surplus ecosystem and to suggest solutions; and to address unique funding and financial challenges faced by Surplus.

This case study discussed the challenges faced by Surplus Indonesia, a company founded upon the belief that a harmonious balance can be achieved between profitability and environmental stewardship. Stemming from the founder’s encounter with leftover food going to waste after buffets, Surplus embarked on a pioneering initiative using an application technology to address food wastage at the consumer level. Collaborating with various stakeholders such as retail outlets, restaurants, bakeries, cafes and hotels, the goal was to combat food waste while supporting Sustainable Development Goals 2, 12 and 13: Zero Hunger, Responsible Consumption & Production and Climate Action, respectively. Each meal saved through the Surplus app not only translated to reduced expenses for businesses but also contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills. Surplus’ overarching mission was to cut food waste and loss in Indonesia by half by 2030, fostering an environment where food waste is virtually nonexistent in the nation.

Undergraduate as well as graduate courses that focus on sustainability, accounting, financing and strategy

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to assess Paytm’s share buyback in the context of conventional practices, especially for loss-making firms, analyze the influence of initial public offering (IPO) performance on market sentiments and the role of subsequent events in shaping investor confidence, explore the regulatory framework for share buybacks in India and its impact on Paytm’s decision, scrutinize Paytm’s post-IPO financials and evaluate the board’s rationale for the share buyback and examine the factors influencing Paytm shareholders’ decisions amid the buyback, considering market conditions and the company’s outlook.

This case study discusses the unorthodox choice made by Paytm, a leading Indian digital payments and financial services provider, to begin a share repurchase program just one year after its substantial IPO. Paytm encountered difficulties as its stock price experienced a sharp decline of 74% following the IPO, which raised concerns among shareholders and elicited mistrust from analysts. This case study explores the reasoning for the buyback, the legislative framework of share buybacks in India and the diverse viewpoints of analysts regarding the company’s financial strategy. This case study provides not only ample opportunity to discuss ethical issues around managers’ corporate actions but also brings investors a dilemma.

This case study is suited to Master of Business Administration/Master of Science/Bachelor of Business Administration/Bachelor of Science.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.

The learning outcomes are as follows: understanding strategic decision-making in EdTech: students will analyse the dynamics of strategic decision-making in the EdTech sector, exploring the rationale behind Unacademy’s shift from online to offline learning; assessing business model transformation: learners will evaluate the challenges and opportunities associated with Unacademy’s transformation from an online-centric model to venturing into physical coaching centres, and this includes considerations of market trends, competition and financial implications; managing competitive dynamics: students will examine the competitive landscape in the Indian EdTech sector, comparing Unacademy’s offline move with industry players, and this objective aims to enhance students’ ability to assess competitive strategies and positioning; strategic response to funding challenges: participants will explore how Unacademy strategically responds to the funding winter, addressing questions of financial stability, organic growth and sustainability in a dynamic market; leadership in uncertain environments: the case aims to develop insights into effective leadership during periods of uncertainty, and students will assess Gaurav Munjal’s leadership decisions and the management team’s role in steering Unacademy through challenges.

These objectives align closely with the case’s focus on strategic management, innovation and business transformation within the context of EdTech, providing students with practical insights and decision-making skills applicable to real-world scenarios.

The case study revolves around Unacademy, a prominent EdTech player in India, undergoing a strategic shift since May 2022. Facing a decline in demand for online education, the company ventured into the offline learning space by establishing physical coaching centres, directly competing with established offline and hybrid players. The case spans the period from the strategic pivot in 2022 to the challenges faced during the funding winter. The protagonist is Gaurav Munjal, the CEO of Unacademy, leading the management team amidst uncertainties.

The case is designed to teach strategic management in the EdTech sector, focusing on the challenges associated with entering the offline education space, particularly without prior experience and amid stiff competition. It explores questions of achieving organic growth, ensuring profitability and making strategic decisions during a funding winter. The industry context is EdTech in India, and the sub-fields of academia include strategic decision-making, business model transformation and competition dynamics within the education sector.

Level and field of study: The case is designed for MBA students with a focus on strategic management, innovation and the EdTech sector. It can also be suitable for executives participating in short courses on business strategy and organizational transformation.

This case is structured for Undergraduate, Postgraduate, MBA and Management Development Programs, aiming to enhance learning in the strategy field through real-world insights and challenges encountered in a dynamic business environment.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS11: Strategy.

Working through the case and the questions that follow will allow students to evaluate: critically assess the effectiveness and feasibility of Berrylush’s business model through the lens of the Business Model Canvas; understand: explain the strategies used by the organisation to gain and sustain a competitive advantage; apply: use the principles of judo strategy to develop tactics for competing effectively against well-established brands; analyse: examine how environmental changes affect the organisation; and create: formulate a growth strategy for Berrylush.

Two young MBA graduates from a top Indian management institution dreamed of running a large-scale business, providing women all over India with high-quality western clothing. In 2017, Berrylush was born with an initial business model where they designed and manufactured all their products in-house. While at one point, their maximum production capacity was only 900 units a month, within a handful of years, the brand saw its highest selling week of 2022 with sales of over 50,000 orders on India’s largest apparel and fashion website. Co-founder Alok Paul is spearheading the company’s channel expansion, taking it from only direct-to-consumer online sales to offline sales, creating an omnichannel experience for shoppers.

The case can be used for an undergraduate or MBA program teaching a strategic management course after the fundamentals of strategic management have been taught but before strategy execution and implementation have been discussed.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

The authors gathered the core information for this case using publicly available filings from the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Publicly available news articles were used to complement the core information. All sources are cited.

This case involves an assumed fraud perpetrated by the C-suite members of Celadon Group, Inc. – formerly one of the largest trucking companies in North America. By 2016, the value of Celadon’s truck inventory significantly decreased in value. Instead of reducing the inventory to its market value on the Balance Sheet, management engaged in a series of trades and creative accounting to conceal the fact they had overvalued the trucks.

Investment analysts at Prescience Point Capital Management and Jay Yoon (both published on Seeking Alpha) found inconsistencies and red flags in Celadon’s 2016 and 2017 financial reports and reported their suspicions to the public. Soon after, Celadon’s audit committee declared the company’s recent financial statements could no longer be relied upon, resulting in an immediate market loss of $62.3m. In 2019, Celadon entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement and was ordered to pay $42.2m in restitution. The Department of Justice (DOJ) criminally charged Danny Williams (president of Quality, a Celadon subsidiary) and he entered a plea agreement. The DOJ also criminally charged Bobby Lee Peavler (CFO) and William Eric Meek (COO). Celadon filed for bankruptcy and operations ceased. Then, in an unexpected turn of events, in 2022, the DOJ dismissed the criminal case against Peavler and Meek.

This case allows students to apply theory learned in a fraud examination or forensic accounting course to an actual fraud case. It discusses red flags and how perpetrators of fraud often need to keep perpetrating wrongdoing to keep the original fraud from being discovered. The authors designed the case for upper-level or graduate business students. It should be included in the course when covering financial statement fraud.

This case was developed from secondary sources. The secondary sources included news reports, industry reports, company websites, annual reports and company websites.

The case discusses the comprehensive renewable energy transition strategy that Lynn J. Good (Good), CEO and President of Duke Energy and the Chairman of its Board, was undertaking. In September 2019, Good revealed a new climate plan aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions with zero methane emissions from natural gas operations by 2030 and zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. Duke Energy is a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and one of the major energy generation companies in the USA with two reportable business segments – Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I) and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). Good targeted interim carbon emission reduction targets of at least 50% from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and some Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035 and 80% from electric generation by 2040. To achieve this, she invested in large electric grid upgrades and energy storage, as well as in research on zero-emission power generation technologies including hydrogen and advanced nuclear technologies. She helped update the grid system and improved customer experience. As part of the revamped climate strategy, Good invested in crucial energy infrastructure and improved affordability of electricity for customers, especially in the North Carolina region. Despite her efforts at curbing emissions, Good faced criticism from various quarters. This included criticism of Duke’s carbon-cutting plans in 2022 in its core North and South Carolina service zones. The company also faced charges of environmental pollution. Its 2024 strategy, which aimed to address a projected increase in demand for electricity using natural gas plants capable of running on hydrogen, was also met with skepticism by industry groups, advocates, activists and local governments.

Good had to face the conflict between environmental ambitions and technological realities that highlighted the difficulties in transitioning to a cleaner energy future. It remained to be seen whether she would be able to successfully navigate the various hurdles and help Duke Energy reach its 2030 emission targets.

This case was written for use in teaching graduate and postgraduate management courses in entrepreneurship and economics, politics and business environment.

Data for this case was collected through multiple interviews with the founder, staff and customers of Miss Rizos. In total, about 10 h of interviews were recorded and transcribed. To write the case, the authors visited the firm’s premises in Santo Domingo. Furthermore, observations, participation as clients and informal interactions also resulted in additional data and evidence that supported the case. In addition, the authors consulted corporate documents and archival data, as well as secondary sources, such as internet news, blogs, YouTube and other social media.

In 2011 Carolina Contreras opened a beauty salon (“Miss Rizos”) located in the heart of Santo Domingo, on the same street where slaves were once sold. The “unapologetic” powerful aim of the salon was to empower Afro-descendant, Afro-Latino, Afro-Dominican women, helping them revitalize their image and feel proud of their coils, curls and waves – and ultimately, of their identity. By the end of 2019, Carolina established a second hair salon in New York City. The case dilemma takes place in the summer of 2023. It involves choices the firm faces regarding the enhancement of its “activist” spirit, the adequacy of its organization and, more urgently, regarding its viability and possible growth/“scaling-up”.

This case is useful in undergraduate courses for teaching issues on social entrepreneurship, race and responsible leadership.

After completion of the case study, students will be able to learn to conduct the 5Cs (Customers, Collaborators, Capabilities, Competitors, Conditions) and Porter’s five forces analysis for understanding the situation of any company; to understand various demand forecasting techniques with the case example of Kaspians Café; to analyse different factors that influence the demand with the case example of Kaspians Café; and to learn how to choose the best time-series forecasting method based on the available dataset.

This case study focuses on operations strategy, specifically analysing the issues encountered by the Kaspians Café, a food joint establishment located within the Kaspians Institute of Management. Kaspians Café, due to its large student clientele, encountered operational inefficiencies such as inadequate inventory management, stockouts and wastage. These issues resulted in financial losses and customer dissatisfaction. This case study focuses on forecasting the demand for different food items at different times to get a better understanding of the stock to be maintained at Kaspians Café. Furthermore, Shyam Manral, the owner of Kaspians Café, was confronted with the difficulties arising from the surging popularity of neighbouring Dhabas and the escalating impact of food delivery platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy. The formerly prosperous Kaspians Café establishment, known for its uniform offers, was now encountering strong competition from the quaint ambience and varied menus of the Dhabas situated in close proximity to the campus entrance. These conventional establishments not only accommodated the changing preferences of students but also functioned as convenient centres for social meetings. The emergence of Zomato and Swiggy had revolutionised the eating patterns of students by providing a wide range of choices that were conveniently delivered to their residences, thereby diminishing the attractiveness of Kaspians Café. Manral was struggling to revive his business in light of these shifting circumstances. He pondered how to keep consumers loyal in the middle of changing cuisine preferences and the convenience provided by contemporary food delivery services.

This case study can be used in the operations management course at the MBA/postgraduate level.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 9: Operations and logistics.

This case study aims to equip students with the skills to evaluate the rationale behind a demerger decision, derive the enterprise value and equity value of the conglomerate using the discounted cash flow valuation modelling and assess the company’s value based on qualitative parameters using economy industry company analysis and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis.

This case study delves into the demerger of the financial services arm of Reliance Industries Limited into a separate unit named Jio Financial Services Limited. The independence of this unit is anticipated to enhance shareholder value and unlock the conglomerate discount. In light of these factors, a fundamental analysis of the firm is conducted to determine whether it presents a viable investment opportunity.

This case study is suitable for -graduate and postgraduate courses in financial management.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 1: Accounting and finance.