Case studies

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.

This case study provides students/managers an opportunity to learn about the following: to infer the challenges involved in the downsizing of employees; to asses and evaluate BYJU’S organizational culture; and to determine the impact of workplace toxicity.

The focus of this case is the controversy faced by BYJU’S due to its mass layoffs and toxic work culture. This case discusses the CEO’s dilemma in resolving the controversy. Two rounds of mass layoffs at BYJU’S are discussed in detail. The industrial dispute filed by Employees Union against BYJU’S accusing it of denying due compensation to laid-off employees is also discussed. This case consists of a section explaining the toxic work culture at BYJU’S, which is supported by employee complaints. The CEO’s justification and apology have been illustrated in this case. The case ends with a closing dilemma and challenges faced by the CEO.

The case is best suited for undergraduate students studying Human Resources Management subjects in Commerce and Business Management streams. The authors suggest that the instructor inform students to read the case before attending the 90-min session. It can be executed in the classroom after discussing the theoretical concepts.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

The learning outcomes are as follows: to comprehend the dynamics of crisis management in the airline industry and appreciate how sudden shifts in critical human resources, like a pilot exodus, can impact an airline’s operations and its market position and image; to explore the legal and ethical considerations involved in managing employee contracts and transitions, emphasizing the complexities and responsibilities in this process; and to evaluate human resource retention strategies in a competitive market highlighting the importance of these strategies in maintaining a stable and skilled workforce.

In August 2023, Akasa Air, an emerging Indian airline barely a year old, found itself entangled in a challenging predicament due to an abrupt pilot exodus to rival Air India Express. This development resulted in significant operational setbacks for Akasa Air, notably the cancellation of over 800 flights as 43 pilots departed within weeks. In reaction, Akasa Air initiated legal proceedings against the pilots, accusing them of contract violations for not adhering to the required six-month notice period. Represented by Nora Chambers, a leading company law firm, the airline navigated a complex legal landscape, contending with both the pilots and Air India Express. The defense from Air India Express hinged on the argument that the pilots had settled their early departure through substantial bond payments, alleged to cover training expenses. This legal conflict occurred against a backdrop of broader challenges within Akasa Air, particularly concerning the viability of their business model in a fiercely competitive aviation market. The airline’s strategy, involving a significant increase in pilot salaries, mirrored industry-wide efforts to secure and retain skilled aviation personnel. The crisis at Akasa Air underscored the turbulent dynamics of the Indian aviation sector, already shaken by similar issues in other airlines like Indigo. Confronted with this critical situation, the leadership at Akasa Air was compelled to make a pivotal decision: either to overhaul their recruitment and retention policies, engage in negotiations with Air India Express or aggressively pursue legal action against any entities hiring their pilots. This strategic choice was not only vital for Akasa Air’s immediate trajectory but also for shaping its influence in the competitive Indian airline industry.

This case is ideal for Masters-level courses in Strategic Management, Human Resource Management and Aviation Management. It also fits well into executive education and professional development programs, particularly for those focused on crisis management and legal aspects of employee relations in the aviation sector. Suitable for a 60–80-min class discussion, the case is beneficial for both management students and professionals, offering practical insights into managing complex industry-specific challenges.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

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.

Information from secondary sources was used to develop this case study. The sources of the data included the organization’s website, yearly reports, news releases, reports that have been published and documents that are accessible online.

As of 2023, Kenya generated around 0.5–1.3 million tons of plastic waste per year, of which only 8% was recycled. The remaining waste was either dumped into landfills, burned or released back into the environment. In addition to the plastic problem, a deforestation crisis was looming large in the country. Despite the country’s efforts to improve recycling, banning the use of single-use plastic to reduce plastic pollution, plastic waste continued to be a major issue. Growing up in the Kaptembwa slums of rural Kenya, Lorna saw the adverse impact that plastic waste had on the local ecosystem. Also, she was perturbed by the widespread cutting down of trees for construction of buildings, etc., which had resulted in deforestation. Lorna’s concern for the environment and her desire to address these issues motivated her to found EcoPost, a business that promoted a circular economy by gathering and recycling plastic waste.

With the common goal of enhancing circularity, EcoPost and Austria-based chemical company Borealis collaborated to stop waste from seeping into the environment and to make a positive socioeconomic and environmental impact. The funding from Borealis would help EcoPost in increasing its capabilities, providing training and recruiting more waste collectors. The funds were also supposed to help formalize the work of the waste pickers (mostly youth and women from marginalized communities) by financing the entrepreneurial start-up kits. Lorna aimed to create a business model that would not only solve the plastic waste problem but would also contribute to the social and economic development of local communities. Amidst these gigantic problems of plastic waste and deforestation that Kenya was facing, how will Lorna achieve her ambitious goal of reducing plastic waste and save trees? How will EcoPost pave the way to a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future?

This case is intended for use in MBA, post-graduate/executive level programs as part of entrepreneurship and sustainability courses.

This case is written to help students understand the concept of segmentation, targeting and positioning in the context of the biscuit industry. The primary learning objectives can be identified as follows: understand the different categorisation in the biscuit market; analyse the basis of consumer segmentation in the biscuit market; analyse the marketing mix strategy of a firm; and highlight the importance of positioning.

Rao, the Director (Marketing) of Mayora India Private Limited, was in dilemma as to how to position Coffee Joy biscuits in the Indian market. The Indian market was intensely competitive with major players like Britannia, Parle and ITC capturing a major share of the market. Should he consider the only the south Indian market based on geography?” Or “Should he target the modern aspirational youth of the country who frequent “Starbucks”?

This case is appropriate for the use in postgraduate course on Marketing particularly on “Segmenting-Targeting-Positioning” (STP) module. The science of STP lies in the collection and analysis of market knowledge and research to understand consumer’s mind, whereas its art lies in generating various implementable alternatives so that the brand can find a place in the hearts and minds of consumers.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS8: Marketing.

After completion of the case study, students will be able to discuss the characteristics of sustainable enterprises driving the innovation; analyze the concept of waste to wealth, along with its associated benefits and challenges; provide an example of a sustainable start-up that operates conventionally and is attempting to increase production capacity through automation; and describe the strategies for scaling up the business.

Mr Manigandan Kumarappan’s goal was to provide the world with alternatives to plastic and other nonbiodegradable articles used in homes, offices, hotels and other places which compelled him to leave his corporate life behind and become an entrepreneur. His knowledge, expertise and creativity made him work toward providing a sustainable solution to the plastic-free world which made him create leafy straws for the world. His start-up Evalogia made 10,000 straws a day, mostly with manual production and machine-assisted in part of the processes. Evalogia got orders from all over the world after the ban on plastic from many countries. However, Evalogia was unable to meet the demand, as the manufacturing process mostly depended on manual production at present. Hence, the company planned to scale up its production capacity from 10,000 straws per day to 100,000 straws to meet the demand through automation or by increasing the production units to meet the growing demand from domestic and international markets. Kumarappan wondered if increasing the number of manufacturing facilities would make it harder to hire new staff, manage existing ones, train them and provide overall supervision; if these tasks were not completed well, the product’s quality and, subsequently, its demand, might suffer. The automation process required huge investment, time and a great deal of skepticism for its success. Kumarappan was stuck over whether to add more production units or automate the process to increase production.

This case study is suitable for graduate students.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to discuss how social entrepreneurs identify problems and convert them into opportunities, analyze the challenges faced by social entrepreneurs in setting up and growing a new venture and formulate an expansion strategy for a startup.

Over 2.6 billion people worldwide needed access to sanitation services, and most of them stayed in rural areas. Lack of access to sanitation had several negative consequences. In the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, sanitation was one of the major challenges, with 66 million people still lacking basic sanitation facilities. Additionally, a very small proportion of the wastewater was properly treated. This lack of access to sanitation was a major barrier to economic development and poverty reduction. Out of the 17 most water-stressed countries in the world, 11 were in the MENA region. About 15 million people in rural Morocco did not have a proper and sustainable sanitation system. However, there was an enormous opportunity to use wastewater as a resource. The global market for wastewater treatment services was valued at US$53bn in 2021, and it was expected to grow to more than US$71bn by 2026. Two Moroccan scientists – Dr Salma Bougarrani and Dr Lahbib Latrach, who were born and brought up in Morocco and had seen the wastewater problem very closely, decided to help the people at the bottom of pyramid (BoP) after completing their PhD in environment and water treatment technologies and multisoil-layering technology. They founded GREEN WATECH, a social enterprise, in 2018, which provided a low-cost, efficient and practical solution for wastewater management in the rural areas of Morocco. GREEN WATECH won many awards and cash prizes for its product and business plan. The company had already reached five regions of Morocco and positively impacted the lives of thousands of Moroccans. The founders were planning to expand to areas in the rest of Morocco and other African and Middle East countries. GREEN WATECH had the potential to significantly impact the lives of people in rural areas and help improve wastewater management systems in developing countries through its patented technology. However, the founders faced several challenges in making their dream a reality. They needed a bigger team to expand to different locations and countries but were finding it difficult to get the right people. They also needed funds to expand their geographical reach but found it tough to get investors as they were still unable to break even. It remained to be seen how the founders of GREEN WATECH would achieve their expansion goals and help people at the BoP in other developing countries.

This case study is suited to the Master of Business Administration/Master of Science and executive program.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

This case study is tailored for audiences engaged in subjects such as entrepreneurship, strategy and foundational marketing principles. The academic focus aligns with the business model conceptualized by Osterwalder and Pigneur. This case study targets both undergraduate and graduate students at the university level, catering to interdisciplinary groups enrolled in courses related to entrepreneurship, strategy, marketing fundamentals and more. The objective is to equip students with the skills to construct diverse business models based on various potential alternatives. This case’s adaptable design and straightforward cost and revenue formulation facilitate comprehension for nonbusiness students, enabling them to grasp the multifaceted dimensions of a business model and project figures using basic arithmetic.

Fookifun emerged as a company born from Mrs Alejandra Padilla’s insightful grasp of the market. With the initial investment from her husband, she initiated a venture focused on delivering high-quality theatrical performances for children in the city of Barranquilla, situated in the northern region of Colombia. This narrative unfolds through early scenarios, illustrating the strategic decisions made by the entrepreneurs and the meticulous calculation of their costs and expenses. Alejandra steered her enterprise from 2014 to 2017, navigating through various alternatives and their associated costs. The narrative delved into 2017, depicting Alejandra’s pivotal decision-making process. Faced with the challenge of insufficient profitability, she contemplated the sustainability of the business. This period prompted her to reassess whether to persist with modifications or relinquish the venture altogether. The crux of Alejandra’s dilemma laid in the business’s meager profitability, which failed to generate adequate income for sustainability. It became imperative for her to make informed decisions, identifying modifiable variables within the business model and assessing their potential impact, particularly on the income generation model. This case study is tailored for audiences engaged in subjects such as entrepreneurship, strategy and foundational marketing principles. The academic focus aligns with the business model conceptualized by Osterwalder and Pigneur.

Given the characteristics of this case, it can be used for the teaching and learning of business or business administration, marketing, economics or related students, at higher or postgraduate levels (graduate school).

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS3: Entrepreneurship.

After completion of the case study, students will be able to understand the service offerings within the nascent electric vehicle (EV) sector and end-consumer needs of EV charging services, understand the reasoning behind Sunfuel Electrics (SFEs) prioritisation of destination charging for their first go-to-market (GTM) strategy and appreciate SFE’s use of community marketing and alliance partners to execute its various strategies. Connect game-theory with the proposed strategies.

SFE was an early start-up in EV charging space. The co-founders believed that any success would hinge on their ability to play a differentiated game and carve a distinct yet profitable niche in the EV charging arena. SFE deliberately focussed on “destination charging” and identified a segment that they were confident of making a difference: the discerning high-end consumer. Soon, SFE’s success caught the eye of its deep-pocketed competitors who also entered the same space. As a single service company, the co-founders set in motion a back-up plan and identified three new strategic thrust areas to maintain SFE’s competitive edge. The first involved entering the city charging segment, and the second was a pioneering concept branded “E-Trails” targeted at a community of EV owners who were motor enthusiasts. Thirdly, SFE conceptualised an EV-Roadhouse concept, promising a full-bouquet of select premium services at a pit-stops along the highway. The co-founders needed to test which and to what extent would these initiatives would translate into real gains and if returns were commensurate with investments and SFE’s ability to deliver a scalable consistent experience. Specifically, if these proposed asset-light avenues added the required heft to their GTM strategy.

This case study is suitable for post-graduate students in marketing, strategy, entrepreneurship and sustainability courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.