Case studies

This case study draws on secondary sources, which are cited in the case and included in the “References and Other Supporting Materials” section of the teaching note, as well as a semi-structured interview with the case’s protagonist to accurately portray the context, considerations and competing interests necessary for students to make an evidence-based recommendation about 5 Generation Bakers’ future. The case protagonist (Scott Baker) gave the author team written permission to use identifying information from the interview. As such, the authors made no attempt to disguise any names or facts pertaining to this case. As a descriptive incident, it illustrates widely used theoretical concepts and models. The case provides students the opportunity to identify theoretical concepts and practical management strategies moving forward in academic and management settings. No AI was used in writing either the case or teaching notes.

Scott Baker, owner of 5 Generation Bakers in McKees Rocks, PA, found himself in a difficult position in October 2015. Needing to find a new facility to expand his bakery business and meet the needs of the modern bakery industry, Scott was on his way to a meeting with officials from Cranberry Township promising a sleek, modern facility in an area with lower taxes and promising access to transportation. This tempting offer came at a cost: uprooting his loyal employees and abandoning McKees Rocks after several decades of his family operating a bakery there. On that October day, a twist emerged – the newly vacant lot of a recently closed Bottom Dollar store offered a chance to expand locally. Now, the family business owner had to decide: pursue the new facility in Cranberry, or revitalize his business and stay local. This case is widely applicable but is most directly relevant to modules related to ethics, corporate social responsibility, family business dynamics and stakeholder management analysis in management and leadership courses.

This case is most applicable to business students at the undergraduate or graduate level in entrepreneurship, business strategy, ethics, or related fields. The case is particularly relevant for modules in decision-making, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder management and family business dynamics.

Primary and secondary data were used to prepare this case. For primary data, the company’s owner was interviewed on multiple occasions. The authors also used Vino Mundo company materials, websites and internal reports in developing the case. Other secondary data sources were used to obtain information on the external environment, industry, demographics and market. Secondary data sources included the World Bank, INEC and Urban and Cities Platform data sets.

Vino Mundo was a restaurant and event space in a beautiful mountain villa outside of San Jose, Costa Rica. It offered international cuisine and wine. The founder and owner, Guillermo Aguilar, faced challenges with sustaining and growing his business in the wake of the global pandemic in 2022. Although he had a strong vision for Vino Mundo, he needed to revisit his strategic plan, especially in marketing. He had many decisions to make in 2023.

The case is primarily designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate marketing courses. It is well-suited for subjects such as marketing management, entrepreneurial marketing, marketing in emerging markets, family and small business marketing and global marketing. It covers topics including marketing strategy and tactics, new product development, segmentation, targeting, positioning, strategic marketing management, family businesses and emerging markets.

The case is designed to exemplify the following microeconomics concepts:

▪ factors affecting demand and supply;

▪ movement along the demand and supply curves;

▪ shifts in the demand and supply curves;

▪ price elasticity of demand and supply in the short run;

▪ the cross-price elasticity of demand;

▪ regulated markets; and

▪ government import policies.

Dr Sania Rizvi, an agricultural economist and head of the task force committee on rising food prices, was heading the meeting, focusing on the unprecedented increase in food items generally, mainly the trek in tomato prices. Sania, who had ten years of experience in food supply chain dynamics and market analysis, adopted a thorough approach by considering all the elements influencing tomato prices. This included analyzing issues related to production at the farm level, logistical difficulties, market demand and import policies. The year 2022 brought with it exceptional circumstances of massive monsoon floods, affecting the supply and demand factors in the tomato market. This led to sharp hikes in prices, actual and artificial supply shortages and changes in consumer demand because of expectations of future supply shortages. The massive floods during the monsoon season destroyed standing tomato crops and damaged transport infrastructure, creating a supply shortage. Surviving tomato crops were hoarded by profiteers in hopes of driving prices higher. The Government of Pakistan relaxed restrictions and taxes on tomato imports from Iran and Afghanistan to ease the situation. Moreover, the lack of temperature-controlled storage environments for perishable products, such as tomatoes, presented a significant challenge for the tomato supply chain, particularly in times of crisis, such as the one witnessed in 2022 in Pakistan. Sania’s report was anticipated to play a crucial role in formulating initiatives to alleviate the burden on consumers and establish long-term stability in the market.

Undergraduate and graduate-level programs.

This case is designed for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a management program focusing on microeconomics. In particular, the theme covered is supply and demand and elasticity analysis. It can also be used in agricultural economics, public policy, supply chain management, and executive training to familiarize participants with these concepts.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 10: Public Sector Management.

Data is gathered from published sources, informal chats with umbrella buyers and sellers in Alleppey and social media posts.

In Kerala, where monsoons dominate life, umbrellas are more than just a rainy-day essential – they are cultural icons. Enter the fierce, yet friendly rivalry between Popy’s and John’s Umbrella Marts (small and medium enterprises), two homegrown brands that captivated the state for nearly three decades. What began as a simple necessity has turned into an innovation race, with quirky designs such as umbrellas with fans, GPS trackers and even selfie sticks. Behind this playful competition lies a story of family ties, smart marketing and competitive economics. It is only in Kerala that umbrellas transitioned from a commodity to a product. Cousins-turned-business-competitors Joseph and Davis Thayyil have transformed the humble umbrella into a symbol of identity and nostalgia for Malayalis. Their creative strategies not only captured markets but also redefined what an umbrella could be. How Popy’s and John’s umbrellas took advantage of Kerala’s unique monsoon season to drive product differentiation and establish themselves as household names for the last thirty years is a case to be explored.This above is presented as a case that draws data from published sources as well as from Kerala markets using unobtrusive methods.

This case is suited for MBA students specializing in marketing or organization theory and can be adapted for introductory marketing courses (BBA/MBA) focusing on regional branding and marketing mix.

This case is written on the basis of available secondary data sources including news articles, book chapters, video (YouTube) interviews, research papers and industry reports.

The case study examines Taylor Swift’s professional journey from her debut in the mid-2000s to the present, highlighting her notable accomplishments as a singer-songwriter and entrepreneur. Swift’s success in music, evident through chart-topping albums, sold-out tours and strategic partnerships, positions her as a significant figure in the industry. However, her primary challenge involves maintaining relevance and staying ahead in a continually evolving environment. To sustain her leadership role, Swift must consistently innovate across music, public image and promotional approaches. This entails adapting to changing trends, using digital platforms for increased audience engagement and exploring themes such as audience connection, brand evolution, effective marketing and the ongoing pursuit of competitiveness and influence amid dynamic market conditions. This case delves into Taylor Swift’s evolution as a multifaceted entrepreneur, exploring her strategies to merge personal values with commercial success while navigating public scrutiny and market demands. It highlights her strategic use of social media, engagement with controversies and carefully crafted personal brand to maintain her global influence.

This case may be taught in advanced undergraduate level courses or graduate level courses such as MBA. This case is appropriate for students studying entrepreneurship, marketing and business strategy.

The case describes a real company, real people and real situations. The authors have used real names other than the name of the cosmetic formulation company and the product design company – which the authors address as “the Florida company” and “the product design company,” respectively. The authors used both secondary and primary data to develop this case study. The case originated from the guest lecture given by Paige in one of the author’s classes. Following her guest lecture, the authors asked her permission to develop her story into a case study, and she graciously consented. The authors obtained background information about the company – Aer Cosmetics, from the company website, news articles and the TEDx talk delivered by Paige. The authors followed it with Paige’s interview, which the authors recorded and transcribed. Based on this interview and the information collected from the other sources, the authors developed the final version of the case study. Paige read and approved the final version for its factualness and sequence of events. The case was then informally reviewed by professors who have published their case studies in the target journal. The authors revised the case study based on this feedback and again obtained Paige’s approval on the case text before submission to the journal.

This case is set in May 2024. Paige DeAngelo, the CEO of Aer Cosmetics, was disappointed with the sales of her newly launched sustainable mascara product. She had been a student entrepreneur at Drexel University for the last three years. She developed her product with the help of the university incubator and other entrepreneurial support systems available at Drexel and outside. Paige had graduated in December 2023. Drexel University allowed its students to remain in their incubator program only up to one year after graduation. Thus, with seven months remaining, it is time for Paige to decide how she would manage the next growth phase of her business. The students are put into the shoes of Paige DeAngelo. They are asked to decide whether to extend their stay in the incubator program, venture out and be an independent business entity, pitch the company for acquisition by corporations, or leverage other entrepreneurial support systems in the environment to grow the company. Students need to craft a strong argument, either supporting the options they advocate for or opposing those they reject.

This case was written primarily for upper-division undergraduate courses but is also suitable for MBA courses.

This case analyzed a mix of publicly accessible primary and secondary sources ranging from blog posts to academic articles. Taken together, the case study shows the reoccurring arguments made by self-advocates.

Most of the videos and speeches mentioned in this case study are available online, and students can read/watch them in addition to reading the details presented here.

Autism Speaks entered the nonprofit scene in 2005 and rapidly became a powerful organization that raised substantial funds, collaborated with influential people and shaped public discourse on autism. However, from the beginning, the organization faced considerable criticism from self-advocates within the autism community who argued that the organization’s negative, medicalized narratives of autism undermined the neurodiversity movement’s goals of acceptance and inclusion. Tensions intensified over the next decade, with grassroots activists and disability rights organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network demanding the inclusion of more autistic perspectives in the organization’s leadership and decision-making processes. The Autism Speaks controversy represents a powerful case study on how nonprofits should ethically represent their beneficiaries, collaborate with the community and engage with activist stakeholders.

This case study was designed for graduate or undergraduate students studying organizational ethics, nonprofit management or nonprofit funding and development.

This case has been developed from both secondary and primary sources. Primary sources included an interview with a co-founder of Cars24 and discussions with company personnel. The secondary sources include the company website, media coverage and analyst reports. These reports provided inputs for this case. Independent market studies and regulatory filings were used to triangulate facts and information.

Cars24 was founded in India in 2015 when the country had a low motorization level. Buying a vehicle, specifically a car, had always been a status symbol in India. The used car industry was fragmented. The organized sector was just 12% of the market (see Case Exhibit 4). Buyers could purchase used cars from a dealer with value-added services like car ownership paper transfer, finance and insurance or from a known person. The Indian used car market was supply-constrained, and existing dealers had lived with this problem. Cars24 had realized this difficulty, so when they entered the industry, their first move was to handle the supply side of the business. They aimed to secure the supply of cars to build a robust business model. A hungry dealer market would get the supply of the used car, and the sellers would get an unparalleled selling experience. By the end of FY19, Cars24 had the most extensive network for used cars in India. In 2020, it entered the Unicorn Club. Cars24, a used car industry entrant, had unlocked demand and became an industry leader with a blend of “disruptive” and “nondisruptive” growth. Their next strategic move was to convert buying and selling of used cars into a retail business. Online purchases were on the rise in India due to internet penetration, and Cars24 borrowed the idea from the e-commerce industry to design its retail business vertical. In 2020, due to COVID-19, trust in online channels and the demand for personal vehicles increased, which developed into an opportunity for Cars24. It seized this new opportunity to expand market boundaries by selling used cars online.

Their results for 2022 reported INR 51bn approximately as revenue from operations. Vikram Chopra (founder and CEO) recognized that while losses of Cars24 had reduced as compared to the previous year, concerns remained on cash usage and on making the business sustainable. This would entail continuing to increase the scale of operations, strengthen cash generation and finally move closer to registering profits. The team, led by Chopra, got together on October 17, 2022, for a long day of brainstorming on the performance of the firm for the year 2021–2022 and to discuss the critical next steps. It was time to go back to the drawing board to consider new strategic moves toward growth and profitability and to review the cost structure.

This case is intended primarily for graduate-level management programs, including Master of Business Administration (MBA). This case can be used in Strategic Management, Blue Ocean Strategy and Entrepreneurship courses. It can also be used as a capstone segment in a Blue Ocean Strategy course. If used as a module in a Strategy Management or Entrepreneurship course, the instructor may wish to use a session ahead of the case to introduce the class to the frameworks to be applied.

This case study aims to familiarize the participants with the functioning of the herbal tea industry in an emerging economy like India; understand core concepts, key terminologies and the business relevance of different types of business forecasting; and execute time series forecasting models using MS Excel and interpreting the results.

This case study unveils an important operational concern faced by Deepshika Das, the production manager at Sri Sai Tea Trading Company located at Cuttack in Odisha, India, about future sales projections. The company was gaining popularity for a unique herbal tea called “Chaa Lemon Tea.” However, the company had been experiencing frequent overstocking and understocking due to inappropriate qualitative forecasting. This case study underscores the importance of the concepts associated with quantitative forecasting. It demonstrates the analysis of time series data, building forecasting models and their interpretations using MS Excel.

This case study can be used as a systematic learning tool for postgraduate business school students and master’s level industrial engineering students. This case study can be discussed in courses such as operations and supply chain management, business statistics and quantitative decision-making.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 9: Operations and Logistics.

The case was developed using a combination of primary and secondary data collection. The main source of primary data collection was an interview with the founder of The Hair Addict, Doaa Gawish, in August 2023, with later follow-up calls to clarify some aspects of the business model and obtain more specific information. For secondary sources of information, the authors relied on the company website, as well as a couple of published interviews with the founder in an online business magazine [1] and an independent news website that covers Egyptian news, culture and lifestyle topics (Makary, 2021). The case also relies on macroeconomic and industry data obtained from various databases and research report providers, which are referenced in the case and teaching note.

This case study explores the decision a woman business founder, Doaa Gawish (she), needed to make with her team regarding her firm’s growth strategy. Gawish founded The Hair Addict (THA) in 2018 in Egypt with a mission to provide all-natural hair products to women, motivated by an online hair challenge movement that encouraged women to defy social norms and embrace their curls. Following the success and growth of the business in Egypt, Gawish had to decide on her next expansion strategy, given the country’s various economic and financial challenges. The case allows students to evaluate the growth decision by conducting a full-fledged market sizing, sales and financial forecasting to compare two scenarios: growth by further penetrating the Egyptian market with new product offerings for a different segment or growth through venturing into a new country while leveraging on her experience with women needs. The case is intended for an undergraduate capstone business class or a graduate strategy class to expose students to real-life market challenges facing women entrepreneurs and businesses in an international context. Students will use quantitative and qualitative analysis to defend their recommendations. An Excel workbook is provided to aid with their analysis.

This case can be relevant for an undergraduate capstone business class or a graduate strategy class that uses a practical pedagogical case-based approach. The case allows students to apply and integrate prior knowledge in business strategy, international marketing, marketing strategy and finance in a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to make a strategic business decision within the context of women’s entrepreneurship in developing economies.