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This case may be taught singly or used as a merger-negotiation exercise with “Chrysler Corporation: Negotiations between Daimler and Chrysler” (UVA-F-1240). Set in February 1998, the case places students in the position of negotiators for the company; their task is to value both firms, assess the potential earnings dilution of a combination, and negotiate a detailed agreement with their counterpart. The case can be used to explore such interesting negotiation issues as determination of a share-exchange ratio, treatment of major stockholders, and structuring a deal. Also, the case and exercise can be used to spark a discussion of acquisition in comparison with strategic alliance, or other less formal models of combination.

This case may be taught singly or used as a merger-negotiation exercise with “Daimler-Benz A. G.: Negotiations between Daimler and Chrysler” (UVA-F-1241). Set in February 1998, the case places students in the position of negotiators for the company; their task is to value both firms, assess the potential earnings dilution of a combination, and negotiate a detailed agreement with their counterpart. The case can be used to explore such interesting negotiation issues as determination of a share-exchange ratio, treatment of major stockholders, and structuring a deal. Also, the case and exercise can be used to spark a discussion of acquisition in comparison with strategic alliance, or other less formal models of combination.

Entrepreneurship.

This case is intended for teaching entrepreneurship in any tertiary institution including graduate business schools where the case study method is used. It can also add value to groups interested in creating social value such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It can be taught in a 60-90 minute class depending on the size of the class and type of audience.

The case highlights features of indigenous entrepreneurship in a traditional African setting and showcases the merits of traditional training methods. An intriguing case of a social enterprise, inspired by the difficult experiences of an entrepreneur, who grew up in dire poverty. The polygamous family situation she was in led to establishing an enterprise that ensured her livelihood and a means to lift others from poverty. The case provides a unique model of a hybrid family business and social enterprise and illustrates that businesses can do good and still do well financially.

Learning points include: appreciation of the socio-cultural and economic context of indigenous entrepreneurs; entrepreneurial motivations and their impact on society; how traditional societies transmit entrepreneurial skills; illustration of how theoretical frameworks like network theory and effectuation impact on entrepreneurial ventures; and how challenges of family businesses such as leadership and succession may be overcome through timely planning.

Teaching notes are available, consult your librarian for access.

In August 2007 the Mainsail II SIV-Lite was frozen by its trustee as a result of the ongoing credit crisis. The state of Maine held $20 million of Mainsail commercial paper in its Cash Pool portfolio, a short-term portfolio that puts temporary, excess state revenues to work. When word of the potential loss became public, the Treasurer came under attack. The case introduces the functions of a state Treasury department, with particular emphasis on the investment objectives and guidelines for the cash pool as well as its composition. The case reviews the events leading up to and including August 2007, the month when the credit markets first began to seize and when the financial crisis effectively began. It examines securitization, structured finance, and the Mainsail SIV-Lite structure in some detail.

The case illustrates an entrepreneurial voyage and venture creation and through it helps in identifying the reasons and causes for that venture's failure. It also enables discussion on the importance of planning a venture, more importantly; financing, managing, growing, and ending a venture and on how to avoid the pitfalls that befall such enterprises. This case can be used in Entrepreneurship courses as well as MBA, PGP and Executive Education programmes on Entrepreneurship.

After completion of this case, students would be able to understand the challenges faced by social entrepreneurship in a time of pandemic, as well as gain a perspective of the background, history, evolution and the setup of such organizations; appreciate the role of marketing methods in tackling the challenges faced and how the management of such enterprises could use them on the ground; evaluate possible future options/pathways that could be taken in the backdrop of a pandemic and, more importantly, in a developing country context; and apply the elements of social entrepreneurship theory and suggest a way ahead for ThankUfoods (TUF).

TUF is a social enterprise that empowers visually and physically challenged people by using while profitably selling food products. Few years of existence, it was facing a major dilemma regarding strategies to continue its existing business and the way forward. Because of the pandemic, the traditional offline business models became redundant on which TUF was heavily dependent. At the same time, TUF had to balance providing support to its employees, staying financially afloat and upholding its parent organization’s core objectives, the India Association for Blind (IAB). IAB was founded to rescue and provide livelihood for specially abled people. TUF was formed as a sister concern that combined charitable work and profit earning to make visually challenged people self-sufficient. At this juncture, the protagonist of the case Mr Abdul Raheem, chief executive officer of TUF and vice president of IAB, approached consultants to chart the way forward. He was forced to explore novel options ranging from conceptual ones, such as setting the right objectives and revisiting mission and vision, to more operational ones, such as venturing into online space, increasing advertisements and achieving breakeven sales. This case study highlights the overall journey of TUF, the underlying constraints, the new challenges faced and the dilemma ahead. Further, it covers the context and challenges peculiar to an emerging market setting. More importantly, it provides a setting for the students to be in the protagonist’s position and ponder – how should a social enterprise functioning in an emerging market function in times of pandemic crises? If it decides to explore novel options, what should be those, how can it proceed, and what to be cautious about.

The target audience for the case study are students from MBA and BBA courses, management trainees who are interested to learn about the challenges social entrepreneurship face at the time of crisis. This case study could be used to explain concepts about social entrepreneurship, brand positioning, e-commerce marketing and decision-making in the time of pandemics/crises. The case is also suitable for senior management personnel who participate in executive education programs.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

This case describes and analyzes the negotiations surrounding the U.S.–Thailand free trade agreement (FTA) that never materialized. The case offers an excellent opportunity to discuss the complexities of trade negotiations, the welfare analyses of FTAs (with trade diversion and creation), and the growth of FTAs and customs unions (CUs) as opposed to multilateral trade liberalizations.

Dean Lynn, of Augustine State University's School of Business Administration, has been asked to develop online offerings as a prototype for the rest of the university. The decision he faced was whether to (A) take on the project alone or (B) make a ten-year commitment to a specialized vendor. If option B was selected, the further choice was whether to allow the vendor to handle everything short of instruction with a customized program or to handle only the marketing elements of the task. In the course of considering what to do, Dean Lynn was faced with the financial as well as the qualitative dimensions of the choice. The purpose of this case is to provide students a vehicle to explore the myriad considerations inherent in every organization's decision making process… qualitative as well as quantitative.

Reverse logistics, environment, CSR.

Bachelor and Graduate students.

This case describes the role played by the company in linking various processes and taking the lead in the development of a unique “circular” flow of recycling activity which includes recovery, reuse and recycling schemes. Traditionally businesses were not held responsible for the product after use by the consumer. But, with growing stakeholder expectations in the area of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, businesses are more conscious about managing their social and environmental impacts. Today businesses are beginning to look at reverse logistics not only in terms of economic impacts but also environmental impacts. While consumers and other stakeholders want businesses to be more responsible in the way the product is produced such as to minimize waste production, the expectations have also changed to recovery of products after use in order to reduce cost and environmental impact of recycling. Businesses are becoming more responsible about collecting, reusing, refurbishing or dismantling used products to minimize environmental damage.

The case is significant for teachers and students of “environment management”, corporate social responsibility, “supply chain” and “the importance of networks”. It can be used to understand how reverse logistics helps to minimize waste.

Teaching notes.

Upon completion, successful students will be able to examine the importance of digitalisation as a competitive tool in business management; use a suitable theory to justify the need for an organisation to engage in e-commerce; develop suitable strategies/solutions to challenges faced by a business organisation in the world of digitalisation of business; explain the way data analytics and digitalisation can affect business strategies and marketing functions; and identify and explain various considerations in the internationalisation of business.

MR.D.I.Y. “The Malaysian Sweetheart” is a case about a home improvement company that has transformed itself from a regular hardware shop into a favourite home improvement retailer in Malaysia. The case looked at the influence of e-commerce and digital transformation marks a rethinking of how an organisation uses technology, people and processes in pursuit of new business models and new revenue streams, driven by changes in customer expectations around products and services. Such transformation has indeed created opportunities and challenges for business organisation throughout the globe in their pursuit of staying competitive for MR.D.I.Y. even though they are considered the largest home improvement retailer in Malaysia. The case also introduces the students to the Uses and Gratification Theory that underpins the e-commerce business model. The management of the company is concerned about its future given the rising competition and gloomy economic conditions.

The target group for this case is undergraduate students. Specifically, it is suitable for those in the field of Entrepreneurship taking e-commerce/small business management/entrepreneurship courses. The main purpose of this case study is to assist students in critically examining how a small business evolved from a tiny neighbourhood shop to become a household name at the national level and eventually emerged as the largest home improvement company locally and abroad. Specifically, the case can be applied to topics like Retailing in Electronic Commerce, Innovative EC Systems, Social Commerce and Launching an Online Business, which all are related to the courses on E-Commerce, and this case is also suitable to any other contemporary business management module. Additionally, educators can use this teaching case as a tool in an executive programme for senior, middle and lower managers to shape their thoughts and attitudes toward managing a contemporary retailing business. With this case, it is hoped that students would be able to understand and decide wisely if they encounter similar circumstances in the future.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.