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This study adopted interview methods and field visits to collect the data. An audio recording was done for the whole interview and presented as facts in this case. Field visits were done to see the packs and understand the consumers and their purchase habits of pickles.

Pandian Pickles is a pickle manufacturer located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, a state in the southern part of India. Mr Kandasamy, one of the partner of the Pandian pickle, had been thinking of ways to grow the business. Pandian Pickles dominated the low-price unit (LPU) market with a unique packing of pickles done in “arecanut” leaf. This added a unique flavour to their pickles. Mr Kandasamy envisioned to grow the business by introducing higher stock-keeping units in the form of jars and tap the middle class and the upper-middle-class segments in the market. In this category, there were much more prominent and branded players. Being a small regional player, Govindan wondered how Pandian Pickles would take these more prominent players in the industry head-on.

The case is ideally suited for discussing the concept of product line stretching, particularly in the product mix strategies of a small and medium enterprise (SME). The case can best fit into the courses such as Entrepreneurship Development, Product and Brand Management, Marketing Management for the Undergraduate levels and in the courses such as Strategic Marketing, Bottom of the Pyramid Markets and Strategies Management of SMEs in the postgraduate levels.

After analysing this case study, students will be able to understand the relationship between compensation, reward management and gig workers’ behaviour; apply the theory of organizational behaviour related to compensation management to address the motivational issues; analyse the challenges in managing the gig workers’ expectations related to compensation; and design innovative ways of retaining gig workers, especially delivery partners among the gig workers.

In April 2022, Riya, who worked as a business development manager at a newly established food delivery app company named “Our Kitchen” (located in Hyderabad, India), attended a meeting where the chief executive officer expressed concern about the difficulty in retaining their delivery partners. The company provided food delivery services to the customers by procuring ordered food from partner restaurants in select Indian cities. The delivery partners of the company worked part-time and received a commission for the hours they worked. With the rising fuel cost, minimal career growth and negligible social security benefits, it was hard for them to continue in their jobs. As a result, there were high attrition rates in the food delivery company. This case study is about the attrition issue being faced by the company and explores various strategies through which Riya could think of retaining the delivery partners so that there was a win-win situation for both parties. The dilemma given in the case study would help in understanding the motivational theories and factors that encouraged delivery partners to work for these jobs.

The case study is ideally suited for discussing human resources concepts, especially problems related to the retention of delivery partners without reducing the profit of the organization. It will help in understanding the motivational factors leading to job satisfaction and how that will help in the retention of delivery partners. The case study can also be used to teach the executives in a management development programme. This will help them to understand the gig workers’ motivational factors and the causes of their attrition.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human resource management.

The case has the following learning objectives: to assess the importance of the business environment, its impact on the organization and how the organization responds to the changes in the business environment; to apply the resource-based view of the organization and resource dependence theory; and to apply and analyze the organization’s strategic initiatives within the framework of the political, economic, social and technological analysis model, Porter’s five forces of business analysis and to make recommendations based on the above analysis.

The paradigm shift in technology has an impact on business. With 155,015 Post Offices, India Post has the most widely distributed postal network in the world. This case captures the journey of India Post from inception to its current form. Over its life, the organization has evolved because of multiple changes. But the recent changes have threatened to disrupt the organization. These changes have been induced by three major forces: technology, the rise of competition, especially foreign players, and social changes in urban and rural India because of changing consumption patterns as incomes rise and online retail grows. The organization has reacted to this threat by leveraging its resources to offer new products according to customer tastes by entering more unique industries and product categories. They have started logistics services in association with Indian railways and started offering retail services such as bill collection and college application forms. Also, they have created a financial division, “Payment Bank.” Thus, they have evolved from being a single entity of postal-related services to various services. The case poses a dilemma if these product diversifications are thriving as the organization’s product portfolio has diversified, given its existing capabilities and ability to create newer capabilities, particularly the payment bank.

The case is ideally suited for the discussion of resource-based view of the firm in the subject strategic management and organizational theory. The case can be used to discuss resource dependence theory as well. It is equally well suited to discuss the impact of environment in business in the subject organization theory and the impact of technology on change in the subject organizational change. The case is meant for MBA. The case can be used for executive audience as well.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

This case study exposes students to conflicts with distributors, escalated scenarios of a trade association and the possible repercussions of such a scenario. Upon completion of this case study, the students will be able to understand the critical success factors for a distribution setup and alignment of channels for driving growth; understand and manage the power dynamics with a stakeholder, like trade associations, distribution reach, fallacies in managing the distributors and identifying the gaps; critically evaluate negotiation opportunities when a trade association is not directly related to the principal organization.

This case study showcased a conflict between the distributor and Universal Heater Industries (UHI), a leading player in the water heater business in India. In 2015, the global leadership of UHI identified India as an emerging market and undertook a complete management overhaul to implement a new growth plan. Several measures were put in place that leveraged the global product portfolio and new people were appointed to push the agenda. Manish Singhal, the national sales head of UHI, selected Kerala as the pilot state to implement the new plan. However, the projects failed, as the distributor escalated the treatment meted out by UHI to the Electrical Trade Association (ETA). Trade associations have had a history of playing truant with players like UHI, and because of this, business came to a complete halt. The UHI and ETA teams met once; however, the suggested closure by ETA needed to be aligned with UHI’s interests. Singhal’s dilemma deepened, and they had to decide the next steps.

This case study is suitable for a postgraduate marketing course in a segment on managing channels, intermediaries, distribution management and channel conflicts. The uniqueness of this case is in the dimension of the trade association and managing the stakeholders.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS8: Marketing.

When multinational managers attempt to transfer best practices across cultures, the challenges inherent in cross‐cultural transfer may actually diminish competitiveness, instead of enhancing it. Multinational managers need to understand the cultural context of best practices, both at the source and at the target, in order to overcome these challenges and facilitate the transfer process. The challenges to effective transfer of best practices between cultures may arise because of the kinds of variances between cultural environments. These variances may pertain to concepts, perceptions, standardization, gradation and validation, substitutability and decision rules. Unmediated transfer of best practices across cultures may produce distortions in perceptions, understanding, interpretation and motivation of customers, competitors, employees and market players in the global markets. These distortions may in turn lead to conflicts and resistance and adversely impact the cost structure, revenue mix and profitability options. Understanding the cultural context and adapting best practices in tune to the recipient culture can be an invaluable tool to preempt or respond effectively to competitive challenges in the global markets.

How do energy consumption, efficiency and economic performance vary between small enterprises belonging to two different product clusters whose production process and technologies differ?

The objectives are analyzed based on empirical data gathered from a field survey of small enterprises with reference to auto ancillaries in Shimoga and brick‐making enterprises in Malur of Karnataka State in India. Simple averages, correlation and multiple‐regression techniques are used for the analysis.

The study brought out that higher energy intensity results in higher share of energy cost in total variable cost. Energy intensity had a negative relationship with value of output. Energy makes a statistically significant contribution to returns to scale. The classification of small enterprises into two groups based on above average energy intensity and below average energy intensity, and the subsequent regression analysis brought out that energy intensity had a positive influence on returns to scale in auto ancillaries whereas a negative influence on returns to scale in bricks enterprises.

The sample‐size formulation could not be done on a scientific basis due to the absence of comprehensive data on all small enterprises operating in the respective clusters and therefore, the findings may not be generalized.

Industry specific characteristics must be taken into account while introducing “energy efficiency improvement” programmes as a means of enhancing competitiveness in “energy intensive” small enterprises.

The paper illustrates the scope for energy conservation and efficiency improvement in Indian small enterprises.

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and non-economic activities. Researchers have increasingly focused on the adoption and use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the economic development of a country is largely dependent on them. Following the success of ICT utilisation in SMEs in developed countries, many developing countries are looking to utilise the potential of the technology to develop SMEs. Past studies have shown that the contribution of ICT to the performance of SMEs is not clear and certain. Thus, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of ICT in generating firm performance since this has implications for SMEs’ expenditure on the technology. This research examines the diffusion of ICT among SMEs with respect to the typical stages from innovation adoption to post-adoption, by analysing the actual usage of ICT and value creation. The mediating effects of integration and utilisation on SME performance are also studied. Grounded in the innovation diffusion literature, institutional theory and resource-based theory, this study has developed a comprehensive integrated research model focused on the research objectives. Following a positivist research paradigm, this study employs a mixed-method research approach. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed through an extensive literature review and is refined by results from an in-depth field study. During the field study, a total of 11 SME owners or decision-makers were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10 to refine the model to develop the research hypotheses. The final research model is composed of 30 first-order and five higher-order constructs which involve both reflective and formative measures. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the theoretical model with a cross-sectional data set of 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire issued to SMEs selected by applying a stratified random sampling technique. The structural equation modelling utilises a two-step procedure of data analysis. Prior to estimating the structural model, the measurement model is examined for construct validity of the study variables (i.e. convergent and discriminant validity).

The estimates show cognitive evaluation as an important antecedent for expectation which is shaped primarily by the entrepreneurs’ beliefs (perception) and also influenced by the owners’ innovativeness and culture. Culture further influences expectation. The study finds that facilitating condition, environmental pressure and country readiness are important antecedents of expectation and ICT use. The results also reveal that integration and the degree of ICT utilisation significantly affect SMEs’ performance. Surprisingly, the findings do not reveal any significant impact of ICT usage on performance which apparently suggests the possibility of the ICT productivity paradox. However, the analysis finally proves the non-existence of the paradox by demonstrating the mediating role of ICT integration and degree of utilisation explain the influence of information technology (IT) usage on firm performance which is consistent with the resource-based theory. The results suggest that the use of ICT can enhance SMEs’ performance if the technology is integrated and properly utilised. SME owners or managers, interested stakeholders and policy makers may follow the study’s outcomes and focus on ICT integration and degree of utilisation with a view to attaining superior organisational performance.

This study urges concerned business enterprises and government to look at the environmental and cultural factors with a view to achieving ICT usage success in terms of enhanced firm performance. In particular, improving organisational practices and procedures by eliminating the traditional power distance inside organisations and implementing necessary rules and regulations are important actions for managing environmental and cultural uncertainties. The application of a Bengali user interface may help to ensure the productivity of ICT use by SMEs in Bangladesh. Establishing a favourable national technology infrastructure and legal environment may contribute positively to improving the overall situation. This study also suggests some changes and modifications in the country’s existing policies and strategies. The government and policy makers should undertake mass promotional programs to disseminate information about the various uses of computers and their contribution in developing better organisational performance. Organising specialised training programs for SME capacity building may succeed in attaining the motivation for SMEs to use ICT. Ensuring easy access to the technology by providing loans, grants and subsidies is important. Various stakeholders, partners and related organisations should come forward to support government policies and priorities in order to ensure the productive use of ICT among SMEs which finally will help to foster Bangladesh’s economic development.

To explore building blocks of corporate value creation that can be effectively assembled by practicing managers to deconstruct corporate value creation into distinctive models (customer value creation and shareholder value creation) and stages (resource assembly and capability leverage) in the Indian Information Technology enabled Service (ITeS) industry for exploring efficiency differentials between large Indian ITeS companies.

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique has been used to uncover efficiency differentials in large Indian ITeS companies that represent 90% of all the ITeS companies listed in the Indian stock market and 13.9% of all companies listed in the Indian stock market, across industries.

This paper documents a nuanced understanding of interrelationships among activities that influence corporate value creation and comprehensively highlight those dominant activities that contribute to corporate value creation in an ITeS industry setting. The study demonstrates as to how companies can become more efficient in such crucial value creating components that result in superior corporate value. The explicating methodology proposed in this study can be handy for managers and can be extrapolated to other industry and national settings as well.

Deconstructing corporate value creation into granular models, customer value creation and shareholder value creation and further into two stages, being assembling resources to create capabilities and leveraging such capabilities to deliver value, this study provides hands-on value for managers in ITeS companies to create value.

Fusing the value creation and appropriation (VCA) framework, the resource-based view (RBV) and its extensions, this paper builds a robust theoretical model specification that is empirically tested.

This study aims to systematically review the current academic literature on the role of technologies in low-carbon supply chain management (SCM), identify and analyse critical themes and propose an integrated conceptual model.

A systematic literature review of 48 papers published between 2010 and 2022 was conducted. A conceptual model was advanced.

Based on the analysis and synthesis of the reviewed papers, this review provides an initial attempt to integrate technology adoption and low-carbon SCM by developing a diffusion of innovation model of technology-enabled low-carbon SCM within the technology–organisation–environment (TOE) framework, in which drivers, enablers and barriers to technology adoption practices are identified. The environmental, economic and social outcomes of adoption practices are also identified.

This study provides a novel and comprehensive roadmap for future research on technology-enabled low-carbon SCM. Furthermore, policy, as well as managerial implications, is presented for policymakers and managers.