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Social media platforms allow near‐unfettered creation and exchange of user generated content (UGC). Drawing from network science, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether high and low quality UGC differ in their connectivity structures in Wikipedia (which consists of interconnected user generated articles).

Using Featured Articles as a proxy for high quality, a network analysis was undertaken of the revision history of six different language Wikipedias, to offer a network‐centric explanation for the emergence of quality in UGC.

The network structure of interactions between articles and contributors plays an important role in the emergence of quality. Specifically the analysis reveals that high‐quality articles cluster in hubs that span structural holes.

The analysis does not capture the strength of interactions between articles and contributors. The implication of this limitation is that quality is viewed as a binary variable. Extensions to this research will relate strength of interactions to different levels of quality in UGC.

The findings help harness the “wisdom of the crowds” effectively. Organisations should nurture users and articles at the structural hubs from an early stage. This can be done through appropriate design of collaborative knowledge systems and development of organisational policies to empower hubs.

The network centric perspective on quality in UGC and the use of a dynamic modelling tool are novel. The paper is of value to researchers in the area of social computing and to practitioners implementing and maintaining such platforms in organisations.

Experts believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a far greater impact on the world than the Great Depression and World War II. While people were seen battling for their life on one side, there were also those who were battling for everyday necessities due to lack of income. Businesses are rethinking strategies and rewriting business plans as the game rules seem to have changed overnight with the entry of the virus. The objective of this chapter is to review the disturbing effect the pandemic has had on the Indian and world economy and further discuss the strategies that would help businesses in the short as well as long run to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic. Literature review has been carried out to gather the data for this study. This is a narrative review and not a systematic one. A few strategies that have helped organizations to win over the COVID situation are digital transformation, reworking cost structures and implementing agile operations. Utilizing remote workforce, opting for digital transactions and providing services online have become the new normal. The researcher concludes that businesses need to accept the challenge before them and adapt people-centric strategies which rely on key technologies that are resilient and work hand-in-hand with government agencies to help reconstruct the local community that they are a part of. This collaboration will prove to be beneficial in the long run for both the organization as well as the community.

The case study “PVR Limited at a Crossroads” has been designed with the requirements of strategic management. The learning objectives are as follows:

• Situational analysis – understand the global and Indian media and entertainment industry PESTEL.

• Strategic planning – internal and external environmental analysis – strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis helps in achieving the strategic plan.

• Strategy development – to accomplish the turnaround plan, various alternatives are developed; choosing from the possible alternatives is a part of strategic planning.

PVR Limited (PVR) is the largest premium film exhibition company in India. In their annual report for 2019–2020, Chief Executive Officer Gautam Dutta acknowledged, “It was the first time in our more than two-decade history that we witnessed over 100 million patrons entering our premises in a year”. However, with the onset of Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020, things changed for the entertainment industry in India. There were fears of an eminent third wave and the detection of a new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, added to these fears. Being a major player in the game, PVR felt the impact. And even when the business started to reopen, social distancing remained a concern and ticket sales were impacted. Over-the-top viewership rose dramatically at the cost of the multiplex. The lockdown halted film productions worldwide, leading to a shortage of content. Other revenue streams, such as food and beverage, convenience fees and advertising, also came to a halt. Given the circumstances, Dutta was facing the twin dilemma of how to bring customers back to cinema in a post-pandemic world without in any way compromising the security of its patrons and keeping costs under control while investing in social distancing, safety measures and entertainment infrastructure to enhance the cinematic experience.

This case was written for use in Strategic Management classes at the undergraduate and MBA levels. It can be used in both management studies and executive development programs. It is suitable for courses on strategic management and strategic planning focusing on a turnaround strategy. Additionally, the case could be used in consumer behaviour courses in management as the focus of the case is well aligned with discussions related to change in consumer behaviour.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Major cereal staples such as wheat, white rice and corn have a significant negative impact on the environment, a low nutritional profile and are associated with obesity. In comparison, alternative staples (such as rye, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) are more environmentally sustainable and nutritious, yet are underused. There has been a recent surge in research into and awareness of alternative staples, but the current understanding of the different drivers of and barriers to their consumption remains fragmented.

The present study attempts to assimilate and incorporate the current knowledge on the drivers of and barriers to the consumption of alternative staples. Eighty-one empirical studies were curated and analysed according to stringent protocols in order to examine the existing research profile and themes arising from prior research in this domain.

The study presents a profile of the extensive existing literature examining the drivers of and barriers to the consumption of alternative staples. The thematic analysis of selected studies resulted in the identification of six drivers and seven barriers. The drivers are an awareness of health; awareness of environmental factors; recommendations; awareness of the brand, labels and source of origin; household structure and demographic attributes. The barriers are difficulty in preparation, lack of familiarity, lack of availability, lack of affordability, culture, product attributes and sensory attributes. The various research gaps and avenues for future research associated with the drivers and barriers identified are also presented.

The key outcomes of the study are the presentation of the research profile, the identification of various drivers and barriers, the recognition of gaps in the research and avenues for future research and, finally, the development of a theoretical framework entitled “Behavioral reasoning towards the consumption of alternative staples (BRCAS)”. The study offers various insights for nutritionists, marketers, policymakers and consumers by increasing awareness of alternative staples.