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The purpose of this paper is to test relevance of the information quality (IQ) framework in understanding quality of advertisements (ads) posted by ordinary consumers.

The main objective of this study is to assess quality ads posted on customer-to-customer (C2C) social commerce platforms from an IQ framework. The authors deployed innovative text mining techniques to generate features from the IQ framework and then used a machine learning (ML) algorithm to classify ads into three categories ‐ high quality, medium quality and low quality.

The results show that not all dimensions of IQ framework are important to assess quality of ads posted on the platforms. Potential buyers on these platforms look for appropriate amount of information, which is objective, concise and complete, to make a potential purchase decision.

As the research focuses on specific product categories, it lacks generalisability. Therefore, it needs to be tested for other product categories.

The paper includes recommendation for C2C marketplaces on how to increase quality of ads posted by consumers on the platform.

This study has focused on the user-generated content posted by ordinary consumers on the C2C commerce platform to sell used goods. Though C2C model has been developed on ads posted on C2C platforms, it can be established for brands as it provides them with an insight into latent dimensions that a consumer shall look for in an ad on social commerce platforms.

This paper aims to investigate the consumer motivation to buy products on consumer-to-consumer (C2C) communities on social networking sites (SNSs). These transactions involve no intermediation or payment of fees by any party. The phenomenon is in contrast with the traditional C2C transactions, on websites such as eBay, where the company website facilitates the transaction between consumers, charges a fee to sellers and provides limited information about buyers and sellers.

Drawing from media richness theory and social capital theory, this paper thus proposes and empirically tests a theoretical model developed using data collected from people making transactions on these communities that synthesize the motivations behind consumers’ intention to buy.

The results indicate that the media richness of the Facebook platform increases the social capital and sense of virtual community among users, which further impacts the purchase intentions of users. Social capital alone does not lead to purchase intention and indirectly impacts purchase intentions through the trust dimension.

This study contributes to theorizing the role of the platform, social capital and sense of virtual community in buying behavior on SNSs and provides valuable new insights into these constructs for the brand managers on social media sites.

Existing research on social commerce does not hold true for C2C communities on SNSs. This paper provides a new perspective into these communities through the lens of media richness and social capital constructs as antecedents of purchase intentions on these communities.

Industrial Relations and People Management.

Graduate or Postgraduate level, Executive working in manufacturing sector.

This case highlights the industrial relation issues in a public sector undertaking, a government-owned company in India. The case depicted the issues taken place in the company in the year 2015-2016. The primary data were collected by a working professional, who dealt with and was involved in the scenarios discussed in the case. Other modes such as in-depth interviews were also taken as per requirements. This case also highlights the importance of roles of unions and association in these organizations. Factors which are important to maintain industrial harmony were analyzed and their perspective with respect to production loss were addressed.

Every employee must be dealt with in a dignified manner with rationale. Hierarchy is required to be in place but doesn’t need to be authoritative. Be communicative and transparent while taking action. There should be no compromise on indiscipline at workplace and decision to be taken accordingly. Manage conflict by involving all the concerned authorities from outset. The analysis of the case shows that if the rationale was followed while managing the people it will lead to industrial harmony. Role of trade unions and association will prove beneficial as they will become a part of creating a solution in the matter of discords, ensuring growth for the company and its employees. It is important to mention here that the case was developed on the basis of the first-hand experience of the author.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

Rural Marketing, Sales and Distribution Management, Salesperson Motivation, Channel Management.

The case can be used in sales management, channel management and rural marketing courses offered to graduate students of MBA degrees. In the sales management courses, the emphasis is on understanding the typical tasks that the rural salesperson is required to conduct. The case can be used to design a suitable motivation-mix for a rural salesperson after analysing their approach towards work. In a rural marketing course, the case can be used to understand the sales and distribution management of fast-moving consumer good products in rural India. The case can be used in channel management courses to design an appropriate channel structure in the rural market in India and utilized for managing the distributors’ salesforce for effective and improved market coverage in rural areas.

Candy Confectioneries Private Limited started its operations in 1995, and was one of the largest confectionery players in India with a market share of 20 per cent. The company had achieved sales of Rs 20bn in 2014 and had 15 confectionery brands in the market. The company was also trying hard to establish itself in the snacks category. The company had nationwide operations, and it was important for the company to expand into the rural market. It served its markets through a comprehensive urban and rural distribution setup. In the rural distribution network, the rural sales representatives (RSRs) played a key role and perhaps were one of the most critical factors in covering the rural market. The RSR system was typical to suit the requirement of product-market coverage with its limitations. The case broadly profiles eight RSRs who were engaged to cover a specific territory in the State of Bihar in India. It also describes their approaches to work and complexities emerging thereof in achieving the best results for the organization.

The case has the following learning objectives: Understanding the design of sales and distribution channel structure followed for distribution and selling of confectionery products in rural India. Examining whether the existing system is adequate to achieve the goals of the firm. Evaluating the performance of each salesperson and identifying common factors to formulate the salesforce policies. Arriving at a suitable motivation-mix for the rural salesperson.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 8: Marketing.

corporate policy and strategy – mergers and acquisitions.

Post graduation (MBA and other management degrees). It includes courses on Strategic Management, Business Environment and International Business.

Markets are becoming highly connective, accessible and communicative and reaching maturity at a very high phase. Acquisition is a choice to enhance the emerging and diversified markets. This case paper presents insights on Vedanta – Cairn India cross-border acquisition deal in Indian oil and exploration industry. This case synchronizes the gap between strategic planning and outcome of actions. The study exclusively evidences the reaction of stocks of all attached parties against acquisition announcement and compares with market performance.

Strategic mapping of business negotiations, while in-organic choices, further the impact of economic, political, legal and regulatory factors on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), deliberate deal financing mechanism and leadership diplomacy. It proposes from the viewpoint of corporate in-organic alternatives and to strengthen the upcoming research field of strategy & policy.

Global M&A market, shareholding pattern, income statement and balance sheet of Cairn India Ltd, financial figures of Vedanta Resources, tabular data on stock and index performance, deal structure and teaching note.

Market development.

This case is intended to be used in strategic management, operations management for both undergraduate and graduate courses. It can also be used for value innovation and market development.

This case focuses on market development by Patanjali, a fast-growing organization crossing US$1bn of sales in five years of time span and declaring a target of doubling this figure in the financial year 2016-2017 (to reach US$1,500m). The prime focus of Patanjali is the health food segment based on herbal and Ayurveda science through the use of organically grown agricultural produce by integrating the associated value chains while radically benefitting all the stakeholders in a two-way process as suppliers as well as buyers/consumers. The fundamental context of the case is associated with the value chain development in terms of value addition on the basis of the organizational and leadership values in all the elements of the value chain of Patanjali products starting from suppliers to customers. The case emphasizes the role of the Patanjali Food & Herbal park in the value chain. Patanjali Food & Herbal Park is constantly striving for nation building more than profit accumulation. They have created a sustainable business benefiting all the stakeholders. The backbone of the Patanjali Food & Herbal Park lies in robust backward linkage and forward linkage. The context of the case presents an account of how the values based integration of the value chain is a strategic advantage and safeguards an organization from business environment threats.

The context of the case presents an account of how values based integration of the value chain is a strategic advantage and safeguard an organization from business environment threats. The case has a deep-rooted theoretical association with models like Porter’s Five Forces model on the one hand and also exemplifies how an organization can use blue ocean strategy through value-based value innovation. The context of the Black Swan perspective also emerges in the narration.

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CSS 11: Strategy.

Entrepreneurship is not limited to managing and creating a business; other diverse domains have been explored by various scholars. The concept has been defined and explored in various aspects including cultural entrepreneurship (Gupta & Anandaram, 2022) ethnic, feminist, institutional, and various others. To obtain further insights into entrepreneurship, Krueger and Welpe (2014) sought to collaborate on the cognitive and emotional aspects and termed it neuro-entrepreneurship. Literature trends on neuro-entrepreneurship are generally confined to opportunity recognition, risk-taking measures, and decision patterns. It is too early to reach any conclusion as no empirical research has been undertaken on the topic yet. Neuroscience techniques such as fMRI and Magneto-encephalography (MEG) are trying to reveal the hidden phenomenon behind the decision-making process in entrepreneurs. The COVID-19 pandemic forced entrepreneurs to face a new reality: That is not only the crisis in physical resources but also caused a disrupted mental state. Entrepreneurs are seeking new ways to get back on track and potentially neuroscience will assist them. This chapter discusses the background literature on neuro-entrepreneurship and an overview of the rationales of neuro-entrepreneurship in organisational settings. It explains the cognitive and emotional dimensions of the brain controlling decision-making in entrepreneurs. This chapter establishes a connection between decision-making and creativity at the workplace with the help of neuroscience techniques of entrepreneurs and future directions towards achieving a creative entrepreneurial system by amalgamating neuroscience techniques and decision-making for improving entrepreneurial activities.

Introduction: Data play a very significant role in solving the problem faced at micro and macro levels. Financial inclusion and insurance penetration have been a major problem of developing economies. These two economic indicators can be strengthened with the emergence of data alchemy.

Purpose: The present research study is conducted with the objective of measuring the impact of technological infrastructure, data alchemist techniques, and regulatory environment on insurance penetration and financial inclusion.

Methodology: To meet the research objectives, data were collected through a random sampling technique from the insurance agents in Mumbai, which can be considered the heart of insurance in India. On the data collected, the partial least squares (PLS) algorithm was applied using smart PLS software. PLS is a statistical method used for predictive modeling and analysis of complex data with multiple variables.

Findings: The final results revealed a significant relationship between data alchemy techniques and financial inclusion. Also, a significant impact on the financial inclusion level of the regulatory environment is also recorded. However, in a developing country like India, currently data alchemy techniques are not significantly impacting insurance penetration.

This case describes the experience of Kanpur Confectioneries Private Limited (KCPL), a family managed company, in being a contract manufacturer for A-One Confectioneries Private Limited. The alliance had worked to the advantage of KCPL. It had prospered as a profitable contract manufacturer. It had used the surplus to diversify into unrelated businesses. The family members, however had doubts regarding the employment opportunities provided by the move. They were not sure whether the progress was sustainable. Alok Kumar Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of KCPL, along with his brothers and son, is required to review the strategy and performance of his company and develop a course of action for the future.