Manoj Joshi, Apoorva Srivastava and Varun Ashwini Aggarwal
The case aims to deal with multigenerational entrepreneurship. The family business of sports goods was initiated by Yashpal Aggarwal and his friends in the 1950s. Yashpal acquired…
Abstract
Purpose
The case aims to deal with multigenerational entrepreneurship. The family business of sports goods was initiated by Yashpal Aggarwal and his friends in the 1950s. Yashpal acquired the art of doing business and started initially with trading of sporting goods in Mumbai. Yashpal had three sons, Ashok, Ashwini and Rajesh, who ventured into sports trading business as well. After the demise of Yashpal, Ashok shifted to Jalandhar and started a manufacturing unit, producing roller skates. Ashwini, being entrepreneurial and innovative, had always desired to professionalise the business and hence started with Okini Sports. Okini Sports emerged as the first organised professional sports mall in India.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on case research, individual interviews at different levels, testing the case several times and filling the case gaps during the process to authenticate information, multiple sources of information have been used.
Findings
Businesses largely compete on the basis of available talent, competency and capability. Family businesses must be open to induct competent people within the family with the required skills to lead the company. If a family nurtures a member with requisite skills, values, to keep shareholders, key customers, and suppliers loyal to the business, then family leadership is the best option. As the business grows in dimension, differential capabilities are required to run the business competitively, hence, inducting talented individuals as professionals is a better option. A family must be realistic about the talents available internally.
Research limitations/implications
This case is restricted to sports family business entrepreneurship in the context of India, but has a great learning towards multigenerational entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
The case is original with the family in its fourth generation, the youngest looking to diversify and professionalize the business, set his family dreams of setting up the biggest sports mall in India.
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Rajesh Aggarwal, Zabihollah Rezaee and Ramesh Soni
To remain competitive in today's global marketplace multinational organizations have to adopt advance computer and communication technologies, such as expert systems, neural…
Abstract
To remain competitive in today's global marketplace multinational organizations have to adopt advance computer and communication technologies, such as expert systems, neural networks, and global electronic data interchange (EDI). Global EDI transcends traditional corporate and national boundaries; therefore, to maintain availability, confidentiality and integrity of data, the management must develop internal control mechanisms. This paper discusses both the external and internal risks and control activities related to the standardization of hardware, software, and communication protocols, the availability of global networks, the existence of cultural and language barriers, and the importance of legal considerations. Data confidentiality and integrity controls such as access control, encryption, traffic padding, routing control, cable protection, notarization services, acknowledgment control, and audit trail are important for controlling risk in global EDI.
Zabihollah Rezaee, Joseph Z. Szendi and Rajesh Aggarwal
Environmental costs and obligations are significantly growing andwill continue to grow as our society becomes more environmentallyconscious and environmental regulations increase…
Abstract
Environmental costs and obligations are significantly growing and will continue to grow as our society becomes more environmentally conscious and environmental regulations increase. Examines the significance of environmental outlays, discusses existing governmental regulations and accounting standards pertaining to environmental concerns, investigates the current accounting practices of environmental costs and obligations, and makes recommendations for proper measurement, recognition and disclosure of environmental outlays. Examines annual reports of the studied companies and reveals inconsistencies in accounting practices for measurement, recognition and disclosures of environmental outlays. Suggests these inconsistencies are primarily due to lack of sufficient and uniform authoritative accounting standards and ever‐changing public policy and regulatory standards. Indicates that society will benefit from uniform and specified accounting standards for environmental reporting in protecting organizations′ financial health.
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Marketing strategy, strategic innovation.
Abstract
Subject area
Marketing strategy, strategic innovation.
Study level/applicability
Strategic brand management or marketing strategy courses at MBA level.
Case overview
It seemed likely that a company with the highest number of product variants would consider product innovation to be its key source of sustenance in a crowded marketplace. Especially so, when the local and global competition was hotting up to a new launch every week. In the case of Micromax, a mobile handset maker from India tried to drive home the point that sustainability in emerging markets did not lie in inventing a new technology like Apple or Nokia or Sony did, albeit accompanied with a premium price tag. For the emerging markets, it was important to optimize the offering for the consumers. Strategic optimization could result from bridging the gaps in performance, infrastructure and organization design, which came naturally to this marketing-savvy mobile maker. Any company could make a cost-effective phone, but few could position, brand and sell it the way Micromax did. Shubhodip Pal, Head of Marketing at Micromax Informatics Pvt Ltd, India, pondered the marketing strategy which could pave the way into maintaining the company's national leadership position while creating a roadmap for its global foray. For Micromax, marketing strategy innovation, and not product innovation, would fulfil the goal of long-term growth in India and overseas markets.
Expected learning outcomes
The students studying this case are expected to learn: marketing strategy in emerging markets such as India, marketing strategy as the critical success factor for upcoming Indian companies rather than product innovation and doing business in emerging markets.
Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
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Renuka Kamath and Ashita Aggarwal
Marketing management, brand management, brand loyalty, brand consumer behavior.
Abstract
Subject area
Marketing management, brand management, brand loyalty, brand consumer behavior.
Study level/applicability
MBA program or the Executive Education program.
Case overview
Anubhav Jain, Marketing Head of Digamber Industries, is concerned about the national launch of Surya Gold tea. The brand had been doing well in Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India) with almost 20 per cent market share. However, market reports suggested that retailers primarily pushed the brand and consumers had little loyalty for Surya Gold. Owing to lower repeat purchases, Jain had to spend large amount of money on consumer acquisition. For the national launch, a large base of loyal consumers was critical for business growth. He understood brand loyalty but found it a difficult proposition to relate from consumers' perspective. Market consultants were hired to conduct a qualitative research based on Susan Fournier's work on consumer-brand relationships. The case gives an account of conversations with professed lovers of tea to understand consumer behavior toward tea, including why people drink tea, how they choose their brands and what makes them re-buy or change brands. The case makes certain propositions around brand loyalty, which Jain had to decode to understand tea consumers in India, how brand loyalty develops and changes over time, and hence, how should he plan his marketing strategy. The case attempts to help students critique traditional definitions of brand loyalty, understand and evaluate the concept from consumers' perspective and highlight its importance in marketing strategy planning by explaining evolution, various types and intensity of brand loyalty.
Expected learning outcomes
The broad objective of the case is to strengthen participants' understanding of brand loyalty concept and also appreciate the importance and role of brands in consumer's life. The case can be used for MBA or executive education in brand management or consumer behavior courses. The specific objectives of this case are to help students appreciate the variations in brand loyalty across consumers and critically assess the traditional definition of loyalty, highlight the connection between the consumer personality and the brand attributes, help them understand how the concept of brand loyalty and brand relationship affects consumers' attitude and behavior, help students understand as to why brand loyalty develops and how it can be maintained and expose students to qualitative unstructured data and give them an experience of using it for managerial use.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes enclosed.
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Rajesh Rajaguru, Roshni Narendran and Gayathri Rajesh
Social loafing is a key inhibitor in group-based student learning and is a key challenge in administering group-based assessments in higher education. This study examines…
Abstract
Purpose
Social loafing is a key inhibitor in group-based student learning and is a key challenge in administering group-based assessments in higher education. This study examines differences in the effects of antecedents of social loafing (disruptive behaviour, social disconnectedness and apathy) on work quality by comparing student-created and instructor-created groups. The study also investigates how group members' efforts to “pick up the slack” of social loafers in the two kinds of groups moderate the effect of antecedents of social loafing on work quality.
Design/methodology/approach
Post-graduate students from two different sessions of the Marketing Management unit participated in the study: 95 students from session 1 and 90 students from session 2. One session represented student-created groups and the other session represented instructor-created groups. Each group consisted of five students. Partial Least Square (PLS) estimation using SmartPLS was used to assess the direct and interaction effects.
Findings
The results indicate differences in the effects of the antecedents of social loafing such as apathy and disruptive behaviour on work quality for both student-created and instructor-created groups. Social disconnectedness was found to have no significant effect on work quality. Interestingly, the study found significant differences in the effects of “pick up the slack” on the work quality of student-created and instructor-created groups. Members of student-created groups who picked up the slack of social loafers improved the work quality for unit assessment. This effect was not significant for instructor-created groups.
Originality/value
Extant literature on social loafing predominantly focusses on its effect on students' work quality and educational achievement. This study contributes to the literature by investigating how the student-created and instructor-created group members' efforts to pick up the slack of social loafers moderate the effects of the antecedents of social loafing on work quality.
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Jyoti Joshi Pant and Vijaya Venkateswaran
The purpose of the study is to understand whether psychological contract (PC) expectations manifest differently for diversity clusters of gender, physical disability and region in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to understand whether psychological contract (PC) expectations manifest differently for diversity clusters of gender, physical disability and region in relation to job performance and intention to stay.
Design/methodology/approach
It is a survey-based study. Data from 1,065 information technology and business process management professionals were analysed using partial least square based structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and multigroup analysis.
Findings
The met PC expectations related to career growth and development impact performance and are influenced by regional diversity. The met PC expectations related to job and work environment impact the intention to stay. Gender and physical disability do not influence any relationship.
Research limitations/implications
The findings related to physical disability are based on a small sample of 60 employees. This could be reflective of their actual participation in the workplace.
Practical implications
No significant differences were found between men and women employees with/without physically disability. However, regional diversity creates significant differences. Diversity policies should reckon these similarities/differences while viewing requirements of job performance and determinants of intention to stay.
Social implications
One needs to be careful while assuming diversity as a heterogeneous phenomenon. The reality could reflect both differences and similarities. Diverse employee groups having a common set of expectations is a socially positive evolution connoting better social integration.
Originality/value
This article is one of the first to research the influence of gender, physical disability and regional diversity on PC and its outcomes in India. Regional diversity has not been studied based on this framework and this adds to the body of knowledge.
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Rajesh Kumar Bhaskaran, Sujit K Sukumaran and Kareem Abdul Waheed
This study aims to examine whether social initiatives adopted by firms lead to improved financial performance. The authors analyse the impact of different elements of social…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine whether social initiatives adopted by firms lead to improved financial performance. The authors analyse the impact of different elements of social initiatives on wealth creation for firms in terms of operating and market performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on the social initiative scores of over 4,500 firms collected from Thomson Reuters' ESG database. The study uses two-stage least squares (2SLS) to analyse the relationship between social initiatives and firm performance.
Findings
Profitable, mature, capital intensive and firms with high sales growth rate tend to invest more in social initiatives. Firms with high agency costs invest in social initiatives for workforce efficiency, maintaining human rights and product responsibility. The study documents evidence that social investments are value creating mechanism for firms which leads to improved financial performance in terms of operating and stock market performance. Firms with high dividend intensity invest in social initiatives for workforce welfare and human rights initiatives. Investment in employee well-being and community initiatives results in intangible benefits such as improved stock market valuation.
Practical implications
The research model has not considered the impact of intervening variables to understand the relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance.
Social implications
Firms ought to recognize that social investment is beneficial in terms of value creation of firms as stock market perceive such investments favourably. Firms must focus more on community development initiatives and workforce initiatives for the value creation of firms compared to investments directed towards human rights initiatives and product responsibility initiatives.
Originality/value
This study focusses exclusively on the social dimension of the CSR activities. The authors examine the impact of social welfare scores on firm performance by analysing the valuation effects on scores representing workforce, human rights, community and product responsibility. Moreover, the paper also examines the impact of a new dimension of product responsibility on firm performance. They also focus on both aspects of financial performance in terms of operating performance (proxied by ROE) and the joint impact of both operating and market performance (proxied by Tobin’s Q). This paper contributes to the research on the linkage of social performance to financial performance by observing that firms with high agency cost characteristics tend to invest in social initiatives for work force efficiency, maintaining human rights and product responsibility.
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Rajesh Panda, Pooja Gupta and Madhvi Sethi
The case discussion begins with an understanding of Davis’s three-circle model. It then leads toward the key resources and challenges, by system and development stage as given by…
Abstract
Theoretical basis
The case discussion begins with an understanding of Davis’s three-circle model. It then leads toward the key resources and challenges, by system and development stage as given by Gersick et al. (1997). After understanding the family business system, the case delves into making the students understand the circumplex model of the marital and family system. This matrix talks about the flexibility in the business structure along with cohesion in the family unit. The case then gets into the discussion about succession and the new generation joining the family business and the conflicts that may arise due to the same. It might be imperative to bring out the different forms of conflict that may arise in the family and business system. Researchers have identified three forms of conflict – task, process and relationship (Mckee, Madden, Kellermans and Eddleston, 2014). As passing the baton would take place next for this business in the case, the current generation needs to look at the future growth strategy for the business. Here, the discussion refers to the exploitation and exploration matrix given by Bergfeld and Weber (2011).
Research methodology
This is a primary data case. The data has been collected from SK Enterprises. Interviews were conducted to arrive at the issues and challenges discussed in the case.
Case overview/synopsis
This case talks about the dilemma of a first-generation entrepreneur. Jatinder Agarwal was the owner of SK Enterprises, a light-engineering firm manufacturing bright bars, engine parts and ceiling fan shafts. He had set up the business in 1984. His brother, Ramesh was helping him in the business. The business had prospered and grown from a single product manufacturing workshop in 1984 to two factories manufacturing multiple light engineering products. In 2015, the business was doing well and both Jatinder and Ramesh were excited to involve their respective sons, Pranav and Sanidh in the business after completion of their education. The case is about the challenges faced by Jatinder and Ramesh with the entry of a new generation. Jatinder and Ramesh were working in the family business with an implied structure where the business was a sole proprietorship in the name of Jatinder but the decisions were taken by both the brothers collectively. With the entry of the new generation, Jatinder had to decide how to re-organize the business and avoid conflicts in the family. He also had to take a decision regarding the future course of strategy, which would help the business grow further.
Complexity academic level
This case is about the dilemmas faced by a first-generation entrepreneur. The case can be taught in an “entrepreneurship” course, in a post-graduate MBA program. This case can also be taught in a family business program as part of the course on “Understanding Family Business – Managing Paradoxes” or “Building Lasting Family Business – Synergy in Vision, Values and Strategy.” This case can also be taught as part of a “business strategy” or “human resource management” in MBA or executive MBA program in the first year.
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Anupama Prashar and Shikha Aggarwal
The purpose of this paper is to recognize and model the enablers of supply chain quality risk management (SCQRM) through an empirical study in the Indian automotive companies.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to recognize and model the enablers of supply chain quality risk management (SCQRM) through an empirical study in the Indian automotive companies.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review was conducted to extract the key enablers of quality management (QM) and risk management in the context of manufacturing supply chains. A grey-based DEMATEL method was employed to identify and model the key enablers of SCQRM.
Findings
The results of empirical study showed that the effectiveness of QM and risk management systems for automotive supply chain is driven by a set of common enablers that could be employed for developing dedicated SCQRM systems. The common causal factors in the model such as the involvement of top leaders, inter-firm communication and strategic-level alignment between supply chain members on both these issues clearly state that there is a need for a broader policy at an early stage.
Practical implications
It is crucial for the automotive companies to develop and implement structured systems for SCQRM keeping in view the impact of any unaddressed quality risk on missed production targets, vehicle recalls and safety hazards.
Originality/value
This study ascertains the key enablers of SCQRM with emblematic focus on automotive industry and identifies if there are commonalities in these enablers.