Business Strategy Case Studies

"Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation", – Max Euwe

"If GE’s strategy of investment in China is wrong, it represents a loss of a billion dollars, perhaps a couple of billion dollars. If it is right, it is the future of this company for the next century." – Jack Welch

The significance of strategy in driving the success or failure of a business has gained increased recognition in recent years. Business and Strategy case studies provide an in-depth and clear insight to this important management subject, simplifying the business jargon and abstractions that often surround business education and strategy. Business Strategy cases generally include:

  • Identification of strategic objectives
  • Studying the business environment
  • Identifying Strategic Opportunities
  • Comparison of Strategic Alternatives
  • Strategy Implementation

Business Ethics Case Studies

“There is no such thing as business ethics. There is only one kind – you have to adhere to the highest standards.”
–Marvin Bower, former managing partner of McKinsey & Company

“Relativity applies to physics, not ethics.” –Albert Einstein

Business Ethics can be described as the combination of business practices and social values/responsibilities (along with environmental factors relevant to business).

Case Studies in Business Ethics introduce and put forth the ethical practices which should be incorporated in business decisions. The business cases, study the responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in an organization.

Business Ethics case studies:

  • Put forth the idea of moral responsibility
  • The ground for such responsibility
  • Highlight the extent to which organizations pursue ethics to making profit..

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Supply Chain Management Case Studies

Supply Chain CasesSupply Chain Management (SCM), in recent years, has received increased attention from both academicians and managers. Managing a supply chain implies the integrated management of a network of entities, that begins with the suppliers' suppliers and ends with the customers' customers, for the production of products and services to the end consumers. Supply chain case studies analyze how companies seek to achieve cost reductions or profit improvements and make the supply chain more competitive as whole.

These cases are intended to provide wide-ranging information, management education, background information and leadership on the most relevant topics in business. Illustration from published and other sources, a case study is carefully designed to offer a highly practical resource for readers with all levels of experience. To assure quality and accuracy each case study is carefully reviewed. A case study is a written or recorded, detailed analysis of some targeted management issues, for the purpose of noting success or failure to used as a benchmark for education, research, and/or planning.

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Marketing Management Case Studies

Marketing Case Studies provide a broad overview of the important issues relating to international marketing with a collection of insightful cases and illustrations of global industry practices from sectors such as retail, pharma, fashion, food and healthcare. A marketing case study provides a detailed outline of the essentials of the subject, such as trends in retail marketing, latest marketing strategies with an international viewpoint. Marketing Cases cover various companies and best practices in Marketing.

A case study is a written or recorded, detailed analysis of some targeted management issues, for the purpose of noting success or failure to used as a benchmark for education, research, and/or planning. A case study is an in-depth exploration of one particular case (situation or subject) for the purpose of gaining depth of understanding into the business/management issues being investigated.

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Leadership Case Studies

Entrepreneurship and Leadership case studies combine an explanation and discussion on best practice leadership and leadership development. Case studies on great business leaders are used as illustrations to show how great companies enhance their business knowledge into a coherent plan for achieving leadership success. Using leadership practices from companies like IBM, Google, HP, GE, Ford, Dell, Southwest Airlines and many others, a leadership case study presents and evaluates leadership principles in action and shows how managers can change their businesses into successful companies.

A case study is a written or recorded, detailed analysis of some targeted management issues, for the purpose of noting success or failure to used as a benchmark for education, research, and/or planning. A case study is an in-depth exploration of one particular case (situation or subject) for the purpose of gaining depth of understanding into the business/management issues being investigated.

All cases are compiled from published sources, and are intended to be used as a basis for class discussion.

Information Technology (IT) Case Studies

Case studies related to Information Technology (IT) demonstrate the effective use of information technology resources. An IT case study illustrates information technology related experiences in both domestic and international organizations with background information, project implementation successes and failures and lessons learned.

An IT case study focuses on successes with the deployment of information technology, in addition to failures as a result of inefficient use and management of IT resources in companies. Cases deal with a variety of issues pertaining to the management of IT in organizations around the world..

All cases are compiled from published sources, and are intended to be used as a basis for class discussion.

IT Cases Available

Case Studies on Innovation Management

A case study is a written or recorded, detailed analysis of some targeted management issues, for the purpose of noting success or failure to used as a benchmark for education, research, and/or planning. A case study is an in-depth exploration of one particular case (situation or subject) for the purpose of gaining depth of understanding into the business/management issues being investigated.

Please note: Case studies are compiled from published sources, and are intended to be used as a basis for class discussion.

Innovation Cases

Bharti Gets a Brand Makeover

Brand Strategy – November 2008

Dominant in the telecommunications services market, Bharti Enterprises, the telecom giant has unveiled its vision for 2020. Its latest brand identity attempts to reflect its intent to grow its other businesses such as financial services, retail and agri-business.

New Brand Identity and Brand Essence

In early Novemeber (2008), Bharti Enterprises, the Indian business conglomerate with revenues at over Rs. 30,000 crore, unveiled a new brand logo and brand identity. With its new brand identity, Bharti plans to announce its strategic intent to create a conglomerate of the future. The new brand essence – "Big Transformations through Brave Actions" will drive the company’s core values – empowering people, being flexible, making it happen, openness and transparency and creating a positive impact.

Eighty per cent of the group’s current revenues come from Bharti Airtel (a leading mobile operator – India’s leading integrated telecom company with with over 80 million customers and voted as India’s most innovative company by The Wall Street Journal. In October 2008, GSM player Bharti Airtel outperformed all CDMA players (like Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, HFCL and Shyam Telecom) put together in terms of mobile revenues, net subscriber addition and revenue share. ). The group now wants to focus on its other retail, agri-business and financial services ventures where it has partnerships with other companies like Wal-Mart, Del Monte and Axa. The group is looking at revenues of $10 billion in around two years with non-telecom business generating at least 50 per cent of the revenues.

New Brand Logo

The group also introduced a new fresh and youthful brand logo which the company believes will depict its multi-dimensional character and its strategy to grow with new avenues.

Bharti New Brand Logo
Bharti’s New Brand Logo and its significance

Bharti Old Brand Logo
Bharti’s Old Brand Logo

The Bharti Group

The Bharti Enterprises group includes companies like Bharti Airtel (telecommunications services), Bharti Teletech (telecom & allied products company), Telecom Seychelles (telecom services in Seychelles), Bharti Telesoft (VAS products and services to telecom carriers), Bharti Del Monte India (fresh and processed fruits and vegetables), Bharti Retail (multiple consumer friendly format stores in India), Bharti AXA General Insurance, Bharti AXA Life Insurance, Bharti AXA Investment Managers (asset management company), Bharti Learning Systems (end-to-end learning and development solutions organisation), Jersey Airtel (mobile services in Jersey (Channel Islands)), Guernsey Airtel, Bharti Foundation, Bharti Realty (Real Estate Arm).

Coke’s new strategy in India

Business Strategy – India – Training – Retailing – November 2008

With slowdown in developed markets, companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are looking at emerging markets like India and China for growth. PepsiCo is aiming to triple its businesses in India over the next five years (and also setting up a new leadership structure in India). The Coca-Cola Company (Coke), the world’s largest nonalcoholic beverage company, is not one to be left behind. Coke has a new strategy and has renewed its focus on semi-urban and rural markets in India.

Market Focus – Targeting rural India

The soft drink consumption market in India is mainly concentrated in urban cities. Even, market research data suggests that consumers in urban cities spend ten times more than consumers in semi-urban and rural markets. However, Coca-Cola has renewed its focus on the rural market in India and believes there is huge opportunity with vast growth potential in these markets. Coke is targeting small towns (tier II and III towns like Agra, Bilaspur and Lucknow) and rural markets in India.

The ‘parivartan’ program – Training small town retailers

Coke’s new strategy involves training retailers (around 6,000 of them) in a program launched by the Coca-Cola University. [In 2007, the company launched Coca-Cola University — a virtual, global university for all learning and capability-building activities.]

The company calls this the “parivartan” program (meaning “Change” in English). Shop owners (traditional retailers) are given training on displaying and stocking products well. The goal of the innovative training program is to provide traditional Indian retailers with the skills, tools and techniques required to succeed in a constantly changing retail scenario. Presentations (including audio/visual technology) in local Hindi language help small retailers (with stores less than 200 square feet in average size) to better understand the concepts involved. Each retailer also receives a Coca-Cola “Certified Retailer” certificate at the conclusion of the program.

Adapting to local culture and taste

Last year, PepsiCo set up a research facility in India. Last month, Coke too set up an R&D faculty in India to develop beverages that suit local taste and increase focus on localizing its portfolio of beverages. Earlier, Coca-Cola India had been outsourcing all R&D functions from its facility in Shanghai. Some examples of local flavors include Maaza aam panna by Coca-Cola and Pepsi has locally-produced flavors under its Tropicana juice brand (with nimbu pani (lemon water) in the pipeline).

Moving from a price strategy to stepping up distribution

In the past (in 2002-03), Coke had already targeted rural consumers by bringing down the entry price (Rs 5 a bottle) for its product. Now, it has stepped up distribution of its 200-ml (priced at Rs 7 and Rs 8 ) returnable-glass-bottles.

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