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Janalakshmi Financial Services Private Limited: strategic innovation to achieve financial inclusion

M. Abraham Dolphy (Alliance School of Business, Alliance University, Bangalore, India.)
Mohan Gopinath (Alliance School of Business, Alliance University, Bangalore, India.)
Edwin Castelino (St Joseph's College of Business Administration, Bangalore, India)

Publication date: 17 October 2012

Abstract

Subject area

Strategic innovation through the deployment of a sophisticated collection of information systems and technologies to help accomplish financial inclusion for the urban poor.

Study level/applicability

This case is suitable for graduate courses on strategic planning and innovation.

Case overview

Janalakshmi Financial Services (JFS) is a microfinance company that seeks to serve the financial service needs of the urban poor, a market segment with huge growthpotential. This operation involves large numbers of cash transactions making effective control mechanisms necessary. However, small margins make an innovative strategy necessary. JFS states that information technology (IT) is its DNA. The way in which the leadership team used a variety of ITsolutions to create an integrated set of well managed operations provides a very useful lesson in managing the process of strategic innovation.

Expected learning outcomes

The primary learning objective is to help the student understand the impact of strategic innovation through the use of information systems and technologies. This is achieved by helping the student to: connect the abilities provided by information technology to the social objective of financial inclusion; understand what financial inclusion means to the urban poor and how this segment differs from other microfinance and banking segments; assess the approach (related to organizational design as well as systems) JFS has employed to accomplish the objective of financial inclusion among the urban poor in India; analyse the systems and processes JFS has used to deliver services to its target market while making processes more transparent and efficient at JFS; and assess the risks to which JFS is exposed throughits business activity as well as the use of information technology.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available; please consult your librarian for access.

Keywords

Citation

Dolphy, M.A., Gopinath, M. and Castelino, E. (2012), "Janalakshmi Financial Services Private Limited: strategic innovation to achieve financial inclusion", , Vol. 2 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/20450621211306593

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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