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Known for its motto “All Ages, All Races, All Genders,” MAC cosmetics reflects the brand’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity. It has been at the forefront of promoting a wide range of skin tones, ethnicities and gender identities in the beauty industry. If you have ever wondered about the secret behind the success of this mega-brand in the beauty industry, this case study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the company’s history from its early days to the present and discusses the factors that might build or ruin a brand. Moreover, players in the industry will need to adapt to changing consumer preferences, focus on sustainability and leverage digital technologies to remain relevant and capture market opportunities. Therefore, would it be wise for MAC cosmetics to take forward their expansion plans in India, and what is the motivation behind the expansion? Alternatively, would the implementation of a proactive strategy for product innovation, combined with a stronger presence, result in a more viable and sustainable proposition?

This study relies on online resources for data collection. The data was collected from the secondary sources in the month of November and December 2022. Moreover, the information provided in the case study was validated and supplemented via using different websites, including the company’s website and social media profiles.

The commitment shown and the roles played will have a lasting impact on the society. Additionally, student will be able to learn when and how to seize opportunities, as well as how to manage obstacles that will arise in their entrepreneurial journey. Through this case study, they will be able to learn a variety of business strategies that can be implemented in emerging markets. The conclusion of the study provides the obstacles and hurdles faced by the industry in expanding in the Indian market. The potential solutions were made through providing information for the students, academicians, entrepreneurs and others to compete in the Indian market situation.

This is a real-world case that provides the audience with first-hand experience to comprehend the event and apply their knowledge to form a conclusion and is also effective for decision-making in the dynamic environment of the present day. However, the authors provide a comprehensive overview of the company’s history from its early days to the present and discuss the factors that might build or ruin a brand.

In the last two decades, risk reporting has followed a normative and calculative culture rather than the “materiality” of data. Although integrated reporting (IR) has become flooded with extra information, it does not adequately disseminate material information to stakeholders. In addition, the poor tone from the top diminishes creativity. This study aims to investigate how companies creatively address issues of the materiality of risk information in IR and how IR can be aligned with enterprise risk management.

Qualitative research was conducted via interviews with 50 chief risk officers and senior management executives in the Indian and UK insurance markets.

Overall, five institutions were observed to exhibit elements of being early adopters of institutional creativity. This confirmed the present study’s theoretical contribution of five divergent types of early adopters. The motivations for creativity are reflected in the resources available to these institutions.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides a new insight into IR from internal mechanisms to deal with issue of materiality.

After working on the assignment questions, the learners can achieve the following learning outcomes: understand the buying behavior towards sustainable products in the context of mindful consumption and product characteristics, appraise the market segmentation and positioning strategy of a sustainable business, understand the application of 5C’s framework for a sustainable business and critically evaluate a new sustainable business’s challenges in the emerging business environment.

Dr Joe Fenn, founder and director of PFoods, with extensive experience in the pharma industry overseas, observed a decline in the consumption of traditional dairy foods. Alternative plant foods come as a savior to people who are lactose intolerant and offer a host of health benefits with low environmental impact. Riding on the waves of veganism and sustainable foods, he saw an opportunity in India. PFoods developed and launched two products, namely, Just Plants (plant-based milk alternative) and Plotein (plant-based protein alternative), in collaboration with scientists at the Indian Institute of Science, a premier scientific institution in India, and PMEDS (PreEmptive Meds), a US-based nutraceutical Company. PFoods launched and pilot-tested Just Plant, a dairy alternative substitute for milk in select reputed organizations in Bangalore. The upcoming challenges for Fenn would be to select the right segment, educate the market and position the product that would resonate well with the target customers.

The case study suits undergraduate and graduate courses such as marketing management, sustainable marketing and sustainable business. The case study can also be used in entrepreneurship management and entrepreneurial marketing courses to introduce the challenges of a sustainable startup. The case study highlights the marketing challenges faced by the disruptive and growing plant-based foods or alternative dairy industry in emerging markets.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

This study investigates the influence of e-marketing risks on a Corporation’s Reputation (CR) resulting from its online marketing of products and services.

A comprehensive analysis was conducted to enhance the company’s e-marketing strategies and bolster its reputation in the market. This involved an investigation into key factors of e-marketing risks, such as customer confidence, product quality, marketing fraud, credibility and customer knowledge and proficiency in using online platforms. These factors have directly impacted the company’s reputation, including aspects such as product/service quality, attractiveness, performance and commitment to social responsibility.

Its finding indicates that customers' lack of confidence in e-marketing has a strong impact on CR, followed by product quality and credibility. The absence of consumer awareness about e-marketing websites and e-fraud frequently negatively affects the organizational reputation.

To enhance the corporation’s reputation, it is recommended that companies provide educational resources on online shopping, including guidance on using the company’s website, comparing prices and other services that facilitate online purchases. This will help to support the credibility of e-marketing and enhance customer trust.

This research is an exploration of how e-marketing has affected a Corporation’s Reputation. It provides modern knowledge about the dynamic interplay between digital strategies and brand perception. Investigating this relationship provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of consumer trust in the digital age. By analysing the various ways in which e-marketing influences a company’s reputation, innovative approaches can be developed to enhance its online presence and build lasting customer trust.

The case was developed from secondary sources and interviews with a security analyst. The secondary sources include company annual reports, news reports, analyst reports, industry reports, company websites, stock exchange websites and databases such as Bloomberg and CMIE Prowess.

Increasing competition in product and capital markets has put tremendous pressure on managers to become more cost competitive. To address their firms' uncompetitive cost structures, managers may have to consider dramatic restructuring of their businesses. During 2014–2017, Tata Steel Ltd (TSL) UK considered a series of divestitures and a merger plan to nurse the company back to health. The case considers the economics of the restructuring plan. The case is designed to help students analyze a corporate downsizing program undertaken by a large Indian company in the UK and to highlight the dynamic role of the CFO and governance issues in family firms. It introduces students to issues surrounding a typical restructuring and provides students a platform to practice the estimation of value creation in a restructuring exercise. While some cases on corporate restructuring in the context of developed economies are available, there are very few cases written in an emerging market context. This case bridges that gap. TSL presents a unique opportunity to study corporate restructuring necessitated by a failed cross-border acquisition. It illustrates the potential for value loss in large, cross-border acquisitions. It shows how managerial hubris can prompt family firm owners to overbid in acquisitions and create legacy hot spots. In addition, the case can be used to discuss the causes of governance failures such as weak institutional monitoring and poor legal enforcement in emerging markets that could potentially harm minority shareholders.

The case was developed from secondary sources and interviews with a security analyst. The secondary sources include company annual reports, news reports, analyst reports, industry reports, company websites, stock exchange websites and databases such as Bloomberg and CMIE Prowess.

The article aims to investigate how washing practices focused on appeasing sceptics of diversity work in for-profit organizations play out in corporate online communication of diversity and inclusion efforts, and how these enable communication to a wide audience that includes social equity advocates.

Online corporate communication data of diversity and inclusion themes were compiled from the websites of eight Swedish-based multinational corporations. The data included content from the companies’ official websites and annual reports and sustainability reports as well as diversity and inclusion-themed blog posts. A thematic analysis was conducted on the website content.

The study showcases how tensions between conflicting external demands are navigated by keeping the communication open to several interpretations and thereby achieving multivocality. In the studied corporate texts on diversity and inclusion, this is achieved by alternating between elements catering to a business case audience and those that appeal to a social justice audience, with some procedures managing to appease both audiences at the same time.

The article complements previously described forms of washing by introducing an additional type of washing – business case washing – an articulation of the business case rhetoric that characterizes the diversity management discourse. While much has been written about washing to satisfy advocates of social change and equity, washing to appease shareholders and boardroom members, who are focused on profit and economic growth, has received less attention. The article suggests that online corporate communication on diversity and inclusion, by appeasing diverse audiences, can be seen as aspirational talk.

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the factors leading to shopping cart abandonment and construct a model depicting interrelationship among them using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and Matriced Impact Croises Multiplication Appliquee an un Classement (MICMAC).

Initially, 20 factors leading to shopping cart abandonment were extracted through a systematic literature review and expert opinions. Fifteen factors were finalized using the importance index and CIMTC method, for which consistency has been checked in SPSS software through a statistical reliability test. Finally, ISM and MICMAC approach is used to develop a model depicting the contextual relationship among finalized factors of shopping cart abandonment.

The ISM model depicts a technical glitch (SC8), cash on delivery not available (SC4), bad checkout interface (SC9), just browsing (SC11), and lack of physical examination (SC12) are drivers or independent factors. Additionally, four quadrants have been formulated in MICMAC analysis based on their dependency and driving power. This facilitates technical managers of e-commerce companies to focus more on factors leading to shopping cart abandonment according to their dependency and driving power.

Taking an expert’s opinion as a base may affect the results of the study due to biases based on subjectivity.

This study’s outcomes would accommodate practitioners, researchers, and multinational or national companies to indulge in e-commerce to anticipate factors restricting the general public from online shopping.

For the successful running of an e-commerce business and to retain the confidence of e-shoppers, every e-commerce company must make a strategy for controlling factors leading to shopping cart abandonment at the initial stage. So, this paper attempts to highlight the main factors leading to shopping cart abandonment and interrelate them using ISM and MICMAC approaches. It provides a clear path to technical heads, researchers, and consultants for handling these shopping cart abandonment factors.

The main objective of this paper is to analyse the relationship between innovation and traditional concepts to explain the phenomenon of traditional food with innovation from a market and consumer behaviour perspective in the Mexican context.

The research is carried out in two phases: (1) analysis of the offer in distribution and (2) consumer research. First, a mixed observation technique in the offer of traditional foods with innovation was carried out. The data were recollected from 24 companies' websites and was complemented with information from main distribution chains of the city of Hermosillo (Mexico). Second, a survey was carried out with 310 Mexican consumers. The data obtained were analysed using bi-variable and multivariable techniques.

The findings from the websites showed that there are 19 traditional products with innovation that are marketed through this medium, while 39 traditional products with innovation are offered in distribution chains. Of all foods, 61% showed innovations in ingredients and materials. Also, the consumer evaluations identified three segments: the consumers orientated towards innovations, convenience and health (42.2%), those orientated towards sensory innovations (39%), and those more inclined towards innovations in marketing and availability (18.7%).

The research considers a partial perspective of the agri-food chain and not an integral vision, it is limited to a specific area and to certain traditional foods.

The symbiosis between innovation and tradition is identified from the perspective of supply and demand. The trend that exists in the market regarding the types of innovations and the gaps that exist regarding environmental elements are recognized.

The data obtained in the research generate information for business decision-making and entrepreneurship; in addition indicates new dietary and consumption patterns. It also provides knowledge about innovation and tradition, and highlights the relevance of traditional food.

This study tries to fill a gap in the literature by focusing on the market and consumer behaviour perspective for traditional food with innovation.

This chapter aims to examine the impact of whistleblowing policy (WH) on earnings management (EM) in an emerging market, Egypt. Our sample period from 2014 to 2019: the pre-whistleblowing policy period is 2014–2016 and the post-whistleblowing policy period is 2017–2019 with a total of 780 observations and the data are analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis. Data are collected from annual reports, corporate governance reports, and companies’ website. The empirical analysis shows that whistleblowing policy coefficient is negative and significantly impacts EM in Egyptian firms. The result shows that when the firm adopts a whistleblowing policy, it led to decrease in EM. In addition, we provide strong and robust evidence by the difference-in-difference (DID) method to show that whistleblowing is significantly negatively associated with the extent of EM, which indicates that firms have an effective whistleblowing policy and can have several benefits. Firstly, it can help to identify and prevent illegal or unethical behavior within an organization, which can ultimately save the company from potential legal and reputational damage. Secondly, a whistleblowing policy can empower employees to speak up about any concerns they have, without fear of retaliation, which can help to create a more transparent and ethical work environment. Overall, an effective whistleblowing policy can contribute to the long-term success of a company and the broader economy. The findings of this chapter are relevant to policymakers, governments, management, employees, and shareholders to constraining EM in Egyptian firms.

This chapter addresses a significant topic in Algeria, namely the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), by examining the use of business ethics codes. In recent years, there has been growing interest among companies in implementing practices that can justify their CSR efforts, including the development of corporate business ethics codes. These codes play a crucial role in formalizing the integration of CSR strategies. In Algeria, several companies have adopted business ethics codes; one such example is the companies in the oil and gas sector, the leading oil industry company in Algeria. These companies have implemented a business ethics code to provide justification and guidance for their CSR practices. The main objective of this chapter is to demonstrate the commitment of companies to CSR through the development of their business ethics codes. It presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of the business ethics codes of Algerian companies in the oil and gas sector. The approach involved the development of an analytical framework with various criteria and an objective examination of the business ethics code to yield results that aligned with these criteria. The study concludes that the business ethics codes of these companies serve as sources of internal regulation that primarily address ethical concerns and reflects the existing Algerian regulations at the organizational level.