Search results

Leadership development, career planning and management, management of start-ups, construction industry in India.

Post graduate management courses, executive training programs/modules in leadership development; organizational culture and construction management.

This case illustrates the shortcomings of both the management and leadership at a start-up business within a growing industry. The rapidly growing construction equipment manufacture and renting activity in India and the lack of structure, systems and resources characteristic of start-ups are complicated more by the fact that Itsun Heavy Industry India Pvt. Ltd (IHIIPL) was in India while its head quarter was in China. In exploring the diverse human, organizational and operational problems shadowing IHIIPL and their causes, students cannot only diagnose what went wrong and why for Dilip, but also sense how he could have handled these issues more effectively.

Dilip's case cautions managers against issues common to many industries and organizations and students will examine: self assessment and career choices: the case raises question of the gap between what was needed at IHIIPL and what skills and qualities Dilip brought to the job; leadership and leadership challenge: the case raises question of what kind of attitudes and actions constitute effective leadership; and managing the company performance for a start-up: Dilip faced a constant stream of operating problems: lack of procedures and systems, a non-supportive headquarter in China, inexperienced staff, shortages of resources and material and internal conflicts.

Teaching note.

Understand the external environment and trends impacting customer preferences. Understanding the elements of customer segmentation and positioning for products such as backpacks and travel luggage. Understand the levers for turnaround management. Qualitative evaluation of an opportunity for investment – greenfield versus brownfield. Developing a marketing plan for growth.

Indian Luggage market has an oligopoly structure with three major brands – very important person (VIP) Industries, Samsonite and Safari Industries Ltd. (SIL), holding around 90% share of the organized market. The market had evolved slowly, with the players offering limited assortment and having limited manufacturing capacities in India. SIL, having been in business for nearly 25 years, had been registering a flat top line. In 2011, the top management shuffle at VIP Industries witnessed the exit of the then MD, Mr Sudhir Jatia. Mr Jatia decided to acquire the majority stake of 56.55% for Rs 29 crores for the struggling SIL. What followed in the subsequent years was the resurgence of SIL to a noteworthy position in the industry. From a merely 2% market share in 2011, SIL went on to hold nearly 16% market share in 2019. This growth in market share, along with CAGR of almost 15% for the luggage market overall, has boosted the revenue of SIL by nearly 10-folds from INR 620m in 2011 to INR 5.73bn in the year 2018. Several reasons had been identified behind the growth of this company, such as – Mr Jatia’s leadership style, focus on profitable stock keeping units, acquisition of other brands, operational efficiency and financial infusion. However, the larger question was that – Will SIL, which had been following a challenger strategy to date, be able to overcome the leaders in the industry? What strategies should it pursue now? And what obstacles can it expect on this anticipated journey of growth?

Undergraduate and post-graduate.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Students identify promotion, price, place, segment, targeting, and positioning for marketing “the world’s cheapest car.” This case is effective for MBA, undergraduate, and executive learners studying market segmentation, pricing, cannibalization risk, pricing, and break-even sales in the face of different price and cost scenarios. Has Tata chosen the right marketing strategy? Does the Nano represent an evolution or a revolution in automobile marketing?