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Discussion of the case will enable the students to: ● use “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats” analysis. ● Use “pros and cons” analysis. ● Explain what constitutes an effective strategy. ● Analyze the quality of the strategy for IndiGo Airlines (IA). ● Explain sustained competitive advantage through value, rareness, imitability and organization framework.

This case describes a situation in which InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. (IGAL) has been experiencing multiple engine snags because of the faulty Pratt and Whitney engines. In a span of two years between June 2018 and January 2020, IGAL faced around 22 snags. IGAL is known to be one of the safest airlines in the world, the engine issue has tainted its reputation. In October 2019, in just one week IA faced four-engine snags, forcing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to come out with a guideline in November 2019. The faulty engines were to be replaced by January 31, 2020. If IA failed to complete the task by the given deadline then IA would have to ground around 70–80 aircraft. IA was way behind the deadline when on January 13, 2020, they received an email from DGCA mentioning an extension of the deadline to May 31, 2020. The purpose of this case is to provide an opportunity for the participants to take into consideration the data given for IA and make assumptions and resolve the dilemma through which Ronojoy Dutta (Dutta), the Chief executive officer if IA is going through.

The case engages the participants in deciding a suitable course of action for IA to develop a strategy and is ideal to teach elements of strategy. The case can be used in the following courses/programs: ● A strategy formulation module in strategic management program or post-graduate program in management.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Rob Griffin, senior vice president and U.S. director of search for Media Contacts, a communications consulting firm, is faced with the task of optimizing search engine marketing (SEM) for Air France. At the time of the case, SEM had become an advertising phenomenon, with North American advertisers spending $9.4 billion in the SEM channel, up 62% from 2005. Moving forward, Griffin wants to ensure that the team keeps its leading edge and delivers the results Air France requires for optimal Internet sales growth. The case centers upon Air France's and Media Contacts' efforts to find the ideal SEM campaign to provide an optimal amount of ticket sales in response to advertising dollars spent. This optimal search marketing campaign is based on choosing effective allocation of ad dollars across the various search engines, as well as selecting appropriate keywords and bid strategies for placement on the search result page for Internet users.

In determining the optimal strategy, the case presents background information on the airline industry as well as the Internet search options available at the time, including Google, Microsoft MSN, Yahoo!, and Kayak. Additionally, background information is provided on SEM and its associated costs and means of measuring the successfulness of each marketing effort. The case illustrates how one must first determine the key performance indicators for the project to guide analysis and enable comparison of various SEM campaigns. Cost per click and probability to produce a sale differ among publishers. Therefore, using a portfolio application model's quadrant positions can be used to determine optimal publisher strategies. Additionally, pivot tables help illustrate campaigns and strategies that have historically been most successful in meeting Air France's target Internet sales. Multiple recommendations on how Media Contacts can assist Air France in improving its SEM strategy can be derived from the data provided.

Students learn how to optimally leverage the Internet in generating customer sales in a cost-effective manner. Students will analyze and manipulate a variety of data using pivot tables to determine optimal strategies for obtaining maximum total online bookings through the various online channels available. Using a portfolio application model, students can determine an optimal publisher strategy and complete copy improvement analysis.

The technical reports released by the National Transportation Safety Board, along with secondary data in the form of available public data, such as news reports, interviews and memos, were used to round out the synopsis of the case study.

This case explores the events that led up to the crash of United Airlines Flight 717 (for anonymity), in Sioux City, Iowa, on July 19, 1989, and the subsequent investigation. The case uses secondary sources to highlight the positive team interactions between the pilots that led to the crash landing not being as catastrophic as it might have been with 185 survivors in an extreme crisis scenario. The teaching note focuses on the importance of cognitive bias, psychological safety and teamwork in a crisis situation, and practical recommendations for managers at all levels.

Organizational Behavior at the undergraduate and graduate level. Leadership and Change at the graduate and graduate level.

Corporate Strategy, Vertical integration, Diversification.

Graduate.

The case discusses the evolution, decline and turnaround of Mahindra Powerol, a division inside the large Indian business group, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M). The Powerol division had its genesis from the then Farm Equipment Sector, when they used the surplus capacity in the tractor manufacturing facilities to produce and sell power generators (Gensets). Powerol capitalized on the rapid growth of the Indian telecommunications sector and the need for power backup at remote locations for the mobile communication towers. Adopting a lean asset model, it transformed the industry ecosystem and grew rapidly. As the telecom opportunity saturated, Powerol performance declined, but quickly rebound as it diversified into other products. As Powerol continues its diversification journey, there are questions about how Powerol can leverage the lean asset model that was their source of competitive advantage in the Gensets market, into other businesses.

Introduce the fundamental logic of vertical integration. The case elucidates how and when a firm vertically integrates/outsources its operations.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request Teaching notes Instructional Note and Case consent form.

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, Boeing and Airbus, the leading manufacturers of large aircraft, were locked in a battle for market share that drove down prices for their new planes. At about the same time, the two industry heavyweights began developing new aircraft families to address the future market needs they each projected.

Aircraft take many years to develop, so by the time the new planes made their inaugural flights, significant changes had occurred in the global environment. First, emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere were growing rapidly, spawning immediate and long-term demand for more aircraft. At the same time, changes to the market for air travel had created opportunities for new products. These opportunities had not gone unnoticed by potential new entrants, which were positioning themselves to compete against the market leaders.

In October 2007, the Airbus superjumbo A380 made its first flight. The A380 carried more passengers than any other plane in history and had been touted as a solution to increased congestion at global mega-hub airports. Four years later the Boeing 787, a smaller long-range aircraft, was launched to service secondary cities in a point-to-point network.

The case provides students with an opportunity to analyze the profit potential of the global aircraft manufacturing industry in 2002 and in 2011. Students can also identify the actions of participants that weakened or intensified the pressure on profits within the industry.

Audio format (.mp3 file) available with purchase of PDF. Contact cases@kellogg.northwestern.edu for access.

The case discusses the legal journey of the Bajaj — TVS patent dispute from the Madras High Court to the Supreme Court and back to the Madras High Court. Almost four years have passed, yet the final verdict is nowhere in sight. The Supreme Court has recommended a period of four months for such cases to be finally decided. In such instances, the warring parties either settle it out of court or adopt other means to do business. The value of patent is undermined if the patentee has to fight so much for its protection.

The learning outcomes of this case study are as follows: Students will be able to comprehend and visualize the initial hiccups and operational hurdles faced by digital start-ups in an emerging market. Students will be able to evaluate the importance of digital marketing for promoting start-ups dealing with sustainable products in the service industry, thereby helping them to develop digital marketing strategies to organically promote a service. Students will be able to perform strategic positioning of a start-up based on perceptual mapping methodology. Students will be able to identify the various aspects for identifying and creating a viable business model. Students will be able to use Osterwalder’s business model canvas for identifying the important operational aspects of the start-up. Students will be able to visualize the entrepreneurial challenges in an emerging market.

This case study highlights the dilemma the protagonist, Prerna Prasad, faced in her travel start-up venture, Ecoplore. Ecoplore is an aggregator platform that onboards only eco-hotels. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, Ecoplore is India’s only platform that promotes and onboards only those hotels made up of mud, wood, bamboo, stone or any local architecture and that maintain at least 30% green space on their premises. Ecoplore has been recognized by the United Nations Environment Program for fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 12 and has also been bestowed with the Gold Award by Indian Responsible Tourism Awards 2019. Prasad had already identified her target market. Prasad took conscious steps towards reaching her target audience, and her first step towards that was designing Ecoplore’s website. Being aware of the importance of content marketing, Ecoplore’s content was curated with fresh and quality write-ups, pictures, blog posts, etc. Ecoplore’s website was also optimized for mobile and desktop versions to deliver a great user experience. Features like easy navigation and the website's speed were also taken care of. Being active on social media platforms, Prasad made sure that the pages of Ecoplore across various social media platforms were well connected with her website. Despite doing so much, it was found that the number of visitors was few after a span of two years. Conversion on the website was low, which ultimately affected the return on investment. Prasad was befuddled as to why the conversions were low despite having a great website that was considered a window to the organization. She faced the challenge of reaching her target audience despite being present online. Upon detailed analysis, Prasad found that Ecoplore was showing up in the search engine research pages (SERP) in only a few keywords, meaning the keyword density was low. Also, the website lacked backlinks, which would eventually help them to rank high on search engine optimization (SEO). This means that Ecoplore will need to revisit its SEO strategy if Prasad wants to promote her organization organically. Now, to increase visibility and ranking on SERP, Prasad had two options before her; first, she could do it organically via SEO or through search engine marketing. She was keen to build the traffic organically, knowing its long-term benefits. As a marketer, what should be Prasad’s strategy? This case study can be used for class discussion purposes for the students pursuing the courses on digital marketing, SEO and digital marketing optimization.

This case study is suitable for students learning the fundamentals of digital marketing (basic and advanced) course, marketing management students and digital marketing workshops. The level of difficulty is medium. The knowledge pre-requirement is marketing management.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

A successful, multigeneration manufacturing family business, with progressive human resources policies, weighs the pros and cons with family owners and company employees of selling the business to meet the challenge of global competition.

The student's task is to develop a comprehensive strategy for Briggs & Stratton, which is facing severe competition and margin pressures. A major component of the strategy to be considered is whether to implement economic value added (EVA) as a new performance measurement for management. The case is designed to serve as an introduction to how to compute and use EVA. It emphasizes the importance of performance evaluation as part of a larger strategic plan. A teaching note is available to registered faculty, as well as two video supplements to enhance student learning.

The case revolves around a marketing/sales executive who works in the Ad Sales wing of a popular search engine. Over the course of the case, the protagonist realizes that their marketing strategy needs to refocus on a different vertical than the one they have been paying the most attention to. He had done the required data analysis and feels the data strongly points to a need for change in their strategy. However, he needs to convincing the higher management by put together a compelling pitch using storytelling elements, so that the message in his data gets across clearly, compelling them to act.