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Case study
Publication date: 2 January 2018

Hassan Wafai, Lee Ann Waines and Rebecca Frances Wilson-Mah

Rachel Banning was assigned a new role in HR with the responsibility to update recruitment and orientation systems to meet the rapidly growing demand for manpower at McCune…

Abstract

Synopsis

Rachel Banning was assigned a new role in HR with the responsibility to update recruitment and orientation systems to meet the rapidly growing demand for manpower at McCune Contracting, an oilfield services provider in Alberta, Canada. McCune’s industry peers were competing to attract the same skilled employees, within a relatively small talent pool. The HR team was only a few short weeks away from the upcoming peak “turnaround season” when they would be expected to recruit and deploy 500 new temporary workers for their clients’ sites. Banning knew she had to take immediate actions to fix as many of the systems issues as possible and to eventually set the team up with a more permanent solution for systems integration.

Research methodology

The authors had access to McCune Contracting to complete field research for this case.

Relevant courses and levels

The case is designed for business students at both graduate and undergraduate levels. The case can be used in operations management courses to discuss the topic of process analysis and operations strategy or in management information system courses as a comprehensive case study for use at the end of the course. The case might particularly appeal to students who have worked in human resources management areas or the service industry.

Theoretical bases

Theoretical underpinnings include a process view of organizational performance, internal supplier and internal customer orientation, performance improvement, information systems integration and value chain analysis.

Case study
Publication date: 27 February 2024

Xiangfeng Chen, Chuanjun Liu and Zhaolong Yang

In China, supply chain finance (SCF) has gradually emerged as a new service for the retail industry. This case systematically discusses how JD conducts product design and risk…

Abstract

In China, supply chain finance (SCF) has gradually emerged as a new service for the retail industry. This case systematically discusses how JD conducts product design and risk control of supply chain finance and related financial services, and analyze the impact of supply chain finance on JD's retail operations. The case also analyzes the relationship between JD supply chain finance and traditional financial institutions, and explore the future development of retail supply chain finance.

Details

FUDAN, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2632-7635

Case study
Publication date: 24 November 2023

Frank Peter Jordan and Anna Lašáková

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to understand the importance of being culturally savvy when working in a culturally diverse environment and managing…

Abstract

Learning outcomes

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to understand the importance of being culturally savvy when working in a culturally diverse environment and managing people from different cultures; critically reflect on the risks resulting from the absence of a clear direction from the company’s top management regarding unifying corporate values and a diversity policy for cooperation across cultures; be aware of best practices in implementing diversity management (DM) initiatives in the company; and learn that changes in the strategic orientation (i.e. focus on automation projects) must be cascaded down to hard elements of structures, processes and systems, as well as to soft elements of skills, staff and management style.

Case overview/synopsis

The Kuwaiti branch of a Japanese corporation specialising in control systems and instruments, Rising Sun IT, hired a German professional, Alex, to handle the increasing demand for automation from customers. This recruitment followed several unsuccessful attempts by the company to deliver more advanced automation solutions. Recognising the need to adapt to Kuwaiti customer requirements or risk losing market share, Japanese management understood the importance of transforming their engineering staff. Failure to achieve this next automation step would result in a steady decline in market share and ultimately impact the company’s survival. However, Alex, who was supposed to lead automation projects, was confronted with opposition from the Indian engineering staff and managers. He was not able to find common ground with the staff and perceived issues such as lack of communication, delays in work schedules, missed deadlines and high levels of absenteeism, as a sign of low work morale. Although he tried to increase the awareness of his supervisor and other managers by informing them repeatedly about the problems regarding employee behaviours, his interventions went unheard. He felt ousted by his fellow colleagues and the other employees. Besides, from Alex’s point of view, the Japanese top management did not provide clear directions to the staff and explicit support to Alex in his efforts. This case study highlights three dimensions of Alex’s problem with establishing and maintaining working relationships with other people in the company:▪ Alex’s cultural “blindness” and ignorance of differences in work behaviours that ultimately led to his inability to build solid and trustful relationships with other employees. The case study demonstrates Germany’s performance-oriented and individual-centric culture versus India’s family- and community-oriented culture and the Japanese employees’ strongly hierarchical and company loyalty-oriented culture.▪ Lack of support from the Japanese top management to Alex, which is connected with a wider problem of the lack of a systematic strategic approach to managing a culturally diverse workforce. The case study pinpoints the rhetoric–reality gap in DM in the company, where the diversity, equity and inclusion programme and corporate values were applied only formally and had little attention from the leaders as well as non-managerial employees.▪ Employee resistance to change: The lack of positive communication from the top management level in the company regarding automation projects and the lack of support for Alex’s mission in the company resulted in steady resistance to executing projects, which endangered the company’s survival in the market. Also, one part of Alex’s problem with building a working relationship with the Indian engineering staff was based on the fact that others perceived him as the automation “change agent” – an advocate and catalyst of an undesirable change connected with adverse consequences on employment in the Indian community.

Complexity academic level

This case is intended for discussion in undergraduate management and business study programmes.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 6: Human resource management.

Case study
Publication date: 18 September 2023

Biju Varkkey and Farheen Fathima Shaik

The first company under the Amara Raja Group was established in 1984, i.e. Amara Raja Electronics Limited (AREL) followed by Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL). Its founder…

Abstract

The first company under the Amara Raja Group was established in 1984, i.e. Amara Raja Electronics Limited (AREL) followed by Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL). Its founder leveraged the presence of his family in Renigunta, a rural village in South India, and chose to start the industry there to create employment opportunities. Preference is given to local population in all ARG enterprises. Despite its strong people orientation, the HR department/function at ARG got strengthened only after Jaikrishna strived to make it central to business. The department's evolution has been demarcated in three phases. The first and second phase saw few initiatives, and during the third phase the HR department was structured according to the Dave Ulrich Strategic HR Model. While this structure had been successful until now, certain sections in ARG still doubted its sustainability.

Details

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, vol. no.
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2633-3260
Published by: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 1 January 2011

Jochen Wirtz

Retailing, services marketing, marketing strategy.

Abstract

Subject area

Retailing, services marketing, marketing strategy.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate Business and Management, MBA, MA Marketing/International Business.

Case overview

Giordano is one of Asia's most successful retailers, with operations in East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. With a strong emphasis on customer service and value-for-money, Giordano was able to differentiate itself from its competitors. The question is: how can Giordano maintain its competitive advantage in the future? Amid increasingly stronger competitors and changing industry conditions, Giordano had to critically evaluate its sources of competitive advantage and key success factors, and perhaps consider repositioning itself in current and new markets.

Expected learning outcomes

This case is suited for a retailing or services marketing/management course. It demonstrates the power of a tight integration of marketing, operations, and human resource management to deliver value-for-money. Specifically, it can be used for the following teaching objectives: from a marketing perspective, this case can be used to demonstrate the successful integration of a strategy based on service orientation, value-for-money positioning, and aggressive advertising and promotions; and from a management perspective, the case can be used to highlight how the marketing strategy is being delivered through a clear focus on service staff (selection, training, and motivation) and operations (logistics, IT, and communications), combined with an organizational culture that encourages staff to try new things (and accept errors as a consequence).

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 1 January 2011

Mukta Kamplikar

Services management, strategy, marketing.

Abstract

Subject area

Services management, strategy, marketing.

Study level/applicability

Services management, strategy, marketing.

Case overview

Owned and operated by the Tata Group, Ginger Hotels is the first-of-its-kind of Smart Basics™ hotels across India. The case explores the business model and the relevance of the service concept given the Indian context and consumer behaviour, the marketing strategy, and communication strategy of Ginger. Challenges such as the use of outsourcing, learning and development, and attrition are discussed.

Expected learning outcomes

From a marketing perspective, this case can be used to demonstrate understanding of consumer behavior, reshaping customer expectations, perceived service quality, Gaps in service, service orientation, and value-for-money positioning, aggressive advertising and promotions, use of the marketing mix to introduce a new service concept in a market. From a management perspective, the case can be used to highlight how the marketing strategy is being delivered through a focus on service staff (selection, training, and motivation) and operations (logistics, IT, and communications), and branding (brand strategy – alignment to the corporate strategy).Third, the case is suitable for highlighting strategy – analyzing current competitive advantages, and carving out potential future competitive advantages in a services context. For example, strategic analysis models such as Porter's industry analysis and value-chain models can be applied to examine the sources and sustainability of Ginger's competitive advantages. The case can also be used for teaching service innovation.

Supplementary materials

Teaching note.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 17 October 2012

Rajeshwari Victor

New product development and introduction, Marketing.

Abstract

Subject area

New product development and introduction, Marketing.

Study level/applicability

The case is suitable for post-graduate students in management, or in their final year. The case is intended for those business school students who are familiar with the basics of marketing management and are going through a course on new product development. The level of difficulty for post-graduate management students as far as this case is concerned is medium to high. The case can be a part of the following courses in marketing; new product marketing; technology marketing; brand management (how to build a technology brand).

Case overview

The case concerns a computing technology company – Novatium Solutions – that has developed a new product, an affordable computing system, and is looking at ways of marketing it. The product offering in the initial stages is just hardware with limited local processing abilities that needs to be connected through a wire to a telecom broadband player to provide the internet browsing facility. As the case progresses, the product evolves into upgraded and newer formats. The theme of the case is intended to be new product marketing in a technology sector.

Expected learning outcomes

The following will be the learning outcomes for this case; new product process and marketing in a technology company (compared to non technology consumer product company); bringing customer orientation to a product technology company; the role of a marketing head in a new product company; and building a retail brand for an affordable technology product.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available; please consult your Librarian for access. The teaching notes provide adequate questions and answers (four assignment questions and three class discussion questions) so that faculty members need not look beyond these to give student projects or assignments.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 2 no. 8
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 29 November 2020

Rajaram Govindarajan and Mohammed Laeequddin

Learning outcomes are as follows: students will discover the importance of process orientation in management; students will determine the root cause of the problem by applying…

Abstract

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are as follows: students will discover the importance of process orientation in management; students will determine the root cause of the problem by applying root cause analysis technique; students will identify the failure modes, analyze their effect, score them on a scale and prioritize the corrective action to prevent the failures; students will analyze the processes and propose error-proof system/s; and students will analyze organizational culture and ethical issues.

Case overview/synopsis

Purpose: This case study is intended as a class-exercise, for students to discover the importance of process-orientation in management, analyze the ethical dilemma in health care and to apply quality management techniques, such as five-why, root cause analysis, failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and error-proofing, in the management of the health-care and service industry. Design/methodology/approach: A voluntary reporting of a case of “radiation overdose” in a hospital’s radio therapy treatment unit, which led to an ethical dilemma. Consequently, a study was conducted to establish the causes of the incident and to develop a fail-proof system, to avoid recurrence. Findings: After careful analysis of the process-flow and the root causes, 25 potential failure modes were detected and the team had assigned a risk priority number (RPN) for each potential incident, selected the top ten RPNs and developed an error-proofing system to prevent recurrence. Subsequently, the improvement process was carried out for all the 25 potential incidents and a new control mechanism was implemented. The question of ethical dilemma remained unresolved. Research limitations/implications: Ishikawa diagram, FMEA and Poka-Yoke techniques require a multi-disciplinary team with process knowledge in identifying the possible root causes for errors, potential risks and also the possible error-proofing method/s. Besides, these techniques need frank discussions and agreement among team members on the efforts for the development of action plan, implementation and control of the new processes. Practical implications: Students can take the case data to identify root cause analysis and the RPN (RPN = possibility of detection × probability of occurrence × severity), to redesign the protocols, through systematic identification of the deficiencies of the existing protocols. Further, they can recommend quality improvement projects. Faculty can navigate the case session orientation, emphasizing quality management or ethical practices, depending on the course for which the case is selected.

Complexity academic level

MBA or PG Diploma in Management – health-care management, hospital administration, operations management, services operations, total quality management (TQM) and ethics.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 9: Operations and Logistics.

Abstract

Subject area

Human resource management and leadership development.

Study level/applicability

MBA course on Human Resource Management.

Case overview

This case present the talent management practice at Steelcase. It highlights the approach taken by the company in managing its high performers. The approach taken by Steelcase links leadership development with performance management and succession planning. It also describes the distinct characteristics that make the approach taken by Steelcase different from other companies that implement talent management. This case presents policy options that companies can consider in developing a talent management program.

Expected learning outcomes

Understand and describe the interconnection between various talent development activities. Compare and assess policy options in developing talent management programs. Analyze how Steelcase nurture a high performance culture among its employees. Describe the leadership behaviors Steelcase is seeking to develop among its leaders.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 4 no. 6
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

Case study
Publication date: 10 June 2022

Morris Mthombeni, Caren Brenda Scheepers and Viwe Mgedezi

After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following: • Analyse the aspects of strategic leadership and evaluate effectiveness of the…

Abstract

Learning Outcomes

After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following: • Analyse the aspects of strategic leadership and evaluate effectiveness of the leadership in the case study. • Identify stakeholders in a large-scale project and differentiate between their needs and sources of power. • Establish what behavioural mechanisms can be used by leaders to gain support from stakeholders with seemingly divergent pro-poor and pro-growth development orientations for expansion in an emerging market context. • Generate recommendations to communicate the benefits of expansion plans.

Case overview/synopsis

On November 8, 2019, Jack van der Merwe, the chief executive officer of the public rapid rail organisation, Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), was considering how to influence stakeholders to support the pace of the expansion planning phase, without alienating the surrounding communities and balancing the various and sometimes opposing stakeholder interests. The case highlights the background to this dilemma in offering the financial background of the Gauteng province and the evolution of the Gautrain project in the context of an emerging market country characterised by institutions at different development levels and how the unique characteristics of the protagonist could influence stakeholder orientations. The case illustrates how the Gautrain is at the centre of a complex transport conflagration in the South African transport ecosystem. Specific stakeholders and their needs are exposed in the case to enable students to analyse their several levels of influence on the project and proposed expansion. The differences between pro-poor and pro-growth development orientations are also highlighted in this case as input to describe the dilemma Van der Merwe faced in his influencing role in this particular South African context. Students will gain insight into how to manage the tensions between pro-poor and pro-growth orientations.

Complexity academic level

The case is suitable for a graduate-level course on strategy; organisational behaviour; or leadership. The case is also suitable for a post-graduate-level course on an MBA or MPhil program on strategy and leadership.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 7: Management Science.

Details

Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, vol. 12 no. 2
Type: Case Study
ISSN: 2045-0621

Keywords

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