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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 article examines the strategic actions of multinational corporations (MNCs) in creating social value at the base of the pyramid (BoP), providing insights into novel business models (BMs) and tactics employed for poverty alleviation.

This conceptual article links three relevant pieces of literature – creating shared value (CSV), the three-value creation logic and the three core values of social development – to analyze the current research and real-world examples of MNCs implementing the BoP BMs.

The article identifies four strategies and 11 tactics used by MNCs to adapt BMs elements (value proposition, value constellation and value capture) and generate social value at the different levels (coverture of basic needs, self-esteem and freedom from servitude) by following the distinct value creation logics (chain, shop and network).

This article provides a conceptual framework that links relevant literature and sheds light on the strategic actions that MNCs apply in their BMs to tackle the multidimensionality of poverty in the BoP markets.

After completion of this case study, students will be able to apply the triple bottom line concept to a spice manufacturing and export company (RBT 3); to examine the options before Value Ingredients Private Limited (VIPL), namely, to cultivate spices in the traditional way versus adopting integrated pest management (IPM) to cater to international markets (RBT 4); to analyse the returns for an IPM farmer vis-à-vis a conventional farmer, and to compare the returns therein (RBT 4); and to evaluate the ways and means of engaging farmers to change their way of cultivation (RBT 5)

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness about the benefits of spices and buoyed its demand worldwide, which presented an opportunity to VIPL, a spice manufacturing company based in Chennai, to expand its business. However, the export markets demanded residue-free spices grown with little or no use of pesticides. Traditional farmers supplying spices to VIPL were accustomed to spraying pesticides whenever there was a pest attack. This case study discussed the options that the protagonist Mr Sijil Karim, managing director and CEO of VIPL, had, who wanted to onboard farmers for pesticide-free cultivation. The options before him were either to continue traditional farming or adopt IPM. This case study discussed the merits, demerits and challenges of each of these options.

The triple bottom line concept discussed three Ps – people, planet and prosperity – for this case as follows: The farmers and the consumers constituted the people in the spice supply chain. The farmers supplying organic, export-worthy spices under the guidance of VIPL gained 30% more than regular spice farmers, which were accrued through cost savings and better prices. The consumers benefitted from the pesticide-free, organic spices through accrued health gains. The manufacture of organic, pesticide-free spices helped the planet, as the process did not release hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere. VIPL manufactured pesticide-free spice with a focus on prosperity.

The case study can be introduced in a course on sustainability while discussing the triple bottom line concept. This case study showed how a for-profit company grew without losing sight of the planet or its focus on people. This case is best suited for students who have preliminary knowledge of supply chain management, operations and sustainability. Therefore, it is suited for sophomore-year students of MBA.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Product rebranding is increasingly popular, but brand managers are sceptical about its implications on brand loyalty (BL). Given the limited empirical literature on the subject, this study examines the interrelational effect of brand attachment (BA), brand distinctiveness (BD) and consumer attitudes (CA) towards product rebranding on brand loyalty (BL).

The study adopted the quantitative survey design and used questionnaire to gather data from 349 consumers of rebranded water, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. This study integrates psychology theories into brand management research to propose and test a holistic model.

The study found a significant effect of BA on CA toward product rebranding, and CA toward product rebranding fully mediates the relationship between BA and BL. Furthermore, BD has a significant effect on BL, and further moderates the relationship between BA and BL.

This study offers a fresh theoretical foundation, conceptual clarity and understanding of how rebranding specific brand elements affect the attitudes and BL of consumers who are emotionally connected to a brand. This paper offers practical insights into the implication of product rebranding on CA, BD and BL. It reveals a holistic guidance to brand managers on how to use their unique knowledge about their consumers to create distinctive brands and emotional affection, passion and connections to their brands.

The incidents of hotel theft constitute a significant cause of concern for the hotel industry. Such incidents result in substantial financial implications, inventory management issues and complications in finding exact replacements. This study, therefore, investigates customer stealing practices in Indian hotel industry.

A structured email interview was conducted with twenty-five senior hotel managers. The data were analyzed by adopting a coding technique using inductive content analysis.

The results were discussed under seven headings-extent of such stealing incidents, financial consequences of such practices, strategies to prevent such instances and, finally, how to deal with customers when caught stealing.

This study highlighted themes related to the profile of customers involved in stealing practices, motives, consequences and strategies required to manage such customers. Future studies can focus on restaurants, airlines, airports and tourist attractions to identify strategies and best practices for preventing such practices.

The study's findings have tremendous potential for the hospitality industry. Dealing with customers’ stealing practices is a very sensitive issue. Furthermore, hotels bear lots of expenses if the policy for tackling the problem still needs to be implemented. Furthermore, if not handled professionally, a lack of effective guidelines can cause embarrassment for managers.

The study has the potential to raise awareness among the members of society to be more responsible toward hotel property.

This study extends to the limited literature on hotel guests' theft. The comprehensive analysis of the themes generated from an interview with the senior managers of the hotel industry provides a unique insight into the nature of the problem. The solutions offered in this study are an original contribution to the literature.

This study investigated the effect of green marketing mix on consumer repurchase intention in Ghana. The study focusses on the interaction effect of green knowledge on green marketing mix and consumer repurchase in Ghana.

A quantitative approach to research was employed. In all, 371 participants were chosen using the purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS software.

The findings showed that green price, green place and green promotion had a positive significant effect on repurchase intention. However, green product insignificantly influenced repurchase intention. The findings further showed that green knowledge moderated the relationship between green price and green place, on repurchase intention. Green knowledge was not found to moderate the relationship between green product, green promotion and repurchase intention.

The study advances our knowledge on green marketing mix, green knowledge and repurchase intention within the beverage sector. It reveals the positive implication of green marketing mix on a firm’s customers using the marketing mix theory.

This paper aims to explore the misuse of prescription opioids, associated consumption cultures and the emergence of “informal governing images” among young men in Nigeria.

Using a qualitative research approach involving purposive sampling: six in-depth interviews, one focus group discussion and key informant interviews with two health-care professionals using the transgressive theory approach, this paper explores consumption cultures, motivations and the resultant “informal governing images” associated with the misuse of prescription opioids among young local street high-risk users in Nigeria.

Findings show complex expressions of diverse consumption practices, such as grinding, sniffing and concoction of tramadol (TM)with other opioids. The “puff-puff pass” practice serves as induction for new users of opioids commonly accessed through street drug dealers and pharmacists sold via backdoors. Codeine mixtures with different brands of soft drinks for dilution are used to achieve a “lower high” while a concoction of different opioids, with alcohol, and spirits obtains a “higher high”. Manufacturers’ indelible colouring and bottling discourage the non-medical use of opioids. Desiring to be awake for nocturnal activities, mostly “yahoo-yahoo” (internet fraud), sexual enhancement and dosage competitions, are motivations for the non-medical use of prescription opioids. These consumption cultures create “misuse circuits”, leading to the emergence of “informal governing images” triggered by threats from formal controls.

This paper, therefore, concludes that pharmaceutical industries should also add colourings to TM and codeine just like they did in rophinol to discourage the non-medical use of prescription opioids among young people in Nigeria.

This paper concludes that rather than branding and packaging in such a way that concealability is difficult for high-risk users as the best way to discourage the non-medical consumption of prescription opioids in Nigeria, the focus should be on addressing youth poverty and unemployment and improving access to treatment for drug use disorders, instead of calling for more enforcement-based measures.

This is an original research.

Kaleidofin was co-founded in 2017 by Puneet Gupta and Sucharita Mukherjee; former CFO and CEO of IFMR (Institute for Financial Management and Research) Holdings Pvt Ltd. As part of their roles at IFMR, Gupta and Mukherjee focused on designing products and developing technology to push for financial inclusion. In their field interactions, the co-founders had an epiphany of the challenges faced by people while trying to save towards important life goals. They saw an opportunity in the large segment of financially under-served people in India and quit their jobs to start Kaleidofin. Kaleidofin was conceptualised as a digital platform that offers customised financial solutions to help customers meet their life goals. The start-up partnered with mutual fund companies for solutions on one hand and network partners (NGOs, microfinance organizations, cooperative banks) on the other for access to their existing customers.

Kaleidofin grew from 50 customers in January 2018 to 15,000 customers by March 2019. Aiming to grow to 1 million customers in the next 30 months Kaleidofin faces a dilemma about its future course. The start-up could continue to grow by expanding its current target segment which is the low-income households and preserve its vision at the risk of increasing costs. The second option would be to look at other potential target segments, such as, middle-income households and risk diluting their vision. The case study highlights the unique customer-centric model of Kaleidofin and the need for start-ups to understand the value proposition of their products/services.