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International Business, Entrepreneurship.

This case has been used previously in an international business strategy module on MA courses at Kozminski University, Poland.

The case details Audioteka’s (a Polish audiobook company) history between 2007 and 2013, from the perspective of Marcin, one of the co-founders. The company was founded in 2008 by Marcin Beme and Blazej Kukla and internationalized soon after. Marcin was an experienced entrepreneur, while Blazej was a sound engineer. Both sought to combine their complementary skills and experience to start a business aimed at selling audio recordings. The case is divided into Parts (A) and (B) and is designed to teach international entrepreneurship, lying at the intersection of international business and entrepreneurship. Part (A) is set in 2011 and tracks the company’s evolution from the conception of an idea to establishing a start-up and developing a product. Part (B) is set in 2013 and covers early foreign expansion between 2011 and 2013. The case is focused on the challenges that Marcin faces when developing Audioteka and expanding abroad. It allows students to understand the decision-making logic of an international new venture (INV), choices made and execution while internationalizing. Students will be able to explore how a company adapts its product; how it enters foreign markets; how it overcomes the liabilities of foreignness, smallness, newness and outsidership through establishing partnerships with big companies (telecoms, automakers); and how it appreciates the risks involved in this process.

This case is the basis for a class discussion rather than for illustrating either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. From this case, MA students will learn how an entrepreneurial firm makes strategic decisions and becomes international. The first learning outcome is to evaluate the concepts of liability of origin, foreignness, outsidership, smallness and newness, and to explore ways of overcoming them. Second, the expected learning outcome is to assess differences between the Uppsala model of internationalization and born-global/INV phenomenon. Third, students, by examining particular foreign market-entry modes, are expected to evaluate their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, students are expected to understand the concept of “effectuation” and apply it to the decision-making process in early internationalization.

CSS 5: International Business.

The primary focus of this case is on group dynamics, including group development, interpersonal conflicts, and team effectiveness. Appropriate theories and frameworks are drawn upon from the literature on group dynamics and conflict management to discuss and address these issues.

This case is completely based on real-life events and the information was attained from interviews with the case characters. Name of the organization and all characters in the case have been disguised.

This case deals with a student work group facing intragroup conflicts while pursuing Master of Business Administration (MBA) at a prominent Indian B school. Three members of the group approached Hemant Patel, Organizational Behavior Faculty, and Suhas Shah, Program Chair, for seeking help to resolve the conflict. Patel and Shah conducted interviews with group members and organized a workshop on group dynamics at the larger, class level. However, a few members informed them that dynamics were still poor. Patel and Shah are contemplating what to do next.

This case can be used in courses on organizational behavior, human resource management (with a focus on group and team performance) or general management (with a focus on group and team effectiveness). The primary focus of this case is on group dynamics and conflict management. This case was written keeping in mind graduate course/MBA students but it should do well with undergraduate students and executive education participants as well.

Entrepreneurial management.

The case is intended to be used by graduate students of Management and Entrepreneurship in the courses of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurial Management.

One of the first private wineries in Republic of Macedonia, a developing country which entered market economy in the end of 1990s, has successfully been using the advantages of good soil and weather conditions to provide opportunity for excellent wine making. After almost 20 years of blazing a successful entrepreneurial trail built on innovation, strict quality control, brand building and close family hands-on management, the market soon became too small; thus, internationalization was the next logical step. This case provides local and global data on the wine industry, the Mac Wine facts and figures and financial data to help answer the questions about its future management and marketing strategies and the ownership transition.

This case has been documented to help students to understand the concept and applicability of the growth strategy of a new venture in the developing country. The students will understand how this growth was realized by answering the following questions: What are the factors that contributed to the growth of this venture? Evaluate the Mac Wine decision to build a brand based on production of high-quality wines. Is Mac Wine’s marketing strategy adequate? Is the family-owned business more of a strength or a weakness at the time being? And in the future?

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

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

There are a range of business evaluation methods that can be applied to determine the value of a business. Ultimately, the valuation of a business is what someone will pay for it when the sale transaction is completed. When determining the value of their own business, business owners are often influenced by how hard they have worked to start and build up the business, what the business represents and their projections for the future (Hawkey, 2017). This case provides an opportunity for students to consider exit strategy planning and how to establish a fair market price for a business, how to consider the value of good will and, in particular, the value associated with running an environmentally conscious bakery operation. The trend toward environmental responsibility and green practices in the small business community has started to have an impact on the value of small companies (Inc. 2021). Finally, the case raises the issue of the personal values of the owners and the related implication of finding a buyer with similar values and interests for a bakery business.

This case was field researched and the company and individuals are not disguised. One of the authors interviewed the two owners of The Royal Bakery. There were three interviews over a six-month period. The interviews were audio recorded. An ethical review for this research was completed at the co-authors’ institution, and a case release was signed.

The Royal Bay Bakery presents Dave Grove and Gwen Snyder who, with over 30 years in the bakery business, had started to consider next steps toward retirement. Royal Bay Bakery was profitable and growing. As they prepared to retire and sell the business, they were unsure about how to maximize the value of the business. They also wanted to find a buyer who would recognize and continue their business commitment to environmental and social sustainability.

This case may be taught in a class on exit strategies for small family businesses in the context of a small business course. This case is appropriate for both undergraduate seniors and graduate students. The case may be used to help students understand small business valuation, family ownership and exit strategies and environmental practices in small businesses. Instructors may choose to emphasize specific conceptual tools, including SWOT analysis, and business valuation. The case may also be used to reinforce applications of exit strategy for small, family-owned businesses.

Radio Mirchi is the flagship brand of Entertainment Network India Limited (ENIL). ENIL is the largest private FM radio broadcaster in India. ENIL was able to gain a stronghold in the market due to its strengths of innovativeness and creative content, large operating network, reach among listeners, high quality studio and strong advertisement sales capabilities. The case discusses Radio Mirchi's entry into the Kolkata market in 2003 amidst the competition from three other players—Red FM, Aamar and Power. Kolkata occupied a prime place in the company's growth plans. The case discusses the dilemma faced by the company on developing the entry strategy. Its top management has to decide on the market segment(s) it should target, and the design of the product.

Teaching formats for both BA/MA students and MBA/PhD students in sustainable entrepreneurship and strategic management are offered in the teaching notes.

This case juxtaposes the company’s core values of gender equality, sustainability and inclusivity, with the financial pressures of expanding global operations in COVID-19 times.

This case illustrates the founding and growth of i-did in the broader context of the global circular textile industry. Being the first company that reclaims value of discarded textiles by making design products out of felt, the dilemma is on how i-did can create a blueprint for sustainable leadership in a scalable (financial) business case.

The learning outcomes of this case are as follows: to understand the concepts of circular economy and social impact and how they can be translated to business; to apply their knowledge of strategy and entrepreneurship for sustainable business innovation; to be able to analyze a company according to the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically around gender issues, inclusivity and diversity; to evaluate opportunities for multiple value creation in business; and to have the knowledge and capacity to create a circular business with the help of the Business Model Template.

This case engages students in critically reflecting on sustainability concepts in relation to i-did (theoretical value) and applying novel business model innovation tools to a real-world enterprise (practical value). The students get the chance to explore the ethical challenges the two entrepreneurial leaders face between short-term economic gains (or maybe even survival) and their core values of (gender) inclusivity, circularity and diversity.

Teaching notes and a summarizing two-pager are available for educators.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

After early successes in a very selective management-training program, Daniel Oliveira, a young manager for Brazilian fashion chain Clothes & Accessories, is thrown into the deep end of the pool by being reassigned to a region lagging in sales. Early on, Oliveira discovers that his store, located in mid-sized Vitória in southeastern Brazil, is in trouble. As soon as he tries to make changes, however, he meets with resistance from long-term employees. The case details his pitfalls and growing awareness of the complexities of leading a diverse workforce and managing change.

• Analyze and discuss the process for leading change with people in mind and understand how different tools could be applied in real life situations

• Discuss the manager’s role in a turnaround process and common mistakes made by inexperienced managers

• Weigh the risks and consequences of different talent management (or leadership development) strategies

• Grasp the importance of building effective teams and fostering buy-in to succeed in a leadership position

Analyze and discuss the process for leading change with people in mind and understand how different tools could be applied in real life situations

Discuss the manager’s role in a turnaround process and common mistakes made by inexperienced managers

Weigh the risks and consequences of different talent management (or leadership development) strategies

Grasp the importance of building effective teams and fostering buy-in to succeed in a leadership position

The case is designed for students with prior knowledge of principles of management, particularly leadership theories. The case would also benefit bachelor students who already took an introductory course to leadership such as organizational behavior or graduate students who are familiar with the leadership and/or entrepreneurship literature. This case study may be used in the following academic courses: theories of leadership, leadership and leaders, organizational leaders’ roles, management skills, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial management.

This case study may be used in the following academic programs: Bachelor’s in Business Administration Master of Science in Business Administration MBA Programs.

Kamal Reggad is a Moroccan entrepreneur who created the company Menaclick, an online business that aims to sell and promote various products and services nationally and internationally at discounted prices. Goods and services are posted on Menaclick’s website www.hmizate.ma, which means “good deals” in Moroccan Arabic. The Hmizate platform operates a daily-deals and group-buying website offering discounted deals to Moroccan customers. The deals are mainly on goods and services such as traveling, food, esthetics, shopping, high-tech gadgets and recreational events (Eco, 2013). Menaclick is based in Casablanca, Morocco, and its website www.hmizate.ma is one of the most popular websites in the country with over 40,000 visitors per day. In the past few years, Kamal has been significantly contributing to building the groundwork of the e-commerce industry in Morocco, a course that has been changing the way Moroccan customers shop for goods and services. In fact, it is because of the merits of group-buying sites such as Hmizate that over 16 million Moroccan internet users navigate the net daily to buy products and services online with ease and facility (Maroc Numeric Cluster, 2014). Kamal Reggad is a fitting example of an innate leader who introduced a new leadership style to Morocco. Kamal took a colossal risk by targeting a new and unexplored market in Morocco which is the e-commerce business; his risks have paid off. As the case explains, Kamal’s success is because of his passion, perseverance and positive attitude.

In general, the objective of the case study is to further enhance the understanding of leadership in general and entrepreneurial spirit in particular. The case study will assist students in developing their leadership-related skills through the discussion of a real-life situation and experience and propose an example of the importance of participative leadership during the launching phase of a business venture. The case is designed to provoke and stimulate students’ personal reflections about a particular management style, especially in entrepreneurship.

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

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

California telecommunications company Wireworld is considering an acquisition of Nusantara Communications, a subsidiary of Indonesian conglomerate Bakrie & Brothers. Nusantara had invested $50 million in developing the advanced rural telephone system, which had the potential to provide much-needed telecommunications services to the mostly rural Indonesian population. If if were exported, the worldwide market for this product in the next five years was projected to be in the billions. Should Wireworld acquire this small company halfway around the world? Was it prepared to enter the Indonesian marketplace and beyond?

Students will examine a variety of data, including financial projections, in order to decide whether acquiring Nusantara will add value to Wireworld.

This case uses concepts from Korten’s strategies of development-oriented four generations of non-government organizations (NGOs) and social psychology such as stereotypes, prejudices and actions to explain the social phenomenon. In furtherance, the case presents Aristotle’s approach to creating a message for masses that include use of ethos, pathos and logos. Stood’s (2017) narrative, engagement and technology (NET) model of social leadership was used to analyse the characteristics of social leaders.

Prima facie the case was developed from primary sources i.e. interviewing with Ashish Thakur. Literature from secondary sources was obtained to make teaching notes. List of references is presented towards the end that depicts the use of textbooks, research papers, websites and blogs. This case was tested in the classroom with MBA students learning business communication.

The case dealt with the challenges of an NGO that included conducting respectful last rites of unclaimed dead bodies. As the NGO grew, Ashish Thakur, the initiator of Moksh started facing resource management challenges, namely, volunteer induction, fundraising and managing non-human resources. These issues are deeply embedded in several social stereotypes about dead bodies. Learning covers strategies of four generations of NGO development, a NET model of social leadership, breaking social stereotypes related to dead bodies and last rites (necrophobia), designing social communication and opportunity to assess faulty rationalizations and do critical thinking around the socio-religious practices.

This case is intended to be used for the students of the social leadership or social entrepreneurship, social psychology, business communication or communication skills, organizational behaviour, advertising and social media.