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Students should be able to appreciate the exigencies of managing social enterprises in a largely profit-oriented economic domain; understand the interplay of choice and trade-offs in business management and be equipped to make optimal choices; and appraise new, creative and profit-making approaches for sustaining social enterprise.

Daniel Mensah and his team were to deliberate on options available for ensuring financial sustainability of HealthKeepers Network (HKN), a not-for-profit organization focused on community health and grassroots capacity development. As the economy of Ghana moved towards middle-income status, funding from global organizations had begun to decline. To ensure HKN’s continuity, Mensah needed to re-engineer HKN’s finances and consider options available for ensuring cash inflows to support the organization’s operations. Each of the available options involved specific setbacks or challenges for HKN to overcome to achieve financial sustainability. Mensah and his team were to engage in a brainstorming session analyse the available options and map the way forward for HKN.

This case is suitable for undergraduate and graduate-level programmes in business management.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Social entrepreneurship, sustainable development and emerging economies.

Advanced undergraduate students and Graduate students (MBAs).

We present the case of Marli Medeiros, a community leader in the city of Porto Alegre (south of Brazil) who has been working with the local government, local firms and local inhabitants over the last 40 years to build an organization that has been changing the reality of the slum Vila Pinto. The case highlights three main dilemmas faced by Marli Medeiros. Part 1 addresses whether to start a social entrepreneurship project in an environment surrounded by household violence and drug influences. Part 2 examines how to organize a community to develop this social project and challenge the context (local drug dealers). Part 3 considers how to work with different social players to innovate and manage a self-sustained social entrepreneurship that brings social change for an impoverished community.

Understand the five main characteristics required by social entrepreneurs to achieve social change by economic, self-sustained activities: social vision, sustainability guidelines, social networks development, search for innovation and search for financial returns. Understand the social entrepreneurship model from the point of view of a female leader in a local impoverished community. Understand and analyze the social and economic context of an emerging country.

Teaching note.

International business, Strategic management

BA and MA; courses: International business, Management courses with special focus on emerging and developing countries, Intercultural management, Strategic management.

Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, June 2013 – Representatives of the London Mining Corporation and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH were discussing the details about the official launch of the From Mines to Minds project. The From Mines to Minds project consisted of two components technical, vocational and educational training at St. Joseph's and functional adult literacy for people who could not benefit from the upgrade of St. Joseph's in 17 communities around the mine site. Each of them had committed 200,000 euros to the project. While the mining company favored an early launch due to internal and external pressures, the development agency evaluated that they needed to have a consolidated program before advertising it locally and nationally. This joint decision on the official launch revealed more structural issues in the “fit” between these two organizations in this cross-sectoral partnership designed to contribute to local and national sustainable development.

The purpose of the case is twofold. The first aim is to introduce students/participants to the challenges that arise when entering into a cross-sectoral partnership with another organization in a development project. The second aim is to expose students to the operational, business and strategic challenges related to operating in the volatile local and national context of a least developed economy.

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

This case study aims to ensure that, students should be able to recognise the behaviours that influence the in-member out-member categorisation that transpires in the workplace, both from the leader’s perspective and that of the followers; determine and understand the relevance of forming interpersonal relationships in the workplace and that interpersonal relationships create fundamentally positive or negative work experiences and impact on career opportunities in the workplace; gain an understanding of the internal bias and subjective comfort that leaders must actively overcome to establish an environment in which the entire team becomes in-group members; and be able to assess the contextual variables that contribute to the negative or positive aggravation of the leader–member exchange.

It was 16 October 2014, and Nonkululeko Gobodo, Executive Chair of accounting firm SizweNtsalubaGobodo, was looking to her younger sister, Notemba Dlova, for emotional support, as she sought to address an important issue that was on the agenda of the firm’s board of directors’ meeting the following day. Tensions between her and Victor Sekese, Chief Executive Officer of the firm, were mounting, and a number of the directors were unhappy with the status quo. “How do you think I should address the issue?” she asked Dlova. Both sisters knew that at stake was Gobodo’s future at the firm she had battled so hard to build up in the face of racial and gender stereotypes.

The case study is appropriate for use in a range of postgraduate courses aimed at Master’s in Management and Master of Business Administration (MBA)-level students. It is also suitable for use in postgraduate diplomas in business and executive education short courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human Resource Management.

Entrepreneurship, Corporate sustainability, CSR, Supply chain.

Master's courses: Entrepreneurship, Strategic management.

In 2002, potential risks deriving from emerging normative demands in the CSR debate prompted Axel Springer (AS) to rethink their supply chain strategy for Russian wood. Being one of the first movers in CSR in the publishing business, AS realized that current practices could spark future public discussion that might put pressure on AS, a key player in these supply chains. In early 2002, AS and one of their main suppliers, Stora Enso, started a joint initiative to redesign the supply chain processes in two of the major Russian logging regions to improve their social and ecological performance. Sometime later, other major players in the publishing sector as well as critical reviewers from several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were invited to participate in the design of the new voluntary sustainability initiative called “Tikhvin Chalna project”, the second phase of which was accomplished by the end of 2006.

Learn that organizations (specifically high-brand owners) are responsible for practices within their entire supply chains (social as well as environmental performance).

Explore proactive corporate sustainability, CSR strategies are market but also institutional driven; Strategizing involves forming and transforming the rules, norms and standard models of customers as well as institutions such as NGOs or governmental bodies. Whether the initiator of such strategy is successful in increasing or manipulating demands is dependent on its resources and capabilities as well as on its network position. The case supports students in understanding resources being used to successfully transform or create institutional arrangements.

Discover that the value of a business' relationships and its network position.

Teaching note, Video files

The learning outcomes of this study are as follows:▪ to explain the marketing of products that fall under “stigmatised” products;▪ to develop a multi-segmentation strategy and identify variables used in segmentation;▪ to identify the target segments;▪ to draw a value proposition canvas;▪ to construct positioning statements; and▪ to decide the product portfolio based on segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP).

This case considers the dilemma faced by Deep Bajaj, CEO of Sirona Hygiene Pvt. Ltd., a company in the female menstrual and intimate hygiene products space, in May 2021. During an investor meeting, an investor questions Sirona’s focus on menstrual cups (MCs) and advises Deep to expand instead the sanitary pads category. While the company has been growing at more than 100% year-on-year and has also been profitable for the last three years, the case considers how Deep can better participate in the bull run in the Indian menstrual hygiene market. Should he discard menstrual cups from Sirona’s product portfolio and concentrate on sanitary pads – India’s most highly accepted menstrual hygiene product? Alternatively, should he discard sanitary pads from his product portfolio and focus on MCs – his flagship product? Or, could he tap the large and growing menstrual hygiene market to “have his cup and pad too”?

This case is suitable for a class of 90 min in an undergraduate course or an extended session of two 90-min classes in a graduate MBA course. It can be studied as part of the STP module in a Marketing Management course. It may also be used in a strategic management course within a graduate MBA program to provide an understanding of the value proposition canvas as part of the module on business model canvas.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

This study enables to critique the development of a sustainability strategy brand; integrated reports, sustainability reports, usage of safe internet and online learning skills to reduce inequalities and increase stakeholders’ values.

Digi Telecommunications (Digi) has been publishing annual sustainability reporting in line with Global Reporting Initiatives since 2009. Albern Murty, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digi, the largest player in the mobile telecommunications industry in Malaysia by the number of subscribers, decided to establish a responsible business brand known as Yellow Heart in 2018 to better serve their stakeholders demand. There was a low stakeholder understanding of Digi’s sustainability efforts and societal impacts. Digi’s Sustainability department aspired to make Yellow Heart the best industry practice for continuous improvements by making Responsible Business commitment one of the main pillars of the company’s strategy and vision. Yellow Heart was linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)10 on reducing inequalities by focusing on Digital Inclusion and Resilience to increase safe access opportunities, provide marginalized communities with opportunities to pursue interests in digital learning pathways and create a more sustainable digital future for all. The case study illustrates the sustainability management at Digi and the planned migration from sustainability reporting to integrated reporting to build trust in the business with all the stakeholders. The case dilemma involves the challenges that Philip Ling Oon Hun, the Head of the Sustainability, faced in deciding the SDGs to focus on and measuring and reporting their outcomes to contribute to the greater good, not only in pure business terms but also to society at large.

This case is appropriate for undergraduate or graduate-level programs in Accounting, Corporate Governance and Strategy Implementation.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.

The subject areas are strategic management, transportation management and business management.

This case is useful for undergraduate and postgraduate level students majoring in strategic management, transportation management and business management.

Etihad Rail Company is planning to implement a mega infrastructure project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have included freight rail system as part of the 2030 Abu Dhabi economic vision and the UAE national Charter 2021. The plan is to link the UAE’s main cities via the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) border. This ambitious project presents a formidable task for the Etihad Rail Company and the region, as there is no previous railway history of this kind. The project requires coordination of rail standards from East of Ghwefatet and the Northern Emirates cities and will ultimately be combined with the Western Saudi Arabia borders. The transportation system in the region will be improved greatly with the introduction of a cargo and passenger railway system in addition to the current road system and other means of transportation. The Etihad railway network is the first infrastructure project in the UAE, and it will bring economic, strategic, social and environmental changes to the country. This case aims to present an overview of the strategic management dimensions of the Etihad Rail and the processes involved. This case will analyze whether Etihad’s top management team should make a decision to focus only on freight rail or to include passenger transportation as well. Many questions will be addressed in this paper such as the following: What steps should Etihad take to start passenger rail? Will economical, strategic and environmental aspects affect it? And if so, how? The case will focus on the analysis of the different aspects of Etihad Rail by using strategic management tools as guidance for implementation and determining its success factors.

In this case, the students can learn and understand the purpose of commencing cargo rail projects in the region; discuss the mechanisms which help in promoting sustainability and the business growth of Etihad Rail; and identify the challenges and issues freight rail may face in terms of legal, economic and environmental aspects and identify and alternative solutions.

Teaching notes are available upon request.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Upon completion of this study, students will be able to define, explain and describe sustainability and its application in the business context; learn and demonstrate their understanding of current practices, processes and operations in companies that are aligned to business sustainability by identifying such in the case study to enable them to provide relevant examples; discuss and describe sustainable operations and practices across different industries; identify sustainable themes in manufacturing sectors and other related industries; and identify sustainable strategies for production and manufacturing processes.

This case study focused on Gunung Raja Paksi (GRP), a steel manufacturing company in Indonesia, with a portfolio in steel trading, cement plants and carbon markets. The case study covered the COVID-19 crisis period, especially the year 2020, which disrupted the normal operations of businesses and subjected the community to economic challenges. The emergence of GRP’s prominence in sustainable business attributed to the initiatives advanced by Kimin Tanoto, the chief executive officer (CEO) and chairperson of the Indonesia Iron and Steel Association (IISIA). Kimin Tanoto assumed leadership of GRP, a family-owned business, in 2018, despite being the second son. At the time of Kimin’s induction into the board of commissioners, two main challenges – the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the supply chains, and the company culture that resisted sustainable business approaches – acted as detriments to profit-making. Sustainable efforts, however, contributed to noticeable success during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

The case is suitable for instructions in undergraduate courses in Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Sustainable Resources, Engineering and Management, Bachelor in Sustainable Environmental Management, Bachelor of Culture and Arts in Smart and Sustainable Design, Bachelor in Sustainable Solutions and Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, and other instructions on sustainable practices.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to understand the following: the functioning of the microfinance institutions (MFIs); how the importance of using information technology (IT) can generate a competitive edge; and how emergent technologies, business analytics play a significant role in the expansion of business by helping in decision-making and meet up the corporate social responsibility by ethical disposal of electronic waste.

Fusion Microfinance Private Limited is a start-up company with a vision to build a professionally managed MFI that can achieve a healthy amalgamation of social and financial sustainability. It is operational in the less penetrated North Central part of India spread across four states (Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi). Fusion appreciated the importance of IT and gradually leveraged IT to help the automation of various functions. Fusion wants to further optimize the organizational outreach to its rural clients by integrating its core function with IT. IT facilitates its huge client network conveniently with the usage of IT. Fusion also aims further to reduce its carbon footprint, thus moving towards the goal of achieving environmental sustainability through IT.

Undergraduate- or graduate-level course on management information systems, environmental sustainability or emergent technologies.

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 1: Accounting and Finance.