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1 – 10 of over 2000Rajan Cr, Swaminathan T.N. and Uma Rao Ganduri
Learning outcomes are eliminating usual options for a turnaround, understanding how organizations can respond to adverse industry /market changes through cost and productivity…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes are eliminating usual options for a turnaround, understanding how organizations can respond to adverse industry /market changes through cost and productivity management, managing strategic cost control turnaround deployed across a company, turning a huge threat into an opportunity and the role of leadership in driving strategic cost management and importance of internal communication and buy-in for a successful implementation.
Case overview/synopsis
Ashok Leyland Ltd. is the 2nd largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, the 4th largest manufacturer of buses in the world and the 12th largest manufacturer of trucks globally. Vinod Dasari joined this company in 2005, and since 2011, he has been the MD and CEO of the company. This case is about restaging of this company that commenced in the year 2013 when the company was heading toward a loss for the very first time in its 65 plus years of history. Ashok Leyland was heaving under its own weight, saddled with overheads, grappling with intense competition from old and new players and struggling to become agile and meet the new challenges in the market. A potential loss of up to Rs 750 crores (US$123m) looked inevitable. The challenges were that major structural changes were required and the company needed not only a transformational change but also a surgery. The company had to come up with savings of Rs 750 crores (US$123m) annually to avoid making losses. The projection of 54,000 unit sales volumes be achieved. Internal communication and buying in by all employees. This case outlines the path chosen by Dasari to restage, turn around, overcome the challenges and deal with employee resistance.
Complexity academic level
This study is applicable for MBA programs in business strategy, strategic marketing, international marketing and BBA programs in business strategy, strategic marketing and international marketing.
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.
Subject code
CSS 11: Strategy.
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Kent Grayson, Eric Leiserson and Sachin Waikar
Fiserv, a pioneer in electronic payments, would like to increase the number of consumers who receive bills electronically. Currently, adoption is relatively low. To help guide…
Abstract
Fiserv, a pioneer in electronic payments, would like to increase the number of consumers who receive bills electronically. Currently, adoption is relatively low. To help guide their efforts, Fiserv managers have done extensive customer research and have segmented the market based on customer perceptions of e-billing. Students must recommend which segments to target and why. To support their recommendations, students must calculate the likely financial costs and benefits of adoption, estimate the likely returns for targeting different segments, and make targeting and positioning recommendations based on these calculations. Because Fiserv's direct customers are billers (such as utilities and credit card companies) and its end users are individual consumers, the case allows a focus on both B2B and B2C issues.
This case gives students the opportunity to estimate the relative profitability of different segments and to make targeting and positioning recommendations based on these calculations. It highlights the importance of assessing segments based on both quantitative and qualitative considerations. It also emphasizes the potential difficulties associated with targeting multiple segments at once.
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This case study has been developed to facilitate discussion about current supply chain management issues and potential solutions. The scenario presented in this case is very…
Abstract
This case study has been developed to facilitate discussion about current supply chain management issues and potential solutions. The scenario presented in this case is very representative of the pressures experienced by supply chain managers. Namely, the need to reduce costs while maintaining quality and customer service. This case presents some unusual challenges and constraints that are unique to the cruise line industry. These constraints can provide an opportunity to explore new supply chain paradigms.
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In early 2017, after launching its successful “Greenhouse-in-a-Box” pilot project in India with fifteen smallholder farmers, Kheyti, a non-profit agricultural technology (AgTech…
Abstract
In early 2017, after launching its successful “Greenhouse-in-a-Box” pilot project in India with fifteen smallholder farmers, Kheyti, a non-profit agricultural technology (AgTech) social enterprise, was struggling with several decisions in developing and growing its business. Kheyti was launched in 2015 to help smallholder farmers battle poverty and income variability by providing affordable technologies bundled with services. Over eighteen months, the team had developed a low-cost and modular greenhouse product to which it added financing, inputs, training, and market linkages to create a comprehensive “full-stack” solution for small farmers. The pilot project was a success in many ways, but Saumya, Kheyti's co-founder and head of product, was concerned that it revealed shortcomings that could severely affect the viability and scalability of Kheyti's solution.
Saumya had some important decisions to make. Should Kheyti redesign the product from scratch, or find other ways to reduce the cost for early adopters? Should it rely on upfront revenues from sales of the greenhouse, or consider developing an innovative financing or contract farming model? Kheyti's dwindling cash reserves meant that these decisions were urgent and critical. The path chosen now would determine whether the startup would move beyond the pilot stage and achieve its vision of serving 1 million farmers by 2025.
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Jeremy Chapman Hutchison-Krupat, Tim Kraft and Elliott N. Weiss
This case is an updated version of “Netflix Inc.: DVD Wars” (UVA-M-0763), and was written as a replacement for it.A financial analyst is asked to appraise the value of Netflix’s…
Abstract
This case is an updated version of “Netflix Inc.: DVD Wars” (UVA-M-0763), and was written as a replacement for it.
A financial analyst is asked to appraise the value of Netflix’s stock at a time of unprecedented turmoil for the company. This case introduces customer lifetime value (CLV) as a useful metric for subscription-based businesses.
Deborah M. Mullen, Kathleen Wheatley and Nai Lamb
This case investigation used firsthand statements, reports, testimony and regulatory records. While widely publicized in the popular press, this case is based on primary…
Abstract
Research methodology
This case investigation used firsthand statements, reports, testimony and regulatory records. While widely publicized in the popular press, this case is based on primary documents. On their website, many documents were obtained from Wells Fargo’s Corporate newsroom, such as the internal audit report shared with shareholders and press releases. Most other sources were from US regulatory websites (.gov) or congressional testimony. In a few places, quotes and comments came from reliable journalistic sites that cite their sources and follow a journalist’s code of ethics and conduct, ensuring that the reported remarks and data were verified.
Case overview/synopsis
Since 2016, Wells Fargo Bank has faced multiple customer mistreatment investigations and resultant fines. Public outcry and distrust resulted from Wells Fargo employees creating hidden accounts and enrolling people in bank services without their knowledge to meet desired levels of sustained shareholder growth. Over the past five years, Wells Fargo has been fined and returned to customers and stockholders over $3bn. Wells Fargo executives spent the first year of the scandal citing improper behavior by employees. Leadership did not take responsibility for setting the organizational goals, which led to employee misbehavior. Even after admitting some culpability in creating the extreme sales culture, executives and the Board of Directors tried to distance themselves from blame for the unethical behavior. They cited the organizations’ decentralized structure as a reason the board was not quicker in seeing and correcting the negative behaviors of these ‘bad apple’ employees. Wells Fargo faced multiple concurrent scandals, such as upselling services to retirees, inappropriately repossessing service members’ vehicles, adding insurance and extra fees to mortgages and other accounts and engaging in securities fraud. As time has passed, the early versions of a handful of “bad apples” seem to be only a part of the overall “poison tree.”The dilemma, in this case, is who is responsible for the misbehavior and the inappropriate sales of products and services (often without the customer’s knowledge)? Is strategic growth year-over-year with no allowances for environmental and economic factors a realistic and reasonable goal for corporations? This case is appropriate for undergraduates and graduate students in finance, human resources, management, accounting and investments.
Complexity academic level
An active case-based learning pedagogical approach is suggested. The materials include a short podcast, video and other materials to allow the faculty to assign pre-class work or to use in the classroom before a case discussion.
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Zamzulaila Zakaria, Zarina Zakaria, Noor Adwa Sulaiman and Norizah Mustamil
Undergraduate courses: Auditing, Leadership, Management accounting. Postgraduate courses: Leadership, Management accounting.
Abstract
Study level/applicability
Undergraduate courses: Auditing, Leadership, Management accounting. Postgraduate courses: Leadership, Management accounting.
Subject area
Auditing, Leadership, Management accounting
Case overview
This case documents the journey of a professional accountancy organisation, namely, the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and document the MIA’s journey on the establishment of digital blueprint for the accounting profession in Malaysia including some major milestone in innovating audit evidence-gathering technique by introducing e-confirm for auditing bank confirmation in Malaysia. This case highlights the significant role played by a lady chief executive officer (CEO) in embarking into the digitalisation of the accountancy profession and practice in Malaysia. While the ultimate objective of digital blueprint is to transform the accounting and auditing practices in Malaysia, the CEO has led by example by embedding digitalisation within MIA’s practices itself.
Expected learning outcomes
The learning outcome of this paper are as follows: to develop students’ understanding on the right attitudes, skills and characters that a successful leader should possess in contemporary business environment by focusing on dilemma and stereo-typing faced by women leaders; to develop the students’ understanding on the changes in business environment particularly the rise of digital technology that affecting the ways in which accounting functions in organisations; to encourage students to be aware that technical accounting knowledge is just one of the key success factors in the career of a professional accountant. The case offer insight into accountants’ role in digital environment and the development needed for accounting profession; to demonstrate how auditing process can benefit from the advancement in technology; and to encourage critical discussion on the development of accounting profession in Malaysia. The case aims to develop students’ critical discussion on the roles of MIA as a regulator of accounting profession and to appreciate historical development of accounting profession in Malaysia. The case also aims to encourage students to realise the existence of other professional accounting bodies, accounting practitioners and academic accountants, and together with MIA, they play significant role in shaping the accounting profession in Malaysia.
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.
Social implications
The case has a strong implication on the role of effective leaders in ensuring that significant efforts involved in digitalisation journal, a vital need for the accountancy professional to continue to be a relevant profession, is a success.
Subject code
CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.
Keywords
Women leadership, Digitalisation, Professional accountancy organisation, Electronic bank confirmation, Malaysia
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Soon-Yau Foong and Beng-Seng Ho
Strategic management (competitive strategy and supply chain management) and management accounting (product pricing and costing techniques).
Abstract
Subject area
Strategic management (competitive strategy and supply chain management) and management accounting (product pricing and costing techniques).
Study level/applicability
Final year of business undergraduate programme and MBA programme.
Case overview
This case illustrates how emergence of generic products had threatened the survival of DCPM and forced its management to urgently review the company's existing approach to pricing of its main herbicide product. The case presents opportunities for readers to discuss the deficiencies of DCPM's existing product costing approach and recommend modifications to meet the price and gross profit margin targets specified. It also highlights issues relating to supply chain management and human resource practices that might have to be improved to enhance DCPM's long-term competitiveness.
Expected learning outcomes
To understand the effects of globalisation and emergence of generic products on intensity of market competition for branded products. To identify deficiencies of the current product costing system of DCPM for pricing decision. To apply alternative contemporary approach to product costing and pricing of Metrix and the other value-added services. To identify measures to enhance supply chain management and inventory management in DCPM. To assess DCPM's human resources practices. To evaluate the effectiveness of DCPM's existing competitive strategy and formulate new competitive strategy to sustain DCPM's long-term competitiveness.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes.
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Stahmann Farms Enterprises is an Australian company focused on farming, processing, and marketing of pecans and the high-end macadamia nuts. While the company owns pecan farms, it…
Abstract
Stahmann Farms Enterprises is an Australian company focused on farming, processing, and marketing of pecans and the high-end macadamia nuts. While the company owns pecan farms, it depends solely on farmers for the supply of macadamia, which poses a challenge with numerous competitors trying to attract the farmers. As an agro-processing business, it is dependent on the vagaries of nature and profits fluctuate wildly. Competition exists in the form of large processors as well as new entrants. Given the company's target of becoming one of the top five macadamia processing businesses in the world, volume and profitability need to be driven up. There are a number of paths open before the company and the MD and his team need to evaluate these and draw up a strategy to be presented to the board.
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Mark Jeffery, James Anfield and Tim Riitters
Should B&K Distributors implement a Web-based customer portal with an integrated marketing campaign? Asks readers to assist Jim Anfield, business development director for JDA…
Abstract
Should B&K Distributors implement a Web-based customer portal with an integrated marketing campaign? Asks readers to assist Jim Anfield, business development director for JDA Consulting, and Nancy O'Neil, B&K Distributor's sales VP, in determining the feasibility of this project. They must build the final ROI projections and develop recommendations for B&K's senior management team. Emphasizes the importance of assumptions and the range of possible outcomes. Based on a real-life management decision for a mid-size firm.
To teach ROI analysis best practices for technology project investments, requiring the analysis of several factors to conduct a thorough review of the investment's feasibility.
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