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Students will have the opportunity to learn about differentiation strategy, business plans, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis. The primary objective is to allow students to evaluate Abhishek Singh’s decisions. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to: understand the competitive landscapes in the Indian insurance broking market. Differentiate between selling and marketing. Understand the importance and application of differentiation strategy in the Indian insurance broking market. Emphasize the importance of value proposition in developing a competitive advantage for insurance broking organization. Critically analyze the internal strength and weaknesses of an insurance broking company.

RHIBPL, one of India’s largest insurance broking companies, operating for more than 12 years and has had a strong presence in eight major cities of India. RHIBPL had been known for life insurance, non-life insurance like cars, two-wheelers, Mediclaim and health. RHIBPL’s unique selling proposition was the best fit for each product and service after understanding the customer’s need. On October 16, 2020, Abhishek Singh, CDO at RHIBPL, was preparing for an upcoming management meeting on the company’s vision “to be the largest insurance provider in the country and to reach US$ 140 million by 2025,” which was communicated by the Ajay Bansal, founder and chief executive officer of RHIBPL. Singh had to prepare an action plan to achieve the RHIBPL’s vision. He had to develop and implement a differentiation strategy to achieve the RHIBPL’s vision from the available resources. How can he create a competitive advantage for RHIBPL in the highly competitive insurance broking market?

The case delineates the challenges facing an insurance broker company to achieve its new corporate vision. This case can be discussed in undergraduate and postgraduate courses (at the introductory level) in the business management discipline to understand the importance and application of differentiation strategy and competitive advantage. This case can also be significant for insurance-related courses for postgraduates and executives working in the insurance industry. The case can be useful for the courses on services marketing, strategic management, strategic marketing management and marketing management.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

Key State Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plan (a disguised case of an actual BCBS Plan) is the merged product of three state plans. Initially burdened with a reputation of poor customer service, Key State's executives decided to invest heavily in service improvement, eventually achieving superior levels. Key State's high-quality customer service emerged as a true competitive advantage for its customers, who were primarily businesses and health benefits consultants who influenced corporate purchasers of health insurance. The Key State brand came to be synonymous with personal service, security, choice, and dependability. But the health care insurance market was changing under Key State's feet. Spiraling costs meant that high-quality service became less of a competitive advantage as employers were lured by low-cost, low-service providers. Many employers cut or dropped health care benefits entirely, swelling the ranks of the under- and uninsured, who in turn were extremely price-sensitive when shopping for health insurance on their own. Finally, the health care insurance market was being revolutionized by financial institutions willing to hold health benefit accounts and pay providers directly, thereby eliminating the need for Key State as a mediator. Key State executives were aware of these changes but were challenged by the mindset, culture, and organizational design custom-fit to their business accounts. The case asks the reader to consider whether Key State has the right number of target markets, whether it should have one brand or several for its different target markets, what it should do for the uninsured, and how it should improve its brand experience in light of the industry's changing landscape. All of these decisions will have significant implications for the organizational design of Key State.

To better understand the challenges involved in a successful health insurance company to cope with a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment; to formulate a new strategy and a new organizational design to accomplish this adaptation.

Technology has come a long way in the financial industry since the days of hard share certificates. The industry has been evolving at a very fast pace and today almost everything is online. Back in 2010, Nithin Kamath decided to set up an online brokerage platform that was capable of meeting the needs of the retail customers in the most efficient way. Efficiency for him meant both execution efficiency and cost efficiency. He was able to introduce zero commission trading to consumers and yet generate revenues through a business model never considered by the leading brokers during that time. The firm has ever since been growing based on the principle of Technology first by bringing valuable services to the customers. Interestingly, the firm has spent little on marketing and the growth has been riding on the back of customer satisfaction.

The learning outcomes focus on enabling students to view operational model changes critically, as they pertain to:

■ evaluating different management styles and uses of the ADKAR change management model in decision-making moments in times of crisis (such as COVID-19) in non-profit organisations (NPOs);

■ evaluating different ways in which NPOs pivot to sustainability, including the use of social enterprise models and change management;

■ anticipating and managing change in institutional formations through new technologies;

■ articulating trade-offs between grant and non-grant resource mobilisation for African philanthropy; and

■ application of change management theory to organisations’ sustainability journeys.

In May 2020, working from her home office just over one month into a nationwide lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Masego Madzwamuse, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Southern Africa Trust (the Trust), knew that it could once again be at a crossroads. In 2015, the Trust had found itself in a quandary when its primary donor gave notification of its intention to withdraw its funding. The Trust had responded by making changes to its structure and strategy. Now, with uncertainty rife throughout South Africa, the CEO knew that she had to consider whether the changes that had been implemented over the past five years had prepared the Trust not only to respond to, but also to survive the pandemic and continue its vital work long into the future.

Postgraduate Diploma in Management, MBA, Masters in Management.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Entrepreneurship.

The case has been used at Master's level but it has direct application to any MBA programme or entrepreneurship module.

Adrian Gore started Discovery in 1992 with seed-funding of R10 million from merchant banking group, Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), as a health insurance company within the RMB stable. By 2009, Discovery had become a large, listed, financial services institution employing more than 5,000 people and comprising not only Discovery Health (DH), but also Discovery Life (DL), Discovery Invest (DI) and Discovery Vitality (a wellness programme). In addition, it had operations in the USA, where it licensed Vitality for use by employers and other health insurers, and in the UK where it operated two joint ventures with The Prudential plc – Pruhealth and Prulife.

To understand the similarities and differences between corporate and start-up entrepreneurship; to understand the entrepreneurial process within an established organization; to explore the environment within an established company in terms of how much it supports or constrains entrepreneurship; and to look at creative ways to overcome obstacles to entrepreneurship in established companies.

Teaching notes.

This case study is intended to supplement postgraduate business learning with the facilitation of an academic practitioner. The case draws on a culmination of subjects, and the participants are encouraged to juxtapose the case information with their professional experiences; however, the primary focus of the case material will be centred on strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The primary audience for the teaching case is management education programmes including: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), specialist Masters in Management, and certain Executive Education programmes.

This case is about protagonist Ndabenhle Junior Ngulube, the cofounder of an innovative technology-enabled insurance intermediary company called Pineapple. The company has identified an opportunity to resolve the inherent conflict of interest within the insurance industry, as well as the grudge association of non-life insurance purchases. While the competitive landscape of the sector is traditionally dominated by a few large incumbent market participants, Pineapple's digital distribution strategy is more effective at converting ‘clicks-to-clients’, at a fraction of the typical customer acquisition cost. The peer-to-peer business model also allows for superior risk-selection, greater affinity, and lower incidents of fraudulent claims. Ndabenhle and the team develop the company's customer acquisition strategy by drawing on technological trends, reputation drivers, and a concentrated social media approach that focusses on trust, access, product, and value. But, as 2020 begins, Ndabenhle faces choices about the means and methods of scaling the business operation. The case documents the first few years of Pineapple's operations, with a strong focus on business model innovation, distribution, scalability, and technological integration.

To analyse the role disruptive technologies play within sectoral business model innovation

To evaluate the industry-specific competitive business landscape and complexities of building and maintaining a sustainable competitive advantage within a niche market segment

To assess the strategic growth opportunities for an emerging market Insurtech disruptor

To critically appraise the entrepreneurial complexities faced by decision-makers when looking to challenge incumbent market leaders

The case was created through personal interviews of the proprietor, Arzan Gandhi. The authors also researched data for investment advisory business along with current events relating to Indian stock market and its performance.

The case explores the fascinating entrepreneurial journey of Arzan Gandhi, 62 years old, from a cotton mill worker to an owner of a reputed investment advisory firm, “M/s A. N. Gandhi” in Ahmedabad, India. Reflecting upon the experiences that empowered Gandhi’s success in investment advisory business, students acquire an insight of real wealth creation challenges in business. Gandhi had to set the right priorities to take his business to the next level with intensified competition in the financial advisory field.

The case is best suited for graduate and post-graduate level courses on personal finance, financial planning elective or entrepreneurship. It is useful for teaching lessons on how financial planning and strategic decisions taken, through entrepreneurial traits and opportunity recognition helps in wealth creation and taking a venture to new heights.

Strategic management.

Upper-level undergraduate courses or introductory MBA courses.

The need to diversify the financial risks of his scrap metal business based in Georgia led Levan to invest in a diamond trading company in the UAE. He agreed to be a sleeping partner and provide the capital to Kewon, a diamond specialist with a wealth of experience in the field, in their joint attempt to build an international network of diamond trade. Despite several difficulties faced on the way, their company seemed to generate stable returns for more than five years. Yet following the surprising discovery of multiple organizational inconsistencies, Levan decided to end the partnership with Kewon and establish his own retail jewelry store to be managed by the members of his family. Ultimately, he was confronted with two important decisions regarding both his jewelry business and the diamond company in which he had previously invested a significant amount of capital. The decisions he was about to make were of critical importance for the future of these companies and the people who managed them. By walking readers through a series of triggering events, this case offers the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of managerial actions through the application of various strategic management tools and frameworks.

Upon completion of this case study analysis, students should be able to: estimate the complexities associated with the management of a partnership-based venture in the context of emerging markets; perform a detailed diagnosis of an entrepreneurial venture, applying relevant strategic management tools and techniques; evaluate the effectiveness of managerial actions and decisions at different stages of the organizational lifecycle; and demonstrate the importance of the strategic adaptation of organizations through the deployment of viable decision-making skills.

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 11: Strategy.

Threadneedle Investments, a leading UK Investment management company, was engaged in strategic discussions about future growth in its retail mutual funds business. The firm's Vice Chairman, Alan Ainsworth, was leading the discussion of strategic alternatives. The following options were being considered: expanding distribution of its funds in the UK by distributing directly; expanding its presence in the UK through the independent financial advisor (IFA)network; and/or building a larger presence in Germany, where Threadneedle was already established. The case takes place in June 2000 and draws much of its rationale and immediacy from the great bull market of the 1990's and the arrival of a new millennium. Investors were looking for new investment media to capture these returns. The case is based on field research including conversations with Mr. Ainsworth and his associates, internal company documents, interviews with experts in the field and library research.

Upon completion of the case study, students should be able to understand how changes in a macro environment affect the competitive landscape in an emerging market; acquire a granular understanding about the logistics industry in an emerging market and the various business models developed to service customer needs; determine the attractiveness and challenges of doing business in a fragmented but sunrise industry in an emerging market; and identify the drivers for growth and profitability in the logistics business.

Manisha Sharaf (she/her) and her co-founders conceived the idea of Truck Hall in 2011 to ride with the tide created by booming public investments in the infrastructure and transportation sector. Truck Hall aimed to improve the efficiency of the logistics industry in India by extensively using technology. However, the market research showed that technology-driven services in logistics faced many challenges owing to low internet penetration in the country, weak network connectivity during transportation and the low literacy rates of the truck drivers who were central to this industry. Between 2015 and 2018, Truck Hall experimented with several business models including load board, brokerage and integrated transporter with the sole purpose of achieving profitable growth in a highly fragmented industry with razor-thin margins. This case documented the dilemma faced by a startup in a high-growth but largely unorganized and unregulated industry in a developing economy. Should Truck Hall continue with the current business model of being a niche player or should it vertically integrate and control major segments of the value chain? Should it compromise on growth to become profitable or first scale up?

This case study can be used at the undergraduate, graduate and executive levels.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.