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1 – 10 of 40Stephen J.J. McGuire, Ellen A. Drost, K. Kern Kwong, David Linnevers, Ryan Tash and Oxana Lavrova
A family business founded by Chinese immigrants grew into a $133 million toy and costume maker by exploiting seasonal niche segments in the highly competitive, global toy…
Abstract
A family business founded by Chinese immigrants grew into a $133 million toy and costume maker by exploiting seasonal niche segments in the highly competitive, global toy industry. Sales of traditional toys stagnated when replaced by game consoles and electronic toys. Unable to compete in high tech toys, MegaToys moved instead toward seasonal products. In 2007, brothers Peter and Charlie Woo were about to pitch what they hoped would be $63 million in Easter basket sales to Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart took the full order, it would come to represent over half of MegaToys' revenue.
The company was faced with the dilemma of how to grow, and at what pace. Charlie Woo knew that MegaToys could continue to grow as long as it was able to satisfy Wal-Mart's demands. Peter Woo wondered if this was the smartest way to grow the business. “Growth is a good thing as long as you don't sell your shirt to get it,” he noted. Should MegaToys continue to increase its sales to Wal-Mart, or would dependence on Wal-Mart eventually threaten the firm's success? Were there other, untapped opportunities for MegaToys that were well aligned with its strengths, resources, and capabilities?
Sanam Sunnatullayevna Mirzaliyeva, Kamalika Chakraborty, Samir Biswas, Dina Berikkyzy and Dina Tleubek
After the case discussion in class, the audience is expected to:▪ Apply the use of management tools in identifying core competencies in the sustenance and growth of a…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
After the case discussion in class, the audience is expected to:▪ Apply the use of management tools in identifying core competencies in the sustenance and growth of a venture.▪ Evaluate the sustainability of the core competencies using relevant tools and frameworks.▪ Assess using relevant criteria whether firms should diversify or not?
Case overview/synopsis
The case highlights the experience and obstacles encountered by a Kazakh entrepreneur, Moldakhmetova, who is exploring her long-term business continuity choices. Moldakhmetova ran her own tailoring business, which focused mostly on designing and creating national costumes worn at weddings and concerts. However, she was confronted with a number of obstacles pertaining to the long-term viability of her enterprise, especially with the commencement of the Covid pandemic. The volume of national costume sales was affected by the declaration of the lockdown and restrictions on concerts and celebrations. As the lockdown lifted and orders started to pour in, Moldakhmetova pondered the long-term viability of her business venture. In addition, the availability of inexpensive ready-made Moldakhemetova costumes in Almaty (one of the major cities) made her question whether or not they were her competitors. Thus, Atlas contemplated many choices as potential answers to the question of the enterprise's long-term viability. She was currently faced with the dilemma of selecting the most feasible solution from the possibilities she had identified.
Complexity academic level
BBA and MBA programs.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Students are recommended to watch the video about the Kazakh folk style of clothing at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddVzrUeSn64 (25 minutes). Students can watch the following video about specific embroidery styles applied in Kazakh national clothing at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB0XJE09N9w (first 10 minutes of video). The case could be used in online teaching via the Padlet platform.
Subject Code
CSS: 11: Strategy.
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Saral Mukherjee, Abhishek and Soundarya Balasubramani
Neons Fashion LLP was an entrepreneurial venture of Arthi Ramalingam after completion of her MBA. Arthi had an interest in jewellery since childhood and she decided to focus on…
Abstract
Neons Fashion LLP was an entrepreneurial venture of Arthi Ramalingam after completion of her MBA. Arthi had an interest in jewellery since childhood and she decided to focus on design, manufacturing and retailing of fashion and costume jewellery items under the brand name of Eternz through different sales channels like exhibitions, retail stores, own website and as an independent seller on e-commerce marketplaces. She initially started selling on Amazon marketplace through a third party, Cloudtail India Pvt. Ltd., and later sold through other e-commerce marketplace operators like Flipkart, Jabong and FirstCry. As her business grew, Arthi planned to add the kids' shoes category and also decided to participate in Bangalore Fashion Week to build the Eternz brand. However, in November 2016, Cloudtail terminated her contract which played havoc with the sales and profitability of her start-up. Neons Fashion LLP (A) provides details of how independent sellers are at the mercy of marketplace operators and ends with the need to review the choices of sales channels for different categories like fashion garments and fashion accessories, and for the upcoming launch of kids' shoes. Neons Fashion LLP (B) describes the events after the Bangalore Fashion Week that ultimately led to closure of business.
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The central issue in the case is opportunity identification and decision making. While the literature on direct selling is limited, much has been written about ideation…
Abstract
Theoretical basis
The central issue in the case is opportunity identification and decision making. While the literature on direct selling is limited, much has been written about ideation, effectuation, causality and opportunity identification and assessment. Scholars of entrepreneurship debate whether entrepreneurial opportunities are identified and assessed primarily through effectuation or causation.
Research methodology
This case is based upon a combination of interviews with the protagonist, her staff and secondary research.
Case overview/synopsis
This case explores the opportunity identification, assessment and decision making of an energetic, African American, female founder and CEO in the rarely-researched direct selling channel. Dr Traci Lynn Burton founded her company at 24 with an investment of $200. In 2008, in its second incarnation, Traci Lynn Jewelry became a direct selling company and has taken bold steps. By 2018, the company was a direct selling leader and was preparing to launch a new product line. The case supports undergraduate students in understanding effectuation and causation, opportunity identification and assessment, and direct selling.
Complexity academic level
This case is primarily for upper division undergraduates. It is suitable for courses in entrepreneurial strategy, entrepreneurial marketing, general entrepreneurship emphasizing opportunity identification, opportunity assessment and/or effectuation.
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Saral Mukherjee, Abhishek and Soundarya Balasubramani
Neons Fashion LLP was an entrepreneurial venture of Arthi Ramalingam after completion of her MBA. Arthi had an interest in jewellery since childhood and she decided to focus on…
Abstract
Neons Fashion LLP was an entrepreneurial venture of Arthi Ramalingam after completion of her MBA. Arthi had an interest in jewellery since childhood and she decided to focus on design, manufacturing and retailing of fashion and costume jewellery items under the brand name of Eternz through different sales channels like exhibitions, retail stores, own website and as an independent seller on e-commerce marketplaces. She initially started selling on Amazon marketplace through a third party, Cloudtail India Pvt. Ltd., and later sold through other e-commerce marketplace operators like Flipkart, Jabong and FirstCry. As her business grew, Arthi planned to add the kids' shoes category and also decided to participate in Bangalore Fashion Week to build the Eternz brand. However, in November 2016, Cloudtail terminated her contract which played havoc with the sales and profitability of her start-up. Neons Fashion LLP (A) provides details of how independent sellers are at the mercy of marketplace operators and ends with the need to review the choices of sales channels for different categories like fashion garments and fashion accessories, and for the upcoming launch of kids' shoes. Neons Fashion LLP (B) describes the events after the Bangalore Fashion Week that ultimately led to closure of business.
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Kallol Das, Monali Chatterjee and U.T. Rao
Principles of Management, in particular, the topics of planning, organizing, leading, controlling, human resource management, and operations management.
Abstract
Subject area
Principles of Management, in particular, the topics of planning, organizing, leading, controlling, human resource management, and operations management.
Study level/applicability
The case will be helpful to undergraduate and graduate business school students for learning the subject, Principles of Management.
Case overview
Vikas Jha, the newly appointed executive producer and CEO of Magic Films, is a troubled man today. At 29, he is also an unusually tired man to lead this social enterprise presently focussing on producing and distributing short films that carry a strong social message. A whole set of problems is plaguing this start up leaving Vikas totally clueless about the future course of action! The case dwells on the challenges of a film production start-up and provides an opportunity for readers to explore creative solutions to management problems.
Expected learning outcomes
Critical thinking, creative thinking, communication skills and leadership ability are some of the liberal arts outcomes that the case study attempts to deliver. In addition, it enables students to apply their knowledge and understanding of key principles of management in solving the case problems. Thus, the case also provides transfer ability as an important learning outcome.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes. Additional material with respect to film production can be helpful to the students in appreciating the finer aspects of this case, which deals with filmmaking. In this direction, helpful links to useful resources are mentioned in the case study.
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Sanjeev Tripathi and Rahul Agrawal
‘Fashion Destination’ was a prominent one-stop shop of clothing retail in Ahmedabad which has faced business slowdown in the last 5 years. Vishal, who had recently taken over the…
Abstract
‘Fashion Destination’ was a prominent one-stop shop of clothing retail in Ahmedabad which has faced business slowdown in the last 5 years. Vishal, who had recently taken over the management wondered, would renting of premium clothing be a good business model to get back to the business. While pondering over the issue Vishal did some secondary research had found that the Indian retail industry is growing at a fast rate and that the online rental service is an upcoming trend in Indian market. Vishal hired an external market research agency ‘Wright & Company’, before changing the business model, to clarify certain doubts regarding renting clothes as a social stigma, willingness of people to rent clothes, requirement of physical store, about target consumers and product assortment.
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Lynn A. Isabella and Gerry Yemen
“What kind of culture does Walt Disney Company (WDC) want to create? This case uses the experiences of a young visitor to one of WDC's resort hotels to set the stage for an…
Abstract
“What kind of culture does Walt Disney Company (WDC) want to create? This case uses the experiences of a young visitor to one of WDC's resort hotels to set the stage for an analysis of selecting, hiring, training, and retaining and how those practices are governed by the culture of a large American company. The situation provides an opportunity to explore human resource policies, organizational design as well as how all those elements reinforce the culture.
The case opens with an interaction between a young Animal Kingdom Lodge guest and an employee (or cast member as the company refers to employees). There were many different ways the exchange could have unfolded yet the experience was magical for the youngster. What made this exchange a memorable experience for this young guest? Would Walt Disney have been surprised?”
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Marcia Lorena Rodríguez-Aldana
The student will examine from a systemic perspective qualitative information from a company to propose improvements to its business model.
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The student will examine from a systemic perspective qualitative information from a company to propose improvements to its business model.
Case overview/synopsis
After working for more than 10 years with a global company, in January 2006 the Guadalajara-based jewelry SME, Divine Jewelry Co. (DJC), was facing liquidity problems, overstock and a debt from a bank loan, among others. The planned expansion of DJC, a family business founded in 1980, had resulted in just the opposite. Daniel, the owner and CEO of DJC, was determined to reverse the company's precarious situation as soon as possible. Some of the questions he asked himself centered on what actions he should take to pay off liabilities and try to survive in the industry his business had held a place in for 25 years. Daniel wondered whether, to pay off debts and have sufficient liquidity to have working capital and move forward, it would be enough to make efforts to recover those clients they had stopped serving, along with getting new ones. In addition, he thought it was necessary to formulate a plan to use the remaining proceeds from the sale of the property if they had to dispose of it. The case is about analyzing the strategic management of a company, specifically its business model, considering the context of its industry. The case also illustrates the problems that arise from focusing on serving a single client.
Complexity academic level
The case “Divine Jewelry Co: From Expansion to Survival” has been designed to be used by university students in initial management or strategic management courses on the following topics: Business modelsPorter's Five Forces ModelFormulation of strategies
Supplementary Material
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS11: Strategy.
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Juliana Binhote, Valéria Moreira de Pinho, Júlia Gouveia de Melo do Rego Monteiro and Victor M. C. Almeida
Appendixes for the case study, teaching notes with figures and suggested chart plan schema.
Abstract
Supplementary materials
Appendixes for the case study, teaching notes with figures and suggested chart plan schema.
Learning outcomes
Students are expected to learn the use of networks for market growth; types of network connections; and ways to achieve international expansion through networks’ relations.
Case overview/synopsis
This teaching case describes the internationalization of an emerging country artist, the Brazilian singer Anitta, who seeks to expand her audience in foreign markets, while dealing with maintaining the public in her home country.
Complexity academic level
Recommended to International Business disciplines in specialization courses.
Subject code
CSS 5: International Business.
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