Uncertainties in business environment – political exigencies versus economic realities: the saga of Zimbabwe Iron & Steel Company (ZISCO)

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Gaurav Tripathi ◽  
M. Durgamohan

Subject area The political and economic environment of business. Study level/applicability The case is suitable for students of MBA and equivalent courses; courses on the international business environment, international marketing and related subjects. Case overview The case focuses on cross border acquisitions in the sub-Saharan economy of Zimbabwe. It discusses Essar Steel's attempt to acquire a stake in Zimbabwe Iron & Steel Company (ZISCO) with long term goals. However, recent political developments have led to the situation hanging by a thread. The case attempts to provide an overview of the complex business environment in Zimbabwe. Expected learning outcomes Students are expected to highlight the economic and political factors during the analysis of any country's business environment. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available; please contact your librarian for access.

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent McKenzie

TitleMarketing of the dark: “Memento Park” in Budapest.Subject areaMarketing strategy; services marketing; tourism.Study level/applicabilityUpper year undergraduate business/management, MBA, marketing/international business.Case overviewMemento Park is a large open air museum on the outskirts of Budapest, that houses statues, and related ephemera related to the communist period in Hungary. The park opened in 1993, four years after Hungary had shaken off its yolk of communism as part of the Iron Curtain, in 1989. This case presents a classic example of a business enterprise that sprang from a concept and access to inexpensive materials directly resulting form a changing external environment. The case presents the issues involved in making Memento Park a sustainable part of the Budapest tourist experience.Expected learning outcomesThis case challenges students to decide how best to determine a sustainable advantage. Arguably the value proposition that is being offered by Memento Park has a number of identifiable benefits to the target consumer. It is not replicable (at least in Hungary), has a truly unique content, and does not have large fixed or variable costs in terms of operations. The question is how to best develop a plan of attack for such a firm?Supplementary materialsTeaching notes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Pajaree Ackaradejruangsri

Subject area Strategic and Business Management. Study level/applicability Sophomore level. Case overview This case is about unexpected incident at a Snow Festival, Plearn Park Thailand. Despite a great number of visitors, many serious concerns were raised, particularly the health and safety of people and the environmental impact of the fake snow. Mr Sun and his team tried their very best to address and solve the concerns. But no matter what actions were taken, the concerns and anxieties still remained. As the founder of Plearn Park, Sun decided to end the event. But still he could not get over it. He thought over and over, “what really went wrong with the Snow Festival?” Expected learning outcomes This case offers a rich context for examining the situation, analyzing the cause of the problem, evaluating the decision and exploring the potential problem with an aim to enhance students’ skills in problem-solving and decision-making through an actual incident in a larger environment. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 5: International Business.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Gina Vega ◽  
Nisreen Bahnan

Title – TARA Trade: a marketing challenge in Lebanon. Subject area – Family Business, Entrepreneurship, International Business and Marketing. Study level/applicability – This case is intended for an undergraduate business student audience in courses dealing with Entrepreneurship, Family Business, International Business and Marketing Case overview – TARA Trade, a Lebanese souvenir-item designer and distributor owned by two brothers, was facing hostile competition. The partners who operated the business from two different continents had to deal with multiple threats to maintain their market position in a region of the world riddled with political unrest, regulatory chaos and idiosyncratic (distinctive) socio-cultural business practices. Expected learning outcomes – Students are challenged to identify solutions to the marketing concerns and analyse the partnership issues faced by the international ownership/management of the business. Supplementary materials – Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail: [email protected] to request teaching notes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.K. Nangia ◽  
Rajat Agarawal ◽  
Vinay Sharma ◽  
K. Srinivasa Reddy

Subject area corporate policy and strategy – mergers and acquisitions. Study level/applicability Post graduation (MBA and other management degrees). It includes courses on Strategic Management, Business Environment and International Business. Case overview Markets are becoming highly connective, accessible and communicative and reaching maturity at a very high phase. Acquisition is a choice to enhance the emerging and diversified markets. This case paper presents insights on Vedanta – Cairn India cross-border acquisition deal in Indian oil and exploration industry. This case synchronizes the gap between strategic planning and outcome of actions. The study exclusively evidences the reaction of stocks of all attached parties against acquisition announcement and compares with market performance. Expected learning outcomes Strategic mapping of business negotiations, while in-organic choices, further the impact of economic, political, legal and regulatory factors on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), deliberate deal financing mechanism and leadership diplomacy. It proposes from the viewpoint of corporate in-organic alternatives and to strengthen the upcoming research field of strategy & policy. Supplementary materials Global M&A market, shareholding pattern, income statement and balance sheet of Cairn India Ltd, financial figures of Vedanta Resources, tabular data on stock and index performance, deal structure and teaching note.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Carlos Eduardo Lopez

Subject area Entrepreneurs, Strategic planning, Management, Family businesses. Study level/applicability Undergraduate and Graduate (as an introductory case study). Case overview Marisa® is a consolidated bakery in Guadalajara México, selling a wide variety of dessert products. It has achieved fast growth and has diversified with other brands, either by buying or developing them. Examples are Tía Lola® (economical cakes) and Dolce Natura® (artisanal ice creams). The company founder has maintained not only the growth and development of her brand but also the organizational values and culture. These she has transmitted to her over 400 employees. The company is currently facing expansion. Expected learning outcomes The expected learning outcomes are as follows: to distinguish the different expansion strategies; to discuss how to maintain culture and values in a firm despite time and growth; to analyze the current market and long-term objectives, as well as different competitors of the firm; and to make strategic decisions at the corporate level. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS: 3: Entrepreneurship.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
John Walsh

Subject area Entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability Undergraduate level courses on entrepreneurialism and possibly on business ethics; MBA classes at the beginning of their course of study. The case is intended to provide a way to encourage students to consider what the life of an entrepreneur is like, what qualities are needed to survive and what sacrifices are possible. Case overview This case follows the evolution of an entrepreneurial venture run by a young woman in Thailand. She reinvents herself as a social entrepreneur but faces ongoing revenue generation problems according to her business model. The case explores the interaction between commercial and social entrepreneurialism in the context of a rapidly changing business environment in a developing, middle-income country. Expected learning outcomes Students will have the opportunity to consider the extent to which they are personally cut out for the entrepreneurial life. As a secondary objective, students will be encouraged to think about their attitudes towards lifelong learning and the need to adapt to changing circumstances through their working careers. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available; please consult your librarian for access.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Roma Puri

Subject area Marketing, Innovation, Strategy, Digital Marketing and E-Business. Study level/applicability Master's level and Executive Program. Case overview MocDoc is a young Indian online health-care company that has achieved success in early years of establishment, and is looking forward to expand the customer base. The founder, Senthil Peelikkampatti, along with his friends decided to design a service that can bridge the gap between doctor and patients. However, initially, Senthil lost the trust in his idea due to the unacceptance of the idea by health-care experts. It took a little long for the team to gain visibility after launch of the service. Senthil and the team brainstormed to gain recognition online through different techniques of search engine optimization (SEO) and social media networking through Facebook Web site. MocDoc case is designed to stimulate discussion of a broad array of entrepreneurial issues related to online start-ups. In particular, it deals with strategy and marketing of service in the online arena. At the same time, it gives detailed overview of marketing techniques online as fuel to the business. The company is moving under strong leadership skills of CEO but fails to gain momentum in terms of gaining online customers. This case deals with decision-making capabilities to bring more number of registered customers in the online space. Expected learning outcomes The expected learning outcomes are as follows: to animate online business environment and challenges faced by virtual enterprises in the cyber space; to illustrate opportunity for students to speculate the start-up business environment; to illustrate opportunity to introduce cloud computing as a viable business option for the health-care industry; to develop understanding among students for designing effective marketing strategy for online business; to identify business opportunities and gaining competitive edge by offering bouquet of services; and to stimulate business environment for understanding innovation and strategy building. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Melodena Stephens Balakrishnan

Subject area Marketing, International Business, Strategy, Packaging, Promotion. Study level/applicability Graduate students. Case overview This case is recommended to master's students studying consumer behaviour, products strategy, brand activation and international business. Practitioners in the food industry, design and advertising industry may also find this case interesting. Policymakers looking at mobility of products across borders may also consider this case interesting. Expected learning outcomes This paper explains the role of packaging in brand and product strategy; describes how packaging can give a competitive advantage in the fast-moving consumer goods category; relates consumer insights to strategy using packaging to achieve market objectives like penetration, market share increase, engagement and loyalty. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjeev Prashar ◽  
Lokesh Haridoss ◽  
V. Jagadeesh Kumar ◽  
Rashmi Kumar Aggarwal

Subject area Business environment, international business management. Study level/applicability The case is suitable for students of the business environment, and of international business management. Case overview The case revolves around the reaction of the Finance Ministry of India on Vodafone's tax case and its implications on FDI and the foreign investors who are investing in India. The core issue is the political risk(s) faced by Vodafone even after having won the tax case in the Supreme Court, the highest judiciary body in India. The Government of India has amended the law to bring the tax into retrospective mode and it signifies the impact of political decisions on business organizations. Expected learning outcomes The case can aid in understanding the effects of changes in a political system and legal framework on the efficacy of business entities; and the importance of, and intricacies involved in, the formulation of political risk mitigating strategies while entering into new markets. The key learning outcomes are: understanding various types of political risks faced by multinationals; assessing the political risks involved in foreign investments; and appreciating the possible mitigating strategies to handle such risks. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available, please consult your librarian for access.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Anuj Sharma ◽  
Parul Kochher

Subject Area General Management, International Strategic Management, International Marketing and Brand Management. Study level/applicability MBA (General Management), MBA (Marketing), Management and executive development programme. Case overview The Indian Hotels Corporation limited known as the Taj Group was set up by JRD Tata in 1903. The company has undertaken a long journey since then. It is one of the most recognized hotel brands in luxury market segment of the hotel industry. Off late some micro- and macro-level changes in the business environment have not been in favor of the group. The strategy of international expansion in acquiring and refurbishing of assets has mounted the debt and the growing losses. What has compounded the growing troubles is the entry of aggressive multinational brands in the luxury segment of the hospitality industry. The group prioritizes to get its financials in order. It thereafter needs to rework on its competitive strategy and take advantage of the booming domestic hotel industry for profitable future growth. Expected learning outcomes Expected learning outcomes are as follows: to understand the impact of expansions on the top line and the bottom line on the hospitality industry; to understand the impact of expansion on brand image for the legacy brand; to understand and develop strategies for a company which make it profitable in the hotel industry; and to formulate entry and exit strategies for companies dealing in the hospitality industry. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS: 11: Strategy.


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