A dilemma of terracotta professional – the case of implementing information systems in a terracotta unit

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Sanjay Mohapatra ◽  
Amit Nayak ◽  
Ankita Bhangadiya ◽  
Ipshit Bagchi ◽  
Pradeep Kumar Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
System Development ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Product Portfolio ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Small Unit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Traditional Art ◽  
Art Form

Subject area The case concerns strategy. Study level/applicability This study is applicable to information system, development sector and application of technology in development sector. Case overview Krutika Terracotta Unit is a small unit located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha (India), owned by Mr Tarun Tapan Sahoo. The organization product portfolio varies from decorative statues, pots and vessel to customized products demanded by customers. Organization is also involved in training and renting the products for traditional fairs, marriages and religious ceremony in Bhubaneswar along with order sales. The case attempts to get a close picture of the industry. The exercise of developing the vision, mission, and goals for the organization was carried out and an attempt was made to align the information system with the business objectives even though the organization does not have a very structured organogram. Using BIS will surely reduce manual work and will give qualitative output. There will be lesser hassles in management. The defined and integrated approach will also help in taking strategic decisions well. The objective is to develop and apply well-structured BIS which can be integrated with the existing system so as to develop the terracotta organization in terms of reachability and profit-making with better decision-making capacity. Expected learning outcomes To learn about the business model of a handicraft marketing organization; to learn about the processes involved in traditional art form of Terracotta; to go through the exercise of creating vision, mission, goals of the organization through mutual discussion and expectation of owner; to determine how BIS helps in achieving higher productivity in Krutika Terracotta Unit; and to get an idea about how NPV calculation and social ROI should be measured for finding feasibility of technology investment. 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. Defence statement has been uploaded. Consent form to publish has been uploaded.

SEWA-competing in the Chikankari market

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Jagriti Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Brand Names ◽  
Market Forces ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Basic Module ◽  
Traditional Art ◽  
Art Form ◽  
Substitute Products ◽  
Management Students

Subject area This case is about SEWA – the Chikankari concept of Runa Banerjee, which started with the objectives of skill development, training and improving the livelihood conditions of Chikankari artisans by encouraging self-sustenance through employment opportunities and entrepreneurial ventures. In recent years, SEWA has been working for export and domestic orders and has been retailing through exhibitions and its only outlet in Hazratganj, Lucknow. The company over the years due to its social initiatives and good quality Chikankari work has become a known brand name but is also facing stiff competition from the organized market, various other retailers and substitute products. The case discusses the competitive and the market forces with respect to the brand. Study level/applicability The case has been designed for the students of business administration who have completed their basic module on marketing. The students need to have understood the concept of marketing mix, competition, segmentation, targeting and the basics of marketing strategy to ensure effective learning. Case overview The case discusses the competitive and market analysis for Lucknow-based firm SEWA in focus. SEWA started as a firm indulged in social upliftment of Chikankari workers which was achieved through trainings in skill upgradation, design and technical development, entrepreneurship development and linkages for social security. The various types of competition, such as direct competition from local retailers, secondary competition from unorganized markets of Chauk and Nazirabad and indirect competition from substitute products, have been studied and analysed. The problem of similar brand names adopted by various Chikankari retailers selling similar products has been highlighted as a major threat in the case. SEWA has adopted the strategy of product innovation to attain competitive advantage. SEWA has developed various traditional and contemporary designs which have fared well in the market. Expected learning outcomes Familiarizing management students with the concept of competitive analysis with the case of SEWA, Lucknow., and acquainting students with the basic understanding of market forces and competition with a firm supporting a traditional art form in focus, are the expected learning outcomes. 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 8: Marketing.

Balqis restaurant: how to move on?

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Farzana Quoquab ◽  
Shazwani Binti Ahmad ◽  
Wan Nurul Syazwani Binti Wan Danial ◽  
Jihad Mohammad
Keyword(s):  
Subject Area ◽  
Marketing Mix ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Gradual Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
To Come ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Cost

Subject area This case can be used in marketing management as well as consumer behaviour courses. Study level/applicability This case is suitable to use in advanced undergraduate levels, MBA and MSc in marketing courses that cover topics related to market segmentation and marketing mix strategies. Case overview This case highlights the dilemma of an entrepreneur and a manager of a restaurant who were to take a decision about the sustainability of their restaurant business. Balqis Restaurant was owned by Danny who was a retiree from Telekom Malaysia. He wanted to open a restaurant business after he came back from his long holiday trip. He conducted market research to find a suitable place to open his Arabic restaurant. He assigned Waleed Masood Abdullah as the manager of Balqis Restaurant. Finally, in June 2010, he opened his long awaited restaurant at Gombak, Kuala Lumpur. The restaurant was known as Qasar before the name was changed to Balqis in 2015 because of copyright issues related to Saba’ restaurant at Cyberjaya. The restaurant was well managed under Danny’s supervision for 4 years and successfully won customers’ hearts and loyalty before he decided to give full responsibility to Waleed in March 2014. Danny trusted Waleed because he taught and trained him. However, under Waleed’s management, Balqis started to lose its customers. Waleed also started to branch out the restaurant to different places in different states; one in Ipoh, and the other in Perak. He invested much money on renovation for all three branches, but one of the restaurants closed down in September 2014. This is because of the fact that they could no longer bear the cost of operations for the restaurant. However, he failed to learn from the mistake; they set up another restaurant, which was in Kuantan, in the same month. The sales were not that encouraging but it did show gradual improvement; yet, they once again sold it to another Arab businessman. Waleed realized his failure in managing the restaurant business in August 2015. He again opted to open another new branch which was questioned by Danny. He was in a rush to open it by the end of December 2015 to ensure that the additional profits from the current restaurants could cover the variables costs if the new restaurants were launched. Based on that, the owner had to make a decision about whether a new branch should be opened or whether they should just retain their restaurant in Gombak. Expected learning outcomes The learning objectives of using this case are as follows. 1. Knowledge enhancement: to help students in understanding the problems faced by a restaurant in expanding its market; to make students aware that a properly blended marketing mix is the key to business success and to broaden students’ views and understanding in targeting the proper market segment in formulating an effective marketing strategy. 2. Skills building: to be able to identify the best marketing strategic decisions to manage the restaurant business for its survival and to develop students’ ability to analyse the existing situation to come up with a viable and effective solution. 3. Attitudinal: to help the students to have intellectual openness in accepting different ways of finding solutions for a particular problem and to assist students in making the right move at the right time. 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 8: Marketing.

Blending Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with an Accounting System

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Khaled Dahawy ◽  
Khaled Samaha
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
System Development ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
System Implementation ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Accounting Systems ◽  
Accounting Information System ◽  
Top Management Commitment

Improving our understanding of the accounting information system development in a specific Egyptian context, this case aims to investigate the development of a redesigned automated accounting system in a privately owned Egyptian company that was planning material changes in its accounting systems and organizational structure through integrating ICT systems. In other words, this case attempts to explore the company’s strategic decisions regarding computerized accounting information system implementation choices, problems met during the implementation process, and the actions taken to takeover these problems to gain the potential accounting system redesign benefits. Tracking the automated accounting system redesign highlights some implementation success key factors and emphasizes that obtaining top management commitment to the process of an automated accounting system implementation is a prerequisite for success.

Halonix Limited – the product portfolio dilemma

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Sandeep Goyal ◽  
Amit Kapoor
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Product Portfolio ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
Product Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Global Brand

Subject area Strategy, strategic management, market and product analysis. Study level/applicability The case is intended for a business strategy course in management. The target participants are MBA students specializing in strategy area as well as middle level and senior level managers from the industry, who come for an executive programme in management science. Case overview Year 2009, Mr Pawan Kumar (General Manager, Halonix Limited) was facing a decision-making situation in the organization. Being one of the most experienced and oldest employees of Halonix (incorporated as Phoenix Lamps Ltd in 1991), he had witnessed the tremendous growth of the company since its inception in 1991. The company was having a global brand image in automotive halogen lamps and became a dominant player in compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) market in India by 2007. With the increasing competition and change in market dynamics, the company needed to decide upon the future product portfolio mix and strategy to be adopted to gain the maximum benefit and win over the competition in both the product segments. The automotive halogen product segment was generating higher margins but having relatively slow growth. The CFL product segment was a growing market but was generating low margins due to increasing competition from entry of large number of players. Expected learning outcomes The theoretical concepts, which will be explored in this case, involve the following: the importance of industry structure analysis in understanding the basis of competition. The importance of value-chain analysis in strategic planning. The importance of Boston Consulting Group growth-share matrix in evaluating the product portfolio mix having different growth drivers and target segments? Supplementary materials Teaching notes.

Al Ain Dairy: managing demand and supply

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Melodena Stephens Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Strategy ◽  
Inventory Management ◽  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Product Portfolio ◽  
Demand And Supply ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Expansion ◽  
Al Ain

TitleAl Ain Dairy: managing demand and supply.Subject areaMarketing strategy, retail/sales management and logistics.Study level/applicabilityUndergraduate and postgraduate.Case overviewAl Ain Dairy works is in one of the most highly competitive industries in the world – the food industry. In the dairy business, choice, freshness, safety standards, inventory management, supply chain and marketing are key to sustainability. Al Ain Diary explains some key challenges in this industry for managing and planning sales. This case builds on a previous case and can be used to teach marketing strategy, retail management and logistics. The case also gives an idea on the food industry especially the dairy market and some of the challenges associated with it.Expected learning outcomesStudents can try forecasting and planning sales based on seasonal trends. Since the process complexity increases as the number of stock keeping units increase, the case provides a rich context of a company where inventory management is a key to success. Product portfolio management is another subject area of focus in this case. For market expansion, students can look at current organizational and market constraints, organizational competencies (and their transferability), and market synergies and similarities to recommend strategy.Supplementary materialsTeaching notes.

Clinical Assessment of Risk Management: an INtegrated Approach (CARMINA)

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 744-758
Author(s):  
Pierfrancesco Tricarico ◽  
Stefano Tardivo ◽  
Giovanni Sotgiu ◽  
Francesca Moretti ◽  
Piera Poletti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
System Development ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The European Union recommendations for patient safety calls for shared clinical risk management (CRM) safety standards able to guide organizations in CRM implementation. The purpose of this paper is to develop a self-evaluation tool to measure healthcare organization performance on CRM and guide improvements over time. Design/methodology/approach – A multi-step approach was implemented including: a systematic literature review; consensus meetings with an expert panel from eight Italian leader organizations to get to an agreement on the first version; field testing to test instrument feasibility and flexibility; Delphi strategy with a second expert panel for content validation and balanced scoring system development. Findings – The self-assessment tool – Clinical Assessment of Risk Management: an INtegrated Approach includes seven areas (governance, communication, knowledge and skills, safe environment, care processes, adverse event management, learning from experience) and 52 standards. Each standard is evaluated according to four performance levels: minimum; monitoring; outcomes; and improvement actions, which resulted in a feasible, flexible and valid instrument to be used throughout different organizations. Practical implications – This tool allows practitioners to assess their CRM activities compared to minimum levels, monitor performance, benchmarking with other institutions and spreading results to different stakeholders. Originality/value – The multi-step approach allowed us to identify core minimum CRM levels in a field where no consensus has been reached. Most standards may be easily adopted in other countries.

Research study from industry-university collaboration on “No Fault Found” events

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Khan
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Maintenance Management ◽  
Problem Solver ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the successes and barriers from an industry-university partnership on studying the impact of No Fault Found (NFF) events. As a consequence, various opportunities are explored to engage with industry to investigate the problem. A comprehensive training is also outlined to ensure that experience and troubleshooting techniques can be disseminated as guidelines across businesses. Design/methodology/approach – The study was performed by Cranfield University in collaboration with industrial partners on identifying the impact of the NFF problem within engineering services. This includes discussions with maintenance engineers, outcomes from a symposium organised specifically on NFF and the authors’ own experiences with the issue. Findings – The paper discusses the continuing serious problem with NFF events found at various maintenance echelons, and suggests a need for formal postgraduate training to be taught within the field of maintenance management. This includes not just technical issues, but also encompassing organisational structures, cultures and behaviours. Since focusing only on one issue at a time does not suffice in dealing with the NFF problem, an integrated approach is required for modern maintenance services and operations. Research limitations/implications – Higher education learning outcomes have been outlined for competent engineering personnel, to broaden their understanding on the subject area. This is based on discussions with industrial collaborators and recently published material. Practical implications – This paper emphasises the importance of the breath of interaction channels and demonstrates the opportunities for effective knowledge exchange by using the activities at Cranfield University to demonstrate their usefulness. The arguments clearly lead to the necessity of academia in this type of industrial problem. However, the presence of a university in this case is not as the sole problem solver, but the rather to act as a collaborative medium between various other outlets. Further ideas proposed, such as constructing guidelines for industries in handling NFF problems and benchmarking tools, can serve as real products that can be benefit industries. The study also aims to promote best practice in the field of maintenance management and outlines the foundations for NFF training material. Originality/value – The originality of the paper is that it presents a structured methodology for engaging with industry. It also outlines a curriculum for NFF training. It essentially serves as a road-map for research and offers a detailed account of areas that need to be taken into account in order to reduce the likely event of NFF.

New Wella Salon: a journey towards popularizing the services (B)

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Muhammad Muzamil Sattar ◽  
Nabeel Nisar Pathan ◽  
Ali Raza
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Great Success ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Marketing ◽  
The Future ◽  
Recent Developments

Subject area Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Marketing and Services Marketing. Study level/applicability The New Wella Salon case (B) is suitable for teaching at MBA level and last-year students of undergraduate-level courses in services marketing and entrepreneurship. Case overview This case discusses the challenges faced by a young entrepreneur Mr Meer, who has successfully brought a new trend in the salon industry of Sukkur City. The new trend focuses on trendier and sophisticated services keeping in mind the changing mindset of consumer and services provided by leading salons of Pakistan. Though, the new salon has proved to be a great success. But recent developments have badly shaken the well-established brand. The most challenging issue was the loss of customers to competition, showing a negative sign for the future of this leading brand of local salon industry. He was confused and upset about the future of the leading salon brand of the local industry. He knew that he has to make some strategic decisions to secure his career and family business but appeared to be confused about how to operationalize these. He soon realized that word-of-mouth publicity and running a Facebook page would not be enough to promote his business effectively; so, he has to explore some new ways to promote his unique and nascent service other than advertising. But what should those be? To capture the growing demand of trendy services and scattered populations as a result of growing competition from similar salons, Meer has chalked down two different options: open another salon at a promising avenue and/or offer more services. Expected learning outcomes To identify and differentiate between traits of an entrepreneur and traditional businessman. To discuss how services companies can create and sustain competitive advantage. To understand the various strategic aspects of the small businesses that lever their decision-making. To work out strategic choices available to a new entrepreneurial firm, evaluate the alternatives and devise strategies for successful expansion of the business. To assess the usefulness of traditional and non-traditional marketing channels for promoting a small business. 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 8: Marketing.

Analytics Pros: taking digital to the next level

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Leleux ◽  
Charlotte Whitmore ◽  
Natalia Ligai ◽  
Theofanis Manolikas
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Firm Strategy ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Female Leader ◽  
Male Dominated ◽  
The Impact

Study level/applicability The case provides a great illustration of women leadership in crisis times. A failed merger forced a deep review of the firm strategy and a realization that the legacy leadership arrangement was not optimal anymore. The hustand-and-wife team ended up swapping executive positions, with Charlotte resolutely taking on the CEO position. Subject area The case is designed as an integrative case looking simultaneously at key subjects such as leadership, entrepreneurship and management of a fast growing service firm, strategy as applied to IT consulting and finally gender studies, with the possibility to discuss the impact of gender roles. Case overview The case investigates Charlotte's efforts at building an original Search Engine Optimization firm in Seattle, progressively taking control from her husband to save the firm from bad strategic decisions. Expected learning outcomes The case is written to convey the emotional rollercoaster lived by Charlotte and key decisions she had to make as the leader of this fast growing data analytics firm. Learning outcomes focus on what is expected of a leader in such situation, in particular a female leader in a male-dominated technology 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. Social Implications Consulting in general, and data analytics consulting in particular, are male-dominated worlds where a female leader faces many obstacles to realize their potential. Charlotte provides a masterful example of how to contribute to and lead a fast-growing firm and manage the family and the relationship to a partner who also happens to be the co-founder of the firm. Subject code CCS 3: Entrepreneurship

Efficacy of functional user impact on information system development

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 902-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin James He ◽  
Myron Sheu
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Success Rate ◽  
Corporate Culture ◽  
System Development ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Information System Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
User Expectations ◽  
Late Stages

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the success rate of information system development by means of an empirical research with a focus on how various user factors. The authors examined user reactions, interactions and participation during the early, middle and late stages of an ISD project to analyze the effect of user involvement. Once the data were collected, they analyzed the effectiveness of each kind of user involvement by tying the user involvement to the final result of the corresponding project. Design/methodology/approach – This empirical research is to study 35 information system development projects, whose sample size is determined to maintain statistical confidence as well as the intensity of each interview. Findings – The authors have obtained some interesting findings as follows: user involvement itself does not improve the chance of success for an IS project; user expectations could profoundly impact the success rate of IS projects – clear user expectations in early stages significantly improve the chance of success and user expectations in late stages through user involvement do not obviously improve the chance of success; user attitude toward an IS project is much more important than user involvement; user attitude is largely influenced by effective communications from the management; corporate training and labor practices do not have significant impact on project success rate, nor does user competency; the success rate of IS projects is more relevant to decision-making approaches than to individual project management – a bottom-up approach, a transparent decision-making protocol, a positive attitude toward new ideas, a supportive corporate culture, etc.; and finally, the overall corporate culture is the single most important critical success factor for an ISD, including the overall performance of the company and the top-level management support. Research limitations/implications – Through an empirical study, this research has examined user factors of ISD in general and analyzed the efficacy of user involvement in different stages of ISD in particular. While other research results emphasize more on user involvement, the findings from this research reveal indicate that user involvement does not always effectively benefit ISD, but their involvement in the early stages of the ISD does. Furthermore, our findings indicate that effective user involvement can be achieved through psychological involvement via adequate communications rather than through participatory involvement. Practical implications – The managerial implications entailed to this research should help refocus our attention on project management and could result in more effective improvement on the success rate of an ISD. Originality/value – Through an empirical study, this research has examined user factors of ISD in general and analyzed the efficacy of user involvement in different stages of ISD in particular. While other research results emphasize more on user involvement, the findings from this research reveal indicate that user involvement does not always effectively benefit ISD, but their involvement in the early stages of the ISD does. Furthermore, our findings indicate that effective user involvement can be achieved through psychological involvement via adequate communications rather than through participatory involvement.

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