When it comes to mitigating the impact of climate change, time is running out for many Indigenous Peoples, whose land plays host to about 80 per cent of global biodiversity. But as Indigenous Peoples fight for climate justice, they face significant social and economic issues that intensify their climate-related problems, including limited representation, restricted education access, inadequate financial services, and conflicts stemming from unregistered ancestral lands and territories. This article proposes a new framework for sustainability that aims to bring the planet’s stakeholders together by aligning corporate social responsibility practices with climate justice requirements for Indigenous Peoples. The authors’ Regenerative Business Framework for Indigenous Peoples’ Climate Justice was developed to provide a strategic approach to achieving climate justice through a balancing of the needs of “planet, people and prosperity” within a regenerative and distributive economic model. The framework is based on an acknowledgment of the rights of Indigenous Peoples along with the value of their wisdom as champions of biodiversity stewardship. It lays the foundation for sustainable capitalism by offering a systematic approach to climate justice that empowers Indigenous populations as agents of businesses seeking the preservation of assets and resources that support a wide range of industries. In the authors’ framework, businesses strive to effectively operate through a cycle of acknowledgement, action, and accountability/transparency in their interactions with Indigenous Peoples.
Earth4All, an international collective of economic thinkers, scientists, and environmental advocates, has posited that the current dominant economic model and its focus on gross domestic product growth is destabilizing our societies and planet. Earth4All describes two possible scenarios the world is heading towards as “Too Little Too Late” and “Giant Leap.” The former depicts a world where societies continue to fail to counter economic, political, and social polarization, food and energy insecurity, climate change, and ecological collapse. The Giant Leap scenario envisions a fundamental reconfiguration of global economic, energy, power, and food systems. But why does “Too Little Too Late” behaviour continue? According to Earth4All, the prerequisite internal dimension of systemic change has been underestimated or ignored by business leaders. Earth4All proposes that leaders move away from a short-term method of dealing with challenges; see humanity as part of nature and recognize interconnectedness; and embrace the need for five turnarounds related to poverty, inequality, gender equity, the food system, and the energy system. The article concludes with various techniques to help individuals and teams develop their inner dimension, including using embodied/mindfulness techniques; redesigning meeting spaces to encourage people to move around; turning off all phones/devices during meetings; and using the UN Inner Development Goals in 360 evaluations and reward and recognition initiatives.
Zipline Ghana, established in 2019, transformed health care delivery by utilizing drone technology to serve over 1,200 health care facilities and to address the medical needs of more than 22 million Ghanaians. Its parent company, Zipline Global (Zipline), had demonstrated reverse agility by re-engineering its drones to address the evolving needs of markets in other countries. In August 2023, recognizing the increased demand in Ghana for quick and cost-effective deliveries in the face of rising fuel prices and shifting consumption patterns, Mawuli Atiemo, country manager of Zipline Ghana, was considering whether the company should diversify from its government medical supply contracts to undertake business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) contracts in the country. This expansion would likely present Zipline Ghana with new challenges, including considerations around data privacy, potential delivery disruptions, and workforce adjustments.
By March 2023, almost a year since its launch in 2022, Tata Digital Private Limited’s super-app, Tata Neu, was still struggling with low user adoption and engagement as users encountered frequent technical glitches such as tardy page load times and one-time-password errors. While the super-app had promised seamless shopping for consumers, user engagement levels had yet to touch the desired 40 per cent since the launch of the super-app. Tata Group (Tata)’s major challenge lay in differentiating Tata Neu from other super-apps currently used by consumers—especially as niche services in India reached a saturation point and competition increased—and in consolidating its ecosystem by integrating multiple services into the super-app. Tata Neu had to consider what steps and strategies could help it restore user trust, accelerate growth, gain a greater market presence, and realize better user adoption and engagement amidst its navigation of technical stability issues, varied user behaviour and preferences, and the need for hyper-localization.
In May 2024, the founder of Keepsie Kits was planning for the future of her sustainable travel products company, based in Toronto, Canada. She had launched the venture three years earlier to address the environmental impact of disposable, single-use, heavy travel products. She also wanted to educate business and leisure travellers about reducing their environmental footprint. After starting Keepsie Kits in the aftermath of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the founder had captured the interest of the business-to-consumer segment through branding and social media efforts. But as the venture developed, she realized that an unexpected and more viable business-to-business segment had emerged. The founder of Keepsie Kits had to decide whether to focus on only one or on both segments, or whether the time had come to sell her venture and exit the business altogether.
Tanishq, owned by Titan Company Limited (Titan), was one of India’s largest and most iconic jewellery brands. Founded in 1994, Tanishq had become a household name, having instilled trust by certifying the quality of its gold and offering exquisite jewellery designs catering to consumers of all economic classes. As of the end of March 2023, Titan operated 763 jewellery retail stores covering its major brands. Despite its success in India, Tanishq had faced significant challenges in its first foray into international markets. In 2008, it attempted to enter the United States by launching two retail stores; both had to be closed, due to the global financial crisis and a lack of suitable investors in its US operations. In 2023, Titan, a Tata Group company, launched Tanishq’s first brick-and-mortar store in the United States and was aggressively aspiring to expand into Gulf Cooperation Council regions such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Why did Titan, a company that had a strong jewellery brand in India with a record of fast-growing sales, want to take Tanishq and its other jewellery brands global? Did the company’s resources support international expansion? If so, had it chosen the right countries to target? What should be the mode of entry?
In June 2023, Aaron Hendrikx, owner and founder of BackRoads Brews + Shoes (BackRoads) wanted to evaluate opportunities to solve the store’s seating capacity issues. The store’s success in recent years had led to customers entering the store on busy nights with no room available for them to sit in the dining section. Aaron considered extending the store, rearranging the store’s layout, or maintaining current operations. He wanted to ensure that he would make a decision that would satisfy his existing customers and promote further growth in the future.
Infra Travel Agency (ITA), a well-established player in Europe’s travel industry, faced declining revenues and sought to diversify into the electric vehicle sector to boost revenue and lead in reducing its carbon footprint. ITA aimed for a revenue increase of 20 per cent and required route optimization software to support this new vertical. To achieve this goal, ITA required advanced route optimization software and selected Tech Consulting Ltd. (TCL) for its development. The project began in February 2023, following a final statement of work signed in March. Despite initial optimism, the project faced significant issues, including disappointing demo results and delays in reaching the minimum viable product by May 2023. By that time, only 12 per cent of the planned work had been completed, while 30 per cent of the budget had already been spent. In response to escalating concerns, TCL replaced its initial delivery manager with Frank Raju. As the year progressed, Raju faced the challenges of addressing stakeholder trust issues, managing project scope, and ensuring alignment to secure a successful outcome by the end of the fiscal year.
Vasenapoli revolutionized healthy eating with its millet-based delicacies crafted with the founder Chittem Sudheer’s mother’s expertise. Inspired by his travels and a passion for wellness, Sudheer embarked on a journey to create a sustainable and nutritious dining experience in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Vasenapoli emerged in 2016 as a beacon of innovation through meticulous recipe development and prototype testing, offering diverse millet dishes and exotic chutneys to delight customers. Despite challenges with ingredient sourcing and consistency, Sudheer’s dedication and strategic approach propelled Vasenapoli to success, carving a niche in the culinary landscape. Seven years later, a few new competitors around the city with similar offerings had cropped up, and the quest for the next strategic move was troubling Sudheer.
Zhejiang Meorient Business Exhibition Co., Ltd (Meorient) was founded in 2010 with the vision of building the world’s leading digital exhibitions company and establishing China’s first-class national exhibitions brand. This case examines Meorient brand’s internationalization platform construction and growth by embracing and harnessing digitalization. With years of experience in overseas markets and accumulated resources in various industries, Meorient has served more than 200,000 Chinese enterprises and helped Chinese manufacturers connect with the global market. Under the leadership of co-founder Fang Huansheng, Meorient established a research and development team in Hangzhou in 2018 dedicated to the integration of big-data analytics and foreign trade matchmaking systems. In 2019, Meorient Exhibition was listed on the Growth Enterprise Market board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and became the first Chinese exhibitions company to be listed. Over three years, the company continued to refine its digital services, culminating in the creation of a distinctive digital service matrix.<br><br>A business expansion avenue emerged for Meorient following the shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. With precautionary measures and travel restrictions severely limiting offline (in-person) exhibitions globally, Meorient harnessed digital infrastructure to launch a digital exhibitions platform. To facilitate business growth in the face of substantial uncertainty and establish a global competitive edge, Meorient needed to promptly devise strategies to launch and facilitate the online exhibitions platform, and had to convince exhibitors and buyers to embrace its innovative digital products.
This case focused on the scenario of income inadequacy at the Madras Crocodile Bank and Centre for Herpetology, a notable zoo in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. The zoo was run on the income it generated through visitors’ fees, corporate sponsorship, individual donors, and grants. It was under pressure to increase its revenue, reduce the surplus of reptiles, and maintain the climatic conditions inside the premises. The solution potentially lay in aligning its economic, social, and environmental challenges; that is, in achieving triple bottom-line excellence to save the people, the planet, and the profit.
The Women's Premier League (WPL) final was contested on March 25, 2023, the atmosphere at the crowded Brabourne Stadium mirrored the phrase for which the competition became famous: "Ye Toh Bas Shuruat Hai" (This is just the start). Fans filled stadiums throughout the event to support the best female cricket players in the world. But the event's organizers did not give themselves the best opportunity to enable the franchises to connect with local fan bases. What more measures could the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) undertake to increase attendance at WPL games? How could they market and position the WPL more effectively among viewers? How should they analyze the values created by the WPL for the viewers?
In March 2023, Havells India Ltd., founded by Haveli Ram Gandhi and later acquired by Qimat Rai Gupta, reported a significant increase in turnover to $2.06 billion from a low of $1.14 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Despite its success and growth investments, questions arose about Havells' strategic direction. While traditionally known for its electrical products as a B2B enterprise, Havells made inroads into the brown goods market, notably with the struggling Lloyd business post-acquisition in 2017. CEO Anil Rai Gupta faced challenges in adapting Havells' strategies to the competitive B2C market and evaluating the retention of the Lloyd brand's identity. Looking ahead, how will Havells navigate these strategic dilemmas to sustain its growth momentum and market relevance effectively?
CenturyPly India Limited (CPIL), a large wood panel products company with a supply network spread across India, had four main product lines, including laminates. In April 2020, the company’s laminates range was a growth focus for management on account of its profitability and expected growth. Despite the availability of capacity, good demand, a range of designs, and inventory at the distribution centres, CPIL’s order fill rates were less than satisfactory. The management team decided to look at its supply chain and identify solutions that could help. Based on the available data on sales, inventory, and lost sales, the management team needed to identify crucial insights that would help them take the best decisions. One important question was, How could the company adjust its current make-to-order supply chain to ensure it could meet order demands in a timely fashion and avoid losing potential sales?
In March 2023, the Adani Group experienced a sharp decline in market value, losing over $150 billion. This downturn followed allegations from US short-seller Hindenburg Research, which accused Gautam Adani of inflating his net worth to $120 billion over three years, mainly through a dramatic rise in the stock prices of the group's key companies. The Adani Group disputed these stock manipulation allegations, citing a misunderstanding of Indian laws, highlighting also their consistent debt reduction over the past decade. The challenge for the Adani Group now lies in regaining stakeholder confidence and managing the crisis, which may include re-evaluating its corporate governance practices and revising its communication strategy to restore its image.
Street Business School (SBS) employed an innovative social-franchise model aimed at providing entrepreneurship training to one million impoverished women worldwide. Originating as BeadforLife, a non-profit organization that connected women in Uganda who produced recycled paper jewellery with international markets, SBS developed a tailored entrepreneurship program while working with small groups of bead producers. With aspirations to expand globally and impact more women, SBS adopted a social franchising model and certified other organizations to implement its valuable approach and curriculum. However, generating earned income proved challenging, and SBS relied heavily on funds raised from individuals and philanthropic organizations. In addition, the organization faced the dilemma of balancing its focus on scalability and global expansion with the depth of impact it aimed to achieve. In January 2023, the chief executive officer (CEO) wondered what she should recommend to the board as the most appropriate business model for scaling SBS’s impact.
On November 9, 2020, Chhavi Jain wanted to participate in a contest created by her college friend Vikas Jack on the Dream11 mobile application. The contest was for the final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 between the Delhi Capitals and the Mumbai Indians scheduled for November 10. In the contest, each user must create a team of 11 players. A user’s performance was evaluated based on their team’s performance in the live match. Jain faced the dilemma of selecting the 11 players for her team on Dream11. The number of credits for each player was different, depending on their past performance, and the total credit sum of all players had to be less than 100 credits. She did not know the players and their past performances in the IPL. Which players should she select in her team to increase her chances of winning the contest?