The case series titled "Indian Railways - Powering Through to Excellence (A) & (B)" are highly intricate and complex primary data pricing cases involving a public-private partnership (PPP) undertaking by the Indian government, specifically the Indian Railways (IR). The seed of the idea lived through multiple governments and IR administrations before becoming a reality. The pricing and plant development decision took seven years to execute. While the case can be viewed broadly as a study of a PPP project in India, the significant aspect of the project is that it was initiated primarily with price considerations in mind. The IR had been facing rising engine costs for its locomotives, poor asset utilization rates, exorbitant costs for replacement parts and underperformance in asset service and repair. The technology platform of its current fleet of 6,000 HP locomotives and spare components was nearly 20 years old.
In January 2015, the founder and chairman of Sunyuki Agricultural Co., Ltd. (Sunyuki), was considering a major change to his company. Founded in 2010, Sunyuki was one of the first online fresh-food retailers in southwest China, providing safe, fresh, organic foods to high-end consumers who had a strong preference for high dietary quality. Since its launch, Sunyuki had achieved soaring average annual growth rates of almost 100 per cent. However, it was becoming difficult to attract new customers through online channels alone. Therefore, the founder was considering the option of opening physical stores as an off-line channel to complement the company's successful online sales and distribution channel. Because of rapid growth in the fresh-food industry and intensifying competition, the founder needed to carefully consider the company’s next steps. If Sunyuki opted to expand off-line, how should it proceed? Specifically, how should the company manage a new online and offline strategy in an omnichannel sales and distribution environment?
In September 2018, WaterEquity, a US-based investment vehicle for both financial and social returns, had to raise US$50 million in total funding capital. The sales team had to propose sales pitches for alternative investments for three types of investors. From a financial perspective, the investment was essentially a risk-free asset with an annual return of 3.5 per cent. However, this investment could also positively affect four developing countries—India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia—by providing clean water solutions for billions of people. Through the lending facilities of the local microfinance institutions of these four countries, WaterEquity could offer support to the poor and empower more women, generating both financial and social returns. Different groups of investors might be attracted by different levels of these social returns as well as the financial returns. The sales team planned to use a simple extension of the standard Markowitz portfolio theory framework to incorporate social returns and account for two distinct types of returns, customizing the sales pitches for each of three groups of investors.
In January 2015, the founder and chairman of Sunyuki Agricultural Co., Ltd. (Sunyuki), was considering a major change to his company. Founded in 2010, Sunyuki was one of the first online fresh-food retailers in southwest China, providing safe, fresh, organic foods to high-end consumers who had a strong preference for high dietary quality. Since its launch, Sunyuki had achieved soaring average annual growth rates of almost 100 per cent. However, it was becoming difficult to attract new customers through online channels alone. Therefore, the founder was considering the option of opening physical stores as an off-line channel to complement the company's successful online sales and distribution channel. Because of rapid growth in the fresh-food industry and intensifying competition, the founder needed to carefully consider the company's next steps. If Sunyuki opted to expand off-line, how should it proceed? Specifically, how should the company manage a new online and offline strategy in an omnichannel sales and distribution environment?
In September 2018, WaterEquity, a US-based investment vehicle for both financial and social returns, had to raise US$50 million in total funding capital. The sales team had to propose sales pitches for alternative investments for three types of investors. From a financial perspective, the investment was essentially a risk-free asset with an annual return of 3.5 per cent. However, this investment could also positively affect four developing countries-India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia-by providing clean water solutions for billions of people. Through the lending facilities of the local microfinance institutions of these four countries, WaterEquity could offer support to the poor and empower more women, generating both financial and social returns. Different groups of investors might be attracted by different levels of these social returns as well as the financial returns. The sales team planned to use a simple extension of the standard Markowitz portfolio theory framework to incorporate social returns and account for two distinct types of returns, customizing the sales pitches for each of three groups of investors.
In the wake of a mass killing in San Bernardino, California, in December 2015, the FBI requested that Apple unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters. Thus began a dilemma for both Apple and the FBI, each of them with storied histories that intertwined data and individual rights to privacy. Apple faced a fundamental question made more difficult by the competing interests of a publicly-traded company: what is the best action for society and the public good? What precedent would Apple be setting if it complied with the FBI's request? If the company refused to comply, would it be standing in the way of preventing further attacks?
In 2011, the vice-president of Craig Manufacturing (CM)was preparing a presentation for the company's advisory board and senior management. Craig Manufacturing, based in New Brunswick, Canada, was a privately held, third-generation family business that manufactured attachments for heavy equipment used in large construction projects in Canada and the United States. The company had achieved a strong reputation by pursuing a differentiation strategy based on product quality, leading technology, and exceptional customer service. However, the company needed new revenue streams, as it was experiencing less demand for its customized heavy equipment attachments. The vice-president was about to suggest launching a new product line by producing attachments for mini, or compact, construction equipment and growing the company with a cost leadership strategy. However, entering this market would mean focusing on standardized products, in contrast to the company's traditional focus on customized attachments. Would the new product line and its cost leadership strategy help propel the company to be the leading manufacturer of industrial attachments in Canada and the United States?
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. Chapter 1 focuses on sustainability as a concept, gives models and definitions, and discusses its relationship to capitalism and its evolution. Capitalism needs to be reworked to include sustainability and stakeholders. Sustainability models take into consideration economic, environmental, and social aspects. The economic dimension focuses on products, services, and profit; the environmental looks at how economic and social activities can leave the planet with resources; the social works to see that all members of society share wealth and enjoy a high-quality life. These models suggest that, while profit is important for the economy, it should not be the only objective. Sometimes capitalism can cause more problems, but it should be designed in a way to solve societal problems.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. Chapter 2 discusses sustainability reporting and its relationship with sustainability performance. If a company does not report its performance, stakeholders will face obstacles in their decision making, and the company itself misses an opportunity to learn about its own performance. Sustainability performance and reporting change in response to sustainability disasters. The Bhopal gas leak and the Exxon Valdez oil spill are described as well as how they motivated change in performance and reporting. Many sustainability reporting guidelines have been created over the years, some of which cover all organizations while others focus on a specific sustainability aspect. The GRI offers the most broad-based set of sustainability reporting standards used for stand-alone reports.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. This chapter looks at how organizations begin their sustainability journeys and the importance of engaging stakeholders throughout that journey. Sustainable companies link policies to performance, both of which are consistent with the needs and desires of stakeholders. Participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives can connect policy to stakeholders' needs and desires, while sustainability reporting can connect performance to them. Policies need to consider how the values of stakeholders differ regarding short-term versus long-term thinking, self-interest versus community interest, and value placed on humans versus other life forms. Many universal policies give businesses good direction for their sustainability journeys, but most of these policies and the principles they suggest need to be customized to the individual organization and its stakeholder needs.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. Chapter 4 explores the role of management systems in linking policy with performance. Governance is needed at all organizational levels in order to fulfill sustainability objectives. These levels include strategic (long-term), tactical (one year), and operational (day to day). Management systems have both formal and informal components. Formal components include organizational structure, responsibilities, and procedures, while informal components include values, trust, and leadership. Commitment and capability must also happen at all organizational levels of management systems. To develop commitment, organizations need to communicate what is important, delegate responsibility for what is important, and reward what is important.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. This chapter discusses the role of indicators in sustainability reporting. Multiple similarities between sustainability reporting and financial accounting and reporting are given. For example, similar to financial accounting, narrative qualitative discussion helps to enhance disclosure of sustainability performance and to interpret quantitative indicators. Engagement between policy and stakeholders can help identify important topics for reporting performance. The idea of SMART indicators is described. Topics that are material can fall into three different categories: economic, environmental, and social. In order to develop a comprehensive performance measurement system, companies should use a mix of input, output, outcome, and impact indicators. Input and output represent efficiency; outcome and impact represent effectiveness.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. Chapter 6 explores what qualities in a sustainability report make it credible in the eyes of stakeholders. These qualities include stakeholder engagement or inclusiveness to determine which topics are most important to them and which topics have the greatest impact on the company. When there seems to be a gap between promises and delivery and when that gap is not explained, credibility is questioned. Financial reporting and sustainability reporting are compared by looking at similar characteristics that make them credible and useful. Many of the characteristics are interdependent. Reporting results from year-to-year, against targets, and against benchmarks supports comparability, which in turn allows for assessment of performance against similar organizations.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. Chapter 7 discusses the role of assurances in sustainability performance and the reporting of sustainability performance. Assurances can come from an internal or external review or audit. Internal assurances are carried out by the organization's own employees and ensure that personnel are committed and capable at all organizational levels. External assurances are performed by people who are not employed by the organization and can be limited (negative) or reasonable (positive). Teams for both internal and external assurances need members from various areas of expertise. Internal assurances tend to be proactive, while external assurances tend to be reactive. However, because providers typically give feedback on ways to improve, assurance of any kind improves performance and provides credibility.
Businesses and economic systems are changing in response to global challenges, shareholder interests, and stakeholder interests. This book offers a guide for organizations to benefit from sustainable approaches. A historical overview of the concept of sustainability is given, specifically focusing on how sustainability applies to performance and reporting. In order to implement sustainability in a business, policies need to be developed that align with stakeholder expectations. When organizations are actively participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is easier to align policies with societal trends. When policies are developed, management systems are vital in making sure the policies are congruent with actual performance. Performance reports should be based on well-recognized standards; regular reporting will help stakeholders evaluate an organization's performance and find out if performance is consistent with their expectations. Assets to developing stakeholder trust in performance and reporting include internal and external assurances. Potential actions for improvement are also discussed. This chapter offers a review of key points in the model for organizational sustainability and explores how to improve performance and reporting in the future. Steps an organization would take on its sustainability journey are described along with considerations for accomplishing each step and an example of implementing each step. When it comes to reporting, companies typically prepare a stand-alone sustainability report or an integrated report, but some put forth specialized, customized requests instead of using the company's sustainability report for needed information. Large proactive multinational companies may also try to predict what information stakeholders will ask for and then put that information on their website.
In 2011, the vice-president of Craig Manufacturing (CM)was preparing a presentation for the company’s advisory board and senior management. Craig Manufacturing, based in New Brunswick, Canada, was a privately held, third-generation family business that manufactured attachments for heavy equipment used in large construction projects in Canada and the United States. The company had achieved a strong reputation by pursuing a differentiation strategy based on product quality, leading technology, and exceptional customer service. However, the company needed new revenue streams, as it was experiencing less demand for its customized heavy equipment attachments. The vice-president was about to suggest launching a new product line by producing attachments for mini, or compact, construction equipment and growing the company with a cost leadership strategy. However, entering this market would mean focusing on standardized products, in contrast to the company’s traditional focus on customized attachments. Would the new product line and its cost leadership strategy help propel the company to be the leading manufacturer of industrial attachments in Canada and the United States?
Since 2009, Bilibili Inc.'s Bilibili.com (the B-site) had been an online video site providing services to fans of anime, comics, and games culture. After several years of effort, it had become a popular Chinese site for danmaku content and commenting technology. The B-site had a good reputation because of its excellent user experience: users did not need to watch endless pre-roll ads before enjoying video content because, in 2014, the B-site had promised that it would never use pre-roll ads as part of its profit model. However, in spring 2016, an important content provider, TV Tokyo Corporation, renewed its copyright contract and added terms requiring the B-site to add pre-video ads on anime series from TV Tokyo, which contradicted the B-site's promise to its users. How should the B-site address this public relations crisis and retain the trust of its users?