Set in 2017, the case describes the evolution of Yash Raj Films (YRF) in the Hindi-language movie industry, popularly called Bollywood, in India. In the year 2000, the Government of India officially recognized Bollywood as an industry. This policy change ushered in the corporatization of Bollywood. Set against this backdrop, the case describes how Aditya Chopra, the current chairman and managing director of YRF, led the firm's evolution from a boutique production company into a full-fledged studio. Students analyze the firm's pursuit of fit among different activities and evaluate the challenges involved in sustaining the fit, amidst ongoing developments in the industry.

Set in 2018, the case describes the evolution of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a franchise-based professional cricket league in India. Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has enjoyed huge popularity among players and fans, despite being dogged by controversies. Students must analyze the team-design strategies of the franchises profiled in the case. This analysis helps uncover different models of team design, including their pros and cons, in human-capital-intensive contexts. Relating team design to team performance helps understand the significance of star performers and complementarity among team members.

This case introduces the readers to information regarding the organization building journey of Ather Energy, an Indian start-up in the electric vehicle (EV) industry and the entrepreneurial journey of its founders. The case deals with challenges that Ather Energy faces as it works to bring its product, a two-wheeler EV, to market, adopting practices that were against the established industry norms (the internal combustion engine vehicles). The case outlines the overall environment of the EV industry across the world and in India, discussing key areas like government interventions, major existing players in the EV industry and key developments that have transpired over the past years. It then traces the journey of Ather Energy and its founders, focusing on the key phases through which it traversed as it grew from a two-membered start-up basis out of an incubator to a 350+ firm working to ensure that their product has a hassle-free entry into the market. The case outlines the background of the founders, their learnings on the course of developing their product, and the challenges faced in various stages of developing the product. The envisaged sustainability of Ather Energy and its product are then discussed, along with the challenges envisaged.

The case highlights a digital advertising campaign of a mobile app in India named "Highway Delite" using Google AdWords. The case provides the results of a 3-week AdWords campaign with 4-sub-campaigns (Brand Awareness, Enroute Conveniences, Highway Safety, and Offbeat Attractions). CPC and CTR computations are examined to gauge the effectiveness of the campaign in achieving Highway Delite's campaign goals. The case also emphasizes the challenges of brand building that extends beyond a short-term ad campaign.

Innovation is a key source of organizational growth and profitability. Many organizations at the front end of innovation struggle to engender an innovation approach that is effective and lasting. This article presents a framework that defines the interdependency of innovation and strategy, and then outlines the role of top management to continuously renew the positioning of the firm. Based on a synthesis of prior research-including the Dynamic Capabilities View, Innovation Orientation, and Disruptive Innovation Theory-and our own experience working with organizations, we present an operational strategy shift framework, which allows practitioners to increase, refine, and transform their firm's capability to innovate (CTI) toward achieving their strategic objectives. This framework provides guidance that leaders can use to integrate innovation into their strategic process.

Terrell Manufacturing (Terrell) was a small-scale producer of manifolds in Cleveland, Ohio. In late 2015, one of its clients decided to outsource the manifolds it had been producing in-house and approached Terrell with a proposal: Terrell could buy its equipment and produce the manifolds for the client. Terrell needed to quote a production rate based on the hourly cost of operating the equipment to make the client's manifolds. The rate needed to include the total cost of production, which involved processes in addition to those that were carried out on the purchased equipment. Terrell also needed to propose a payment plan for the machine.

In June 2013, the general manager of the Banff Aspen Lodge in Alberta, Canada, had to decide how to use the space previously vacated by a gift shop that had been housed in the lobby of the hotel. With high occupancy rates and no immediate pressure to add significantly to the hotel's bottom line, the general manager had the luxury of testing new services that could help deliver on the hotel's mission to provide every guest with an exceptional experience. However, he had to work within the hotel's footprint at the time. He was considering using the prime storefront space to add a restaurant or a café. He also knew, however, that complementary service offerings could pull resources away from the hotel's core lodging offering and pull him away from crucial long-term business development.

In August 2015, the general manager of Western Regions Gas Pipeline Company was gazing at a natural gas pipeline map in his Beijing office. The multinational natural gas pipeline (MNGP) would deliver natural gas from the Republic of Timur to China through the Republic of Frespirit. The construction of the pipeline was at the planning stage. To construct and operate the MNGP, Western Regions Gas Pipeline Company was legally required to set up a joint venture with a local company in each of the transit countries. However, the construction period for the MNGP was extremely tight, and the relationships between the stakeholders were quite complicated. How to exercise control in the joint ventures to ensure the smooth construction and operation of the MNGP had become a difficult issue.

Spreadsheet supplement for case 417072.

Terrell Manufacturing (Terrell) was a small-scale producer of manifolds in Cleveland, Ohio. In late 2015, one of its clients decided to outsource the manifolds it had been producing in-house and approached Terrell with a proposal: Terrell could buy its equipment and produce the manifolds for the client. Terrell needed to quote a production rate based on the hourly cost of operating the equipment to make the client's manifolds. The rate needed to include the total cost of production, which involved processes in addition to those that were carried out on the purchased equipment. Terrell also needed to propose a payment plan for the machine.

In June 2013, the general manager of the Banff Aspen Lodge in Alberta, Canada, had to decide how to use the space previously vacated by a gift shop that had been housed in the lobby of the hotel. With high occupancy rates and no immediate pressure to add significantly to the hotel’s bottom line, the general manager had the luxury of testing new services that could help deliver on the hotel’s mission to provide every guest with an exceptional experience. However, he had to work within the hotel’s footprint at the time. He was considering using the prime storefront space to add a restaurant or a café. He also knew, however, that complementary service offerings could pull resources away from the hotel’s core lodging offering and pull him away from crucial long-term business development.

Serial social entrepreneur Andreas Souvaliotis is looking at new ways to achieve his lifelong mission: to improve the health and wellness of his Canadian compatriots. His previous venture, Green Rewards, demonstrated the power of loyalty rewards to promote environmentally-conscious purchases. Andreas is now looking to impact non-commercial habits like walking more, eating less, as well as education. The health and wellness market is growing but hyper competitive, with more than 150,000 apps available on Google Play or on the App Store. B2B or B2C? Fitness, nutrition or mindfulness? Fee, freemium or free? Stand-alone or in collaboration? These are the key questions students must address to help Andreas and his team achieve their goal - and make a profit.

Founded by entrepreneurs from Taiwan, Spain and China, Energo Labs is a Shanghai-based international start-up that brings blockchain technology to the energy sector to enable energy producers, such as buildings equipped with solar PV panels, to buy and sell energy to neighbors or other energy consumers. The founders of this young firm found initial support from various parties, including foundations and government agencies, based on phenomenon positioned the firm for an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) in mid-2107, the timing of which turned out to be nearly optimal. Their offering was successful, finding buyers for their funding target in less than a day. When the young firm realised that barriers to entry in Asian energy trading markets were much higher than expected, they were forced to consider alternatives, such as monetizing their core blockchain technology. However, the prospect of abandoning their sustainability-focused mission did not sit well with many of the young staff that would be needed to move Energo to the next level.The potential for their value proposition to address structural imbalances in access to electrical power in Southeast Asia.

This case series charts the evolution of the hostile battle for Allergan and its ultimate sale to a white knight, Actavis. David Pyott had been the CEO of Allergan since January 1998; only the third CEO in the company's 60-year-plus history. Allergan was primarily known for Botox, the aesthetic anti-wrinkle product, but the company, which had started out in eye care, had developed Botox into a US$2 billion multipurpose drug. By 2014 the company, which enjoyed double-digit growth, had over 11,000 employees, sold its products in 100 countries and had 40 direct-selling subsidiaries. The business mix included eye care, neurosciences, medical aesthetics, medical dermatology, breast aesthetics and urologics. R&D was the backbone of the company and it had strong cash reserves. In April 2014 it came as a shock to Pyott and the Allergan board to learn that that pharma company Valeant, in partnership with Pershing Square Capital Management, had announced its intention to make a hostile takeover of Allergan. The ensuing battle was hostile, attracting media interest, hostile and supportive stories in the papers, and 'games' to force Allergan into negotiating a sale. Tricks included hacking emails in an attempt to find out information on the fight team's strategy and moves. Pyott and the board had managed to drive up the share price over several months in their attempt to keep Allergan independent. In November 2014, a Californian judge accepted Valeant/Pershing Square's demand that shareholders should be allowed to vote on its bid. Case A follows the battle from the initial announcement to the court judgement. Case B then illustrates what happened next. Pyott and the 'fight' team realised that they were not able to keep Allergan independent and looked for a white knight to make a higher bid for the company. They successfully identified and negotiated with Actavis, a fellow pharma company. The sale was announced later in November. While Allergan no longer remained an independent

This case series charts the evolution of the hostile battle for Allergan and its ultimate sale to a white knight, Actavis. David Pyott had been the CEO of Allergan since January 1998; only the third CEO in the company's 60-year-plus history. Allergan was primarily known for Botox, the aesthetic anti-wrinkle product, but the company, which had started out in eye care, had developed Botox into a US$2 billion multipurpose drug. By 2014 the company, which enjoyed double-digit growth, had over 11,000 employees, sold its products in 100 countries and had 40 direct-selling subsidiaries. The business mix included eye care, neurosciences, medical aesthetics, medical dermatology, breast aesthetics and urologics. R&D was the backbone of the company and it had strong cash reserves. In April 2014 it came as a shock to Pyott and the Allergan board to learn that that pharma company Valeant, in partnership with Pershing Square Capital Management, had announced its intention to make a hostile takeover of Allergan. The ensuing battle was hostile, attracting media interest, hostile and supportive stories in the papers, and 'games' to force Allergan into negotiating a sale. Tricks included hacking emails in an attempt to find out information on the fight team's strategy and moves. Pyott and the board had managed to drive up the share price over several months in their attempt to keep Allergan independent. In November 2014, a Californian judge accepted Valeant/Pershing Square's demand that shareholders should be allowed to vote on its bid. Case A follows the battle from the initial announcement to the court judgement. Case B then illustrates what happened next. Pyott and the 'fight' team realised that they were not able to keep Allergan independent and looked for a white knight to make a higher bid for the company. They successfully identified and negotiated with Actavis, a fellow pharma company. The sale was announced later in November. While Allergan no longer remained an independent

This case follows Silicon Valley software veteran Thomas Siebel as he launches a new company, C3, in 2009, and steers it through two major pivots - transforming the business from a firm focused on energy conservation to a data management, machine learning, and artificial intelligence platform for large enterprises. The case looks at the multiple business transformations and re-brandings C3 went through and examines the strategic challenges the company was facing in 2018 as it began to compete head-to-head with companies such as IBM and SAP. In 2009, three years after selling his eponymous enterprise software company Siebel Systems to Oracle for nearly $6 billion, Siebel launched a new business, C3. "C" stood for carbon, and the "3" was shorthand for three "M" words: measure, mitigate and monetize. The idea was to help large companies navigate the new world of carbon taxes and reduce their carbon footprints. But after just two years, C3 was in trouble. It had found clients for its software product, C3 Energy Management, yet oil prices had stumbled, and in wake of the financial crisis, companies pulled back on spending. Siebel was no going to give up. He saw great potential in the data flowing from sensors in smart meters, turbines, transformers and other infrastructure in power grids. In 2012, he laid off about 100 of C3's 150 employees, retaining the core engineering team. The company renamed itself C3 Energy and helped grid operators aggregate and analyze data from various sensor devices and enterprise software systems. C3 Energy's engine processed data at very high rates, then applied machine learning to do useful things, such as predictive maintenance, detecting theft, and monitoring sensor network health.

In July 2018, Google's Android software platform was fined $5 billion by the EU's Antitrust Commission. This case follows Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP at Google responsible for Android, Google Play, Chrome and ChromeOS, as he and his team respond to the fine and the challenges of managing Android's increasing ubiquity and success.

Under the visionary leadership of Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Nintendo) of Japan had transformed from a small founder-controlled business to a global and professionalized firm. Yamauchi's death in 2013 had the potential to affect Nintendo's corporate financial policy. Following his passing, Yamauchi's family was left with a huge inheritance-but also an exorbitant inheritance tax bill. The family sought advice from Nintendo on how to deal with the matter. How could Nintendo solve this financial trouble in a way that balanced the interests of both the family and Nintendo's management?

GAIL (India) Limited (GAIL), a public-sector undertaking, was India's largest gas transmission and marketing company. As a leader in India's gas and energy sector, the organization aimed to set a benchmark for other companies in the industry by implementing the best safety practices for its employees. In late 2013, GAIL's top management decided to implement the behaviour-based safety (BBS) program across all of the company's work sites. BBS was a health and safety standard that promoted change by training and enabling employees to observe and correct unsafe behaviour on the spot. BBS's strength-changing employee behaviour-was also BBS's challenge. Employees initially supported the initiative; but over time, employee commitment began to wane, and leaders redirected their energy to other pressing work demands. In 2016, general manager of HSE, and his team were finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the BBS initiative and transform the safety culture of the company. With the company's operations growing and the number of employees increasing, management was grappling with what more could be done to inculcate a culture of safety.

In June 2017, the managing director of T-Systems South Africa (TSSA) was considering how best to inspire stakeholders to join his movement towards contributing positively to nation building in South Africa. TSSA had experienced some success in setting up information and communication technology systems and academies to create jobs and to create shared value, but it needed to overcome a threshold to exert its influence over a broader level within the country. Specifically, the managing director wondered how TSSA could receive a positive sustainable return on its investments in environmental and social impacts during a time of cost-cutting.