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In June 2021, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Peruvian-based Austral Group S.A.A. (Austral), one of the six largest producers and traders in marine-based foods and ingredients in the Republic of Peru, was concerned about two major ongoing challenges: gender equality and cross-generation employees. In May 2006, Austral merged with and became a subsidiary of Austevoll Seafood ASA (Austevoll), the world-leading Norwegian conglomerate in the fishery and seafood industry. After the merger, Austral improved its foundations of human resources (HR). The newly merged entity built a common organizational culture and created a bond to engage workers in its new culture. In 2007, the company introduced a 10-year plan to drive structural changes in human resource management (HRM). The CEO's current issue is how to overcome the two outstanding challenges to move the company forward and make it sustainable for the future.

Perfect Day was a rising cellular agriculture company specializing in lab-based milk. Its founders had created and patented a formula for an ingredient that could produce authentic-tasting non-dairy products. At the beginning of 2020, the US-based firm received US$140 million in funding, and the founders had to navigate a complex operating and stakeholder environment to map out a growth strategy. The complex situation required them to answer related questions that were easy to understand but difficult to answer. First, the founders would have to chart the expected evolution of the lab-based milk industry as it moved to the full roll-out of products. The founders would next have to decide on Perfect Day's positioning in its changing industry. Finally, they would have to assess the myriad players, both as stakeholders and as potential alliance partners, in order to support the strategic positioning decision.

Women and members of other marginalized groups are often excluded from informal professional networks which are critical to gaining access to opportunities for learning and advancement. Based on their analysis of the organizational networks of dozens of companies, surveys of thousands of employees, and interviews with senior executives, the authors have identified specific ways leaders can improve inclusivity at their organizations.

Launched in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2018, Praava Health ('Praava') delivered high-quality in-clinic primary and specialist care, backed by its own high quality diagnostic laboratories, imaging and pharmacy. Praava was founder Sylvana Sinha's response to what she saw as a broken healthcare system in one of the world's most populous countries, unable to provide efficient, reliable medical attention to the majority of its population. Centered on the patient, it had a flagship state-of-the art medical center in Dhaka, and digital channels, including Bangladesh's first patient app, telemedicine, and e-pharmacy. Behind all this was a highly qualified medical, technical and management team, made possible by equity investments of $11.1 million. But raising funds had been a difficult and arduous process, even as Praava's revenues were growing at around 20% a month. As Sinha proceeded to plan her next steps in Series B fundraising, she wondered if there were modifications that she needed to consider. Were there any changes-in the Praava business model, in the financing structure or in her messaging-that would allow her to break through in the capital markets?

Good governance supports an ecosystem's ability to create value, manage risk, and optimize value distribution among its partners. Based on the governance models of more than 80 business ecosystems, the authors outline five building blocks of an effective governance model and share four foundational recommendations for using ecosystem governance as a source of competitive advantage.

One of the first local manufacturers of screw caps in Chile, INESA expanded rapidly in the region. By 2015, the company had achieved almost 55% market share in the domestic wine sector and 21% in South America, focusing on Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. After more than 40 years in screw cap manufacturing and technical customer support, INESA was acquired in 2017 by RMD Group, which forged a new path to consolidation in the international market. Inspiral was established in 2018 to represent the company's strategy regarding innovation and internationalization. Along with Ramondin (an RMD Group capsule manufacturing brand), Inspiral was a specialist in designing, manufacturing, and packaging a complete portfolio of fastening products for wine, champagne, and spirits bottles. By the end of that first year, two challenges confronted Inspiral: (1) Rapid expansion in the national wine market had seen a similar rising need for quality and low-cost screw caps. As a leading manufacturer of screw caps in Latin America, Inspiral had to create additional value through its strategic positioning and operational excellence. (2) Although Inspiral had the dominant market share, its position was threatened by the possible entry of the Polish company Zakretka, a major international player, into Chile, Inspiral's home market. The case study asks students to compare the competitive and operating strategies of the company and its rivals. In addition, it requires a competitive trade-off analysis of the two companies and the specific operational changes Inspiral needs to remain competitive in the international market.

Spreadsheet Supplement for Case KE1199

In January 2011, China-based Joyson Automotive Group (Joyson) acquired Preh GmbH (Preh), a German manufacturer of high-end automotive components. While Joyson had lower capabilities in areas such as management and engineering, it was able to ensure a successful acquisition of the more competent firm Preh after years of careful planning and relationship building. Joyson had grown over 14 years to become a US$10 billion manufacturing company by continuously acquiring more capable firms. The acquisition of Preh would make the two companies powerful players in the global automotive parts supply market and promised to provide Preh with financial resources and access to the lucrative Chinese automotive market, but only if the Chinese and German companies could be integrated successfully. How could Joyson's management team ensure a successful integration of a firm with superior management, soft skills, and technical capabilities?

In October 2020, the managing director of Laurs & Bridz Pharmaceuticals Private Limited was considering changing the company's sales strategy to reflect the challenges that India's pharmaceutical industry was facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company was also considering launching a new antiviral drug. The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted many routine sales practices, such as in-person meetings with customers, and had also affected drug distribution. Consequently, the sales team had managed to achieve only 87.4 per cent of its sales targets in the first three quarters, with a mere 9.3 per cent growth over the previous year against a targeted growth rate of 25.1 per cent. The managing director had to consider all factors affecting his company's sales performance during the COVID-19 crisis. What strategies could he devise to motivate sales managers and representatives facing uneven growth across different zones? Should he revise sales targets this late in the year? What were the pros and cons of launching a new product during these times of market uncertainty?

QuantumScape CEO Jagdeep Singh juggles the many activities required to lead the next-generation battery pioneer. Founded in 2010, QuantumScape's mission was to develop new "solid-state" car batteries that would improve upon traditional lithium-ion batteries in key areas such as range, charging speed, durability, cost, and safety. Success, they believed, would accelerate the transition from gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles. Between 2010 and late 2020, QuantumScape operated in stealth mode and raised venture financing totaling more than $800 million. The team grew to over 200 employees, nearly all scientists and engineers working on the technical challenges associated with creating a solid-state battery that could be produced at scale. By summer 2020 it was clear to Singh and the board that the company required more capital to help fund its commercialization plan. In November 2020, QuantumScape went public by merging with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Now, with that capital in hand, production facilities under construction, and a signed joint venture with Volkswagen, Singh expected to see cars with its batteries on highways by 2025.

In 2021, AppHarvest completed construction of a 60-acre indoor farming facility, one of the world's largest, recorded its first sales, and went public in a multi-billion dollar IPO. Described as "a force of nature," Jonathan Webb founded the company to bring jobs back to Appalachia. Now, as he plans for more indoor farms, he has to face the challenges of growing a company quickly.

The COVID-19 crisis has underlined the need for accelerated innovation to rapidly help business solve social problems. These problems require access to capabilities and knowledge that no single organization or existing supply chain possesses. Drawing on the experience of the open innovation and rapid-scale-up achieved by the VentilatorChallengeUK to address a shortage of ventilators required by patients seriously ill with COVID-19, this article develops a framework for accelerated innovation and delivery that crosses traditional industry boundaries. It offers a series of important lessons for how open innovation, exaptation, and ecosystem strategies - backed by a set of enabling initiatives - can be used to solve multi-faceted social and business problems at speed.

The Washington Post (The Post) is one of the world's most respected news-media organizations. After joining The Post as CEO and publisher in 2014, Fred Ryan worked with owner Jeff Bezos and The Post's executive team to bring about an extraordinary digital transformation at the global news organization. Despite all its success, The Post faced several significant business challenges in 2021, including new competitors, a growing number of channels through which readers consumed news, and rapidly changing consumer behavior. In response, The Post developed a digital-product mindset, rebuilt its newsroom, redesigned core business processes, built a software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology platform that functioned as a very profitable "business within a business," and announced the creation of Next Generation-a new initiative to accelerate the acquisition of younger and more diverse audiences through new products, practices, and partnerships.

Set in 2020, this case focuses on the strategic roles of the Association of Independent Wealth Managers (AIWM), as an industry advocate of the independent asset managers (IAMs) in Singapore. This case is motivated by two observations: first, the rapid growth of the IAM sector in Singapore, and second, the need for self-regulation, self-education, and self-advocacy among the burgeoning group of diverse IAMs on the island. The case examines the motivation behind the establishment of the AIWM in 2011, its vision and mission, its roles toward members in terms of services provided, contributions to the sector, and the strategic plans to represent the IAMs as key stakeholders in the evolving wealth management ecosystem of Singapore. The case also explores the value propositions of the IAM's wealth management model, the public's awareness and reception of the model, and how the AIWM can more effectively advocate the IAM model to various stakeholders. Lastly, it prompts the reader to think deeply on the open question of how the AIWM can help its members address a pertinent question that clients are asking the IAMs - "How are IAMs able to help clients achieve a more holistic and inclusive wealth management offering?"

With the arrival of a digital era, digitalization has penetrated into every aspect of production and life, and brought many new opportunities and challenges. Under such circumstances, traditional enterprises have launched digital transformation one after another. It's worthwhile to draw on the experience of these enterprises in addressing the pain points and difficulties encountered in their chosen strategic path and the progress of digital transformation. Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. ("Foton Motor" for short), established in 1996, kicked off digital transformation in the integration of informatization and industrialization (IoII). After 2015, Foton began to step up efforts in digitalization, established the "114" digital system architecture, and built an automotive ecosystem integrating vehicle manufacturing, core parts, auto finance, Internet of Vehicles and e-commerce for the commercial vehicle market. This case focuses on the process of Foton Motor's digital transformation.

Samson Paper's 森信紙業 (SEHK: 731) main business was the manufacturing, trading, and marketing of paper products in China. After the company failed to file its year-end 31 March 2020 annual report before the deadline, the stock was suspended. Following the suspension, a board meeting was held on 11 July 2020, after which the board received resignation letters from one non-executive director (NED) and three independent non-executive directors (INEDs). In a public announcement on 14 July 2020, Samson declared that at the board meeting, Samson's auditors had advised: "There were substantial payments made to the company's connected party's suppliers. Such payments were booked to inter-company accounts rather than amounts due to the connected party." According to Samson's announcement, the NED, INEDs, and the auditor did not receive satisfactory replies from management on the commercial substance and intentions of these transactions during the meeting. The management denied any wrongdoing in relation to these transactions. On 18 July 2020, after the company had defaulted on a HKD780mn loan, it filed for voluntary liquidation.

Sardar Patel farm is a 150-acre organic farm located in Kathwada, Gujarat, India with 125 farmers living and working on the farm. Dr Dinesh Patel, a cardiologist and second-generation farm leader, played a vital role in converting the farm from chemical farming to natural farming. Though he was successful in this conversion process, the issue of farmers becoming careless and lazy caused a lot of problems for Patel. He tried many ways to improve the performance of the farmers but did not succeed. The farmers were not even ready to discuss their issues and avoided him as much as possible. Finally, he attended a leadership course, and with the help of an interview method taught in the course, Patel was able to identify and understand their problems and issues. Patel worked towards a solution while also focusing upon its sustainability. The case emphasizes upon interpersonal issues that arise between farm leaders and farmers, and depicts how Patel solved the said issue successfully with a sustainable solution.

Procam International, set up by brothers Anil and Vivek Singh, has been working in the field of sports management in India for over two decades. Procam was the first organiser of large-scale long distance running events in India, including the 2004 Mumbai Marathon. The case discusses Procam's approach to introducing large-scale participatory sports events in a country dominated by spectator sports. They began with a large-scale city marathon at a time when India had few distance runners and had not witnessed a major city event involving thousands of participants.