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On March 11, 2020, The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic. The pandemic brought production, trade, and businesses to a grinding halt, as governments closed borders and implemented lockdowns and restrictions; it also caused scrutiny of global supply chain strategies. While some US companies had already begun shifting outsourcing away from China during the US-China trade war amid the recent trend of deglobalization, the pandemic deepened concerns about overreliance on importing strategic goods, including pharmaceutical products and personal protective equipment (PPE), from China. This case starts with the pandemic development, explores public health and economic responses to the pandemic in China and the United States, and examines changes in policy and public opinion toward outsourcing in China. It provides a basis for understanding China's social and economic institutions through the lens of pandemic controls and the changing landscape of China's supply chains. The case has been successfully taught in a second-year MBA elective on growth and business in emerging markets in a module examining country-level endowments, trade, and risks, as well as in a course on China in the global economy. It can also be used for EMBA or executive education classes on China in the context of global business, trade, and supply chains. Issues discussed include questions about Chinese institutions and social norms, the effects of the pandemic, fiscal and monetary policies on employment, inflation and GDP growth. The materials provide a framework for making decisions on global outsourcing and the changing relationship between China and the United States.

In May 2019, Chiban Leather, a socially conscious leather manufacturing firm based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was undergoing an expansion and the company's chief executive officer was contemplating its strategic future. She wanted to take advantage of opportunities in the Ethiopian leather industry and expand her client base to include 10 primary wholesalers. She was proud of the social impact the company had achieved so far, and she hoped to be able to focus more on this by expanding the company's production process. She was also considering other options, including developing Chiban Leather as a retail brand, focusing on trade shows, and pursuing alternative exposure through diversified products and subscription boxes. She wondered if this was the right time to establish the brand and sell directly to clients. She also had to consider whether this option would align with her current goals and strategy.

Bombardier Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of business jets and small aircraft, developed the C Series aircraft amid numerous technical and financial challenges. In 2016, the US aviation company Delta Air Lines Inc. made a large purchase of the plane at an allegedly highly discounted price, which was expected to help Bombardier Inc. enter the lucrative US aviation market. In response, The Boeing Company, the world's largest aerospace company, filed a complaint about the deal with the US Department of Commerce and with the United States International Trade Commission. The complaint was consistent with the current US administration position of promoting protectionist economic and trade policies. The US Department of Commerce concurred with The Boeing Company and levied anti-dumping and countervailing duties of 292.21 per cent against Bombardier Inc. However, the United States International Trade Commission found the tariffs unjustified and overturned the decision on the grounds that The Boeing Company was not materially harmed by the transaction. The Boeing Company had multiple options for pursuing a challenge, but each option had potential consequences.

In dynamic environments, understanding when and how to change is the essence of strategy. The most successful businesses today are those that identify when and how to change to improve strategic advantage. Tools that can help business leaders spot the opportunities and challenges that exist or are emerging in their company's specific context are now more relevant than the traditional strategy frameworks of the past.

The case is intended as a vehicle for analysis of the challenges involved in launching an innovative product. It is set against the background of the wave of innovation in the vehicle market, as manufacturers race to replace internal combustion engines (ICEs) with electric power. Protean Electric, a company of British origin but now Chinese-owned, aims to introduce another level of innovation by introducing its in-wheel motor (IWM) technology to electric vehicles (EVs). Instead of simply replacing an internal combustion engine with an electric battery unit, Protean technology dispenses with the central powertrain and mounts electric power units in some or all of the wheels of the vehicle. The company is committed to being part of the entry into the mainstream passenger EV market of Evergrande, its Chinese owners, but has historically also looked at other sectors such as urban shuttles and delivery fleets, and has retained the ability to continue to develop products for those sectors. It also has to consider the emerging consensus that the transport market of the future will shift away from individual ownership towards a model known as CASE (connected, autonomous, shared, electrified). The contrast between the 'niche' IWM innovation and the market-wide electric revolution highlights the key concepts in new-product market analysis.

Ethos - Spirit of the Community (Ethos), a sustainable tourism company in Sa Pa, Vietnam, existed to support a wide variety of environmental and social initiatives that benefited members of local, ethnic minority groups. In early 2019, the organization's founders were working with 22 female tour guides and 260 ethnic minority host families to offer sustainable and socially responsible treks in the region. However, their ability to continue was in jeopardy due to changing regulations that would affect the working status of the company's local trekking guides. Addressing this change was essential because the business depended on the local women who led Ethos tour groups, and the new requirement could mean Ethos's underlying business model could fall apart, undermining its ability to support related environmental and social initiatives. How could the founders ensure that Ethos would survive as a long-term venture that was able to make a difference in the lives of the local people while also accomplishing their own long-term goals?

During the spring 2020 semester, Botsworth Business School had suddenly moved all classes to remote teaching due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The school's associate dean had to consider the implications of this new learning environment for academic integrity. She also had to manage the challenges of a new infrastructure and differing student and instructor needs. In May 2020, with urgency subsiding, and with the university confirming that classes would be taught remotely through the spring 2021 semester, the associate dean was considering the risks and benefits of what services had been-and what could be-implemented to support remote teaching and learning. Leading up to the remote fall 2020 semester, she was wondering how to best identify and manage risk from contract cheating-a form of academic dishonesty that occurred when a student submitted work for academic credit that was completed by a third party. The associate dean's task would have been complex and difficult in normal times, but it had become an especially salient problem after moving to online remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With an increasing number of women joining the workforce in India, the women's office-wear segment was gaining traction in the clothing industry and a number of start-ups had recently appeared in the country. Ayushi Gudwani founded FableStreet (FS), a premium office-wear brand, when she found it difficult to find office-wear that fit her well. She found this to be a major pain point for many professional Indian women and decided to solve the problem. After extensive research, Gudwani developed a sizing guide unique to Indian women's body types and an algorithm that drove the development of FS's well-fitting quality clothing for professional women. In December 2019, FS raised US$2.95 million in a Series A round to fund its expansion. Now Gudwani has to choose the company's next course of action by evaluating various growth options and choosing whether to build an offline presence, add accessory items as a new product category, or expand internationally.

Serum Institute of India (SII) was the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines and had signed an agreement to produce the Oxford vaccine, a top five candidate. The chief executive officer, Adar Poonawala, had announced in late July 2020 that the government of India had agreed to buy two doses of the vaccine, at a price of US$13 per dose. In early August, two developments caused Adar to revisit SII's initial pricing decision. The first development was that Russia had announced it had developed a vaccine that was ready for mass distribution in early October-two months ahead of SII. The second development was that Johnson & Johnson had announced a price of US$10 per dose. The case outlines the decisions facing SII concerning the pricing strategy and pricing dynamics for their COVID-19 vaccine.

The owners of a chain of hardware stores are preparing the most recent quarter financial statements. A number of business details are provided, including information to assess accrual accounting net income: sales, cost of sales, operating expenses, interest, depreciation, and taxes. The most recent balance sheet is provided, enabling an assessment of basic accruals (e.g., tax payable). This case may be used as a stand-alone exercise to illustrate the preparation of balance sheets and income statements using transactions and accruals.

This interactive exercise emulates a process wherein a virtual Card is created in a series of steps. It can be used to expose students to ideas and concepts in process analysis, management, and improvement. It may be used in classes focusing on operations management, project management, and software development. The simulation is run on the project-management web application Trello. It allows for simultaneous, real-time observation and collaboration between players. Students can observe other students working at the same time they are performing specific tasks. This exercise is suitable for students in either full-time or executive MBA programs, as well as executive education programs.

The owner of a small retail flooring company is projecting her company's financial performance and financial position for the current 2020 calendar year. The company began business in 2019, and by all measures, that first year had been a financial success. A small profit was earned, and the year ended in a strong financial position. But disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the need for new planning. A number of changes to business activity are projected, together enabling the construction of pro forma 2020 financial statements. Liquidity, profit, and the ability to take an annual owner's draw could then be assessed. This case is optimally used early in an introductory financial accounting course, or as a stand-alone exercise that illustrates the construction of financial statements. It can also be used as two distinct accounting analyses: (i) students can use the case data to reconstruct the 2019 balance sheet and income statement provided within the case exhibits, and (ii) they can also use the new projections to complete the 2020 pro forma financial statements.

The online eco-lifestyle start-up The Kommon Goods, founded by Alvin Li, a young Hong Kong social consultant and entrepreneur, seeks to change consumer behaviour through its sustainably sourced products platform. The social enterprise also aims to drive change in the B2B space, while also raising awareness about the growing issue of plastic waste in Hong Kong and globally. The Kommon Goods is an extension of Li's own lifestyle and philosophy. The social enterprise encourages consumers to avoid buying plastic items or packaging and to focus on purchase items that are produced sustainably and recyclable. The social entrepreneur has already gained worldwide recognition in his quest to support the UN's SDGs and reduce plastic waste worldwide.