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Zhejiang Semir E-Commerce Co. Ltd., the online subsidiary of Chinese casual clothing company Zhejiang Semir Group Co. Ltd. (Semir), grew continuously from its launch in 2012 to become a main contributor to Semir’s success, contributing approximately 30 per cent of Semir’s annual revenue by 2016. Semir entered the online market relatively late after many competing Chinese clothing manufacturers had already established their presence online. Yet it became the industry leader in terms of e-commerce revenue. It differed from other major clothing firms mainly in its implementation of the management philosophy of Kazuo Inamori, particularly his Amoeba Management method and his belief in altruism and a win-win approach to business. Semir worked to create supply chain relationships that were true partnerships, and it promoted the various brands in its multi-brand strategy through celebrity endorsements and online marketing. Like its major competitors, Semir was exploring online-to-offline (O2O) models in the clothing industry. In 2016, the company faced a rapidly changing online environment and increasing competition in the industry. It needed a strategy to maintain its early success in e-commerce. It also needed to determine what kind of O2O model to adopt and how to deal with competition from fast-fashion retailers in the online marketplace.

It was early November 2017, and the chief executive officer of ClickDishes Inc. (ClickDishes), an Alberta-based food service application company, needed to consider the strategic direction of his start-up. ClickDishes had a unique value proposition and very few competitors worldwide. Its chief executive officer wanted to enter a number of new markets very quickly in order to capitalize on his company's first-mover advantage and establish the ClickDishes brand name as the default solution for in-restaurant ordering. However, his desire for growth was checked by his apprehension that rapid expansion would overextend the company's limited resources, and the knowledge that poor execution in one new city could be devastating to further growth. He had to develop a market expansion plan that suited ClickDishes' resources and capabilities but was also aggressive enough to place the firm in a dominant position against new entrants in its industry.

In early 2017, Voot was one of India’s popular video-on-demand (VOD) service providers of movies and television series. By that time, more than 50 million users had installed the application on the Android mobile platform alone. Voot’s parent company, Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. (Viacom 18), was popular for its television channels Rishtey, Colors, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central India. Due to a rise in VOD service providers and a growing number of Internet users in India, VOD consumption had been increasing rapidly; therefore, launching Voot was important for Viacom18 to secure a place in the surging digital market. Even though Viacom18 was already a popular television network service provider at the time of Voot’s launch, it was not the first service to enter the VOD market, and its competitors were doing well. Voot had to determine what monetization model to implement and it had to choose a content strategy that would allow it to be competitive in the market, considering its diversified consumer base in terms of language, culture, and economic conditions.

In 2017, the contract between the Andretti family auto racing business, Andretti Autosport, and Honda Motor Company (Honda) would come to an end following the racing season. Generational family resources and dynamic social media capabilities had created a sustained competitive advantage (SCA) for Andretti Autosport. Also, key strategic decisions surrounding primary engine sponsorship and enterprise diversification afforded the chief executive officer the benefit of financial resources required to fund his Andretti Autosport racing operations across multiple racing platforms. More strategic decisions would have to be made as the contract between Andretti Autosport and Honda was coming to an end. Although the Honda collaboration had been successful, was it the best partnership to sustain the multi-generational organization into the future? What engine sponsor would be the best for Andretti Autosport to partner with for the next racing season?

Presentation for product 8B18M114.

The case recounts the development and implementation of the first social media campaign at La Protectora de la Infancia (La Protectora), a centenary, Chilean non-profit organization offering education and social assistance to children in need. With a large number of non-profits operating in several domains across the country, competition for volunteers and donations was high in the sector. However, Chile had one of the most engaged social media markets worldwide, and it had the highest rate of broadband connection in Latin America. In March 2016, the marketing team was planning the next fundraising campaign with the help of a social media marketing consultant. They needed to decide how the organization could use social media and the fundraising campaign to engage volunteers and donors, creating a stronger and more positive image for the institution.

As the end of 2016 approached, the managing director of AmorePacific Hong Kong (APHK) was setting the media mix and budget for APHK’s four makeup and skin care brands: ETUDE HOUSE, LANEIGE, Sulwhasoo, and AMOREPACIFIC. Tourists shopping in Hong Kong from mainland China comprised over half of the company’s sales. However, in the face of a declining number of tourists and the shrinking of luxury goods spending, the managing director had to consider the marketing tools in the customer decision journey; competitive positioning; and the distribution of the marketing budget between traditional and digital channels in the upcoming bi-monthly campaigns. She needed to strike an appropriate balance between recruiting new customers and retaining existing customers within APHK’s overall strategy for Greater China.

In September 2016, a senior consultant at the Indore campus of the Central Institute of Management and Consulting (CIMC) was busy preparing some documents for a meeting on a transportation problem the organization was facing. CIMC Indore’s chief operating officer had requested his assistance to resolve the transport department’s issues. Management was incurring substantial yearly costs for maintenance related to the drivers that operated the various vehicles of the organizations. There was also a need to rationalize the workload of the drivers to avoid dissonance among employees. Following his meeting with the chief operating officer, the senior consultant saw an opportunity to reduce the annual cost of drivers, while addressing some of the dissatisfaction that was present among drivers concerning their schedules and workload.

Instructor Spreadsheet for 8B18D005.

Student Spreadsheet for product 9B18D005.

Committing yourself romantically to another ambitious person requires committing to their career as well as your own—which creates challenges that must be overcome to benefit from the partnership. After all, committing to two careers often requires one partner to take a time-out from ambition. Lost in most discussions of “power couples” is the fact that the real power of these couples is only tapped when both members of the partnership are focused on the same goals. When two people share the same career objective, the pair’s combined energy, skills, wits, and actions are enhanced. Two founders working toward a common goal will often fare better than one working alone. Like everything else in business, making a power couple business partnership work requires strategic planning, and many leadership teams can benefit from having a combination of technical and creative partners. The author recommends the following three key practices: First, one spouse must not report to the other. This will help mitigate the risk of casual dinner-table conversation turning into a performance review. Second, leadership roles should be defined. To help do this, both partners should consider taking a personality test to identify similarities and differences. Third, celebrate your business successes as a couple.

In February 2017, the co-founders of Passion Connect were considering potential monetization strategies for their company. Passion Connect was an online platform based in Bangalore, India, that helped people identify, nurture, and live their passions. The company provided users with curated content, events, and connections related to their passions—from painting and music to travel and food. Passion Connect aimed to raise a Series A round of venture capital financing by the end of 2017. The co-founders had to find an effective monetization strategy before approaching potential investors. They had to consider both qualitative and quantitative outcomes for each strategy, the fit with the business’s goals, and the impact on profitability, feasibility, and user experience.

Instructor Spreadsheet for 8B17N007.

By 2016, Birks Group Inc. (Birks) had largely recovered from the 2008 financial crisis and was posting profits again. Birks was a high-end designer and manufacturer of Birks-branded jewellery and a mono-brand and multi-brand retailer of luxury jewellery and watches. It operated 29 retail outlets across Canada under its Maison Birks and Brinkhaus banners and 17 stores in two U.S. states (Florida and Georgia) under the Mayors banner. After restructuring the company and rehabilitating the brand, Birks’s experienced chief executive officer wondered how to take the iconic Canadian company further in a rapidly changing market. He had to decide what balance Birks should strike in pushing the brand in different markets: Canada, existing U.S. markets, new U.S. markets, and international markets. Although the luxury jewellery industry had not performed well in the digital marketplace to date, he was eager to investigate Birks’s e-commerce options as well. What were the best ways to grow Birks and optimize resources and effort?

In the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, the coach of the Canadian men’s volleyball team needed to make a final decision about the team’s composition. Although the core eight players had already been selected, the difficult decisions involved choosing the supporting cast of four players from a list of seven players being considered. His decision would directly impact the team's performance at the Olympics but would also leave an imprint on the men’s volleyball program, and would change the lives of the athletes. How could the coach ensure he made the most appropriate selection decision?

In October 2016, the assistant director for buying and sourcing apparel at Tashn.com (Tashn) was examining his team's readiness for the upcoming End of Reason Sale, scheduled for January 3 to 5, 2017. The assistant director was contemplating a few crucial merchandising decisions: Was Tashn's merchandising plan effective? Was its buying model sustainable for large orders? Were the seller selection and evaluation processes efficient to ensure quality? The assistant director was also concerned about an increase in customer complaints and dissatisfaction with product quality in the general market.

In November 2017, a fan of hockey watched his favourite team lose 6–4 against a contending team. After a great start to the season with a record of 6 wins and 1 loss, his favourite team had lost 6 of the last 8 games, dropping their record to 8 wins and 7 losses. The fan knew that the time was approaching for the inevitable discussions with his friends regarding the team's success. Which players should they have signed? Which player should the team trade for? What line combinations would serve the team best? Who was overvalued, and who was undervalued? Knowing that conversations among his friends typically took on a random and unstructured format, the fan planned to provide a more analytical approach to the discussion this year. His research would raise the level of the conversation and help back up his suggestions.

Instructor Spreadsheet to accompany product 8B18E005.

Student spreadsheet for product 9B18E005.

Calgary’s city manager sought to build stronger relationships with the community to attract development and retain investment in the city. He knew that implementing the Proximity Initiative guidelines, a collaborative effort between the Railway Association of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, while intended to limit potential safety risks in the case of a derailment or volume release, would simultaneously limit urban development opportunities, particularly within the downtown. The guidelines did not consider the balance of public safety with economic diversification so specific to Calgary's context. The manager had to consider an appropriate solution for his city.