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Instructor spreadsheet for Ivey product no. W24500.

Student spreadsheet for Ivey product no. W34499.

In 2022, Michael Steiner, Porsche's Executive Board Member for Research and Development, confronted a pivotal decision as the company aimed to shift over 80 per cent of new vehicle sales to full-electric models by 2030. In response to the global drive for sustainability, Porsche contemplated an innovative strategy: the eFuels concept, involving the production of synthetic fuels with near-carbon-neutral potential. This presented a solution to challenges such as market competition, technological changes, and varied global governmental impacts. However, Porsche grappled with the dilemma of embracing eFuels or focusing solely on electric vehicles, recognizing the decision's profound impact on its industry position. The company was faced with the choice of becoming a fuel provider, controlling the entire value chain, or collaborating with existing producers to leverage expertise and mitigate risks. The decision required careful consideration of long-term implications, with high stakes shaping Porsche's trajectory for years to come. Balancing electric engine development and the pursuit of eFuels, the company sought to strike a delicate equilibrium in navigating the complex landscape of sustainable mobility and emerging technologies.

RA Group, a technology consulting firm, introduced changes in 2019 that were impacting the organization and its employees. Employees were dealing with the transition to a new office location and resulting changes to the company’s transportation services, the less private office configuration, a surge of new employees lacking proper supervision, and increased turnover. Employees encountered numerous organizational problems during the change process and were experiencing frustrations with the transition from the way things had been before the changes, leading to an identity crisis and resistance to the changes.

Shein, a rapidly growing international e-commerce giant based in China, strategically positioned itself as a dominant player in the fast fashion industry by catering to Gen Z customers with stylish and affordable offerings. The brand benefitted from a forward-thinking digital business model that harnessed big data analysis and social media marketing, ensuring deep consumer insights and accurate market demand predictions. Moreover, its seamless integration with supplier networks bolstered its supply chain agility and enabled it to enhance customer experiences through tailored product recommendations. Despite its success, Shein faced scrutiny for labour exploitation, design infringement, and broader environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges inherent to the fast-fashion industry. Under pressure from investors and targeting a potential public listing, Shein embarked on an ethical transformation, aligning with international labour conventions and local regulations to improve its ESG standing. This case underscored Shein’s complex challenge as it strived to harmonize sustainability with commercial profitability. It also introduced the ESG strategies Shein had adopted until then. The crucial question remained: How could Shein leverage its digital innovations to transform into a sustainable and ethical global operator? Particularly within the context of Sino-US tensions, what strategies should the company employ to secure a higher valuation and establish itself as a responsible industry player while pursuing a successful initial public offering?

Derrin Raffey, chief financial officer at St. Thomas More College (STM) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, oversaw STM’s investment trust. With a value of more than CA$22 million, managing the trust required careful consideration of various factors, including management fees, performance, the appropriateness of the holdings, and relationships with investment managers.<br><br>At times, the trust had held investments that were not appropriate, given the college’s religious values. However, with the hiring of a new investment manager, switching from pooled fund investment to discretionary investment became an option. As STM did not have a formal process or template for reviewing investment managers, developing these was a priority. Finally, there was the question of what strategy STM should adopt—was it possible for STM to balance its need for growth and returns against other factors such as the college’s religious ethos and the wishes of its various stakeholders?

Uno Minda Ltd. (Uno Minda) was a leading manufacturer of automobile components for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of vehicles running on an internal combustion engine. The Indian company had a strong relationship with automobile manufacturers and long-standing international partners for joint manufacturing of auto components. The Indian market was rapidly adopting electric vehicles (EVs). In November 2021, Uno Minda was determined to establish itself as a leading manufacturer of components for EVs. The company could develop its expertise by investing in in-house research and development, acquiring a domestic or international EV component manufacturer, or forming a joint venture with a renowned domestic or international player in the EV component space. All three options had their pros and cons. Uno Minda had to choose among these.

In the sunny afternoon of October 5, 2023, in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), the co-founders of TRAE Group contemplated the challenge of growing their business while maintaining a delicate balance between commercial activities and their social mission of addressing global food security. In view of the changes in the global markets due to COVID-19 and geo-political tensions, they needed to evaluate the potential impacts of inflation, supply chain disruptions, and other global events on their ability to generate income and continue their social initiatives. The dilemma was whether to reassess their business strategies, explore alternative suppliers, or diversify their product offerings.

Nick worked as the weekend shift leader at the fulfillment center of Lee Valley Tools. in Ottawa. The company operated three shifts—a day and night shift on weekdays and a weekend shift on Saturday and Sunday. Reviewing performance statistics, Nick noted that members of the night shifts in the warehouse seemed to be achieving higher performance in order fulfillment and line item fulfillment. On the other hand, the members of the weekend shifts were more aligned with the performance of members of the day shift, which had to deal with deliveries of incoming items and placing these items in the warehouse. Nick wondered why the weekend shift seemed to lag behind. He also wondered whether these differences were significant and meaningful. Nick found that there appeared to be a lag in the picking and packing processes.

Spreadsheet to accompany product W36174.

Why building an innovative corporate culture requires focusing on people rather than technology.

Green Consultant, a Singapore-based environmental consulting firm, had worked with several financial institutions before 2023 and was aware that many were interested in expanding their loan portfolios to include more environmentally inclined clients. In January 2023, one such client, a Singapore-based small and medium enterprise (SME) named Chang & Lee Manufacturing (CLM), approached Green Consultant to prepare a business proposal on how the SME could transition to solar energy. A green finance analyst at Green Consultant had one month to deliver a proposal to CLM. He had to consider the type of solar business model, the financing option, and the CLM stakeholders to engage, alongside CLM’s operational and financial conditions, to recommend the most economically feasible solar solution for CLM.

A life-changing event prompted marketing professional Stacey Thomas to leave her successful career in media and entertainment to join dynamic, fast-growing healthcare provider, OceanView Medical. Initially drawn to, and inspired by, the company’s mission and values, Thomas quickly discovered that the role for which she had been hired had expanded drastically in terms of responsibilities and challenges in the five weeks since her interview. The events that ensued became increasingly frustrating for Thomas, leaving her to decide whether to stay with the team she had built at OceanView Medical or to find a new job.

Aashica Khanna, the director of Ananda in the Himalayas, an internationally famed Indian luxury wellness resort, was mulling over her options to grow the luxury wellness brand. Could Ananda’s Indian tradition based wellness solutions, hospitality, and cuisine pillars be replicated? While Khanna and Ananda’s leadership team had constantly innovated and created a differentiation in the luxury wellness space, should the focus be on consistency in the Ananda luxury wellness experience or uniqueness? Would they be able to recreate the Ananda experience at another location while preserving the luxury wellness brand’s promise?

In Kolkata, India, in 2021, a car battery failed at a crucial moment. Witnessing this, the research and development director at Exide Industries Limited (EIL) pondered creating an Internet of Things (IoT)-integrated smart battery solution to enhance customer experience by proactively monitoring battery health. The dilemma for EIL's cross-functional team was multifaceted: Could they innovate without compromising data privacy while maintaining sustainability? The team debated market receptiveness, return on investment, and compliance with environmental standards. The business situation was complex: Could EIL redefine customer experience, align with sustainability goals, and navigate the challenges of data security and market risks?

Cathay Pacific was founded in Hong Kong in 1946. As of July 2023, Cathay Pacific passenger and cargo airlines offered scheduled services to 81 destinations in 30 countries and regions worldwide, including 14 destinations in the Chinese Mainland. The group also served an additional 131 destinations in 21 countries and regions through code-share agreements. Effective January 1, 2023, Lavinia Lau was appointed chief customer and commercial officer and executive director on the board of Cathay Pacific. In August 2023 she faced the decision of what to propose to position Cathay Pacific to achieve its ambitious vision of becoming one of the world’s greatest service brands. What was the current positioning of Cathay Pacific relative to other airlines? Who should its target customers be? What should its message be to appeal to those target customers?

PowerPoint presentation for W34083.

On July 18, 2022, transgender employees of Kochi Metro Rail Limited revealed several sad stories of discrimination, low salary, and inaccessible toilets in the workplace. The publicly owned company based in Kochi, India aimed to be seen as among the most sustainable and connected organizations in the country. In 2017, the company made a conscious effort to hire transgender candidates into primary positions. After hiring 1,000 women and 23 transgender employees as part of its social inclusion initiative, Kochi Metro Rail Limited earned praise from the public as an inclusive workplace. The company soon reached a high of 43 transgender employees, but that number dropped considerably down to nine employees within only five years, after issues and disappointments surfaced among the workforce. The transgender community saw the company’s transgender employee policy as a promotional stunt to gain publicity and public attention. To regain its former status among India’s top companies for social inclusion, it was imperative for Kochi Metro Rail Limited to quickly find a way to attract and retain transgender employees.

In 2012, the Jamaican economy was in a crisis. It had an estimated debt-to–gross domestic product ratio of 147 per cent. To alleviate the crisis, the Jamaican government signed both an extended fund facility for US$948 million, in 2013, and a precautionary stand-by arrangement for US$1.64 billion, in 2016, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As a condition of the IMF loan, the Jamaican government agreed to an economic reform agenda with requirements that included the harmonization of prudential standards across all deposit-taking institutions (DTIs) and consolidated supervision. Consequently, in 2014, the Government of Jamaica passed the Banking Services Act (BSA), which became effective September 30, 2015. Prior to the BSA, the financial services sector was fragmented. Banks and DTIs were regulated by the Bank of Jamaica (BoJ), Jamaica’s central bank; building societies, though supervised by the BoJ, were governed by the Building Societies Act, while credit unions were self-regulated through the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League.<br><br>In December 2020, Courtney Campbell was the chief executive officer of the Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS), a mutual company (i.e., a company owned by its depositors). He had to decide on the future direction of the company under the new regulations and the pending implementation of new measures. The decision came at a time of great external uncertainty, as COVID-19 was still ravaging the world and there was no vaccine yet approved.

In early 2022, the online sports betting market was opening in Ontario, Canada, and Rush Street Interactive (RSI), an online and offline gaming company based in Chicago and already operating in the gaming space in a number of US states and the country of Colombia, had to decide about its next move. RSI had so far focused its growth strategy on being a first mover in new markets, and several of its gaming competitors had already indicated their intentions to enter the newly opened online casinos and online sports betting market in Ontario. Should RSI take the opportunity to enter the Ontario online sports betting market or take advantage of its first-mover advantage in US jurisdictions such as Tennessee, West Virginia, and Massachusetts?