Indus Motors was a large automotive dealer and service provider in the state of Kerala (India), with a network of five zonal warehouses and 76 service centres. The company was grappling with inventory management issues, such as excess stock and procurement and distribution practices that accounted for higher costs. Although the company had recently implemented an enterprise resource planning system, the management believed that benefits accruing from the digital system and supply chain capabilities were not put to good use. The management was looking to streamline inventory management and procurement and sourcing practices, leveraging technology and analytics capabilities.
St. Gianna Healthcare (SGH) was a community health centre located in Kochi, in the southern state of Kerala, India, offering government-approved medical checkups and health certifications, specialist consulting services in obstetrics and gynecology, and dental care. SGH’s medical administrator was concerned about service management issues at the clinic in recent months. While there had been a recent increase in patient numbers, she was concerned about customer experience. In particular, she was trying to assess whether patient waiting times and service turnaround were satisfactory, given the dependencies SGH had on capacity, scheduling, and overall service management at the clinic, and was considering her options for improvements.
Greenturn Idea Factory (GIF) was a start-up based in Kerala, India, that manufactured and marketed green energy products. Greeniee, a wireless device for monitoring electricity consumption, was GIF’s flagship product in the portfolio. Other products included rooftop solar panels and waste-to-energy conversion devices. Sajil Peethambaran, chief technology officer of GIF, was deliberating on a strategy to servitize Greeniee for potential market segments, either as an augmented product or by bundling it with other offerings.
In February 2016, the managing director of Astro-Vision Futuretech Private Limited (Astro-Vision), one of the leading astrology product and service providers in India, was deliberating his company’s strategic options. He had to decide on the strategic direction of his company, particularly the business verticals, products and services, and marketing and distribution channels he should focus on, given the business environment and the company’s competencies, vision, mission, value propositions, and potential for future growth.
In August 2018, many regions in the state of Kerala, India, were experiencing rising flood waters, and people were being evacuated from flood-prone areas to relief camps. Various relief camp supplies in the state were being distributed through the distribution centre at Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Kochi. XSEED, a student community-driven organization of the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, was being coordinated by faculty member Dr. Mercia Justin. Justin, entrusted with the responsibility of managing the operations at the distribution centre, was carefully considering how to manage the throughput of the relief camp supplies and streamline operations at the distribution centre as the volume of shipments rapidly expanded and the rain and flooding situation worsened.
In September 2017, the managing director of Summit Maritime Pvt. Limited, a marine consulting firm and luxury boat manufacturer in Kochi, India, faced a dilemma. He needed to relocate a production facility and set up a service factory, where boats would be both manufactured and displayed. The managing director needed to decide on the optimal location for the new facility by considering multiple factors. He also needed to design a preliminary layout for the new facility. How should he decide on the optimal facility location and layout to restructure his growing business operations and ensure the company’s future?
Safe Boat Trip Private Limited (Safe Boat Trip) of Kerala, India, is planning to launch a hydrofoil ferry service connecting the Port of Kochi, India, with two other ports in the state of Kerala by August 2016, to benefit from the tourism potential of the season in Kerala. The managing director has asked the principal superintendent of Safe Boat Trip to prepare a project plan for the boats to be commissioned into service, following approval from the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The principal superintendent must also carry out a break-even analysis of the project investment. With these challenges before him, the superintendent must set out to devise a solid plan of action before the company’s next meeting.