Following the success of its initial efforts toward digital transformation, Vanke Port Apartment (Vanke Group’s long-term rental brand) began investing in technology to enhance its core capabilities. By continuously updating its Rental Management Planning (RMP) system, constructing marketing channels, and developing a one-click project planning function, Vanke Port established itself as an industry leader in digital technology. Furthermore, Vanke Port started to market and sell its technology systems, shifting its technology focus from reducing costs to generating revenue. Meanwhile, the company also needs to continuously evolve its technology and business model in an ever-changing environment.

The Volkswagen Group (VW Group) unveiled its vision, “NEW AUTO – Mobility for generations to come,” in 2021, setting the goal of becoming a prominent provider of sustainable mobility by focusing on e-mobility, digitalization, and autonomous driving, while prioritizing environmental, social, and governance factors, regional markets, and effective financing for the transformation. As of 2024, the VW Group had recognized the potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the automotive industry, particularly in areas such as manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, and data analytics. Despite the promise of AI, challenges surrounding governance, compliance, transparency, and talent management needed to be effectively addressed for successful adoption and implementation by the VW Group.

BYD Auto Co. Ltd. (BYD Auto) became the world’s biggest electric-vehicle (EV) maker in 2023. Before its inception in 2003, BYD Auto’s parent firm, BYD Co. Ltd. (BYD), was a Shenzhen, China–based battery manufacturer. Under the visionary leadership of the company’s chair and president, a trained chemist with an eye toward sustainable transportation, BYD diversified into the automotive industry and transformed into an EV leader. Based on site visits and interviews, this case examined the design and branding aspect of the transformation. Combining technology with deep-seated local culture, BYD Auto strategically designed a series of models that incrementally established its leadership domestically. What should be the company chair’s strategic move in 2024 to innovate on BYD Auto’s EVs?

Bosch Automotive Product (Changsha) Ltd Co, is a leading automotive parts manufacturer, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bosch, a multinational engineering and technology company headquartered in Gerlingen, Germany. Since 2020, Bosch Changsha had accelerated its digital transformation through building an organizational culture that embraces digital innovation. By designing and implementing a portfolio of digital initiatives and programs, Bosch Changsha managed to establish a culture that embraces digital transformation and inspires employees to contribute to organizational change. Meanwhile, despite the significant success, the company also faced the question of how to continue leveraging culture to drive future digital transformation.

Afrigen Biologics (Pty) Ltd. (Afrigen) was a biotech firm with a track record of solid performance in the sector with its leadership in sharing mRNA technology and developing a vaccine for COVID-19. By August 2024, with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic under control, the firm was ready to capitalize on its track record and pivot. Petro Terblanche, CEO of Afrigen, needed to decide, therefore, what the firm’s next steps would be. What should the company's new business model be after the end of the current mRNA technology transfer program? How could Afrigen position itself in the African biopharmaceutical value chain? How could it leverage its existing alliances? Should Afrigen pursue international licensing or position itself to be acquired?

The case of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) versus Amazon.com Inc. (Amazon) revolved around allegations of anti-competitive practices and monopolistic behaviour by the tech giant. Amazon, with its diverse portfolio of services and dominant market position in online retail, faced accusations related to its bundling of “Fulfillment by Amazon” with Prime Eligibility and its price parity rules for third-party sellers. The FTC claimed that Amazon’s bundling strategy stifled competition by compelling sellers to use its fulfillment services, thus limiting their choices and potentially driving up prices for consumers. Additionally, Amazon’s price parity rules allegedly restricted sellers from offering lower prices on other platforms, potentially leading to artificially inflated prices across all channels. However, Amazon argued that these practices were essential for maintaining service quality, preventing showrooming, and protecting its brand reputation. The company would have to evaluate the validity of the FTC’s claims and determine the best course of action in response to the lawsuit.

In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), data and algorithms have been increasingly incorporated into organizations’ talent management in general and recruitment processes in particular. The case discusses the experience of the China-based technology giant Baidu Inc. (Baidu) during its implementation and incorporation of AI in its recruitment process. It introduces the new trend of intelligent recruitment, addressing the transformation toward it, its technical functions, and the operational model and value creation it enables. It also explores the challenges and future opportunities in the use of AI for talent management.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour began on March 17, 2023, and quickly gained popularity, becoming the highest-grossing tour of all time and generating over US$1 billion. The Eras Tour was designed to immerse the audience through each of the eras of Swift’s life as she transitioned through 10 unique sets spanning over three hours. The Eras Tour was a big step up from Swift’s previous tours, incorporating extravagant costumes, elaborate audiovisuals, and a complex stage design. The show featured a giant catwalk, moving platforms, and several different sets for each scene, enabling the audience to feel connected to each era. Behind the scenes, Swift’s production crew worked to ensure the show ran smoothly, with one team backstage, two teams on the floor managing the show, and a third team under the stage, managing costume changes and performer placement. The Eras Tour had seen unprecedented demand, with millions of fans trying to secure show tickets. On November 17, 2022, Swift’s team faced scrutiny around its partnership with Ticketmaster, as the platform became overwhelmed by 14 million fans seeking tickets and an unprecedented number of bot attacks.<br><br>For Swift and her team, questions arose: How could the team continue to bring joy to fans, potentially attract new audiences, ensure smooth operations and sales for future performances, and further strengthen Swift’s brand, popularity, and reputation? Which other markets should Swift visit? How could the team sustain and even elevate the success of the show? How was success defined at a global and societal level? What came next?

The World Economic Forum and the consulting firm McKinsey & Company collaborated with academics to create the concept of lighthouse factories in 2018. The concept represents a vision for manufacturing in the digital age, in which cutting-edge digital technologies are designed and deployed to enable innovative manufacturing practices to be implemented at large scale. The concept has since become a global standard for digital manufacturing. For McKinsey & Company, and other consulting firms, this vision brings significant opportunities but also requires these organizations and their consultants to obtain an in-depth and nuanced understanding of lighthouse factories and the underlying business models, practices, technologies, and cases.

The World Economic Forum and the consulting firm McKinsey & Company collaborated with academics to create the concept of lighthouse factories in 2018. The concept represents a vision for manufacturing in the digital age, in which cutting-edge digital technologies are designed and deployed to enable innovative manufacturing practices to be implemented at large scale. The concept has since become a global standard for digital manufacturing. For McKinsey & Company, and other consulting firms, this vision brings significant opportunities but also requires these organizations and their consultants to obtain an in-depth and nuanced understanding of lighthouse factories and the underlying business models, practices, technologies, and cases.

BOE Technology Group Ltd. (BOE) was a leading semiconductor display company worldwide. This case study examines BOE’s journey from facing near bankruptcy to becoming a major player in the display industry and subsequently transitioning into the Internet of Things (IoT) space. The company leveraged effective knowledge management to streamline resources; accelerate knowledge sharing, flow, and application; improve internal management and operational efficiency; mitigate the impact of industry cycles; enhance profitability and innovation capabilities; and support development at each stage. Meanwhile, the firm also faced many challenges. How could BOE further upgrade its capability and transform into a leader in the IoT age?

Bosch Automotive Product (Changsha) Ltd Co, is a leading automotive parts manufacturer, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bosch, a multinational engineering and technology company headquartered in Gerlingen, Germany. Since 2020, Bosch Changsha had accelerated its digital transformation through building an organizational culture that embraces digital innovation. By designing and implementing a portfolio of digital initiatives and programs, Bosch Changsha managed to establish a culture that embraces digital transformation and inspires employees to contribute to organizational change. Meanwhile, despite the significant success, the company also faced the question of how to continue leveraging culture to drive future digital transformation.

BYD Auto Co. Ltd. (BYD Auto) became the world's biggest electric-vehicle (EV) maker in 2023. Before its inception in 2003, BYD Auto's parent firm, BYD Co. Ltd. (BYD), was a Shenzhen, China-based battery manufacturer. Under the visionary leadership of the company's chair and president, a trained chemist with an eye toward sustainable transportation, BYD diversified into the automotive industry and transformed into an EV leader. Based on site visits and interviews, this case examined the design and branding aspect of the transformation. Combining technology with deep-seated local culture, BYD Auto strategically designed a series of models that incrementally established its leadership domestically. What should be the company chair's strategic move in 2024 to innovate on BYD Auto's EVs?

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?

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?

In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), data and algorithms have been increasingly incorporated into organizations' talent management in general and recruitment processes in particular. The case discusses the experience of the China-based technology giant Baidu Inc. (Baidu) during its implementation and incorporation of AI in its recruitment process. It introduces the new trend of intelligent recruitment, addressing the transformation toward it, its technical functions, and the operational model and value creation it enables. It also explores the challenges and future opportunities in the use of AI for talent management.

Global health and wellness industries worldwide have been changing rapidly. In China, traditional Chinese supplements brand Guanzhan was founded in 2014 with the aim to provide younger consumers with new types of supplements that would satisfy their changing needs. The company employed a "New Retail" model to best serve the targeted consumer groups, who, compared to their older counterparts, knew little about traditional medicine and had higher taste and convenience requirements for supplement products. As of when the case was written, Guanzhan's ready-to-eat fish maw products had become one of the leading supplement product categories in the Chinese market. Looking into the future, the company sought to expand their footprint offline and develop new products that would satisfy the offline markets.

The Royal Belgian Football Association was a non-profit organization based in Brussels, Belgium that had a goal to organize, develop, and promote all forms of football in the country. To achieve this goal, it regularly interacted with many stakeholders including fans, commercial partners, association members, referees, and brand stewards. In 2021, the association was eager to digitalize these interactions through the use of its mobile app and added many features to the app over the next two years to support a fluid road map. However, during those two years, the performance of marquee teams was disappointing. More than ever, it seemed important to engender continuous digital engagement with stakeholders as a basis for further commercial growth. In March 2023, the director of marketing and communication and the director of digital, innovation, and technology were reviewing and assessing the association’s digital strategy, especially during the previous two years, and strategizing about the future. Their assessment revealed several important questions about how to prioritize digital initiatives in the future.

The Royal Belgian Football Association was a non-profit organization based in Brussels, Belgium that had a goal to organize, develop, and promote all forms of football in the country. To achieve this goal, it regularly interacted with many stakeholders including fans, commercial partners, association members, referees, and brand stewards. In 2021, the association was eager to digitalize these interactions through the use of its mobile app and added many features to the app over the next two years to support a fluid road map. However, during those two years, the performance of marquee teams was disappointing. More than ever, it seemed important to engender continuous digital engagement with stakeholders as a basis for further commercial growth. In March 2023, the director of marketing and communication and the director of digital, innovation, and technology were reviewing and assessing the association's digital strategy, especially during the previous two years, and strategizing about the future. Their assessment revealed several important questions about how to prioritize digital initiatives in the future.

Global health and wellness industries worldwide have been changing rapidly. In China, traditional Chinese supplements brand Guanzhan was founded in 2014 with the aim to provide younger consumers with new types of supplements that would satisfy their changing needs. The company employed a “New Retail” model to best serve the targeted consumer groups, who, compared to their older counterparts, knew little about traditional medicine and had higher taste and convenience requirements for supplement products. As of when the case was written, Guanzhan's ready-to-eat fish maw products had become one of the leading supplement product categories in the Chinese market. Looking into the future, the company sought to expand their footprint offline and develop new products that would satisfy the offline markets.