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In May 2020, amid the lockdown in India brought about by COVID-19, P. C. Musthafa, chief executive officer of iD Fresh Food (iD), a food company located in Bengaluru, India, was preparing for a virtual meeting with his co-founders. The company offered customers the value proposition of "freshness" and operated in the ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat segments. iD's flagship product was batter for preparing idlis and dosas, which were popular Indian breakfast dishes. The co-founders had to decide how to address the challenges arising on both the demand and the supply side of the business brought about by the pandemic, including production and logistics challenges on the supply side, a dip in demand, and the growth of competitors in the segments. How should iD plan its production amid the disruption to the supply chains and logistics sector brought on by the pandemic and ensure that its products maintain the promised value proposition of freshness? How could it ensure that customers continued to trust iD? Could iD script a fresh story and reach its vision of becoming a ₹10-billion company by 2023, despite an economy ravaged by the pandemic?

In May 2020, amid the lockdown in India brought about by COVID-19, P. C. Musthafa, chief executive officer of iD Fresh Food (iD), a food company located in Bengaluru, India, was preparing for a virtual meeting with his co-founders. The company offered customers the value proposition of “freshness” and operated in the ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat segments. iD’s flagship product was batter for preparing idlis and dosas, which were popular Indian breakfast dishes. The co-founders had to decide how to address the challenges arising on both the demand and the supply side of the business brought about by the pandemic, including production and logistics challenges on the supply side, a dip in demand, and the growth of competitors in the segments. How should iD plan its production amid the disruption to the supply chains and logistics sector brought on by the pandemic and ensure that its products maintain the promised value proposition of freshness? How could it ensure that customers continued to trust iD? Could iD script a fresh story and reach its vision of becoming a ₹10-billion company by 2023, despite an economy ravaged by the pandemic?

In July 2020, Hindustan Unilever Limited, the Indian subsidiary of global fast-moving consumer goods company Unilever plc, renamed its Fair & Lovely skin-lightening cream in response to criticism that the product’s positioning and advertising reinforced a pre-existing bias toward fair skin in India. India's market for skin-lightening creams, the largest in the world, was valued at US$450 million–US$535 million, and Fair & Lovely was the market leader with a 70 per cent share. However, the company had been criticized for its positioning and advertising of Fair & Lovely, which many saw as reinforcing a pre-existing bias for fair skin in India. Did the company make the right strategic move by renaming the popular brand? Or should the company have instead followed the path of some competitors and withdrawn the brand from the market? What else could the company do to support the brand?

In July 2020, Hindustan Unilever Limited, the Indian subsidiary of global fast-moving consumer goods company Unilever plc, renamed its Fair & Lovely skin-lightening cream in response to criticism that the product's positioning and advertising reinforced a pre-existing bias toward fair skin in India. India's market for skin-lightening creams, the largest in the world, was valued at US$450 million-US$535 million, and Fair & Lovely was the market leader with a 70 per cent share. However, the company had been criticized for its positioning and advertising of Fair & Lovely, which many saw as reinforcing a pre-existing bias for fair skin in India. Did the company make the right strategic move by renaming the popular brand? Or should the company have instead followed the path of some competitors and withdrawn the brand from the market? What else could the company do to support the brand?

In May 2018, Walmart Inc. (Walmart) announced its acquisition of a 77 per cent stake in the Indian e-commerce company Flipkart India Pvt. Ltd. (Flipkart). It was the largest acquisition of an Indian company and the world's largest purchase of an e-commerce company. The deal would provide Walmart with the opportunity to expand globally in competition with its old rival, Amazon.com Inc., and it would provide Flipkart with additional capital to operate in a hypercompetitive environment and an opportunity to leverage Walmart's omni-channel retail expertise. However, despite the strategic alignments, several factors could complicate the deal. Were Walmart's detailed analysis and due diligence prior to the acquisition sufficient to ensure a successful acquisition, or could human resources considerations affect the expected outcomes of the acquisition?

In January 2018, the second-generation scion and director of Natural, an Indian ice cream family business, was preparing for a meeting with the general manager of the company’s retail operations. The company was founded by the director’s father in 1984 under the name Kamath Ourtimes Ice Cream Private Ltd. and was known for its handmade artisanal ice cream brand—Natural Ice Cream. Several years after his entry into the family business in 2009, the son insisted on professionalizing the company as a means of achieving a vision of growth, despite an increasingly competitive market. In 2014, almost 30 years after the company was established, the general manager was the first professional to be hired by the company. Although professionalization brought about an increase in sales of two and a half times during 2012–2018, the director was sensing a change in the culture of the company, which he found troubling. He wondered if he had grown the company too big, too fast in his haste to transform it into a high-growth enterprise.

In January 2018, the second-generation scion and director of Natural, an Indian ice cream family business, was preparing for a meeting with the general manager of the company's retail operations. The company was founded by the director's father in 1984 under the name Kamath Ourtimes Ice Cream Private Ltd. and was known for its handmade artisanal ice cream brand-Natural Ice Cream. Several years after his entry into the family business in 2009, the son insisted on professionalizing the company as a means of achieving a vision of growth, despite an increasingly competitive market. In 2014, almost 30 years after the company was established, the general manager was the first professional to be hired by the company. Although professionalization brought about an increase in sales of two and a half times during 2012-2018, the director was sensing a change in the culture of the company, which he found troubling. He wondered if he had grown the company too big, too fast in his haste to transform it into a high-growth enterprise.

In May 2018, Walmart Inc. (Walmart) announced its acquisition of a 77 per cent stake in the Indian e-commerce company Flipkart India Pvt. Ltd. (Flipkart). It was the largest acquisition of an Indian company and the world's largest purchase of an e-commerce company. The deal would provide Walmart with the opportunity to expand globally in competition with its old rival, Amazon.com Inc., and it would provide Flipkart with additional capital to operate in a hypercompetitive environment and an opportunity to leverage Walmart's omni-channel retail expertise. However, despite the strategic alignments, several factors could complicate the deal. Were Walmart's detailed analysis and due diligence prior to the acquisition sufficient to ensure a successful acquisition, or could human resources considerations affect the expected outcomes of the acquisition?

In March 2018, Cricket Australia (formerly the Australian Cricket Board) banned the Australian cricket captain from the sport for a year due to his involvement in a premeditated attempt at ball tampering in a test match against South Africa. He was also banned from any leadership positions in the sport for at least a year thereafter and faced financial losses on account of these bans. Australian fans and political leaders were outraged at the ball-tampering scandal and the captain's involvement. Other cricketers felt that the penalties were severe and disproportionate. What led the captain to engage in “premeditated” foul play? Could he have played the game differently? Will he be able to lead the Australian cricket team again?

In January 2018, the governor of the Bank of Japan (BoJ), was preparing for a meeting of the policy board of the BoJ. While the broad macroeconomic indicators hinted at a Japanese recovery, Japan still continued to have an inflation rate well below its target of 2 per cent. The accommodative, unconventional monetary policy of quantitative and qualitative easing engineered by the governor in 2013 had resulted in a bloated balance sheet for the BoJ, with little success in overcoming deflation. Was it time to wind up Japan’s monetary stimulus? What would be the results of continued monetary stimulus, especially for businesses? Would the Japanese economy be able to recover from deflation without such monetary stimulus?

In January 2018, the governor of the Bank of Japan (BoJ), was preparing for a meeting of the policy board of the BoJ. While the broad macroeconomic indicators hinted at a Japanese recovery, Japan still continued to have an inflation rate well below its target of 2 per cent. The accommodative, unconventional monetary policy of quantitative and qualitative easing engineered by the governor in 2013 had resulted in a bloated balance sheet for the BoJ, with little success in overcoming deflation. Was it time to wind up Japan's monetary stimulus? What would be the results of continued monetary stimulus, especially for businesses? Would the Japanese economy be able to recover from deflation without such monetary stimulus?

In March 2018, Cricket Australia (formerly the Australian Cricket Board) banned the Australian cricket captain from the sport for a year due to his involvement in a premeditated attempt at ball tampering in a test match against South Africa. He was also banned from any leadership positions in the sport for at least a year thereafter and faced financial losses on account of these bans. Australian fans and political leaders were outraged at the ball-tampering scandal and the captain's involvement. Other cricketers felt that the penalties were severe and disproportionate. What led the captain to engage in "premeditated" foul play? Could he have played the game differently? Will he be able to lead the Australian cricket team again?

In November 2017, the chief executive officer of Sony Corporation was preparing to announce the company’s release of its rebooted robo-pup, the Aibo—a robot equipped with sensors and actuator technologies, and powered by artificial intelligence that allowed this virtual pet to behave like a real dog. Sony Corporation, the 70-year-old iconic Japanese manufacturing company, had diverse businesses. After significant restructuring since 1999 to address its financial troubles, the company was expected, in March 2018, to post a record operating profit for the first time in two decades. How did a virtual pet business, especially one that had already proved unviable in the past, fit into such a restructuring exercise? Was Sony Corporation's Aibo an intelligent decision?

In November 2017, the chief executive officer of Sony Corporation was preparing to announce the company's release of its rebooted robo-pup, the Aibo-a robot equipped with sensors and actuator technologies, and powered by artificial intelligence that allowed this virtual pet to behave like a real dog. Sony Corporation, the 70-year-old iconic Japanese manufacturing company, had diverse businesses. After significant restructuring since 1999 to address its financial troubles, the company was expected, in March 2018, to post a record operating profit for the first time in two decades. How did a virtual pet business, especially one that had already proved unviable in the past, fit into such a restructuring exercise? Was Sony Corporation's Aibo an intelligent decision?

In September 2016, Apple prepared to launch a new version of its flagship product, the iPhone 7. The new product, termed “the best, most advanced iPhone ever,” was priced at three times its cost in the U.S. market. However, Apple had witnessed an 18 per cent year-on-year dip in iPhone revenues in the first calendar quarter of 2016, dragging down Apple’s revenues for the first time in 13 years. The leader in the smartphone market was ousted from its number one position in fiscal year 2016 by the Samsung Group, which had a 20.5 per cent market share. A multitude of factors had caused a dip in the sales of iPhones in the United States and China—Apple’s key markets. Apple was now eyeing India, the third-largest smartphone market in the world, to replicate its China growth story. The India launch of the iPhone 7 was planned for October 7, 2016. The base model was priced at the equivalent of over US$900, about 39 per cent higher than the U.S. phone price. Did Apple have the pricing power to charge more than three times the cost of the iPhone in the Indian market? What would be Apple’s best pricing strategy in a market like India? How could Apple grow its revenues and profits in one of the fastest-growing smartphone markets in the world?

In September 2016, Apple prepared to launch a new version of its flagship product, the iPhone 7. The new product, termed "the best, most advanced iPhone ever," was priced at three times its cost in the U.S. market. However, Apple had witnessed an 18 per cent year-on-year dip in iPhone revenues in the first calendar quarter of 2016, dragging down Apple's revenues for the first time in 13 years. The leader in the smartphone market was ousted from its number one position in fiscal year 2016 by the Samsung Group, which had a 20.5 per cent market share. A multitude of factors had caused a dip in the sales of iPhones in the United States and China-Apple's key markets. Apple was now eyeing India, the third-largest smartphone market in the world, to replicate its China growth story. The India launch of the iPhone 7 was planned for October 7, 2016. The base model was priced at the equivalent of over US$900, about 39 per cent higher than the U.S. phone price. Did Apple have the pricing power to charge more than three times the cost of the iPhone in the Indian market? What would be Apple's best pricing strategy in a market like India? How could Apple grow its revenues and profits in one of the fastest-growing smartphone markets in the world?

On November 8, 2016, the Indian prime minister announced that in an effort to counter corruption, black money, and counterfeiting, high-value currency notes of ?500 and ?1,000 denominations would be withdrawn from circulation. The currency to be removed in the demonetization exercise was worth ?15.4 trillion, or 86.9 per cent of the total value of currency in circulation. The old currency would be replaced with new ?500 and ?2,000 notes, but the transition would limit cash liquidity for 50 days in the Indian economy, which was heavily dependent on cash to facilitate both consumption and production. How would this process affect India, which had been identified as the world’s fastest-growing economy? Would demonetization have the desired effect of purging the economy of black money and moving India toward a cashless economy with increased growth? Or would it simply bring India’s remarkable growth story to a grinding halt and discourage investments?

On November 8, 2016, the Indian prime minister announced that in an effort to counter corruption, black money, and counterfeiting, high-value currency notes of ₹500 and ₹1,000 denominations would be withdrawn from circulation. The currency to be removed in the demonetization exercise was worth ₹15.4 trillion, or 86.9 per cent of the total value of currency in circulation. The old currency would be replaced with new ₹500 and ₹2,000 notes, but the transition would limit cash liquidity for 50 days in the Indian economy, which was heavily dependent on cash to facilitate both consumption and production. How would this process affect India, which had been identified as the world's fastest-growing economy? Would demonetization have the desired effect of purging the economy of black money and moving India toward a cashless economy with increased growth? Or would it simply bring India's remarkable growth story to a grinding halt and discourage investments?

In December 2016, the debt-stricken Greek government announced the distribution of a sizeable “Christmas gift” to its low-income pensioners, a one-time bonus that would cost the government €617 million. This cost was in addition to suspending increases in the value-added tax on some Greek islands. These plans were in clear violation of the terms of a bailout provided to Greece by Eurozone nations in 2015, which required Greece to implement austerity measures and achieve specific fiscal targets. What was the reason for Greece’s economic troubles and why did Greece’s debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio climb to its current three-digit figure? Faced with an imminent exit from the Eurozone, how could the country’s government solve Greece’s longstanding fiscal problems?

In December 2016, the debt-stricken Greek government announced the distribution of a sizeable "Christmas gift" to its low-income pensioners, a one-time bonus that would cost the government €617 million. This cost was in addition to suspending increases in the value-added tax on some Greek islands. These plans were in clear violation of the terms of a bailout provided to Greece by Eurozone nations in 2015, which required Greece to implement austerity measures and achieve specific fiscal targets. What was the reason for Greece's economic troubles and why did Greece's debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio climb to its current three-digit figure? Faced with an imminent exit from the Eurozone, how could the country's government solve Greece's longstanding fiscal problems?