個案總覽

Koperasi Mitra Dhuafa (KOMIDA), the second largest microfinancing institution in Indonesia, was to launch its digital mobile platform by the end of 2018. The trial in selected field offices had begun. Among the many objectives, the new platform had to improve the efficiency and reliability of KOMIDA's nationwide field operations. The operational director, the point person for this initiative, had to make sure that the operations department back in its Jakarta headquarters could work well with more than 200 KOMIDA field offices nationwide. He keenly remembered the recent failure of a smart card pilot. It had to be scrapped due to cost concerns and a lack of acceptance from KOMIDA's clients. How could he ensure that the coming trials would lead to a successful rollout? What should he watch out for to keep things progressing smoothly? This case describes KOMIDA's motivations behind such an initiative and its challenges in managing the project and their vendor, TBOP. It discusses how IT project management should be mindful of the prevailing cultural and industry norms in a country. By focusing on digitalisation and the promise of deep analytics, it also discusses how an organisation can become "digital-ready".

Over the fall of 2017, Filecoin, a blockchain-based cloud storage startup, raised more than US$233 million from more than 2,000 investors. It achieved this largely through the novel funding mechanism, initial coin offering (ICO) and in the absence of an actual product or service. This case chronicles the genesis and development of Filecoin, with a focus on the background and mechanics of its ICO. It also introduces students to the technical core of its storage protocol and how blockchain technology, through Filecoin tokens, could monetise that feature. The case also highlights the regulatory implications concerning ICOs. This case could be used as an illustration of the application of blockchain technology to an existing business (e.g., cloud storage) and its consequences. It may also be used to discuss the dynamics of a "token economy", (i.e., creating and developing a market based on tokens) and the issues confronting organisations that employ blockchain technology. The issues may also include, but are not limited to, those concerning ICOs, such as regulations, incentives, and disincentives. Instructors may also find this case useful to discuss the IT strategy and viability of a blockchain-based, file-sharing business.

This case focuses on the economic landscape of the Chinese city of Chongqing from 2007, the year when its municipal economy began a decade-long ascent even as China's economic growth had slowed down, especially since the 2008 global financial crisis. The case examines the policies that Chongqing's government took to promote economic growth, as well as the socio-political and economic context surrounding them. It also highlights the challenges and opportunities that Chongqing faced at the end of 2017, and will have to deal with in its near future against the background of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This case is suitable for a China-specific course as a "context case" on local and regional development. It may also be suitable for teaching the BRI initiative. This case could illustrate how Chinese provinces are adjusting their policies to the BRI, as well as the implications for businesses from the adjustment.

When Meituan merged with Dazhong Dianping in 2015, the company was no longer the fledgling startup it was in 2010. Founded by Tsinghua alumnus Wang Xing, the newly-formed Meituan-Dianping was valued at US$18 billion, joining an exclusive club of "decacorns," or startup "unicorns" worth at least US$10 billion. Soon, the company's first post-merger fundraising amassed US$3.3 billion, the highest amount the world had ever seen at that point. Our case describes how Meituan-Dianping grew from a simple group-buying website to a diverse online platform that offered products and services ranging from airfare to food delivery. It focuses on Wang's rationale and ethos, particularly how they informed and shaped Meituan and subsequently Meituan-Dianping's strategy. It describes the challenges of entrepreneurship and tech innovation, focusing on management and leadership in a dynamic and intensely competitive environment. It also highlights the considerations behind choosing the right business model during a firm's formative period, illustrating how the firm's positioning (e.g., "Meituan is not a Groupon clone") may influence talent recruitment and even fundraising efforts. Our case is suitable for graduate management/business and executive development programmes that include entrepreneurship, tech innovation, or strategy, as well as those with an international focus, especially on China.

Our case focuses on Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), the Shenzhen-based company that contributed significantly to the growing popularity of civilian drones not only in China, but also globally. It chronicles the genesis and development of the company and its recent efforts to address current challenges and anticipating future competition. DJI within a few years of producing its first drone, cornered more than 70% of the global civilian drone market and emerged as a "decacorn", which are "unicorns" that valued at least US$10 billion. However, with intensifying competition and rapid shifts in technology, DJI's leadership position could erode quickly. Additionally, as concerns about safety, privacy, and security continued to mount, what should DJI do? Our case offers students an opportunity to analyse the challenges and opportunities that confront a new market leader in an emerging industry, in the face of mounting competition and rapid technological shifts from 2017. It also showcases the rise of globally-minded Chinese firms, with DJI as an exemplar. These "born global" firms, also known as micro-multinationals, went global from the start and did not try to build a base in China's domestic markets as their first steps.

This case features the development of KargoCard, a Shanghai-based prepaid gift card startup, from its inception in 2008 until late 2015/early 2016 when it received news of a potential buyout by a global player. It illustrates the challenges of entrepreneurship, particularly management and leadership in dynamic and foreign business environments. In particular, this case highlights the considerations in pursuing different growth strategies. This case is suitable for graduate-level management, business, and executive development programmes that include entrepreneurship and/or tech innovation components. It is also targeted at similar programmes with an international, Asia Pacific, or especially a China focus.

This case study outlines the strategic, regulatory, and broader issues that confront the venture capital and tech startup ecosystem in China; as the country continues its reforms towards a more domestically driven market economy.

This is a "context" case that offers a general sense of the scale and scope of tasks confronting the Chinese government in economic reform, particularly since President Xi Jinping assumed political leadership over 2012-2013. It also provides an avenue to appreciate the inner mechanics of how China works today.