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The founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the direct-to-consumer deodorant startup Native Deodorant (Native) had grown the brand to one million active users in about two years. The company was founded in 2015 in San Francisco and had disrupted the deodorant industry by offering all-natural deodorants direct to consumers through its website. By cutting off retailers from the value chain, the CEO had created a feedback loop that helped him have an agile and iterative approach to his business. In 2017, he received an offer from the Procter and Gamble Company to buy his one-and-a-half-year-old startup for US$100 million. He faced a tough predicament: he could continue to leverage the business model of Native and grow to the next million customers, or he could sell to P&G for a nine-figure payday. What should he do?

Between 2017 and 2019, The Walt Disney Company (Disney) faced two major scandals that threatened to damage its family-friendly brand image. Disney's brand value decreased by 5 per cent from 2017 to 2018, although it remained the most valuable media brand worldwide. In November 2017, John Lasseter, Disney's executive producer, was accused of illegal sexual misconduct at its Pixar Animation Studios (Pixar). Following the allegations, Lasseter left the company in December 2018. Further, during the June and September of 2018, Rian Johnson, the writer and director of The Last Jedi for Disney's subsidiary, Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC (Lucasfilm), posted unprofessional, aggressive, and insulting responses on his personal Twitter account to fans who hated the film. In April 2019, Disney chief executive officer (CEO) Robert Iger announced that no new Star Wars movies written or directed by Johnson would be put into development. Why did Disney not take immediate action to address these two scandals? How should Disney mitigate the losses stemming from the two scandals and prevent them from happening again? What should Disney do to further grow its sustainably?

This case explores how Cathay Pacific, the world's eighth-largest carrier of international passengers, deals with the new accounting standard, namely, HKFRS 16 Leases (which superseded the prior HKAS 17) as mandated, effective 1 January 2019. For lessee accounting, the new standard adopts a singular right-of-use model that applies the same accounting treatment universally to all leases (with few exceptions), while the prior standard used a dual model that required distinct classification of operating and finance leases with different accounting treatments. Companies that enter lease arrangements to access assets are affected by the new lease standard in varying degrees. In particular, the airline industry-with heavy reliance on leases for aircrafts-is one of most affected in terms of financial metrics. The case seeks to highlight the discussion surrounding the implementation of the new standard. Students will tackle practical questions about the differences between HKFRS 16 and HKAS 17, and how the implementation of the new standard affects Cathay Pacific's financial position, performance, and disclosures in the financial statements.

This case uses Supreme, a skater-clothing brand from New York City, and a framework for understanding the concept of "coolness" (see ""A General Theory of Coolness,"" UV7307), which is the cornerstone of the firm's success, to set the stage for analyzing consumer behavior. Written using public sources, the case discusses the firm's overall strategy, including limited supply, unique shopping drops for newly released items, and a fan-like customer base. It introduces "coolness" as a marketing term to be explored with the Supreme brand. The case opens with an MBA's first assignment with her new company, in a business strategy role, to learn about the retail fashion business, understand the customer experience, and make recommendations to reengage Supreme as "cool." While conducting due diligence, the protagonist walks readers through the Supreme shopping experience, introduces what she sees as crucial to "coolness," and mulls over challenges the brand faces around how to sustain the customer experience through growth efforts.

Set in January 2020, the case describes Singapore-based retailer Iuiga's omni-channel journey. Launched in May 2017 as an e-commerce only venture, Iuiga offers a curated range of high- quality products in the 'home and living' category at affordable prices. It sources these products from China-based original design manufacturers (ODMs), which produce for large global brands (known for their superior design, quality and hence high prices), and retails them under its own brand name at much lower and transparent prices. In May 2018, Iuiga launched a pop-up store to drive greater brand presence and customer engagement. Buoyed by the store's runaway sales, the firm decided to adopt a longer-term brick-and-mortar retail strategy, and by December 2019, it had established nine retail stores that contributed 80% of its total sales and employed more than 40 sales people (full time and part time). It had been almost 20 months since Iuiga adopted omni-channel retailing. Looking at the latest sales and customer data, Jaslyn Chan - Head of marketing at Iuiga, wondered if going physical had been worth it, or whether the sales in the offline channel had grown at the cost of sales in the online channel. Moreover, what types of customers did the different channels attract? Should the company increase the physical footprint further? Would opening additional pop-up or brick-and-mortar stores enable more customer acquisitions and tapping of new market segments?

On May 26, 2020, Latam Airlines became the largest airline in the world to be driven to bankruptcy by COVID-19. With a complex debt structure and international investor composition, the company decided to file for bankruptcy protection in the United States, which offered a more flexible reorganization procedure than the local bankruptcy process. After the filing announcement, the company reached an all-time-low stock market valuation. Some experts questioned whether the bankruptcy filing of Latam Airlines in the United States could be detrimental for the development of the Chilean capital market. Even if the company succeeded financially, would it be able to adapt to a different way of flying post-COVID?

In early 2020, 24M Technologies (24M) announced that two of its strategic investors had commenced building plants to produce lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries based on 24M's novel semi-solid electrode technology. This promised to halve the cost of conventional Li-ion batteries, increase the energy density to provide greater range in electric vehicles, and make them safer and more reliable. Cofounders Yet-Ming Chiang and Throop Wilder had set up the company 10 years earlier in a quest to take all that was good about Li-ion technology and improve it. The founders argued that, historically, Li-ion development had focused on miniaturized cells for consumer electronics and that these design principles had been carried over into cells destined for electric cars and grid-scale batteries. It made no sense to accept these constraints. What was needed was a fresh start; to begin with a "clean sheet of paper." The technology had taken 10 years and nearly $100 million to develop from a laboratory demonstration to a commercial product. Now, the challenge was to scale it up to compete with conventional technology.

Set in 2019, this case illustrates a design thinking intervention programme carried out at the Elite's Smile Specialized Medical Complex in the city of Taif in Saudi Arabia. The programme was part of a doctorate research project undertaken at the Singapore Management University. The case introduces Elite's Smile, a private dental clinic that offers a comprehensive range of services including routine and complex treatments for adults and children. Despite being an established clinic with broad dental expertise and state-of-the-art equipment, Elite's Smile faces great challenges in view of growing competition from new entrants and increasing service expectation from customers. The case discussion encourages the participants to evaluate whether design thinking, a human-centred problem-solving approach, would work in a small-and-medium enterprise (SME) and non-US context. The handout describes the actual intervention programme conducted over six months at Elite's Smile. At the centre of intervention is a training workshop covering the five-phase design thinking process and supporting tools for each phase. Notable improvements were observed at post-intervention in terms of increasing customer satisfaction (as seen in the patient retention and recommendation), a more cooperative work culture, and most importantly, growing income for the clinic. The instructor could use the handout to stimulate further discussion on why design thinking has worked for Elite's Smile.

The United States had recently experienced a recession, and a credit analyst with Gift Card Capital Inc. (GCC) needed to financially evaluate two troubled restaurant chains. GCC's unusual business model involved offering capital financing in exchange for gift cards that GCC then offered to individual customers and third-party loyalty programs. The analyst needed to weigh the benefits of increasing the size and diversity of GCC's gift card portfolio against the estimated viability of any gift cards received. It was critical to determine whether the businesses could sustain operations for the gift certificates' redeemable time period-roughly up to five years. The analyst was unsure of what to do. Should he offer a cash advance to one, both, or neither of the firms? If he chose to extend a cash advance, how large should that advance be? What specific terms or conditions should be associated with any cash advance? How were the companies adapting to their financial situation and their past performance? How likely was it that either of the companies would become insolvent and shut down overnight?

The case details the challenges of running a small manufacturing enterprise in India. The current operations at Mini Iron & Alloys Private Limited (MIA), which produced springs for rail wagons, were stable, and business had grown. However, the demand for springs was expected to increase with the Indian government's announcement, in early 2019, to establish a rail freight corridor. The proprietor of MIA mused on the firm's readiness to undertake the surge in demand. He also ruminated on the prudence of relying on a single customer in a captive market.

In 2017, Advaith Group was an Indian conglomerate with interests in various businesses including chemicals, infrastructure, and engineering. An advisor to the corporate communications group was employed on a contractual basis. Each year at the time of his contract extension, organizational politics were played out around the decision to renew the contract. The advisor was very good at what he did, but his behaviour with colleagues left room for improvement. The head of human resources had his reasons to stall the extension of the advisor's contract and tried different means to have his way, including sidelining him within the organization. A new recruit in corporate communications came into the company with hope and the ambition to be successful in the corporate world. However, she was unsure if she could achieve this goal under the current circumstances. The managing director was asked by the chairman of the group to decide on the extension of the advisor's contract, but he had to look at all possible angles before doing so.

The head of the South African subsidiary of the US consulting firm McKinsey & Company (McKinsey), has to address the implications of the firm's involvement in a corruption scandal. The South African office was implicated in a scandal involving its local partner, Trillian Capital Partners (PTY) Ltd. (Trillian), and Eskom, a South African state-owned enterprise (SOE). McKinsey was required to partner with a local company as a condition of any contract with a South African SOE. McKinsey took on Trillian as its local partner after Trillian was recommended by a former client. Trillian was, however, associated with the Guptas, a family that the South African Public Protector (an ombudsman) had accused of using its influence with the South African president, Jacob Zuma, and his family for corrupt activities. The partnership (first with a company named Regiments Capital (PTY) Ltd. [Regiments] and then, following restructuring, with Trillian) directly benefited the Gupta family. More than three years into the relationship, McKinsey claimed to have discovered that its partner was politically exposed and under investigation by the South African authorities. McKinsey's new global managing partner attempted to limit the damage to the company's reputation by issuing an apology. However, the South African public appeared skeptical about the apology, and questions remained regarding McKinsey's integrity. The questions left unanswered included the following: Was Sneader's apology enough to enable McKinsey to quell the attack on its reputation? Should McKinsey do more to enhance its standing within the South African business community, or should it accept that its reputation had suffered irreparable harm?

The owner and founder of The Talking Hands, a socially responsible restaurant, in Nagpur, India, had launched his company to create job opportunities for persons with disabilities. He wanted to find a balance between customer experience and customer service, but he also wanted to open two new outlets in his city and seriously consider his friend's proposal of opening franchisee outlets of The Talking Hands in two Indian cites-Mumbai and Pune. He wanted to consolidate and expand his business without denting the restaurant's brand identity. Also, as demand for the restaurant grew, the increasing delays in order taking and delivery needed to be managed. Could he hire some non-disabled staff members to manage rush orders and deliveries and still keep operating expenses under control? Should he go through with his expansion plans with the franchise model at this time? He needed to make a decision while renovations to his restaurant were underway.

While the practice of eating insects was still in its infancy in North America, Aspire Food Group (Aspire), with its Aketta cricket-protein products, was positioned for success in this emerging market. In 2018, having recently acquired Exo, a maker of cricket-based protein bars, Aspire's co-founders faced an important decision regarding the Aketta brand. While Aspire had experienced some success in marketing cricket powder, whole roasted crickets in popular chip flavours, and granola bites under the Aketta brand, the acquisition of Exo would enable the company to enter the protein bar category and possibly launch other product and brand extensions. As the founders devised a comprehensive marketing plan for the newly acquired brand, they needed to identify which consumer segments would be most receptive to Exo protein bars and most profitable.

The case highlights how global dynamics impact both regional economic development and the organizational growth of a market-leading pork producer with a promising yet uncertain future. A key Western Canadian pork production industry stakeholder was tasked with assessing existing environmental complexities as well as global supply and demand factors in an effort to address changing consumer preferences. After determining that global factors could either support or limit further industry investment, the aforementioned stakeholder had to evaluate company resources and firm risks to identify the qualitative and quantitative factors that would influence two specific expansion opportunities and the associated income projections within the local industry.

On January 10, 2020, Samira Ahmed, a British Asian woman, won a landmark gender discrimination case against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Ahmed's emphatic victory was a major setback for the BBC, which had been facing accusations of inequities since 2017, after it released the salary details of its top earners and a gender pay gap report showing major disparities in the way men and women were paid. Tony Hall, the BBC's director general, had pledged to close the gender pay gap by 2020 or sooner, assuring that work was already underway. Was Hall heading in the right direction to crack down on gender inequality? What could Hall do to be at the forefront of change on gender equality?

In 2018, the chairman and managing director of Teckwah Industrial Corporation Ltd. (Teckwah), sat in his office, looking back on the company's journey. Starting in Singapore as a humble producer of plain packaging boxes, Teckwah had evolved to become a multinational company providing a full suite of supply chain management solutions for international clients. As the second-generation custodian, the chairman and managing director first joined in 1979 and had been steering the company through various stages of development, including diversifying its business offerings, undertaking an initial public offering, and eventually expanding overseas. However, Teckwah still faced growth challenges. The chairman and managing director was considering his retirement and the possibility of taking a lesser role in the company's daily operations. With Teckwah's 50th anniversary near at hand, he pondered the dual challenges of business transformation and leadership succession.

Public-listed Matex International Ltd, a Singapore-based specialty chemicals and dye manufacturer, was committed to spending up to 10% of its revenue on research and development (R&D), particularly in the area of developing cutting-edge dyes and dyeing processes that were more environmentally-friendly. This was in spite of the increasingly competitive macroeconomic environment and the long-term need to improve shareholder value. Matex Executive Director Dro Tan elaborated on how open innovation was a key part of the firm's corporate DNA. Moreover, innovation was not only a central component of Matex's unique selling proposition, but also its competitive strategy. Dro further shared that the company's R&D agenda was influenced by its clients' needs. It was also highlighted that the timing to launch a new product was very much determined by market conditions, and governments and the legislation they passed were a key driver. For instance, Matex's latest product Megapro ECO®, a revolutionary dye that did not require the use of any salt, would not have gained impetus for its launch, had it not been for the stricter environmental laws that were enacted by China, the world's largest textile export market, in 2015. The case examines how innovation is actually a process, and explores the way Matex weaved sustainability into its overall strategy using innovation as a vehicle.

The case describes what happened in December 2019 when Guo Meiling, the chairwoman of Beijing Century Galaxy Group, needed to decide whether she should invest in the RMB 50 million (US$7.1 million) deal of Yisheng Health. Yisheng Health consisted of two O2O platforms, Yisheng At-home and Yisheng Carefree. Guo Meiling has already invested RMB 60 million in the firm in 2016, and this will be the second round of investment. Century Galaxy Group is established in 1994 as a for-profit group. It mainly operates in the healthcare business, in two major sectors, industrial operations and investment. The group has invested in several companies, and is also actively involved in CSR initiatives that includes charity donation drives and volunteering activities. In addition, Guo is attracted to impact investing, hoping that she can integrate her sense of compassion into the healthcare business. Under her leadership, the group has reinterpreted 'natural wellness' and made several double bottom-line investments. Yisheng Health is one of them. Guo's decision to invest further depends on her views on social investment, especially on impact investing. To date, China has accumulated limited knowledge about impact investing, and domestic scholars has not yet published any related articles. If Century Galaxy were to attempt to conduct impact investing, what would be a good international standard to follow? How could this type of investment be integrated into healthcare to create synergy for Century Galaxy? From the perspective of impact investing, should Guo invest in Yisheng Health?