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The Calgary Social Value Fund (CSVF) was a newly created, student-run, impact investing fund working to make its first investment decision. The co-founder of CSVF was considering an investment in aGRO Systems Inc, a local, female-founded social enterprise that had been growing quickly and creating valuable impact in the community. aGRO Systems was deciding which growth strategy to pursue, and CSVF had to determine if it should invest in aGRO Systems—without knowing which growth strategy the organization would choose. The co-founder wanted to further assess aGRO Systems and evaluate its potential fit as a first investment for CSVF using the impact assessment tool developed for it.

With the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauris Liberts and Davis Siksnans, co-founders of Printful, a print-on-demand (POD) company from Latvia, saw the gloomy picture of the world borders closing and business operations slowing down. At the same time, an unprecedented and sudden online demand for Printful’s products and services took off. In March 2020, the top managers of Printful found themselves discussing the options in front of them.

Jerry Pilon, owner and sole operator of S.K.I.L Dojo, was evaluating strategic options he believed would assist in growing his business in 2023. Pilon taught his students both Okinawan karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, with many students dedicating years to their craft. He wanted to increase student retention rates and increase profits, both of which had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although those effects were subsiding, the cost of living in Canada was now increasing. Pilon struggled to decide which strategy would best suit his business. He would need to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze his strategic choices and create a suitable implementation strategy for the choices he made.

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 Silos, an industrial heritage building located in the Shekou Industrial Park in Shenzhen, China, was formerly a glass factory building that became industrial ruins. In November 2022, L&A Group transformed this industrial site into China’s first industrial site digital museum, its first metaverse experience centre, and a new landmark of Shenzhen digital cultural tourism. When the first phase of exhibition closed on May 31, 2023, the Silos had brought real profits to L&A Group by using the metaverse as the main selling point. However, considering the waning metaverse mania in China, the Silos needed to design and position its next selling point. Could L&A achieve strategic upgrading and sustainable development of this project?

In May 2022, amid the transformative currents of their industry, Kalpesh Shah and Paresh Shah of Ramson Industries (Ramson) confronted the reality that their traditional business model, which was historically heavily reliant on distributors, was facing stagnation. Having partially pivoted to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy during the pandemic, the Shah brothers now considered whether to more fully embrace this new direction. Despite the potential for increased margins and a solution to the issue of unsold inventory, the shift required careful consideration of e-commerce platform dynamics, website development, and the reconfiguration of Ramson’s supply chain. The company’s story was a testament to the complexities of navigating business transformation in a rapidly evolving marketplace, highlighting the strategic deliberations involved in adapting to a new consumer landscape while striving to uphold the values and relationships that had underpinned the business’s success.

Maisha by Esha, a fashion-and-lifestyle brand based in Ahmedabad, India, was founded in 2018 by Esha Shah-Vora; her father, Nayan Shah; and her husband, Neel Vora. The brand’s customer-centric approach was instrumental to Maisha’s growth and a guiding principle as the company aimed to reach ₹1 billion in sales. In 2024, Shah-Vora faced the dilemma of whether to transition from a family-managed set-up to a professionally managed organization to achieve this ambitious goal. Should she expand the product line, which consisted mainly of a variety of tie-and-dye bags? If so, what should the extension strategy and the new brand architecture be? Would Maisha’s successful Instagram be enough to achieve the revenue goal, or should she consider using other promotional tools?

In 2022, the chief executive officer of Sid’s Farm, a dairy-farming business in Hyderabad, India, had to make a key decision regarding the expansion of his business. The company provided natural and unadulterated dairy products, produced using sustainable farming practices, using a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model and had earned a good reputation and won awards for both its positive impact on the farming ecosystem and its commitment to ethical and environmentally responsible business practices. Now, the CEO wanted to increase his reach to more farmers, providing them with economic sustainability. He wondered which metro city he should expand into and which strategy model to follow: Should he replicate the Hyderabad model in another city or transport milk from the existing dairy plant to the chosen metro city? Would such an expansion dilute the farm’s ethical standards or compromise its environmental sustainability commitments?

Dr. Fadia Kiwan, a Lebanese political-science professor at Saint-Joseph University and the director general of the Arab Women Organization, had observed through her work that Lebanon's socio-political landscape presented both opportunities and challenges for women's empowerment. Thus, in February 2022, she faced a significant career dilemma: she could run for Lebanon’s upcoming parliamentary elections or continue her impactful roles in academia and women's advocacy. Her decision would be crucial because each path offered distinct possibilities for advancing women's rights and political representation in a region fraught with obstacles for women. Which path would she choose?

The Young Studio Expression Arts (TYS) was a tutoring business based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded in 2020 by a former school teacher, TYS had a number of service offerings and worked with a variety of markets. It never turned down a potential sale. However, after two years of business, its owner found herself struggling to expand in the market with limited resources. A business consultation identified a key issue: that the business did not have a market strategy or target market. After considering background information on the possible tutoring markets in Dubai and the possible ways to segment the market, as well as the first two years of market insights gained by TYS, its owner would have to decide: Who was her target market?

Organic India was founded in 1997 by Bharat Mitra with the vision to create a unique and successful business model committed to service and integrity, bringing the benefits of genuine organic Ayurveda products to the international market, while supporting the livelihood of farmers and tribal wildcrafters across rural India and regenerating the land through organic agriculture. <br><br>In 2012, Organic India entered a partnership with Fabindia that ensured steady growth for Organic India. In this collaboration, Organic India achieved many vital milestones, for example, diversifying to products other than tulsi tea, building India’s first LEED certified organic plant in Lucknow, and opening Organic India retail stores across India. However, in 2023, Fabindia decided to divest from Organic India, citing that Organic India’s products were not central to Fabindia’s core business. Bharat now faces the challenge of realizing his vision for Organic India while preserving its legacy and core values. What will he do?

Rillea Technologies (Rillea) was a software-as-a-service provider for the chemical safety and compliance industry whose main product was SDS RiskAssist, a software package for managing electronic versions of the safety data sheets required by companies and organizations whose employees need to handle potentially dangerous chemicals. In January 2022, Lisa and Rob Hallsworth, Rillea’s co-founders, set themselves the goal of maximizing their company’s revenue growth over the coming years. To accomplish this, they considered implementing a marketing plan consisting of promotional strategies such as purchasing advertising on Google Ads and/or LinkedIn and participating in trade shows. They also considered expanding their product mix to include a premium version of an existing product. Given Rillea’s limited human capital and the increasingly competitive market that was forming in the chemical safety and compliance industry, the co-founders knew they had to make a decision as quickly as possible.

Founded in 2021, Satvic Foods (Satvic) was a company based in Ujjain, India, offering organic, herbal-based food products to a wide range of customers. After only two and a half years since its inception, Satvic had shown tremendous growth, making profits three times the amount of its original investment. Given the high demand for Satvic’s products in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business’s founder was planning to expand the business globally. However, to achieve international expansion, Satvic needed to develop an effective measure for dealing with cutthroat competition from several leading brands in the country. It also needed to elevate its branding and packaging for better recall in consumers’ minds. Finally, the company’s distribution network needed to be improved for attaining greater availability across markets.

Mariam Assi was the founder of Marazal—a small business dedicated to repurposing empty bottles, primarily empty liquor, wine, and beer bottles. In August 2023, Marazal’s Facebook account, the primary platform she used for marketing, sales, and engaging with her 2,500 followers, was blocked because it had been reported by the manufacturer of Belvedere Vodka. She was in a state of disbelief as she had never intended to misuse the brand; instead, she aimed to breathe new life into empty bottles to prevent them from reaching the Naameh landfill in South Lebanon. Unsettling questions lingered: Was what she was doing ethical or not? What if other manufacturers or brands followed suit, blocking the company’s Instagram account, and throwing Marazal’s business into jeopardy?

Zipline Ghana, established in 2019, transformed health care delivery by utilizing drone technology to serve over 1,200 health care facilities and to address the medical needs of more than 22 million Ghanaians. Its parent company, Zipline Global (Zipline), had demonstrated reverse agility by re-engineering its drones to address the evolving needs of markets in other countries. In August 2023, recognizing the increased demand in Ghana for quick and cost-effective deliveries in the face of rising fuel prices and shifting consumption patterns, Mawuli Atiemo, country manager of Zipline Ghana, was considering whether the company should diversify from its government medical supply contracts to undertake business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) contracts in the country. This expansion would likely present Zipline Ghana with new challenges, including considerations around data privacy, potential delivery disruptions, and workforce adjustments.

In May 2024, the founder of Keepsie Kits was planning for the future of her sustainable travel products company, based in Toronto, Canada. She had launched the venture three years earlier to address the environmental impact of disposable, single-use, heavy travel products. She also wanted to educate business and leisure travellers about reducing their environmental footprint. After starting Keepsie Kits in the aftermath of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the founder had captured the interest of the business-to-consumer segment through branding and social media efforts. But as the venture developed, she realized that an unexpected and more viable business-to-business segment had emerged. The founder of Keepsie Kits had to decide whether to focus on only one or on both segments, or whether the time had come to sell her venture and exit the business altogether.

Vasenapoli revolutionized healthy eating with its millet-based delicacies crafted with the founder Chittem Sudheer’s mother’s expertise. Inspired by his travels and a passion for wellness, Sudheer embarked on a journey to create a sustainable and nutritious dining experience in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Vasenapoli emerged in 2016 as a beacon of innovation through meticulous recipe development and prototype testing, offering diverse millet dishes and exotic chutneys to delight customers. Despite challenges with ingredient sourcing and consistency, Sudheer’s dedication and strategic approach propelled Vasenapoli to success, carving a niche in the culinary landscape. Seven years later, a few new competitors around the city with similar offerings had cropped up, and the quest for the next strategic move was troubling Sudheer.

In June 2023, Aaron Hendrikx, owner and founder of BackRoads Brews + Shoes (BackRoads) wanted to evaluate opportunities to solve the store’s seating capacity issues. The store’s success in recent years had led to customers entering the store on busy nights with no room available for them to sit in the dining section. Aaron considered extending the store, rearranging the store’s layout, or maintaining current operations. He wanted to ensure that he would make a decision that would satisfy his existing customers and promote further growth in the future.

Infra Travel Agency (ITA), a well-established player in Europe’s travel industry, faced declining revenues and sought to diversify into the electric vehicle sector to boost revenue and lead in reducing its carbon footprint. ITA aimed for a revenue increase of 20 per cent and required route optimization software to support this new vertical. To achieve this goal, ITA required advanced route optimization software and selected Tech Consulting Ltd. (TCL) for its development. The project began in February 2023, following a final statement of work signed in March. Despite initial optimism, the project faced significant issues, including disappointing demo results and delays in reaching the minimum viable product by May 2023. By that time, only 12 per cent of the planned work had been completed, while 30 per cent of the budget had already been spent. In response to escalating concerns, TCL replaced its initial delivery manager with Frank Raju. As the year progressed, Raju faced the challenges of addressing stakeholder trust issues, managing project scope, and ensuring alignment to secure a successful outcome by the end of the fiscal year.

This case focused on the scenario of income inadequacy at the Madras Crocodile Bank and Centre for Herpetology, a notable zoo in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. The zoo was run on the income it generated through visitors’ fees, corporate sponsorship, individual donors, and grants. It was under pressure to increase its revenue, reduce the surplus of reptiles, and maintain the climatic conditions inside the premises. The solution potentially lay in aligning its economic, social, and environmental challenges; that is, in achieving triple bottom-line excellence to save the people, the planet, and the profit.