This case introduces students to McLuhan’s tetrad model through a structured learning experience. Before class, students read a mini-case exploring the Zoom videoconferencing software as an example of how to apply the tetrad’s four dimensions—enhancement, obsolescence, retrieval, and reversal—and listen to the author’s podcast about the use of algorithmic control in digital labour platforms. In class, students engage in a team-based exercise using the tetrad to predict the future of algorithmic control in digital labour platforms and gain a deeper understanding of McLuhan’s model. This approach will equip students with systemic thinking skills and a structured framework for analyzing the hidden and unforeseen impacts of AI-based technologies.
By August 2024, Snapchat had surpassed 850 million monthly users and expanded its daily active users to around 397 million. Yet its parent company, Snap Inc., grappled with profitability challenges. Renowned for its ephemeral messaging, Filters, and Stories, Snapchat had carved out a distinct niche in the social media sphere and garnered significant popularity among younger demographics. Despite its appeal and cutting-edge features, the company faced hurdles in achieving profitability. This case provides an opportunity to discuss Snapchat’s financial difficulties, evaluate the effectiveness of its revenue model, and contemplate the strategic decisions required for the company to achieve long-term sustainability.
Car manufacturers offered car subscription programs, allowing customers to access cars for a flat monthly fee that covered the vehicles’ cost, maintenance, and insurance. Unlike traditional leasing or financing options, these subscription programs provided an appealing alternative for customers who wanted to avoid long-term ownership commitments and appreciated the all-inclusive convenience. Since 2017, several car manufacturers had launched subscription programs with both successes and failures. As of the summer of 2023, only Porsche and Volvo continued to offer subscription programs in the United States. The case examines the continuously evolving Porsche Drive subscription program and explores its development, supply chain and pricing strategies, and future challenges.
In 2024, Infosys Limited was the second-largest company in India’s information technology software industry. Its software services offerings were diversified across different sectors, with a large part coming from exports. As required by India’s government, Infosys Limited applied Indian accounting standards in its preparation and presentation of financial statements. A senior analyst with an investment advisory firm in India, was asked to evaluate how the new Indian accounting standard, Ind AS 115, impacted the performance of Infosys Limited and its competitors by reviewing financial performance in recent years and results for the last three quarters of fiscal year 2023–24. Which specific ratios will provide an indication of prudent revenue recognition? What was the impact of Ind AS 115 on Infosys?
On January 16, 2023, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (Cognizant) appointed a new chief executive officer who was a former president of a key competitor. The US-based major multinational information technology company, with 70 per cent of its workforce in India, provided global consulting, technology, and outsourcing services with a focus on digital transformation across various industries. At the time, Cognizant was experiencing a high employee attrition rate, decreasing client base, and diminishing profile as a key services partner. The new chief executive officer faced several key challenges. The high rate of attrition was causing a shortage of senior executives, lower growth than competitors, and delivery constraints. Cognizant had to intensify its efforts to retain and attract leadership team members, and focus on recuperating its commercial impetus, with a focus on talent management and employee retention. How would the company address the talent gap caused by the mass exit of Cognizant executives and stabilize the market’s confidence in the company? How could Cognizant attract, engage, and retain top-level talent, and nurture intellectual capability in the workplace?
DMI Finance (DMI) was formed and registered as a non-banking financial company in 2008. The enterprise utilized a technology-driven process comprising application programming interface (API); algorithms; and data points captured using Aadhaar, a unique identification assigned to Indian residents, to disburse loans to individuals and firms. As a digital lender, DMI initially operated in personal loans, SME loans, and housing finance. After 2018, it shifted focus to the digital consumer portfolio. Despite growing revenues, in March 2024 DMI was facing challenges from existing and new players, and the co-founder sensed it was time to decide on a strategic change. To better serve its customers, should DMI add a new business model or should it continue with the existing one? How could it maintain its competitive advantage in a fast-changing industry?
In March 2024, an ethical dilemma was presented to The Clueless AIGENCY (TCA), led by founder and chief executive officer Ruben Cruz, surrounding Aitana, the agency’s artificial intelligence (AI)-driven virtual influencer. While Aitana’s lifelike appeal and effectiveness had garnered significant attention, her rise was raising serious ethical concerns regarding potential manipulation, consumer deception, and the impact of such virtual influencers on transparency and authenticity in marketing. The TCA team would have to consider that such concerns might affect the future of Aitana and TCA’s approach to AI-driven marketing and that it might be wise to develop a strategy that balanced innovation with a commitment to integrity and social responsibility.
George Weston Limited (GWL), Canada’s largest retailer, decided in March 2023 to sell its bakery operations to focus on food, retail, and real estate development. The company distributed a package outlining the operational and financial performance of the bakery unit, Weston Foods, to likely bidders. Before bids were received, GWL needed to estimate the unit’s fair market value. GWL hoped to complete the sale before its December year-end, and had until then to decide on the best bid for Weston Foods.
Carlsberg Breweries A/S, a global brewing leader based in Denmark, aimed to reduce the environmental impact of traditional draught beer systems, which contributed to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through the use of CO2 tanks and the transportation of heavy steel kegs. Carlsberg developed the DraughtMaster system, which replaced CO2 tanks with recyclable plastic kegs, reducing emissions but raising concerns about plastic waste. In late 2021, Carlsberg’s efforts to expand the deployment of this eco-innovation to North America sparked questions about how the company should manage reputational and environmental risks. Should Carlsberg continue expanding or take a stronger stance on plastic reduction—or can it avoid framing this dilemma as an either/or choice?
In early 2023, Siddhartha Lal, managing director of Eicher Motors Limited (Eicher Motors), headquartered in Gurugram, India, grappled with a pressing issue. Over the past three years, Royal Enfield, a subsidiary of Eicher Motors renowned for its iconic motorcycles, had noticed a decline in its appeal to Generation Z customers. The Bullet brand, known for its ruggedness and timeless retro charm, was no longer resonating with this younger, digitally native, and environmentally conscious demographic. Compounding the challenge, the motorcycle market was becoming increasingly competitive, with numerous brands introducing models specifically designed to attract Gen Z riders. Royal Enfield faced a significant challenge: how to revive the Bullet brand’s allure without compromising its unique identity and legendary emotional appeal.
The Incognito Market was a notorious dark web marketplace that operated from 2020 to 2024, facilitating over US$100 million in illegal transactions. Founded by the enigmatic “Pharaoh,” this platform thrived by leveraging sophisticated trust-building mechanisms among criminals. However, in early 2024, Pharaoh executed an exit scam that evolved into an extortion scheme, threatening to expose user data unless ransoms were paid, highlighting the complexities of trust in illicit markets and the ethical challenges posed by such environments. How should vendors and buyers have responded? And how can trust be established in high-risk or unregulated environments, including legal marketplaces in countries with low state capacity and rule of law?
In July 2024, Avenue Supermarts Limited (DMart), a leading Indian retail chain, maintained its stance against entering the ultra-fast delivery market. The company’s success had traditionally come from its competitive pricing and discount strategy rather than from convenience-focused rapid delivery services. This position was challenged when the chief executive officer of a competitor predicted that his quick-commerce company’s revenue would surpass that of DMart within 18–24 months. As the retail giant faced mounting pressure from quick-commerce players, it had to find ways to grow while staying true to its core value proposition of low prices. While DMart’s decision to avoid ultra-fast delivery might reflect its operational strengths, the company needed innovative approaches to meet evolving customer expectations. How could DMart adapt its successful physical retail model to thrive in the digital ecosystem while maintaining its competitive advantage in pricing?
In May 2024, the global tourism industry was experiencing a significant recovery, with international tourism projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels. According to the World Tourism Organization, around 1.3 billion tourists visited foreign destinations in 2023, representing 88 per cent of pre-pandemic figures. Factors such as the resurgence of Chinese outbound tourism, improved air connectivity, and the recovery of Asian markets contributed to this growth. Saudi Arabia, recognizing the importance of Chinese tourists, set ambitious targets to attract them and aimed to host 5 million Chinese visitors. To achieve this, Saudi Arabia focused on enhancing guest experiences with personalized services, efficient energy management, and innovative technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality. At the fifty-third St. Gallen Symposium in May 2024, Gloria Guevara Manzo, chief special adviser at the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, emphasized the significant role of Chinese tourists in driving global tourism’s recovery. Given these shifting dynamics, could Saudi Arabia become a prime destination for Chinese tourists? What strategies should a decision-maker like Manzo devise to realize this vision?
<p style = "color:rgb(197,183,131);"> <strong> AWARD WINNER - The Case Hub Case Writing Competition 2024 </strong> </p><br>Starting in 2024, the United Arab Emirates company Agthia Group UAE launched a new inorganic growth strategy by acquiring a series of market-leading companies. By 2025, the company had accomplished its mission to become the market leader in the food and beverage industry of the Middle East and North Africa region. The acquisition strategy was expected to generate potential synergistic benefits for both the acquirer and the acquired entities. However, Agthia Group UAE was also likely to face various challenges resulting from rapid growth. How would the company maintain its leadership position in a highly competitive market? Would the acquisitions pay off over the long term? The company planned to further enhance its operational efficiencies and leveraging capabilities across its different business units. Could Agthia Group UAE realize the expected synergistic benefits to create shareholder value?
In September 2024, the governor of India’s central bank was reading a newspaper article that criticized the current monetary policy, the Flexible Inflation Targeting framework. The article questioned the appropriateness and effectiveness of the framework and was calling for a return to the previous multiple-indicators approach. Since its implementation in 2016, the Flexible Inflation Targeting framework was focused on price stability as the primary goal of monetary policy, with the Consumer Price Index combined as the nominal anchor and with the Monetary Policy Committee being responsible for setting policy rates to achieve a specific inflation target. Expert opinions were divided on the optimal monetary policy framework but the governor had to evaluate all options and make a decision. He could replace the framework with the previous multiple-indicators approach, “rejig” (or modify) the current framework by adjusting metrics or target values, or continue pursuing the Flexible Inflation Targeting framework. Which option would best achieve the central bank’s monetary goals and manage the trade-off between growth and inflation in the pursuit of price stability?
With a vision statement “To be a premium global conglomerate with a clear focus on each of the businesses,” the Aditya Birla Group continuously sought growth channels. India’s post-COVID economy, focusing on indigenization, aligned with the company’s expansion efforts. Chief executive officer Kumar Mangalam Birla’s interest in the jewellery industry led to the creation of Novel Jewels Limited (Novel Jewels) and the launch of its jewellery brand, Indriya, on July 26, 2024. Competing with major players, Novel Jewels targeted a share of the INR 8.3 trillion jewellery market by 2027, raising questions about its business model and potential for success.
In the summer of 2023, an analyst was considering the valuation of Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd. (Mahindra Finance) and tracking the performance of the non-banking financial company (NBFC) industry in India. Mahindra Finance’s stock had been volatile over the past five years, reaching a low share price of ₹76.46 in May 2020 and a high of ₹373.80 in February 2020. This share price volatility could be attributed to the average asset quality. The firm’s ongoing process transformation, Vision 2025, was expected to bring some stability and a reduction in volatility. The company’s management had formulated objectives for 2025 that were aimed at increasing the company’s assets under management by a factor of two in comparison to 2023. Given that the company was poised to achieve growth in the future, the analyst wanted to know the intrinsic value of Mahindra Finance. What would be the fair price for each share of Mahindra Finance? What method of valuation would provide the closest approximation of the intrinsic value of the company and its performance?
Delving into the evolution of Under Armour Incorporated (UA) from a promising contender in the sportswear industry to a company that aggressively pursued adjacency expansions to fuel its growth, only to encounter a failed growth strategy, this case outlined the corporate turnaround of UA under the leadership of Stephanie Linnartz. Linnartz joined the company as chief executive officer CEO on February 27, 2023, and embarked on a three-year turnaround strategy dubbed “protect this house 3.” On February 27, 2024, after a year at the helm, Linnartz found herself confronted with a difficult situation: UA’s shares had declined by about 8 per cent to US$8.89. Balancing the core and adjacencies while addressing the company’s immediate financial concerns posed a formidable challenge for the CEO’s leadership.
In July 2024, the management of Mankind Pharma Ltd. (Mankind) was discussing future avenues for sustainable growth. Rajeev Juneja, the vice chairman and managing director, wanted to make Mankind among the top three domestic pharmaceutical players in India by revenue in the coming decade. One way the company could have achieved its growth objectives was to launch a range of specialized drug formulations in therapeutic areas with high growth potential. Another alternative was to expand its consumer business, as Mankind already had some well-known brands in wellness, hygiene, and personal care in the consumer health business. Choosing both options was not feasible due to constrained resources. Management had to make a decision.
<div style="font-size: 0.95em; line-height: 1.4;"><p align="justify">Founded in 2013, Xiaohongshu had evolved from an online shopping guide into a major app. By August 2023, the platform had introduced the “buyer era,” marking a pivotal shift in its business strategy. Xiaohongshu integrated influencer and merchant operations into a unified department to enhance efficiency and strengthen the link between content creation and e-commerce. It needed to determine whether a commission-based buyer model could transition the platform from influencer-driven live e-commerce to a model where professional buyers would curate and present products directly to consumers. This strategic move required careful evaluation to ensure alignment with the platform’s core strengths.