As an investment location for IT, India may be losing its relative attractiveness compared with alternative jurisdictions. India still is a relatively ideal location for certain types of IT services, particularly those that have become commoditized and rely only on low wages. However, there has been a gradual change in IT services towards a far more differentiated set of activities, where a range of higher-value-added services rests on a new set .....more

After three years of rapid growth in a relatively young industry, the affiliate and payment processing company, RevenueWire.com, found itself operating in a very different environment. Sales growth in the company's affiliate network service had leveled off, and orders for Q1 2010 looked just like Q1 2009. New competitors, low entry barriers and a plateau in the affiliate market meant few opportunities for growth across the industry. Despite those .....more

This case supplements the Darcy Gallagher Career Coaching case by providing briefing material for the individual who is assigned to play the Darcy Gallagher role. In preparation for his meeting with his general manager about his future career path, Darcy has crafted his career development plan over the next five years.

Inspiratica Web Services was started by one owner in 2006, and since then the company was realizing six figure sales, had offices in downtown London, Ontario, hired six staff and expanded its product offering to a complete web services package. The owner was just finishing university and he finally would have time to fully commit to his business.<br><br>The purpose of this case is to teach students how to make a strategic market plan .....more

The case describes AskTheDoctor.com and the challenges facing its founders in 2010. While AskTheDoctor.com has exhibited steady growth since its inception in 2005, the owners are uncertain about the future of the site and where to take it next. This case provides students with the various options available to the founders regarding the website. Students can evaluate these options from a variety of perspectives. The case also addresses the distinct .....more

In this dialogue-styled situation, Binnj chief executive officer (CEO) has assembled a team of people for a 100-day "science experiment" to determine whether a new high-tech business venture is worth pursuing. He is focused on an untapped market - a new kind of restaurant menu service built on the Apple iPad platform. Members of the team are excited and have been furiously working on the project while retaining their full-time jobs. They .....more

Tommy Li was a designer and brand consultant renowned for his black humour and bold visual impact. With business spanning Hong Kong, China, Macau, Japan and Italy, he was one of the few Hong Kong designers to have entered the international market. In his ten years of experience as a design staff member, Li learned that "getting the right client is the key to a successful design consultancy business." Therefore, Li set up his own company .....more

Kiai Marketing Group is a start-up advertising company providing innovative marketing solutions to businesses in London, Ontario. The company's first undertaking is aimed at reaching the post-secondary student demographic by attaching a business's advertising to laptop computers by means of a laptop "skin." The proprietor needs an overall strategic marketing plan to secure his first client. The proprietor must decide what clients .....more

This case study is based on a high profile issue facing the Canadian Federal Government - still ongoing as of December 2010 - that had begun in 2008. Industry Canada, working from a set of policy objectives crafted over the period of three years, decided that, in the auction sale of wireless spectrum set for 2008, it would set aside 40 per cent of the spectrum for new entrants. This decision had come about because research indicated that Canadian .....more

In this role play case, you are the new general manager of the Elmwood Group and have scheduled a meeting with your direct report, Darcy Gallagher, who is a sales manager. Gallagher, who had been consistently rated as an exceptional performer over his career at Elmwood, excels in business development, problem solving and customer focus and delivers strong results. However, Gallagher has significant gaps in his leadership competencies and skills, .....more