The co-founders of the custom bra company DOUBL were facing the dilemma of how to achieve all of the stand-out features they envisioned their product having. Notably, they were struggling to develop the custom fit they had dreamed of for their product and deciphering how to build it in the low-skill Canadian garment economy. The founders had to make a decision about whether to persevere with their dream product and brand positioning, or forfeit one .....more

Teaching note for product W42380.

In March 2022, the head of HR at P.N. Gadgil Jewellers Ltd., based in Sangli, India, was facing a dilemma. She was deliberating about the future of the company’s six-month performance improvement plan (PIP) initiative, which was created to support underperforming sales executives. The PIP label triggered anxiety among employees who saw it as a prelude to being dismissed them from the organization. The company’s goal was to positively rebrand the plan .....more

Teaching note for product W45593.

This is the B-case associated with W45593.

Fleet Feet Charleston, founded in 2013 by Chris and Amy Minkel, expanded from a single Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, store to four running-specialty shops. Guided by an employees-first, community-second, customers-third philosophy, it delivered expert gait analysis and local programs. Yet weekend wait times exceeded 30 minutes, lost-sale walk outs were rising, and high staff turnover threatened service consistency. Amid margin pressure from other .....more

Teaching note for product W45965.

In January 2025, Kabeer Biswas—the founder of Dunzo, India’s first hyperlocal delivery platform and an early mover in the quick-commerce segment—joined the new quick-commerce vertical of Flipkart Pvt. Ltd. (Flipkart), Flipkart Minutes, which was backed by Walmart Inc. (Walmart). Dunzo’s business had just unravelled under financial strain and operational missteps, despite early traction and marquee investors such as Reliance Retail Ltd. (Reliance) .....more

Teaching note for product W46129.

West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) faced challenges in managing its day-to-day cash requirements. Substantial cash was often blocked in receivables from domestic customers and regulatory deferrals. The company regularly took short-term loans from banks to meet its day-to-day needs, resulting in a debt-trap that the company wanted to avoid. WBSEDCL considered offering a cash discount to domestic customers for expediting .....more