The founder of Shanshi Rock Climbing Gym in China faced a critical decision in July 2024. After building Chongqing’s largest indoor climbing facility through innovative strategies—including women-centric programs, dynamic route updates, and social media-driven community engagement—she had to now choose between expansion and consolidation. China’s climbing market was booming, and Chongqing’s untapped potential tempted the founder to expand. Yet challenges .....more

By the end of 2024, Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd. (ACKPL), an Indian publisher renowned for its iconic and extensive cultural content, was navigating the difficulties of a digital-first world. This case study examines ACKPL’s product portfolio, its forays into digital media and entertainment, and its competition from established and up-and-coming publishers. ACKPL faced two core challenges in maintaining sustainable growth. First, the brand had to decide .....more

In November 2023, Max Sterling, president of the Blackpool Supporters’ Association (BSA) for the Blackpool Alliance Football Club (BAFC) was navigating growing tensions with stakeholders regarding a popular but infamous annual event held in the English seaside tourist town. The Coastal Clash Derby was a cornerstone event for the BSA and Blackpool fans, as well as a revenue driver, but BAFC owner Nikhil Patel had growing concerns about the excessive .....more

Nike Inc. (Nike), the global leader in footwear, had captured the imagination of several generations of athletic footwear users through its sports-centric, powerful emotional branding, adaptability, and sustainable practices. It was also entrenched in the offline channel through strong relationships with its wholesalers and retailers. In 2020, a new chief executive officer (CEO), John Donahoe, pivoted Nike’s strategy towards a digital, data-centric, .....more

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), its broadcast division Viacom 18 Media Private Limited (Viacom18), and The Walt Disney Company (Disney) completed a merger on November 14, 2024. In doing so, RIL merged its media assets with the India’s Disney global media house business in a transaction that valued the joint venture (JV) at US$8.5 billion, in which RIL had invested $1.4 billion. The deal involved merging JioCinema, operated by Viacom18, with Star .....more

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international governing body for soccer (football) faced challenges due to the growth of broadcast streaming and global fan support, and consequently the increase in enterprise values of major soccer teams. Professional soccer, notably in Europe, had seen record-breaking revenues for the top 20 clubs. Global sports revenue of US$159 billion was dominated by soccer. Together with dramatic .....more

<p style="color: rgb(197, 183, 131);"><strong> AWARD WINNER: Second Place in the 2025 Ivey Publishing Sustainability Case Writing Awards </strong></p><br><br>Tim Brooks, head of sustainability at Denmark-based The Lego Group (Lego), needed to decide the next course of the company’s sustainability journey after the Bottles to Bricks project to make recycled Lego bricks and other elements from discarded .....more

When Indian college student and anime fan Dev Taneja wanted to build something of his own, he started reviewing anime on YouTube and noticed that many fans were unhappy with the quality and price of anime merchandise. Sensing an opportunity, he began creating and selling anime-themed products to his college peers. The response was positive, confirming that his idea solved a real problem. However, he soon realized that selling high-quality products .....more

This case revolves around Katara Cultural Village (Katara), a prominent cultural destination in Doha, Qatar, as it reassesses its strategic marketing direction following the fluctuating visitor patterns observed between 2020 and 2024. Drawing from time-series data and ARIMA forecasting, its management team confronts a dilemma: Should Katara shift from an event-driven visibility model to a unified institutional branding strategy? The case presents .....more

In December of 2017, the Miss America Organization was in crisis. The organization’s popularity had been declining for years, both in the number of women vying to compete for the crown and the number of viewers of the annual Miss America pageant. Then, at the height of the #MeToo movement, a scandal erupted that caused many observers to question if the organization had a future at all. After the chief executive officer of the Miss America Organization .....more