Miland and his wife Deepika were new franchisees, having acquired a franchise under Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Inc in 2022. Four months into their new business, Rob, the master franchisee for the region, visited the restaurant to assess its operations and discuss goals for the business. During the visit, Rob imposed stringent demands related to operational hours, billboard, new equipment, and ownership transfer. The professional discussion quickly .....more

The case examines the strategic branding dilemma Industry Super Australia (ISA) faced in 2025. ISA was an industry association representing profit-to-member pension funds (referred to as superannuation or super funds in Australia). Over 20 years, ISA had developed the highly successful Industry SuperFunds brand, which was instrumental in propelling the growth of profit-for-member funds from marginal players in the market in 2005 to market dominance .....more

This case highlights the journey of Adam Goodes, a former Australian Football League (AFL) professional player and advocate for Indigenous rights and anti-racist causes. Through each seminal moment and experience highlighted in the case, students will be invited to reflect on examples of responsible leadership, including the associated impacts realized through the various life phases illustrated. The case does not seek to heroize or villainize any .....more

In December 2024, Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic, the young co-founders of the Australian teeth whitening and toothpaste brand Hismile Pty Ltd. (Hismile), had grown their company from an initial A$20,000 investment a decade earlier to A$700 million in gross sales in 2024. Headquartered on the Gold Coast, Australia, Hismile pioneered the field of smilecare through a lean, agile approach based on an intense customer focus, grassroots social media influencer .....more

In early 2024, Woolworths introduced a Coaching and Productivity Framework aimed at increasing efficiency at its distribution centres in Australia. Based on engineered standards, staff were expected to perform at 100 per cent during their shift with respect to a speed-related metric commonly referred to as a pick rate. A headset worn by warehouse employees told them where to go, what items to take from the shelves and pack, and how long this should .....more

On November 8, 2023, a sudden and extensive network outage at Singtel Optus Pty Limited (Optus), Australia’s second-largest telecommunications provider, left over 10 million of its customers disconnected. With public safety compromised and essential services disrupted, the CEO of Optus faced an ethical quandary in crisis communication: How could her team balance the need for swift public engagement with the demand for accurate information amid uncertainty .....more

In December 2023, Minsheng Royal Fund Management Co. Ltd. (Minsheng Fund), a Beijing-based investment management firm, faced mounting challenges in its mission to safeguard investor assets. Specializing in equity investments, fixed-income securities, and alternative assets, Minsheng Fund prided itself on a robust risk management system supported by advanced technology and a team of experts. Yet, as global financial markets grew increasingly complex, .....more

In 2024, Hefei DVL Electron Co. Ltd. (DVL), a pioneer in intelligent medical devices, faced a pivotal strategic dilemma. Despite its strong position in China’s competitive market, rapid technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and fifth generation (5G) technologies as well as increasing pressure from foreign competitors was threatening its leadership. To ensure its growth and leadership in the market, DVL’s management had to decide .....more

In August 2024, the founders of Advancer Group (Advancer), Australia’s first AI-powered expert assistant for human resources (HR), needed a strategy that would best meet the varied interests and concerns of all potential stakeholders. Their goal was to help Australian managers and team members be more productive and efficient, thereby supporting business growth, by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with human HR advisors. Although the entrepreneurs .....more

The microbiology team leader at pharmaceutical manufacturer VitalBlend Pharmaceuticals was facing an ethical dilemma. VitalBlend Pharmaceuticals was urgently trying to ship its latest product, baby vitamin drops, to its customer. In her role as team leader of the company’s microbiology testing laboratory, she had discovered that the entire batch of the new product might be contaminated by a harmful bacterium that could be particularly dangerous for .....more