Third Wave Coffee (TWC) was established Bengaluru, India, in 2016. In 2024, the company had 114 outlets in different regions of India. Though TWC increased its revenue manifold due to rapid expansion, the operational efficiency remained poor compared to the competition. Most stores lost money, and investors were concerned about the firm’s future. The founders roped in a professional CEO, Rajat Luthra, a quick-service restaurants industry veteran, .....more

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

In January 2025, Brompton Bicycle Limited (Brompton), the British folding bicycle (bike) manufacturer, was at a strategic crossroads. For decades the company’s success had rested on the Classic model—a compact, precisely engineered commuter bike—before carefully extending into the Electric model, while preserving its strategic coherence. The recent launch of the G Line, a gravel-oriented performance model, changed this balance. Early demand was strong, .....more

In 2018, the chairperson of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (Nissan), Carlos Ghosn, was arrested for alleged misconduct and criminal offences related to underreporting remuneration and misrepresenting annual disclosures. Detailed investigations revealed similar misrepresentations by the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) Hiroto Saikawa, who was forced to resign. The actions of senior officials left a deep stain on Nissan’s reputation, causing investors .....more

In May 2023, the CEO of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly was called before the US Senate to testify on the rising costs of insulin prices in the United States. At the time of the hearing, Eli Lilly’s insulin prices had increased by 400% over the past 20 years, a much higher rate than targeted inflation (2%). In the face of rising public resentment and potential legislative changes, Eli Lilly was forced to either justify or reckon with its pricing .....more

In 2012, Jessica Alba, a Hollywood actress, co-founded with Christopher Gavigan the Honest Company Inc. (Honest) to produce and sell non-toxic consumer products. Alba took on the role of chief creative officer, leveraging her visibility and millions of social media followers to build a brand centred on transparency. The company grew quickly, reaching a US$1.7 billion valuation and going public in 2021 with an initial public offering that briefly valued .....more

In 2015, the Finnish start-up Oura Health Oy (Oura) launched the Oura Ring, a sleek, sensor-packed wearable marketed for rest and recovery. Unlike Fitbit or Apple Watch, which stressed steps and calories, Oura focused on sleep, heart rate variability, and readiness. Early adoption by biohackers and athletes, visibility in the National Basketball Association, and a Gucci collaboration gave it credibility across wellness, sports, and fashion. By 2024, .....more

In 2016, Zipline International Inc. (Zipline) launched the world’s first national drone delivery service in Rwanda, using artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled systems to transport blood and vaccines across remote regions. By 2023, its “sky ambulances” had become an integral part of health care logistics, credited with reducing maternal deaths and medical waste. Yet, with new competition, evolving regulations, and rising interest from commercial markets, .....more

Since 2020, Amazon Inc. (Amazon), Google LLC (Google), Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook) and Apple Inc. (Apple) had faced sweeping antitrust lawsuits from regulators in the United States and European Union that challenged the core of their business models. This case invites students to examine whether Big Tech’s market dominance represented innovation or systemic harm. With real-time legal developments—from Google’s court losses to Apple’s battles over .....more

In June 2023, senior executives at Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta), Canada’s largest social media company, were deciding how to respond to the Canadian government’s passage of Bill C-18. The bill would legally obligate Meta to pay a portion of its profits to independent media organizations, reflecting the government’s belief that social media companies should contribute more substantially to the well-being of small media groups. Along the way, Meta executives .....more