Purpose – This paper aims to analyze the activities of Indian social enterprises, identify the reasons/causes for their shortcomings and suggest a networked model of donor and beneficiary pool so as to enhance the performance efficiencies of these social enterprises to result in a larger social development impact. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and social ventures together termed as social enterprises are perceived to be a panacea for all kinds of development in the social sector in the underdeveloped economies. In the past decade, the social enterprises in India have mushroomed and yet the sanctity of their operations and ability to deliver to expectations is questionable. Design/methodology/approach – The research design for pilot study was exploratory followed by descriptive design for the full study. The research adopted a two-phase approach. In Phase I, a loosely structured interview schedule was used to collate the insights from the social enterprises, developed as a survey questionnaire and administered to a sample of 300 social enterprises in Phase II. The part A of the questionnaire had 25 statements to evaluate the criticality of issues faced by social enterprises on a scale of 1-4. The part B of the questionnaire was designed to evaluate the level to which the social enterprises are adjudging themselves to have achieved on the various issues on a scale of 1-4. Out of the total, 236 valid questionnaires as received were analyzed. Findings – The findings of the research indicate six factors under which the major activities of NGOs can be classified. The factors in their order of importance are establishing strategic and operational capabilities, workforce management, establishing functional scaling up, identifying and fulfilling beneficiary pool, identifying and fulfilling donor pool and promotional efforts. A cluster analysis resulted in three clusters, and the criticality of the identified factors under each of the clusters was evaluated. A second-order factor analysis resulted in two dimensions of survival facets and growth facets, wherein a solution for each of the components has been suggested. Research limitations/implications – The results of the study suggest a prototype model with the three operational pillars of the social enterprise as workforce, donor pool and beneficiary pool. The operational execution of this model can help the social enterprises achieve synergistic working as well as enhance the social development. The limitation of the study is the suggestive nature of the model which needs to be executed for duration of time to gauge its effectiveness. Based on the observations of the implemented model, in future research, a final model could be evolved for implementation. Practical implications – The outcome of this study is a networked model which could be implemented as a pilot project in one of the regions of the country and later improved based on the recorded observations for implementation across the country. Social implications – This research has been carried out on the social enterprises operating in the Indian subcontinent, so as to provide solutions for a systemic change across the social enterprises’ operations and make them capable of producing larger reach and developmental impact. Originality/value – The study is a unique attempt in itself for the Indian subcontinent. No study in the past identifies and maps the activities of the Indian social enterprises under major heads and their ability to perform them effectively. The mapping of social enterprises' activities allows for a discussion platform for the social sector experts to assimilate and synergize the efforts of these enterprises in a wired networked. The resultant model of this study can be implemented and evaluated to prove its worthiness. The effort has been to offer best practices and organized solutions to the unorganized sector of Indian social enterprises.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the practices that start-ups in emerging economies can implement to design circular economy business models and how they can create and capture value from a circular economy business model. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a qualitative case method approach with semi-structured interviews with start-up founder promoters, its employees, its beneficiaries and its customers, conducted in two local Indian start-ups engaged in the manufacture of products and providing services that promote adoption of circular economy principles. Findings Analysis of the two business models reveals common patterns in building value proposition. The findings suggest that start-up ventures adopt an iterative approach to produce reusable and interlinked products and co-create with customers, vendors and local communities. They adopt mechanisms that can create, deliver and capture value while maintaining economic viability, and thus contribute towards micro- and macro-level benefits. Research limitations/implications This study maximizes the depth of the phenomenon under investigation by leveraging case study methodology. Future research opportunities could be found in quantitative studies to increase the generalizability of the findings of this paper. Practical implications The paper presents a theoretical model linking the circular business model design and deployment mechanisms that can be used by start-up entrepreneurs desirous of embracing circular economy principles and thus contribute towards environmental, economic and developmental goals in emerging economies. Social implications To accelerate the transition of adoption of circularity principles in emerging markets, start-up ventures could adopt circular business models that contribute towards achieving positive behavioural change. This can be achieved by integrating with different stakeholders in the value network such that they play a vital role in the process of value creation and delivery and benefit from the value captured. Originality/value An interdisciplinary approach that integrates the research streams of circular economy, and business model design has been pursued to identify the design and deployment mechanisms adopted in the circular business models of start-ups in real-world emerging economies’ context.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a local trade union improves living conditions for women entrepreneurs in India and how its activities have evolved over time. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a longitudinal case study of the self-employed women’s association (SEWA) in India. Founded in 1972, this organization fosters and supports women’s entrepreneurship. The approach of this study combines qualitative face-to-face interviews and secondary data analysis. Findings The findings highlight the fact that SEWA, which combines the features of a trade union and a social movement, improves women’s conditions in several different ways. The study shows that the organization’s main role has evolved from creating a community to expanding it and finally to becoming an agent of societal change. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature by analyzing how locally grown organizations fight social exclusion and improve the conditions of deprived groups in emerging economies.
We study two quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains based on regional ethnic foods that were launched in China and India. The products that these QSR ventures offered had hitherto been sold by fragmented street vendors who typically operated single outlets. Inspired by the successful business models of international QSR brands, these entrepreneurs developed business models to popularize their chosen regional ethnic foods in multiple new regions and grew their organizations to 1,400 and 300 outlets in China and India, respectively. We build on the recently coined concept of ‘secondary’ business model innovation (SBMI), which is based on inter-organizational learning, break down its constituents into creative and imitative, specify the mechanisms through which it is achieved, and propose that it is a specific case of the more general construct of creative imitation.
Subject area Strategy. Study level/applicability MBA. Case overview On 20 May 2016, the Management team at Patanjali Ayurved Limited (PAL), an Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, had assembled in their Haridwar office, India, to discuss their future growth plans. The team was in a celebratory mood, as their internal reports suggested the annual revenue forecasts for the year 2016-2017 to be INR 10bn, an increase of 100 per cent as compared to the previous fiscal year 2015-2016 that recorded annual revenues of INR 5bn. PAL incorporated in 2006 and co-founded by Acharya Balkrishna operated in four business segments of foods, personal care, home care and Ayurved products. The products sold under the brand name Patanjali were single-handedly promoted by Swami Ramdev (hereafter referred as Ramdev), a popular Yoga practitioner and preacher amongst the Indian masses, as well as PAL’s co-founder. Ramdev recommended PAL’s products in his yoga sessions on television and yoga shibirs which had led to huge positive “word-of-mouth” publicity for their brand Patanjali. Their fast-paced growth in less than a decade had generated a disruption in the Indian FMCG sector, resulting in a negative impact on the sales of established multinational corporations (MNCs) such as Colgate-Palmolive, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), ITC Limited (ITC), besides the domestic players such as Dabur India Ltd. and Emami Ltd. This had led their FMCG competitors to launch plans to strengthen their product portfolios so as to provide a tough competition to PAL. The management team at PAL, though confident of achieving their annual revenue targets, were apprehensive of this new competition from the big players of the FMCG sector. Were they capable of continuing their success story? Going forward what strategic steps would ensure them a sustainable growth and a market leader position? The mood turned reflective as the team pondered on some of these questions. Expected learning outcomes The case is structured to enable discussion on: conducting and understanding a general environment analysis and industry and competitive analysis and critically evaluating the firm’s strategic positioning and scope in a competitive environment. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.
Subject area The subject areas are entrepreneurship, start-up ventures and business strategy. Study level/applicability The case is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate MBA. Case overview Shikhar Veer Singh (Singh), a post graduate in Medical Biotechnology, quit a cushy corporate job to start his own food venture WoknStove Foodworks Pvt. Ltd. (WSFL) in October 2015. WSFL sold the ubiquitous popular Indian snack food “Samosas” under the brand name of “Samosa Singh”. “Samosa” – a deep fried triangular in shape with conical edges crispy wrap with variety fillings of potatoes/vegetables – was part of unorganized sector and sold by small shops and road-side hawkers. Singh spotted an opportunity to “brand” the “Samosas” that as well was gaining momentum in the international convenience food markets. The company set up a central kitchen near Electronic city, Bangalore, and started experimenting with different fillings. In February 2016, WSFL opened its first quick service restaurant (QSR) in Electronic city, Bangalore. It was an instant hit with consumers of all age groups. Gradually, the company started supplying bulk orders to various other customer segments such as corporate customers, schools and movie theatres/event stalls, that resulted in revenue growth. By January 2017, his monthly annual revenues amounted to INR […] Singh had ambitious plans to expand his business from a single QSR to 15 QSRs across the city by 2018. However, to cater to the increasing demands and support his expansion plans, he was yet to find out the most suitable back-end processes. He had adopted few standard operating procedures (SOPs) for quality operations and implemented 30 per cent of automation for backend processes at his central kitchen. Singh was aware of the automated machinery available in international markets that had conveyor belt arrangements where one could place the flour dough and filling consecutively to get the end product in a shape, unlike the shape of the Indian “Samosas”. The triangular shape with conical edges of the Indian “Samosas” was of utmost importance for the Indian consumers, as the shape associated them with the favourite snack, the “Samosas”. Singh preferred the method of manual filling to maintain the shape and decided to focus on increasing the shelf life of the “Samosas” instead. He felt that an increased shelf life would better equip him to cater the increased market and seasonal demands. However, the question was that whether this was a feasible option to support his ambitious expansion plans (with only 30 per cent automation)? Was Singh’s thinking right with respect to the business operation? More importantly, whether WSFL venture would be able to make an attractive business proposition for investments from any future institutional/angel investor? Singh’s mood turned reflective as he pondered on the above questions. Expected learning outcomes The case is structured to discuss the structure of Indian QSR market and factors contributing to its growth, evaluate WSFL’s ability to leverage the Indian QSR market potential, its strengths and shortcomings, to highlight the steps of consumer decision making process in terms of selection of a QSR and discuss WSFL’s business model and its future sustainability. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship
Subject area Entrepreneurship, family business. Study level/applicability MBA, executive MBA Case overview PN Rao Fine Suits, famously known as the “best tailors” for men's suits and groom wear, started with their first shop in 1923 as a small business of a tailoring shop catering to the needs of the British ladies in Bangalore, India, and by 2013, had four showrooms spread across Bangalore and Chennai, with an annual turnover of INR360 million. Over the years, the patrons of PN Rao have grown not only in Bangalore but across the globe, from countries such as the USA, the UK, Germany, Japan, Denmark, Sweden and The Netherlands. The PN group had three business arms: the PN Rao showrooms, Rupasi and PN Rao Creations. This family business has survived nine decades in business, with the third generation of family now actively involved in the operations and expansion of the business. Chandramohan Pishe and Machender Pishe, the second-generation brothers in the business, believe in a conservative growth path for their brand, compared to the third-generation cousins, Naveen Pishe and Ketan Pishe. Naveen and Ketan are aware of the market opportunities and the competition and often look for the differentiator that their brand can offer. They are very enthusiastic about their future expansion plans and would like to open 100 showrooms by 2023, their centennial year. The market indicators are favourable and, if leveraged strategically, do offer opportunities to fulfil their expansion plans. Naveen and Ketan firmly believe in the need of instituting a family constitution as they move forward with their expansion plans. The second generation is not very confident of this idea, however, as they believe the family values to be strong enough to continue in the same fashion. Expected learning outcomes Understand the challenges of a small business and the importance of re-inventing by leveraging a mix of market opportunities to grow and sustain; to evaluate the need and importance of family constitution at the PN Rao Group to sustain, scale and govern in a manner so as to avoid any kind of future family business conflicts. supplementary materials teaching notes are available for educators only. please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Subject area Entrepreneurship; Business Strategy; Business Environment courses. Study level/applicability This case is appropriate for use in Masters in Business Administration (MBA) programs as well as advanced undergraduate courses. The case provides an apt simulation of the emerging Indian fast food companies in the competitive dynamics of Indian business environment. Case overview Rakesh an MBA graduate from the University of Hartford, Connecticut, after four years of corporate experience, made a decision to start a business of his own. Thus, was born Infusions Foods Pvt Ltd (IFPL) an entrepreneurial venture of Rakesh Raghunathan. IFPL launched its fast food chain of grilled wraps under the brand name of PETAWRAP. The brand was positioned to target the recent consumer behavior shift of Indian consumers which was towards healthy, nutritious food combined with the concept of necessity-based eating out.IFPL had successfully opened six company owned outlets by March 2011. Their strategy for success was built on the age-old four-point formula of a good-quality product, at value for money prices, delivered efficiently to the customers. The absence of “a hygienic branded product” in this Indian fast food industry contributed to the initial success of their company. Rakesh believed that key to building the brand image depended on quality in terms of operations standardization and product quality. Expected learning outcomes The case is structured to achieve the following pedagogical objectives: To identify the forces on which of an entrepreneurial opportunity is dependent; To analyze the changes in competitive dynamics of Indian fast food industry and identify the factors that lead to the emergence and acceptance of PetaWrap; To understand the challenges of building a brand in low-cost business model and the economics of cost incurred; To evaluate the business strategy and the business model adopted by the company for expansion. Supplementary materials Teaching notes
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