Abstract
I would like to begin this editorial by inviting you to the Third South Asian Management Research and Case Conference 2013 (SAMRC 2013) to be held in Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore on 27–29 December 2013. This conference brings together two institutes dedicated to the promotion and use of case studies in management education, IIM Bangalore and Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan. The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Celebrating South Asia: Explorations of the Contributions to Global Economy’. Submissions may take the form of teaching cases, research papers, panel proposals and doctoral colloquia proposals. Please visit http://www.iimb.ernet.in/samrc2013 for registration details.
The first case in this issue, Beaconhouse School System (BSS) Restructuring, brings to light the challenges faced by a well-known school system during organizational restructuring. The case discusses steps undertaken by the organization to implement change. The chief executive officer (CEO) thought that the introduction of school group head position in the BSS system would help in bringing more efficiency and devolution at the school level. However, the case goes on to raise questions on the pace of change and the way it was rolled out within the organization.
Part B of In Search of Luxurious Slippers: The Attempted Launches of Edmini in the UAE by Alshaali and Spraggon continues the challenges surrounding the launch of Edmini, an online store specializing in customized slippers for Emirati men. Having completed the initial steps related to market analysis, product conceptualization and brand development and promotion, the partners are now focused on initiating the process of slipper manufacturing. This is an interesting case that will surely encourage student participation.
Innovation and overcoming the challenge of managing innovation is the crux of the case study, Husk Power Systems: Bringing Light to Rural India and Tapping Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid. An interesting read, the authors, Rakesh Gupta, Ajay Pandit, Abhishek Nirjar and Prashant Gupta, present a revolutionary idea to provide power to remote villages through mini power plants based on rice husk. The case sheds light on many topics, including clean energy, environment conservation, social entrepreneurship and managing innovation.
The last two cases of this issue are both public sector cases: The Daanish Schools: To Expand or Not to Expand! by Qureshi and Jilani; and Turnaround Challenges of a State-owned Enterprise: A Case Study of Orissa Remote Sensing Application Centre, India by Ganesh and Kumar, respectively. The former explores the future expansion strategy of the Daanish School System, which aims to provide innovative and free education to marginalized children from economically depressed family backgrounds. The latter aims to present the diverse structural, financial and human resource challenges faced by Orissa Remote Sensing Application Centre (ORSAC), an autonomous technology organization, which specializes in remote sensing, geographic information systems and space technology.
We appreciate the input and feedback of our reviewers and contributors. We are obliged to our readership for their continued patronage. A reminder that you may contact the authors directly to obtain the teaching notes to the cases in our Journal.
I hope you enjoy reading and teaching AJMC 10:2.