Abstract
In this issue, we have five very interesting cases for you to use in your classrooms. In ‘Sam’s Cake Factory—A Delectable Journey of a Woman Entrepreneur’, Zulfiqar and co-authors highlight the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) led by women. Sumaira Waseem has been successfully running her online start-up since 2011. She bakes and sells customized fondant cakes in Karachi, Pakistan. In 2015, Sumaira is confronted with several growth options. She is not sure how to expand her business. Should she add new product lines to her online menu, should she open a shop with her existing product line, or should she diversify completely by opening a café which offers her current menu along with new items? This case is very pertinent because of the dearth of literature available on female entrepreneurs in Pakistan.
In ‘Online Voucher Sales System for the National Aptitude Test 2013’, Kapoor and Shah present the situation of a convener who has initiated the task of setting up an online voucher sales system for the collection of fee from candidates taking the National Aptitude Test. A few days before the launch of the sales system, the external vendor informs the convener that there has been a delay in the development of the system. The convener is placed in a difficult situation because he has already announced the launch of the system in the national media. He is wondering how to resolve this situation. The case highlights issues related to managing IT application development and its implementation process. This is a project management case which is relevant to businesses and organizations in Asia that are trying to implement robust IT solutions but face project management issues during the implementation process.
Another entrepreneurship case, ‘Kalam: A Sustainable Gift’, presents the situation of an enterprising young entrepreneur who has recently launched a start-up that produces gifts using calligraphic art. Having received an investment offer for his new business, he is indecisive about how much money he needs versus how much control he is willing to give up. The case can be used in the area of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, financial statement analysis as well as macroeconomics.
The fourth case in this issue is ‘RSBY for Universal Health Coverage’ by Taneja and Taneja. Academics in the area of public policy management, health economics and public health management may want to use this case in their class.
A marketing case, ‘Union Railways: Selling Advertising Rights on Trains and Stations’, by Ashraf and co-authors presents a situation in which the public sector organization, Union Railways, has turned to external consultants to evaluate and identify the reasons, and provide solutions, to sell advertising space on its trains and stations in a bid to increase revenue. The case has been positioned for integrated marketing communications and marketing management courses at the MBA and executive MBA level.
You are invited to the 6th Asian Management Research and Case Conference 2017 scheduled for 11–12 January in Bangladesh. This annual conference is a collaboration between University of Dhaka (DU), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and University of Wollongong Dubai (UOWD). The theme of this conference is Emerging Business Trends in Asia. Please visit
We appreciate the input and feedback of our reviewers and contributors. We are obliged to our readership for their continued support and encouragement. A reminder that you may contact the authors directly to obtain the teaching notes to the cases published in the journal.
I hope you enjoy teaching and reading AJMC 13:2.