Set in 2024, this case explores the Lifetime Income Strategy (LIS), a novel retirement product launched by aerospace and defense company RTX in 2012. Aiming to embed the security of a traditional pension within a 401(k) plan, the LIS allowed participants to secure a portion of their retirement savings, entitling them to a guaranteed monthly lifetime income. The strategy preserved the ability to grow the assets and therefore the guaranteed income, .....more

Jayanti Reddy is a luxury fashion designer in India known for her elegant and intricate bridal wear, which blends traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern silhouettes. The case traces Reddy''s journey in the fashion industry, a decade-long spell of learning and unlearning where she created her niche and a loyal audience. Since founding her eponymous fashion label in 2014, Reddy had showcased her collections at various prestigious platforms .....more

In December 2022, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen faced a pivotal strategic decision due to the rapid rise of generative AI image models from OpenAI, Midjourney, and StabilityAI. Adobe, a leader in digital media and marketing software with a 40-year legacy of innovation and successful adaptation recognized GenAI as both an opportunity and a threat to its core business. Many creative professionals, a critical Adobe customer segment, expressed deep concerns .....more

Startups as well as existing firms recognize the need to invest in order to acquire customers for their new ventures. And as each customer is expected at some point to have generated sufficient gross margins to cover their CAC, management expects that, soon enough, the overall cash flow will allow them to get out of the red and into the black. However, it turns out that getting into the black often takes much longer than originally expected and, moreover, .....more

The case explores Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) $14 billion takeover of Toshiba Corporation (Toshiba). JIP was a private equity firm that took over the troubled electronics corporation in late 2023. The deal, which had been labeled one of the largest leveraged buyout (LBOs) in Japanese history, would take one of the most well-known companies off the market as the private equity group sought to restructure it. The case provides an opportunity for .....more

ContractIQ, a [fictional yet realistic] pioneer in contract review automation, offered an AI-powered platform that helped in-house legal teams at large and mid-size enterprises review contracts and identify risks within them more efficiently than traditional methods. In 2022, the company faced the challenge of sustaining organic growth. It considered four options: expanding its customer base geographically; extending its product line to review additional .....more

During Jacinda Ardern''s tenure as prime minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, she gained international acclaim for her compassionate yet strong leadership style. She swiftly responded to the mosque massacre in Greater Christchurch by emphasizing unity among diverse races, religions, and cultures while advocating for justice. Ardern also exhibited proficiency and thoughtfulness in effectively managing the COVID-19 pandemic within her .....more