In this episode we talk to Cheryl Gladu, Researcher-in-Residence, Thompson Rivers University, and author of Dessa: Growing a Diverse and Inclusive Artificial Intelligence Company. This case follows Dessa’s founder and chief operating officer, Vince Wong, as he develops hiring practices to create a diverse workforce while fostering a culture supportive of diversity. Cheryl discusses the importance of having uncomfortable conversations in the classroom, co-creating ground rules with students to approach these difficult conversations, the difference between dialogue and debate, defining implicit ..read more

Alison Konrad, Professor, Organizational Behaviour, at Ivey Business School shares her approach to case writing and what she’s learned from publishing more than 50 research articles on topics such as inclusivity initiatives in organizations, employment equity programs, work-life balance initiatives, and more. Konrad reflects on her history as a case author, examines how the case method has evolved, and offers advice for educators looking to respectfully and effectively cover EDI issues in their own classes and cases. Review Professor Konrad’s cases here ..read more

Frank Li, an associate professor of finance at Ivey Business School, walks us through his case, 5 Fortune: One of Many Chinese Restaurants. The case highlights just how crucial it is that we bring real world scenarios and narratives into the classroom – especially for a finance case. Li explains how diverse protagonists, added cultural context, and multimedia, have been key to crafting a top-notch classroom experience. Review the case here ..read more

Reckoning with Jemima: Can the Brand Be Remade for Good? Authored by professors Joseph Miller and Michael Stanko, Reckoning with Jemima: Can the Brand Be Remade for Good follows Quaker Oats’ decision to re-brand their popular Aunt Jemima brand and how the brand can be a force for good. In this episode, Miller and Stamko discuss how this case fosters difficult but productive discussions regarding race, brands, and corporate social responsibility within business schools. During this conversation, we explore their tips on how to have conversations about race in a case class, unpack some of t ..read more

Professor Charles Dhanaraj explains how he modified a heavily tested and adjusted teaching plan once again, this time for the virtual classroom. How do we connect synchronous and asynchronous approaches, design breakout groups, and wrap-up a case method class successfully in what is a new environment for many instructors?   Dhanaraj is Evelyn & Jay G. Piccinati Endowed Chair in Teaching Excellence, professor and chair of the Department of Management at the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver.   Eli Lilly in India: Rethinking the Joint Venture Strategy Charles Dhanar ..read more

Professor Torben Pedersen, a prominent scholar in international management at Bocconi University, joins host Matt Quin to explore what went into his best-selling case study, Lego Group: An Outsourcing Journey.   In order to survive the largest internal financial crisis in its roughly 70 years of existence, management had, among many initiatives, decided to offshore and outsource a major chunk of its production to Flextronics. Only three years into a ten-year contract, the two companies decided to part ways. Quin and Pedersen discuss how LEGO was able to not only weather this crisis but co ..read more

Fraser Johnson, professor of operations management at the Ivey Business School, joins host Matt Quin to take another look at his award-winning case, Apple Inc.: Managing a Global Supply Chain (2014), as well as the recently published update, Apple Inc.: Global Supply Chain Management (2020).  In this episode, Johnson and Quin discuss Apple's business model, how Johnson has brought the company into the classroom over the years, and why junior faculty ought to consider writing cases. Professor Johnson is the Leenders Supply Chain Management Association Chair at the Ivey Business School, Wes ..read more

Authors John Gray and Michael Leiblein join host Matt Quin to speak about their best-selling case study, Scotts Miracle-Gro: The Spreader Sourcing Decision. We revisit the debate over offshoring in today's context and discuss how a student project evolved into a best-selling case.   Professor Gray is an expert on outsourcing, offshoring and reshoring; he teaches data analysis and global sourcing at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business.   Professor Leiblein, also an expert on outsourcing decisions, teaches courses on competitive strategy, innovation strategy and inno ..read more

Karen MacMillan, assistant professor of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, explains her case writing process through the lens of her best-selling Ivey Publishing case, "A Zero Wage Increase Again?" Together with host Matt Quin, they explore the evergreen case in today's context and provide actionable tips for your own case writing and case method journey.  The owner of a large hardware, furniture, and building centre faced a dilemma regarding how to manage the upcoming wage review process ..read more

Founded in Trieste, Italy, Illy marketed a unique blend of coffee drinks in over 140 countries and in more than 50,000 of the world’s best restaurants and coffeehouses. The company wanted to expand the reach of its own franchised coffee bar, Espressamente, through international expansion. Ilan Alon, Professor of Strategy and International Marketing at the School of Business and Law at the University of Agder, breaks down how he translated his international consulting and field work to the classroom for his best-selling case, The Espresso Lane to Global Markets.  Resources mentioned in thi ..read more