Six million lives to save: Dr Novick and the International Children’s Heart Foundation

The case follows Kristin Hull, founder and CIO of Nia Impact Capital, a mission-driven investment firm in California, as she faces a pivotal decision in July 2025: Should she file a shareholder resolution against Tesla, Inc.? Hull and Nia have engaged Tesla for over five years on issues of human capital management, workplace equity and board oversight. In 2025, the stakes are higher. Tesla is facing mounting reputational, legal and operational risks, including civil rights litigation, governance controversies and product recalls, compounding the previous year's 53% decline in profits. Now, Hull must decide between two draft resolutions: one framed in the language of social justice, the other in terms of business efficiency and governance. A third option is to total withdraw from the engagement. This decision must be made in a shifting US political and regulatory context marked by heightened scrutiny of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and a national rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments. The polarized climate makes language and framing not just strategic choices but also existential ones: How can impact investors continue to advance their missions while maintaining legitimacy and influence in an increasingly hostile environment? Designed to mirror the complexity of real-world decision making, the case immerses students in an environment of competing pressures, contradictory information and media "noise." It reflects the paradoxes impact investors face: staying true to the mission vs. maintaining strategic influence; framing issues in values-based vs. efficiency-based language; and exercising leadership amid political backlash and reputational risk. The case is suitable for courses on sustainable finance, non-market strategy, governance and leadership. It challenges students to explore fiduciary duty, rethink the role of shareholder engagement, and consider how language and framing can serve as tools of influence in turbulent times.

This case series explores what companies can learn from luxury brands without becoming luxury brands themselves. The video B case features interviews with three Vanzetti Engineering executives: the marketing director, the CEO and owner and the chief commercial officer. With the shrinking of the automobile industry, the company has had to reposition itself in other industrial sectors where it is significantly smaller than the customers. Vanzetti Engineering embraced some of the codes of luxury branding according to what suited it and ignored others. The company discovered that although it was focused mostly on creating functional value, it had to dwell much more on emotional and societal value creation. The process of brand elevation required a complete cultural transformation, and one of the lessons from the case is that a brand is not a slogan but a way of being and of delivering value.

Survey after survey shows that executives think their business is in danger of being commoditized. This means their company is not able to differentiate sufficiently to command higher market prices and profits. Luxury brands, by contrast, are the opposite of commodity. Their whole approach to branding is based on desirability. This case series explores what companies can learn from luxury brands without becoming luxury brands themselves. The written A case gives a short background on Vanzetti Engineering, which is facing intensifying competition in an evolving marketplace, and launches the first question for discussion.

As more women take up corporate leadership positions, the idea that they lack confidence no longer holds up. And yet, as old stereotypes are challenged by new realities, some crucial misconceptions remain. Do women really lack confidence? Or are w...

The phrase ‘fake it until you make it’ has been a popular mantra in the business world for decades. It suggests that by imitating confidence and competence, we can eventually achieve genuine success. But where did this concept originate, and what ...

Despite declining support, LGBTQ+ inclusion still drives economic performance, boosting human capital by 4x and doubling innovation in inclusive cities.

The world faces grand challenges induced by climate change, conflict, digitalization, shifting demographics, and other factors. Only 15% of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track (UN, 2023). There has been significant research in...

In the age of Culture Wars, companies can easily trigger backlashes from customers in response to their actions or the behavior of their leaders. But will such reactions cost them in the long term? Not necessarily, says Aharon Cohen-Mohliver.

True transformation comes from embedding diversity in leadership values, not compliance. Leaders must foster safe spaces and model vulnerability.

Martha was leading a business unit for a large European bank. Her aim was to reach the top management team. Her cross-functional experience and leadership skills positioned her well to move up but she didn’t have a strong internal network. She was...