Case Studies Collection - IMD business school for management and leadership courses

Case Study

Indian Hotels Company Limited: Fast track to structured sustainability via Paathya

In late 2021, Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited IHCL, found himself grappling with a new challenge beyond the impressive growth numbers the company had achieved since his tenure began in 2017 sustainability. Having led IHCL, the hospitality arm of the Tata Group, through one of its most transformative periods, including a tu…

Leadership Sustainability Strategy

By Florian Hoos, Manojkumar Selvaraj, Harsha Doddihal and Peter Damyanov

Indian Hotels Company Limited: Fast track to structured sustainability via Paathya

By Florian Hoos Manojkumar Selvaraj Harsha Doddihal and Peter Damyanov
Case reference: IMD-7-2648 ©2025

Summary

In late 2021, Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited IHCL, found himself grappling with a new challenge beyond the impressive growth numbers the company had achieved since his tenure began in 2017 sustainability. Having led IHCL, the hospitality arm of the Tata Group, through one of its most transformative periods, including a turnaround from losses to profitability and the addition of over 100 hotels, Puneet now faced rising stakeholder and regulatory demand for measurable ESG impacts. The case explores IHCL’s journey to embed sustainability in all its hotels including those under development through Paathya, its comprehensive ESG framework. Paathya, derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘path,’ symbolizes IHCL’s commitment to structured sustainability by setting ambitious goals, including eliminating single-use plastics, adopting renewable energy and certifying all hotels under global sustainability standards by 2030. The case explores the organizational challenges IHCL faced and examines how the company formalized sustainability in every aspect of its business from financial decisions and design to engineering and daily operations. A key focus is placed on the cultural shift that Paathya required, ensuring buy-in from employees at all levels, including general managers of individual hotels, who were pivotal in driving green initiatives. IHCL’s rapid growth and vision of expanding to 300 hotels under an asset-light model, raises crucial questions: Can the company balance its aggressive expansion with its sustainability commitments? Will Paathya continue to resonate with the core of the company’s operations amid changing global standards and leadership? The case concludes by examining Paathya’s early successes and the challenges ahead. How can IHCL sustain its hospitality leadership while leading the charge on sustainability?

Reference IMD-7-2648

Copyright owner IMD Copyright

Organization Indian Hotels Company Limited

Industry Travel and Leisure, Hospitality

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Sustainability

Strategy

Browse all topics

Case Study

YCH Group: How to remain an innovative family business across generations

YCH Group, a pioneering family-owned logistics company in Asia evolved from a small transport business into a regional leader in supply chain solutions focused on e-commerce, the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics. This remarkable transformation was thanks to executive chairman Dr Robert Yap, a visionary who was fond of disruption and who rem…

Family Business Innovation

By Marleen Dieleman and Sophia Xuefei Qiu

Case Study

HP Amplify Impact A: Channeling partners for change

The A case in this two-part series outlines the challenges Isabella Phoenix faced in designing a global sustainability program for HP’s vast network of channel partners in just 12 weeks with only one team member and limited resources. The initiative aimed to help embed sustainability in HP global partners’ strategies, many of whom lacked the res…

Sustainability Leadership

By Heather Cairns-Lee, Julia Katharina Binder and Valerie Keller-Birrer

HP Amplify Impact A: Channeling partners for change

By Heather Cairns-Lee Julia Katharina Binder and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-2681 ©2025

Summary

The A case in this two-part series outlines the challenges Isabella Phoenix faced in designing a global sustainability program for HP’s vast network of channel partners in just 12 weeks with only one team member and limited resources. The initiative aimed to help embed sustainability in HP global partners’ strategies, many of whom lacked the resources or expertise to tackle sustainability alone. Phoenix faced the dual challenge of inspiring internal buy-in and engaging thousands of independent partners many of them small or midsize businesses with limited capacity. The voluntary program, built around HP’s Sustainable Impact priorities of climate action, human rights, and digital equity and community, aimed to educate and empower partners without relying on traditional financial incentives. Instead, it encouraged commitment through practical tools and self-assessments and integrating sustainability into commercial deals. Despite the absence of rebates or rewards, the program sought to transform HP’s ecosystem into a purpose-driven movement, proving that shared values and long-term impact could unite a diverse, global network.

Reference IMD-2681

Copyright owner IMD Copyright

Organization Hewlett-Packard

Industry Information Technology

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Leadership

Browse all topics

Case Study

HP Amplify Impact B: From launch to legacy

The B case outlines how, by early 2025, Isabella Phoenix’s initial vision for HP’s Amplify Impact sustainability program had grown into a global initiative involving 4,800 partners in 48 countries. The program surpassed its goals, enrolling 59 of HP partners vs. a 50 target and contributing to billions of dollars in sustainability-influenced sal…

Sustainability Leadership

By Heather Cairns-Lee, Julia Katharina Binder and Valerie Keller-Birrer

HP Amplify Impact B: From launch to legacy

By Heather Cairns-Lee Julia Katharina Binder and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-2695 ©2025

Summary

The B case outlines how, by early 2025, Isabella Phoenix’s initial vision for HP’s Amplify Impact sustainability program had grown into a global initiative involving 4,800 partners in 48 countries. The program surpassed its goals, enrolling 59 of HP partners vs. a 50 target and contributing to billions of dollars in sustainability-influenced sales. Key to its success were tools like a clear self-assessment, a rich resource hub and a focus on voluntary engagement rather than financial incentives building true partnerships instead of transactional relationships. Partners gained credibility and competitive advantage, and the program was supported strongly by HP leadership and recognized with major awards. However, as Phoenix and senior leaders prepared to leave the company, the program faced challenges: rising competitor initiatives, shifting political attitudes toward ESG and internal leadership transitions. The central question became whether HP could sustain and evolve Amplify Impact’s momentum and values in this uncertain environment.

Reference IMD-2695

Copyright owner IMD Copyright

Organization Hewlett-Packard

Industry Information Technology

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Leadership

Browse all topics

Case Study

Absa’s Cybersecurity Academy: Combining digital transformation with doing good

Absa faced a critical rise in cyberattacks, and with the cybersecurity talent gap widening, the company urgently needed a long-term solution. To address this, former CISO Sandro Bucchianeri launched the Cybersecurity Academy in 2019, an initiative to reskill employees. It eventually partnered with the Maharishi Invincibility Institute MII and th…

Diversity and Equity and Inclusion Cybersecurity Digital

By Öykü Işık, Valerie Keller-Birrer, Poornima Urs, Barbara Vettorel and Amaru Amiya

Case Study

Has Nike lost its stride?

Set in 2024, the case describes the trajectory of Nike’s success and how it had recently lost its way. The company was experiencing its worst slump in more than 10 years. Since 2020, CEO Donahoe oversaw a significant shift away from wholesale, with a focus on direct channels and a suite of apps. However, direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales failed to …

Marketing Digital Strategy

By Ivy Buche and Goutam Challagalla

Case Study

Reviewing strategy-execution capabilities

A “radar chart” is proposed to visualize where the company needs to improve. It can also be used to support the discussion of any group of executives on the reasons for failure of most strategic initiatives; they may do that by assessing their own company against the six proposed required capabilities and by comparing notes with each other. The …

General Management

By Xavier Gilbert

Reviewing strategy-execution capabilities

By Xavier Gilbert
Case reference: IMD-3-2428 ©2025

Summary

A “radar chart” is proposed to visualize where the company needs to improve. It can also be used to support the discussion of any group of executives on the reasons for failure of most strategic initiatives; they may do that by assessing their own company against the six proposed required capabilities and by comparing notes with each other. The six required capabilities are: 1) Companies need to have a clear and well-communicated strategy, with clear and well-communicated strategic priorities, to which strategic initiatives contribute in a clear and well-communicated way. 2) Companies need to have a cadre of executives at different levels selected for their entrepreneurial and action-learning capabilities. 3) Companies need to understand and encourage action-learning and know how to plan execution accordingly. 4) Companies need to have an inclusive approach to execution. 5) Companies need to be serious about follow-through and see it as an essential part of action-learning. 6) Companies need to realize that, in the end, lack of respect for people, is a sure cause for execution failure. These capabilities are described at length in the book Smarter Execution, published by IMD (also available from Amazon UK). Learning objectives: This note is very effective to support a group discussion on the execution capabilities of a company. It can be used by a senior management team before they decide to launch strategic initiatives; it can be used as part of a kick-off workshop when launching a strategic initiative; or it can be used along the way during execution to identify and correct execution frustrations.

Reference IMD-3-2428

Copyright owner IMD Copyright

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

General Management

Browse all topics

Case Study

UrbanLuxe: Supply chain and M&A

This brief case exercise presents an increasingly common business scenario: An established player acquires a small, agile start-up to re-energize its value proposition. In this case, established global beauty giant UrbanLuxe acquires beauty start-up KYX. UrbanLuxe represents an old-school company selling a classic portfolio mainly via traditiona…

Supply Chain Mergers and Acquisitions Operations Strategy

By Ralf W. Seifert and Richard Markoff

Case Study

Governance at Theranos (B): The aftermath

This is a riveting case about poor board governance at Theranos that fostered a culture of deception and led to the company’s collapse and the criminal conviction of its celebrated founder, Elizabeth Holmes. Case B explains Theranos’s eventual collapse and highlights how the board contributed to a culture of deception within the company.

Board Business Ethics Leadership

By Anand Narasimhan and Shruti Bajpai

Case Study

Candles Killer: Lighting up the world at the bottom of the pyramid

Shenzhen Power-Solution (SPS), founded in 2009 in China as an entrepreneurial venture, disrupted traditional lighting markets in African villages with its flagship product, Candles Killer. This solar lamp, priced under $5, replaces hazardous kerosene lamps and has an optimized design (9 components, water-bottle stands). The candles killer solar …

Sustainability Customer Centricity Innovation Strategy

By Winter Nie and Yunfei Feng

Case Study

Governance at Theranos (A): A blindsided board

This is a riveting case about poor board governance at Theranos that fostered a culture of deception and led to the company’s collapse and the criminal conviction of its celebrated founder, Elizabeth Holmes. Case A outlines the establishment and growth of Theranos, it’s board expansion and the issues that led to the Wall Street Journal article t…

Board Business Ethics Leadership

By Anand Narasimhan and Shruti Bajpai

Case Study

Essential interpersonal skills for effective leadership

This note provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and developing the core interpersonal processes essential for effective leadership. It identifies and explores seven key processes: Communication, Visioning, Alliance Building, Persuasion, Exercising Power, Negotiation and Conflict Management. Each process is examined in detail, alon…

Leadership Stakeholder Management General Management Communication

By Michael D. Watkins

Essential interpersonal skills for effective leadership

By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2641 ©2025

Summary

This note provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and developing the core interpersonal processes essential for effective leadership. It identifies and explores seven key processes: Communication, Visioning, Alliance Building, Persuasion, Exercising Power, Negotiation and Conflict Management. Each process is examined in detail, along with its supporting skills and practical applications. The note emphasizes how these processes interconnect and build upon each other to create a robust leadership framework. Communication establishes a foundation of trust and clarity, which enables visioning to align teams toward common goals. Alliance building creates strategic partnerships that support the vision, while persuasion deepens these alliances. Power leverages these relationships to direct resources and maintain momentum, negotiation harmonizes diverse interests, and conflict management ensures disagreements don’t disrupt progress. The note also identifies five core supporting capabilities that enable effective engagement in these processes: Mindful Presence, Emotional Intelligence, Communication Mastery, Strategic Thinking and Adaptability. These capabilities form a progressive framework that allows leaders to navigate complex situations, connect meaningfully with others and make informed strategic decisions. Comprehensive and practical, this note serves as both a theoretical framework and an actionable toolkit for leaders seeking to enhance their interpersonal effectiveness. It includes an extensive reading list organized by process, providing resources for deeper exploration of each area.

Reference IMD-7-2641

Copyright owner IMD Copyright

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

General Management

Communication

Browse all topics

Case Study

Six strategies for making better decisions under pressure

This note presents a comprehensive framework for improving decision-making capabilities in high-pressure, high-stakes environments. It introduces six evidence-based strategies that help leaders maintain clarity, focus and effectiveness when facing complex decisions under stress. The note explores each strategy in detail: managing emotional respo…

Decision Making General Management Leadership

By Michael D. Watkins

Six strategies for making better decisions under pressure

By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-2676 ©2025

Summary

This note presents a comprehensive framework for improving decision-making capabilities in high-pressure, high-stakes environments. It introduces six evidence-based strategies that help leaders maintain clarity, focus and effectiveness when facing complex decisions under stress. The note explores each strategy in detail: managing emotional responses, strengthening situational awareness, training for cognitive agility, using structured decision-making models, enhancing decision speed and practicing under pressure. For each strategy, it provides specific tools and practical applications, illustrated through the case study of AcuWave, a mid-sized consumer electronics firm navigating challenging product launch decisions. Key tools examined include emotional self-regulation techniques, the OODA loop for situational awareness, pre-mortem analysis for cognitive agility, weighted decision matrices for structured decision-making, the 40-70 rule for balancing speed and accuracy, and crisis simulations for practical application. The note emphasizes that effective decision making under pressure integrates emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and structured processes. This practical guide serves as a valuable resource for leaders seeking to develop more robust decision-making capabilities in fast-paced business environments. By implementing these strategies, leaders can improve their ability to assess high-stakes situations quickly, make sound judgments with confidence, and maintain team effectiveness even under volatile and uncertain conditions.

Reference IMD-2676

Copyright owner IMD Copyright

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Decision Making

General Management

Leadership

Browse all topics

Case Study

The new protein buzz: Can Legendary Foods Africa feed the world with insects?

The case describes Legendary Foods Africa, a food-tech company founded in 2020 in Ghana by Canadian entrepreneur Shobhita Soor. Legendary Foods Africa is focused on farming, processing and selling palm weevil larvae products for human consumption. Palm weevil larvae, a traditional local food, are rich in protein, healthy fats and essential nutri…

Entrepreneurship Sustainability Social Innovation

By Sophie Bacq, Valerie Keller-Birrer and Ruth Shalom Kinyua

Case Study

Aluminium Cyclo Enterprises Malaysia: How to manage a supply chain disruption?

In 2024, the management of Aluminium Cyclo Enterprises (ACE), was concerned that the European Union (EU) export rules for ferrous and non-ferrous scrap were becoming more restrictive. Not just the EU, but close to 43 countries had restricted the export of ferrous scrap. The overall secondary aluminum industry in Malaysia was very dependent on im…

Marketing

By Dominique Turpin, Anamaya Narain Singh, Cyril Darlong Diengdoh and Sandeep Puri