Professor Paolo Taticchi has authored three new case studies that will be now used in his classes at UCL School of Management, and globally by fellow scholars.
The cases studies were co-authored with Melina Corvaglia, a Research Assistant at UCL School of Management, where she supports various projects focused on business strategy and sustainability, including case studies and white papers.
Vaculug: Europe’s largest independent retreader puts sustainability in motion
The case study “Vaculug: Europe’s largest independent retreader puts sustainability in motion” focuses on Haarjeev Kandhari’s leadership as the chairman of Vaculug, Europe’s largest independent retreading enterprise. Born in India, Haarjeev grew up being surrounded by a family business that was in the tyre industry for four generations. After studying internationally and being involved in several different successful ventures and in 2018 he acquired Vaculug. Haarjeev decided to devote himself and his business activities to make the world a better place.
This case study study examines his purpose-driven decision to acquire the business with the goal of growing its size and profitability to support the his charitable foundation, Zenises Foundation’s mission of providing education and food security to those in need. It also delves into the challenges and uncertainties faced by Haarjeev as he considers transitioning Vaculug towards sustainability during a complex economic period for SMEs.
Velasca - A fashion brand competing in a red ocean
The case study “Velasca - A fashion brand competing in a red ocean” revolves around Velasca, an Italian footwear company that started as an e-commerce business for high-end men’s shoes and expanded rapidly with venture capital investments. The founders approached a pivotal moment as they present their three year strategy, which included expanding into high-end apparel and exploring new international markets, but they received a lukewarm response from investors. This lead to questions about the company’s direction and the founders’ decision to seek a third-party perspective from a consultant to navigate the complexities of managing Velasca’s growth.
GHD Case Study: Sustaining an accelerated growth strategy
The case study “GHD: Sustaining an accelerated growth strategy” revolves around GHD, a multinational hairstyling company that initially focused on a business-to-business (B2B) model targeting salons but later shifted to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) approach in 2017. The company’s growth led to the inclusion of Amazon as a retail and marketing platform, presenting both risks and growth opportunities. With GHD at a significant stage of growth by the end of 2022, the case study explores the decision-making process faced by Stefano Filipazzi, GHD Italy’s Managing Director, as he contemplates options such as expanding into new markets, investing in retail locations, or pursuing a targeted B2C and digital strategy to navigate the competitive premium hairstyling market.
These case studies follow previous works from Professor Paolo Taticchi. Read the studies from 2021 and 2022.