Simulations/Reports

1. Consumer behavior in a crisis (with Paddy Padmanabhan)
2. Growth opportunities of countries (tailored report)

Case Studies

[Available from HBS Publishing or Case Centre]

The Rise of Inequality, INSEAD 2017.

The world is currently seeing a rise of populist leaders in both Europe and the US (Donald Trump), as well as in some emerging markets. Is this linked to the rise in inequality over time, whereby many of the gains have accrued to the richest 1%? This case sets up a discussion on why we should care about inequality. It explores the link between inequality and equality of opportunity, political instability, financial crises and economic growth. It closes by highlighting where businesses are truly a force for good and the circumstances in which a greater focus on distribution is warranted. The pedagogical objective is to facilitate an understanding of the interlinked issues of politics, economics, distribution and growth and the circumstances where business leaders must pay more attention to distributional aspects.

LOLC Micro Credit (with Jasjit Singh), INSEAD 2015.

LOLC Microcredit, a microfinance company within the LOLC group in Sri Lanka, has been serving the financial needs of the base of the pyramid through micro-leasing and group lending. The question now is whether to grow the exisiting business, use diversification to increase impact or prioritize its expansion into Myanmar. The case can be taught either as a microfinance case or as a strategy case.

The Elasticity of Demand for Gasoline, INSEAD 2015.

This exercise uses monthly data for the US from 1978-2013 to estimate a demand function for gasoline in the US. The demand function is used to calculate the price and income elasticity of demand, both in the short and the long run. The case can be used to teach the concept of elasticity by making students estimate elasticity of demand using data and regression analyses. Students use the data and built-in regression functions in Excel. Next, they estimate short and long-run elasticities to see that demand is much more price-inelastic in the short run. Instructors can build on these concepts to explain why oil prices tend to be so volatile in the short run.The exercise is useful for both MBA students and for students in an intermediate Microeconomics course. Included are a set of Powerpoint files to run the entire session/class and data for the gasoline exercise. Please see here.