More than just profits, part two

April 15, 2007 8:40 AM

FabIndia becomes a Harvard Business Case study It's a brand that does not advertise. It, in fact, celebrates the success of its copycats. And now Fabindia, the craft-conscious enterprise, is a Harvard Business School (HBS) case study. "Founded in 1960, Fabindia makes the cut for being an example of a corporation that does not just aim to do well, but does good too. "A strong mission can be both an opportunity and a constraint on the growth of a firm," points out Dr Khaire. However, the private retailer's unique value proposition has not come in the way of it being recognised as big brand today. And this in spite of the fact that Fabindia has never advertised, points out Dr Khaire."
posted by infini (8 comments total)

There are lots of HBS cases, but they are pretty expensive to buy. An exception is the Wikipedia case, which Karim Lakhani managed to get the business school to release under GNU.

Here it is.
posted by blahblahblah at 8:49 AM on April 15, 2007

I don't understand why being a Harvard Business School case study is a cause for celebration. It was my understanding (correct me if I am wrong) that case studies are honors for the business in question; a case study might feature a failed or badly run business. Being a case study just means that students at one particular school are studying that business; not particularly noteworthy, is it?

I'm off to rummage around in the fridge --- I hope my wife didn't drink the last Pepsi Blue.
posted by jayder at 5:51 PM on April 15, 2007

I meant to type, "that case studies are NOT honors for the business in question ..."
posted by jayder at 5:53 PM on April 15, 2007

jayder - you are right. I thought the post a bit odd as well. I would have thought it would have resulted in the usual suspects making sarcastic comments but I guess business school case studies drive them away like flies.

I wonder if someone could have gotten away with another post on the Jonathan Bell violin story if it was prefaced with "Jonathan Bell is now a Harvard Business School study"
posted by blahblahblah at 7:52 PM on April 15, 2007

If they've never advertised, why do you feel the need to do so for them here?
posted by klangklangston at 8:47 PM on April 15, 2007

In other news, IIM uses Walmart as a case study, and interviews are run in the U.S. with the CEO gushing about how proud he is to receive such an honor.

Ugh; the saddest thing was when Lalu, the national punching bag, got invited to Cambridge. Do we keep making fun of him? But... he got into Harvard!
posted by goodglovin77 at 9:10 PM on April 15, 2007

Excellent post infini! When a company, a corporation or people do act ethically, with integrity and intelligent consideration for others, while being successful, I think that is a huge cause for celebration...and examination of both how and why it's working.

As it happens I know FabIndia well and worked with them when I lived in Delhi, working in the fashion biz for the first half of the 1980's. Thought they were an admirable company way back then and am pleased to hear the good news they are being analysed by Harvard. Hopefully there may be some decent business paradigms or templates that energe from the study to use for other companies as well.

Thanks so much for this post.
posted by nickyskye at 10:12 PM on April 15, 2007

Exactly nickyskye. btw, are you still in the business now? i'll be going down to ranthambhore and there's a dastkar there that works with the local women who could do with a goodly dose of contemporary design input to their craft made clothing.

email me for links to photographs adn our project.
posted by infini at 10:06 AM on April 16, 2007