This teaching case examines AquaTech’s critical decision to overcome the ‘black box’ dilemma of open-ocean aquaculture – a traditional industry reliant on veteran farmers’ tacit knowledge for feed management in highly volatile environments. This subjectivity created severe financial and environmental risks, including costly resource waste and crippling downstream supply chain inefficiencies due to low inventory accuracy. The case details the implementation of an innovative AI system that fuses computer vision, sonar, and IoT sensors to provide real-time, empirical data on fish satiety and biomass. The AI pilot demonstrated decisive operational superiority, leading to a substantial increase in Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) efficiency, which simultaneously drove down feed costs, significantly increased harvest yield, and reduced environmental impact. This digital transformation illustrates the profound potential for traditional industries to solve persistent challenges by adopting new technology.

It was late November 2020 and the tension in the Google Research office in Mountain View was palpable. Dr. Timnit Gebru, co-lead of the company’s small Ethical AI team, received an urgent email from the leadership team regarding the paper’s review. Her team had spent months developing a paper that raised uncomfortable questions about bias, environmental costs and the concentration of power in large language models—technologies that underpinned Google’s business strategy. The findings, co-authored with internal and external collaborators were accepted at a top-tier AI conference. But now, leadership had concerns. The email asked her to withdraw the paper or remove Google-affiliated authors citing potential conflicts with business interests. For years, Gebru had advocated for transparency and inclusivity in AI systems. She had always believed that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) were not peripheral values but central to ethical innovation. Yet the more visible her work became; it placed her in conflict with one of the world’s most powerful technology companies. Now the question arose: Should Gebru protect her career by complying with Google’s request, or should she stand by her research that reflected her convictions on DEI—even though it exposed critical concerns about the company’s approach to AI fairness?

Digital transformation in the energy sector not only changes how power is generated, delivered, and consumed but also urges firms to change their business model. Renewable energy is an emerging sector responding to the increasing demand for sustainable energy. There is limited understanding about digital business models in this sector. Therefore, this case study shows the digital business model innovation opportunities of NextGridVolt, a renewable-energy provider that designs, installs, and maintains renewable energy systems. Furthermore, this case study introduces a new toolkit focusing on data-driven business model innovation. It provides a structured way to identify a firm’s existing business model and the data it has, inspiring ideas on new business models leveraging existing data sources. Using the toolkit, managers from the case company identified that they have data about clients from previous contracts and solar panel usage data from real-time sensor readings. A data analysis platform that integrates all data sources can enable various business model innovation opportunities, including increasing internal process efficiency and service quality, and providing the platform to external users as a new service.

The Internet of Things has expanded into healthcare with the use of wearable devices and sensors, creating an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). Technological advancements in patient data are revolutionizing diabetes care for millions of patients, who have the ability to better track blood glucose levels, insulin use, and factors that contribute to overall healthy living, especially when living with a chronic condition. Wearable monitors and smart pen technology are making the disease more management for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics, keeping doctors more informed of patient data, and lowering the cost of care.

Large IT projects are challenging as they are complex projects with many stakeholders involved. IBM won a project tender for a toll gate solution for vehicles for the Norwegian Road Authority. The project was planned with about 77 000 hours work, in four phases, and as a ‘global delivery’ with a local centre in Norway and five delivery centres in India and China. After signing the contract, there were three main milestones. A bit more than a year after initiation, the Norwegian Road Authority chose to terminate the contract due to lack of progress. This was not accepted by IBM, and the parties met in court in a case that would finally end by a rejection in the Appeals Committee of the Supreme Court of Norway. This teaching is based on the court case and focuses on the following learning objectives: Understand challenges with requirements engineering approaches, understand organisation of large, global, outsourced software development projects and understand IT project management challenges and risks as faced by the customer and the provider. The teaching case can be used in graduate courses and continuous education in information systems development, requirements engineering and IT project management. The suggested assignments include questions for discussion on organization of the project and managing requirements work.

This case study illustrates the process of implementing a customer relationship management (CRM) solution and introduces students to various concepts related to enterprise software project management and change management. The main aim of this study is to explain the importance of strategic change management initiatives in driving the success of technology implementation projects. To achieve this aim, the current study uses a composite case study that outlines the CRM implementation by ChatterSphere Private Limited (CSPL), a provider of Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbot solutions. Despite the CRM solution being feature-rich and well-engineered into CSPL’s technology stack, CSPL cannot unleash the CRM’s intended impact due to employee engagement challenges and a lack of on-the-job training support. Students will take on the role of Diya, the Chief Marketing Officer of CSPL, who also played an important role in CRM implementation, and develop the change management plan to maximize the potential of the CRM solution and embed it into the end-to-end business processes of CSPL.

Digital marketing strategies are undergoing a profound transformation fueled by insights from neuromarketing, the application of neuroscience to understand consumer behavior. This case study explores how emotional triggers, cognitive ease, social imitation, and reward mechanisms rooted in brain science might influence digital marketing practices. Linking neuromarketing theories such as the Brain Reward System, Emotional Valence, Cognitive Fluency, and Mirror Neuron System to strategies like hyper-personalization, social commerce, AR/VR experiences, and influencer marketing, the case provides a springboard for examining emotionally resonant, brain-friendly digital experiences. Supported by current trends from 2023 to 2025 and emerging neuroscience research, the study invites students to identify key opportunities and ethical challenges marketers may face in creating technology-driven, psychologically optimized campaigns. Additionally, the urgency of these developments is amplified by the acceleration of digital engagement in the post-pandemic era and the growing presence of AI technologies. Students are encouraged to critically evaluate how understanding the human brain can amplify digital engagement, loyalty, and advocacy.

As digital transformation accelerates, the global economy presents new opportunities for industries to transform their business models, and fashion is no exception. Virtual fashion — digital garments designed for use in virtual environments—is emerging as a disruptive innovation with the potential to reshape traditional consumption patterns. This case study explores the potential role of virtual fashion to drive sustainability by minimizing material waste and enabling more sustainable, digital business models. Using frameworks such as Innovation Diffusion Theory and the Triple Bottom Line, this study categorizes various types of virtual fashion and evaluates their capacity to deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits. Despite its promise, digital fashion is not without challenges, including risks of overconsumption. Therefore, this case study aims to offer actionable insights on how to leverage virtual fashion as a strategic opportunity while ensuring it complements broader sustainability goals rather than distracts from them.

The echo chamber effect on social media platforms, particularly Instagram, significantly influences users’ perception by creating environments where similar views are repeatedly reinforced. This case study explores the dynamics of the echo chamber effect on Instagram, focussing on the role of algorithmic filtering, user behaviour, and content personalisation. By analysing the platform’s mechanisms – such as personalised feeds, the Explore page, and targeted content – this study reveals how Instagram’s algorithm amplifies selective exposure and confirmation bias, leading to increased polarisation and reduced exposure to diverse viewpoints. The study examines psychological and social factors, including selective exposure theory, social identity, and emotional resonance, which intensify the echo chamber effect on a highly visual platform like Instagram. Findings suggest that this phenomenon can fragment social networks, create polarised communities, and contribute to the spread of misinformation. Strategies to mitigate these effects, including algorithmic transparency, diverse content exposure, and user-driven interactions, are discussed as potential methods for breaking echo chambers and promoting a more balanced informational ecosystem.

Traditional firms need to digitally transform but carry legacy baggage as constraints—their legacy customer orientation and legacy operational capabilities. So, under these constraining dimensions, how can executives in legacy firms strategize their digital transformations? Based on field research and action research with firms in the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, and Italy, the paper offers a “Lifting Legacy Anchors” framework to denote useful digital transformation strategies for legacy firms—highlighting opportunities, challenges, and downstream spillover benefits beyond the quotidian.