Unnati: Sustaining Value in the Agricultural Sector of Rural India

by: Lubna Nafees, Shalini Tiwari, Akshay Kumar

Publication Date: December 4, 2015
Length: 16 pages
Product ID#: 1-429-430

Core Disciplines: Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Information - Technology & Management, Strategy & Management, Sustainability

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Description

Akshamaala was designed to provide information and communication technology (ICT) solutions to improve sales, field force effectiveness, and customer interactions. Entrepreneurs Amit Sinha and Ashok Prasad started the firm for banking and insurance companies initially but shifted their focus to the agriculture sector. They had some success, but knew that revenues would eventually plateau, so they created the sub-service, Unnati to package agriculture services and products for farmers at a modest price. The business model is working well, nevertheless, the company is constrained by a lack of skilled manpower and farmers’ inability to adapt to new technologies. Students are asked to identify with the protagonists of the case and move the business model forward.

Teaching Objectives

After reading and discussing the material, students should:

  • Distinguish between a business idea and a business opportunity.
  • Value the need for a for-profit enterprise to evolve into a socially conscious business.
  • Inspect and critique a business model.
  • Estimate and quantify opportunities in a changing business environment.
  • Defend businesses from the influence of internal challenges and external threats.