Abstract

Hidesign, founded by Dilip Kapur (Kapur) in 1978, was a company manufacturing and marketing leather products such as briefcases, computer bags, handbags, travel bags, wallets, and small accessories like coin purses, key chains, and passport cases. It had four manufacturing facilities in India. The company prided itself on its eco-friendly design and manufacturing process. The company, by 2011, was worth over Rs. 1 billion, and it had a distribution network of over 2000 stores in over 23 countries like Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Oman, Nepal, Malaysia, the UK, the US, and Vietnam. To expand globally, Hidesign chose distributors, direct and joint ventures. Kapur also brought world renowned designers like Armani designer Alberto Ciaschini to keep the company’s designs fresh and appealing. Apart from following these strategies, Kapur, to increase the reach of his product, established tie-ups with Louis Vuitton, Italian brand Braccialini, and Future Group of India. However, Kapur contended that though Hidesign was present in major international markets, it was still not recognized as a global brand. The challenge before him was how to make Hidesign a truly global brand. This case is meant for MBA students as a part of the International Management/ Strategy curriculum. It can also be used in an International Marketing curriculum.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the issues and challenges faced by an Indian company in managing its business internationally.
• Study Hidesign’s global growth strategies.
• Understand the issues and challenges faced by an Indian company in building a global brand.
• Explore strategies that Hidesign could adopt in order to realize the synergy between countries and become a truly global brand.

Keywords

Internationalization, Global growth strategies, Global brand, International marketing, Entrepreneurship, Design, Eco-friendly, Distribution, Marketing, Branding, Strategic alliances, Model for international expansion, Leather industry, Hidesign