R Tech Engineering: from nurturing the grassroots to scaling the market tree

Learning outcomes After completion of the case study, the students will be able: To analyse the process of development, adoption and scaling of grassroots innovations using entrepreneurship, innovation and strategic management frameworks (e.g. resource-based view, diffusion of innovation, etc.).To assess the relevance of intellectual property protection, standardisation and certification in scaling grassroots innovation.To identify and assess the role of individual behaviours that shape the innovation and entrepreneurial journey.To assess the role of institutional factors in supporting and sustaining the grassroots innovation ecosystem.To analyse the challenges faced by a grassroots innovator-entrepreneur in achieving business growth and sustainability under resource constraints.To apply customer engagement frameworks to develop strategies for value creation and market expansion of grassroots innovations. Case overview/synopsis Sree Vardhan, the chief executive officer of R Tech Engineering (Coimbatore, India), joined his father’s business in 2015, that manufactured and sold an innovative product, a tree climbing implement called Multi-Tree Climber. The innovator of this device was D.N. Venkat, his father, who had been recognised with numerous awards for its utility and safety features, in the grassroots agricultural sector. The growth of R Tech Engineering was no mean achievement in a sector that was largely unorganised, yet competitive due to the presence of numerous players. Though confident about his product, Vardhan realised that the major challenge limited awareness and reach within this segment. He participated in different events organised by the government to help innovators in the Agri sector. Vardhan also ensured regular interaction with potential customers in the neighbouring villages and beyond. Although he was successful in driving sales growth, Vardhan realised that their award-winning product was often overlooked in favour of cheaper competing products in the market and scaling up was necessary for sustainability. He wondered whether the answer lay in changing the marketing strategy, intensifying product promotion or pursuing diversification within their existing market space despite limited resources. Complexity academic level The case study is intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the following courses: business administration/management programmes.specialised courses/programmes in entrepreneurship and innovation management.arts and humanities courses addressing social entrepreneurship, community-based innovation, innovation adoption and social impact. Subject code CSS3: Entrepreneurship.