INTRODUCTION

The Protagonist of the case study is Hema who was the only daughter of Encik Sittumalai and Puan
Rani (subsequently known as Sittumalai). After completing her diploma she started to work as a
teacher in one of the international schools. Her mother, Puan Rani (subsequently known as Rani) was
running a home-based business producing and selling home-made Indian cookies. She used to make
occasional cakes since 2005 under the name Blitz in Permas Jaya ,Johar Bahru . Hema’s father was a
chronic heart patient. To ensure Sittumalai was stress-free, Rani used to manage the majority of the
work single handedly. The business started with only one employee, slowly increased to appoint six
employees. As the business progressed Rani bought a lorry with the purpose of delivering products
door to door. Sittumalai helped her in this regard. Besides producing cookies and signature cakes,
Rani also sold goody bags and exchanged gifts on special occasions such as birthday parties and
weddings. Slowly the couple began to supply their products to the five main Indian restaurants around
Johor Bahru. In early March 2012, the company was hit by a disaster when Rani was diagnosed with
terminal colon cancer. The family business came to a standstill with no proper management system
for about six months. There was no choice left for Hema but to take the lead of the family business to
ensure its survival. Thus she decided to sacrifice her teaching career for the time being to fully
commit to her mom’s business and resigned from her teaching job and took over her mom’s position
in Blitz in November 2012.

PROBLEM
● Lack of prior experience to handle business alone
● Insufficient employee
● Lack of capital
● Increase in sugar price
● Lack of sufficient amount to pay salary for employees
● Lack of proper management system
● Slow delivery of products to major customers
● Unable to handle teaching carrier as well as business at same time
● Single shop without further outlet
● Increased price of products to cover cost
● Sales decline

OPTIONS
● To analyse rootcause to save business & improve situation within 6 months and to win back
lost customers
● To continue her teaching career and assign an experienced person to handle business
● To cut down the additional charges incurred due to provision free delivery
CRITERIA
● Option 1 : The protagonist’s mother was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer which led to
downfall of the family business so being her daughter Hema is obliged to carry forward her
mother’s legacy
● Option 2 : Hema has always been interested in her teaching profession right from her
childhood and has never taken up responsibility of her family business so quitting her job and
taking up family business is not a viable option since she lacks experience in business field so
assigning an experienced person to handle the same will be a better option.
● Option 3 : Since company was obliged to increase price of the products due to inflation it lost
it’s existing customer so inorder to reduce this price hike they can implement pricing strategy
by cutting down additional cost incurred due to free delivery
RECOMMENDATION
● Option 2 is recommended since Hema was never interested to take up her family business &
has never take up such responsibilities so she lacks experience in this field so it’s better to
assign someone who is experienced to manage her business and continue to pursue her dream
of becoming a teacher , her lack of interest to business field is shown by her stating that she
would prefer to assess students’ exam papers rather than handling her family business

CONCLUSION
In this case Blitz lost their major customer due to lack of proper management and slower delivery
of products. They lacked proper distribution channels and proper infrastructure.