Each year, EFMD celebrates influential contributions to management development through the Case Writing Competition. The 2023 edition showcased a remarkable array of winning cases from diverse industries. To delve deeper into the stories behind these achievements, we spoke with the winners about their motivations, inspirations, and the challenges they overcame.

In this interview, we feature Amy Moore from the University of Pretoria, the winner of the “African Business Cases” category.

“Sasol Tradeoff Considerations for a Just Transition”

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share your academic or professional background?

My name is Amy Moore. I am an American living and working in Johannesburg, South Africa. I studied at Mount Holyoke College (USA) and did my masters at the London School of Economics (UK). I work as a professional associate at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), the business school associated with the University of Pretoria, where I spend my time coaching (individuals and teams), writing teaching cases, and supervising students.

What inspired you to develop this particular case study?

A member of the climate change team at Sasol – Dr Storm Potts – was part of the MBA group that I coached and mentored over a period of two years. During that time I got to know Storm and to hear of the work that Sasol was conducting around addressing climate change. Storm then introduced me to Sasol’s Vice President for Climate Change, Shamini Harrington, who is the protagonist of the case and who was open to sharing Sasol’s story and the challenges and opportunities Sasol faces. It is an important and topical topic.

Could you elaborate on the main focus of your case study and the learning objectives you intended to address?

The main focus of the case is around the implications for a just energy transition for an international energy company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sasol is heavily invested in the production of gas from coal, and has a variety of considerations in this transition and differing stakeholder perspectives and needs. The learning objectives include readers of the case being able to:

• Understand the implications of a just energy transition in a developing economy
• Interpret net zero strategy statements and targets
• Identify both market and non-market stakeholders
• Understand key elements needed to begin engaging with non-market stakeholders

What role did feedback (from peers, mentors, or others) play in the development of your case study, and how did you incorporate it into your final submission?

I remember one of my mentors – Professor Margie Sutherland – saying that “writing teaching cases should not be a lonely process” and I certainly felt that when writing this case. I have the privilege to collaborate with some amazing colleagues at GIBS Business School, and I think that collaboration was reflected in the final quality output of the case and the teaching note. Professor Marianne Matthee is the lead author of this case, and she specializes in macro and microeconomics. Professor Anthony Wilson-Prangley has in-depth expertise with managing stakeholder relationships. Between the three of us, we brainstormed storylines and built upon each of the iterations of the case and the teaching note. It was a team effort.

How do you hope your case study will impact future learners and educators in your field?

We hope the case will be used in courses focused on the environment of business, macroeconomics and stakeholder management and engagement. We hope that anyone who works with the case will have a greater appreciation for the complexity of working with a just transition, especially in relation to business in a developing country.

The Sponsor’s Commentary

The category “African Business Cases” is kindly sponsored by the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). EFMD deeply appreciates the invaluable sponsorship, the profound expertise, and the dedicated efforts of CEIBS in supporting the Case Writing Competition.

How does sponsoring the African Business Cases category in the EFMD Case Writing Competition align with your institution’s core values and mission?

We demonstrated a commitment to our school motto of “China Depth Global Breath” by sponsoring the “African Business Cases” category. Cases focusing on Africa can allow students to learn about a different region and culture, which aligns with our goal of fostering a global mindset. Furthermore, our school’s mission is to educate responsible leaders, and we are keen to contribute to sustainable development in Africa and globally. Finally, the theme of this year’s winning case is also consistent with the ESG dimension of our school’s strategy.

Reflecting on the winning case and its contributions, what has been your institution’s learning experience from being involved in this competition?

We gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of climate change and energy transitions in a developing country. We also learned that a successful energy transition required careful trade-off considerations for different stakeholders, a valuable lesson for Africa and beyond.

How did the winning case demonstrate innovation or creativity in its approach to the subject matter?

First, the case covered multiple dimensions of Sasol’s transition: technological, economic, social, and environmental, which provided a comprehensive view of challenges and strategies to facilitate a deeper understanding of the complexity involved in a just transition. Second, by incorporating perspectives from various stakeholders, including employees, community members, and government, the case showed the practical implications of strategic decisions on different groups, which enhances the case’s applicative value.

About Sponsorship

EFMD Case Writing Competition is proud to have dedicated sponsors who drive management education towards impactful teaching and learning. Sponsoring a category allows you to showcase your institution’s expertise in the specific field of management education in the wide EFMD network. The choice of category, its exact definition and any specific conditions are the privileges of the sponsor. Sponsorships for the following categories are currently available – Bringing Technology to Market, Continuous Improvement: the Journey to Excellence, and Latin American Business Cases. If you are interested in sponsoring the mentioned categories or launching a new category relevant to case writing and teaching, please contact Petra Grestenbergerova at petra.grestenbergerova@efmdglobal.org.

More information about the 2023 EFMD Case Writing Competition can be found on the EFMD Case Writing Competition page. Please visit The Case Centre’s webpage to access the collection of the winning cases. See other interviews from this series.