CASE ANALYSIS - Practice

Read the Business case and answer the questions in each section:

A date with success:

Inspired by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said's message to the youth to tap into the country's resources, grow as entrepreneurs and contribute to the local economy.Al Jabri sisters Wafa, Shatha, Ahed and Waed decided to launch a business in providing exquisitely hand-crafted date-based sweets, innovatively presented and celebrated with traditional flavors.

So began ‘Meshan'; a smart new enterprise which is taking the art and science of making sweets to an entirely new level, using only Omani dates. In spite of their academic achievements and secure jobs at the time, the four sisters shared a burning desire to succeed as entrepreneurs.(Zubairsec,2015) The dates in the market were good, but not that great to give as a gift or a souvenir from Oman. They saw this as a competitive advantage, which would enable them to stay in the market.

The sisters had no practical experience on how to start and manage their new business.So, they started at the very beginning, with Wafa and Shatha joining a training course in preparing sweets and chocolate. They started experimenting with greater volumes and different types of date-based sweets. Using their own creativity, they came up with the new variation and flavours, giving each a distinctive packaging.

In order to develop their products, the sisters researched and understood the market that they were catering to. It didn't stop at that; they realised that the combination of flavours offered at Meshan must set a creative benchmark, "We combined unusual mixes, such as lemon- flavoured date sweets. We also checked what is available in our local culture and introduced rich flavours from other cultures such as saffron," says Wafa.

As is usually the case for most homegrown SMEs, the products were tested on family and friends. The findings were applied to develop combinations which would appeal to the taste of the local culture as well as outsiders who want a taste of Omani cuisine. One of the amusing findings that Shatha and Wafa came across was that "men like the combination of ginger and dates, while women like rose flavoured ones". (Ginn et al, 2015).

For ‘Meshan', however the challenge of running a business emerged early; including limited administrative and marketing experience, slow production abilities, as well as, lack of sufficient funds in order to be able to quickly grow their business and hire additional staff. Asked about the challenges facing them at the start of the business, Shatha said that one of the main issues was the uncertainty about a customer's response to the new way of introducing dates both in terms of shape and flavour. The other challenge that they faced was related to registering their company, a process which they think should be facilitated further to support small businesses. Lham 2016, reports that, during this time, the sisters heard about Zubair Small Enterprises Centre and the services offered for aspiring young entrepreneurs. They knew this was just what they needed.

Commenting on their experience with Zubair SEC, Wada recalls, "We felt that we had reached the right place. The objectives of the Centre were clear and the team understood our needs accurately. During the following months, the Centre offered ‘Meshan' much needed technical and advisory support and guidance, as well as, the financial support that helped a lot"

After the four sisters were selected to join the Zubair SEC Direct Support Program, they placed themselves on the path to success by equipping themselves with the skills every entrepreneur needs in order to achieve their goals and objectives. They were able to capitalse on their strengths to overcome their weaknesses.

Today, the sisters are satisfied with what they have achieved in the past year. They are happy with the guidance they received from Zubair SEC which enabled them to clearly identify their goals and develop clear expansion plans for the future. The Direct Support Program enabled them to achieve in just one year what would normally take many years of hard work: This included doubling their production, raising their sales volume by 150 per cent, as well as, developing plans to open their own coffee shop where customers would enjoy their dates alongside a cup of coffee.

About the future, Shatha says, "We realize through our experience with Zubair SEC that entrepreneurs are people who have very clear goals and a strong ambition, and who are able to draw a roadmap to reach each of these goals. Today, we feel that we have the skills,

capabilities and capacity that allow us to continue to grow our business and achieve our ambitions. We believe that ‘Meshan' will soon become a leading brand in the Sultanate of Oman and then, God willing, internationally. Our message to all is this, stay tuned to many new offerings from ‘Meshan', the pioneer in date-based sweets!'

Infused with the natural flavours of cardamom, almonds, local spices and dozens of other flavours, Meshan combines the best that the senses can experience from Arabia, Persia and Asia. The story continues with a stamp of approval by the sisters themselves. It gives specially designed packaging delights to the eye even before the true experience of Meshan begins.

From the rich lands of Oman to the tables of its clients, Meshan's value chain secures an honest, fair-trade and seamless journey that focuses on the selection of premium quality dates for its wide collection of date sweets. It is here, nestled deep in the Arabian Peninsula where the date trade has flourished for centuries, that Omani farmers carefully cultivate their crops and contribute to the sustainability of this ancient sector. Meshan's farmers tend closely to the date season from fertilization to harvest, pursuing the tradition bequeathed by the nation's ancestors until this day. It is through the skill and endurance of these farmers that Meshan enjoys good harvests and a careful selection of top quality dates for their clients. Every box of Meshan dates emanates the true experience of the brand.

The sisters benefited from the various opportunities and experiences made available by the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Riyada), and Al Rafd Fund. As mentioned in Muscat Daily, 2015, the story does not end there: driven by their vision to create a holistic luxury brand, Meshan offers its celebrated date collection and exquisite date sweets in its newly opened cafe in Muscat. Meshan Cafe is an elegant haven for those who wish to enjoy the full experience of Meshan's gourmet collection or make a selection of their favourites to enjoy at home.

The sisters also established client bases at the Royal flight, Bank Muscat, Diwan of the Royal Court, Zubair Corporation and offices of various ministries. Meshan has grown to provide employment to locals. Its workshop in Amerat, which is the fortress of highly guarded Meshan recipes, also holds part time summer internship programmes for university students. The Jabri sisters say they source organic dates from Dakhliyah and Dhahirah. "We ensure that we purchase fair trade dates, to provide sustainable income to farmers," says Wafa.

As business expands, the sisters are constantly planning how they can revolutionise their products tastefully. Their brand, Meshan, which has now become synonymous with luxury date sweets, started out as an SME. The SME's growth, powered by its marketing, is underscored by the fact that the Jabri sisters have now come to be known as the Meshan sisters. Shatha Al Jabri has big dreams - of opening more Meshan outlets in Oman and hopes to eventually take Meshan's luxury date sweets global. (Oman Economic Review, 2015).

Writing the Case Analysis

1. Business Identification & Summary:

a. Identify the type of business and ownership.

b. Write a concise summary of the case study. (Remember to reference the source)

2. Identification of success factors & Analysis of Issues:

Read and logically analyse the case study identifying at least 3 relevant issues/factors contributing to the success of the business. (Remember to provide in - text citation).

(What factors were responsible for the success of the business and how?)

3. Discussion & Recommendation:

a. Discuss the issues analysed above by expressing your views in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

(What are your comments about each factor?

What steps the entrepreneur should have taken in order to achieve more?

What if things would not have happened the same way as mentioned in the case? What do you appreciate? What was not so appreciable?

What more effort could have been possible?)

b. Based on your analysis and discussion, identify a minimum of 3 recommendations that are realistic and specific ensuring the recommendations relate to the issues.

(What should an entrepreneur do to achieve more? Be specific.)

4. References:

Ensure you use CCE Harvard referencing style