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Peer Review

DeBeers's Diamond Dilemma: Case Study

Reviewed:

Sep 28, 2023 by Business
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.8 stars
Content Quality: 4.8 stars
Effectiveness: 4.5 stars
Ease of Use: 4.8 stars
Overview:

The synthetic diamond industry was on the radar of diamond giant DeBeers as a potential disruptive technology. In 2009, after years of concerted efforts to improve its tarnished reputation as the industry monopolist, DeBeers was wondering how it should respond to the threat. Learning Objective To explore strategic issues that arise in markets for status goods; appreciate how a major player’s strategic moves can transform a market; and examine the source of diamonds’ value to consumers, and how that value can be shaped through DeBeers’s strategic choices. A watermarked copy of the case can be viewed here. If you are an instructor, you can complete the form to obtain an educator's copy. Note: You can obtain multiple educator copies with one form.

Type of Material:

Case Study

Recommended Uses:

  • In-class
  • Homework assignment
  • Team project
Technical Requirements:

Reviewers used Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox 109.0 to review article with no issues.

 

Identify Major Learning Goals:

  • Explore strategic issues that arise in markets for status goods
  • Understand how a major player’s strategic moves can transform a market
  • Examine the source of diamonds’ value to consumers and how that value can be shaped through DeBeers’s strategic choices.
Target Student Population:

  • Upper-level management students
  • Upper-level MBA students 
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

  • Marketing
  • Basic business strategies
  • Game Theory

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

  • The case study provides numerous references to support the information provided as well as additional information for readers to explore.
  • Interesting case that can engage students in learning
  • Can be used as part of a marketing and/or strategy course
  • This is a very well-written and documented case study.
Concerns:

Could use some activities or assessment questions to incorporate into a class

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

  • Could be a great tool in the right course
  • Well-identified learning objectives
  • The author supplied basic learning objectives for the case study. 
  • This case study can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom or online. 
  • There is a lot of potential with this document.
Concerns:

  • The author does not supply suggestions on how to integrate the case study into assignments. 
  • Instructors will need to be creative in how they integrate the resource.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

  • The case study is easy to read and follow. 
  • The document is visually appealing and should engage all users. 
  • The layout is consistent and easy to read. 
  • Text accessible (able to be screen read in Adobe Acrobat)
Concerns:

  • No alt text tags on charts/graphs/visuals
  • No information to address users with disabilities.
Other Issues and Comments:

This case study can be used in a variety of business courses and a variety of ways.  Open discussions in the classroom can be generated from this case study.

Creative Commons:
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