Instructor’s Manual Abstracts
Vol. 2, Issue 1 IM Abstract: Disrupting the Dating Scene: The U Got Game Dating App
Sidney J. Shapiro and Alison Xiang Liu
Case Overview
The U Got Game case study explores a new online dating app initiated in 2019 by CEO Rajesh Kutty. It details the app’s development journey, focusing on overcoming early challenges, particularly in acquiring technical expertise and leadership. The case underscores the app’s unique features, such as an audio-based dating game and a marketplace for date experiences designed to foster deeper connections. It delves into crucial funding decisions, comparing options like accelerators, bootstrapping, and venture capital, each presenting unique benefits and trade-offs. This case offers valuable insights into strategic decision-making in a competitive online dating market (Knight et al., 2020; Shah & Ahmad, 2019).
Learning Objectives
By working through this case, students should be able to
- Identify market dynamics related to entering the online platforms industry such as market penetration, scalability, and market expansion.
- Examine how novel strategies aimed at differentiating a product such as gamification can help to accomplish market penetration in a saturated industry.
- Analyze how the lean startup methodology, focusing on creating a minimum viable product (MVP), can aid the firm’s market penetration strategy.
- Contemplate strategies for funding growth and business scaling, including accelerator programs, bootstrapping (organic growth), and venture capital (VC) firms.
- Critically evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of different funding strategies, including their implications on retention of control and growth of the business.
Course Suitability
The U Got Game case study is designed to guide educators in effectively integrating this case in a business strategy context. Whether students pursue degrees in business, entrepreneurship, or related fields, this case study offers rich, practical insights. It aligns well with courses focused on strategic planning and innovative business models. This section details the suitability of the case study for different courses, enhancing the learning experience by connecting theoretical concepts with practical applications.
- Business programs: Undergraduate and graduate courses such as “business strategy.” This case provides practical examples of market analysis and strategic decision-making.
- Entrepreneurship and innovation courses: Courses such as “start-up management” and “innovative business models” highlight the challenges of market entry and differentiation in a competitive landscape.
Recommended Reading
Shepherd, D. A., & Gruber, M. (2021). The lean startup framework: Closing the academic–practitioner divide. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 45(5), 967–998.
Linna, P., & Richter, U. (2011). Technology entrepreneurship-potential for social innovation? The case of Kenyan mobile industry companies. International Journal of Business and Public Management, 1(1), 42–50.
Ayla, E., & Iscioglu, T. E. (2017). Lifestyle entrepeneurship in technology start-ups: The case of “Piri” mobile application. Journal of Management Marketing and Logistics, 4(3), 271–278.
Slater, D. (2013). Love in the time of algorithms: What technology does to meeting and mating. Penguin Publishing Group.
Slater, D. (2014). A million first dates: Solving the puzzle of online dating. Penguin Publishing Group.
Elliott, A. (2022). Algorithmic intimacy: The digital revolution in personal relationships. Polity Press.
Bortolini, R. F., Nogueira Cortimiglia, M., Danilevicz, A. de M. F., & Ghezzi, A. (2021). Lean startup: A comprehensive historical review. Management Decision, 59(8), 1765–1783.
Elsayed, O., Sharifi, H., & Dyer, R. (2019). Gamification as complementary capabilities—A qualitative study. British Academy of Management Annual Conference.
Ries, E. (2011). The lean startup: How today’s entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses. Crown Currency.
Hallen, B. L., Bingham, C. B., & Cohen, S. (2014). Do accelerators accelerate? A study of venture accelerators as a path to success? Academy of Management Proceedings, 2014(1), 12955.
Mollick, E. (2014). The dynamics of crowdfunding: An exploratory study. Journal of Business Venturing, 29(1), 1–16.
References
Knight, G., Moen, Ø., & Madsen, T. K. (2020). Antecedents to differentiation strategy in the exporting SME. International Business Review, 29(6), 101740.
Shah, S. Z. A., & Ahmad, M. (2019). Entrepreneurial orientation and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises: Mediating effects of differentiation strategy. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 29(5), 551–572.
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