Abstract

The case as the title reveals is about a collaborative program called ACE which combines technology, with a social need through a creative business model to empower the autorickshaw driver community to improve their livelihoods. Launched in Bangalore South India, the empowerment of the auto driver community is through paid advertising panels fixed at the back panel of the autos. The autos are monitored with real time feeds and forwarded to advertisers. With traditional advertising media fast losing credibility and patronage by big brands, ACE aimed at providing advertisers visibility, transparency and capabilities to plan and predict campaign outcomes better. The case details how the unique and novel initiative provided a non-disruptive, cross-sector ecosystem for the auto community.

Learning Objective

1. To understand the value and operational management of collaborative commerce in India
2. To understand how a social empowerment venture could be a win-win situation both socially and commercially simultaneously
3. To understand resources required in a social enterprise to ensure sustainability
4. To understand co-operative business models