NCoRe Ventures Pvt. Ltd.: Architecting the Virtual Factory Approach

Abstract

The case demonstrates the evolution of a start-up named NCoRe Ventures Pvt. Ltd. which utilized Web 2.0 technologies to create a decentralized manufacturing system that enabled the matching of bulk orders from big retailers with a pool of small-scale artisans who were independent, distributed and disenfranchised. Students would learn an alternative model of organizing work that could serve as a substitute for the brick and mortar factory system, especially in the rural regions of developing nations like India. The first broad theme that the case deals with is whether artisans from emerging markets cater to the fast-fashion industry. The case also illustrates how information technology could be leveraged to build profitable businesses that are socially conscious and environmentally aware in the BoP markets and hence serve as a driver of sustainable development. Since the artisan industry is the second largest employer of rural people in many developing nations, the concepts illustrated through the case have global scope and relevance. The second broad theme that the case deals with is whether digital Technologies can drive the triple-bottom-line.