This case documents how Shandong Moris Chemicals (Moris) grew into a hidden champion in the brine chemical industry. Moris’ main business has been the production and processing of brine chemicals. It originated from a small chemical workshop in the small coastal city of Shouguang, in China. Despite its humble start, Moris now has multiple chemical products that dominate the global market, making it a worldwide leader in the industry. Recent diversification moves into water treatment, and land improvement, the corporate umbrella of the group has been stretched beyond purely chemical-related businesses. At present, the top management team of Moris must determine whether to enter the cultural and creative industries and continue its path of diversification. If taken, this would be the first unrelated diversification move in the history of the company.

Lucas said, “It is a great honour to be among the winners of the case writing competition from EFMD. Through my case study, managers and business students can grasp the developmental process a company goes through to grow into a dominant but largely inconspicuous global leader in its market (i.e., a hidden champion).”

With over 550 submissions this year, these case studies allow for a greater diversity of pedagogical objectives and raise much-needed debate that will pave a sustainable way out of the pandemic and nurture an inclusive economic recovery. Through seventeen categories representing critical managerial areas, the authors can write about cases to contribute to management development and tackle some of its future challenges.

The competition evaluates the case studies according to several criteria: 1) Content – The ability to create a strong and interesting learning experience; 2) Form – A good balance between a well-told story and sufficient data; 3) Teaching notes – Notes that accompany each submission to enhance the learner’s experience; and finally, 4) Innovation – Ideas presented to improve teaching and student engagement.

Dr Lucas Wang joined Nottingham University Business School in 2017 as an Assistant Professor in International Business and Strategy. He obtained his PhD in global strategy from Ivey Business School of Western University after studying in China and the USA. His research interests lie in strategic alliances, inter-firm cooperation across national borders, and business sustainability.