Nissan India Turnaround as a case study in IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) on success of Nissan Magnite

· The case study documents the strategy behind the launch of the Nissan Magnite during the challenging times of the pandemic and Covid-19 lockdown

· Case study is available on the IIMA portal for download: [Link]

· Nissan Magnite completed three years of success in the Indian market, crossing the production milestone of 100,000th in 2023

Gurugram, 06 December 2023: Nissan launched the game changing Big, Bold, Beautiful Nissan Magnite in India, three years ago in December 2020 during the challenging times of Covid-19 pandemic, making a turnaround for Nissan India. Nissan Magnite, with its innovative value proposition, became an instant customer favourite with 32,800 customer bookings in the first month of launch. It broke boundaries by attracting customers from the SUV, sedan, and hatchback segments and won multiple awards from auto journalists and media farternity.

The phenomenal success story of the launch and the strategy behind it is now highlighted in a case study documented by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).

The case study, titled ‘Launching the Magnite in Times of the Pandemic: Nissan’s Resurgence in India,’ was developed by Professor Amit Karna, Professor of Strategy at IIMA and his Research Associate Bushra Kureshi. It covers the entire journey of Nissan India from planning to execution, highlighting the key challenges and opportunities, innovations to overcome the obstacles faced during the pandemic on the launch of Nissan Magnite. It also outlines how Nissan India leveraged its innovative Nissan NEXT strategy to turnaround its position on the resurgence in the highly competitive Indian auto market.

Rakesh Srivastava, Managing Director of Nissan Motor India, said, “We are proud that the success story of the game changer Big, Bold, Beautiful Nissan Magnite has been spotlighted by IIMA, one of the best B-schools in the world. This case study will provide valuable strategic insights to future leaders into problem solving real-world business challenges and best practices on execution. We hope that this case study will inspire to overcome challenges by embracing change and innovation especially in uncertain times. Nissan Magnite led the resurgence of Nissan in the highly competitive Indian auto market enhancing the commitment on investment in India.”

Professor Amit Karna, co-author of the case study, said, “The case on Nissan’s launch of Magnite in India underscores our commitment to actively seek and engage with organisations to document compelling real-life situations that offer students valuable insights into navigating through dynamic business landscapes. The story of the launch of Nissan Magnite, achieved under challenging circumstances, presents a fascinating scenario for management students to analyse and learn from it. At IIMA, we are dedicated to fostering such collaborations that not only enrich the learning experiences of our students but also significantly contribute to the collective knowledge in the field of strategic management.”

Nissan India was awarded the Global Nissan President Award in 2020 in recognition of its outstanding global contribution to Nissan. The Nissan Magnite, a subcompact SUV, has been well-received by customers and critics alike for its stylish design, spacious interiors, and advanced features. Recently, Nissan introduced two new variants of the Magnite: the Magnite EZ-Shift and the Magnite KURO Special Edition. Both these variants offer a range of benefits that cater to the diverse needs of Indian customers, making them a great value proposition. As Nissan’s bestselling car, the Nissan Magnite is a testament to Nissan’s global SUV DNA of relentless innovation, advanced technology, and Japanese engineering excellence.

In line with the manufacturing philosophy of Nissan Motor India – ‘Make-In-India, Make for the World,’ the Big, Bold, and Beautiful Nissan Magnite has achieved a significant milestone with the production rollout of its 100,000th unit. Exported to 15 global markets, the Magnite has recently been launched in Seychelles, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Brunei. In recent years, Nissan India has shifted its primary export market from Europe to Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.