GVK EMRI: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emergency Medical Response

SEMRI is the first not-for-profit public private partnership (PPP) arrangement in the healthcare sector in India. From its modest beginnings of providing emergency response services with 15 ambulances in a single city, EMRI grew its operations across 8 states to 1,550 ambulances serving 366 million people, free of cost. But the company now faces a major crisis as its chairman has resigned and been arrested for fraud. The CEO takes the reins of the organisation and adeptly manages the crisis. EMRI is then taken over by GVK Power and Infrastructure Limited. With a new sponsor, the CEO must decide whether to continue expanding EMRI’s operations across India or offer other services in states where it already has a presence. Can the organisation obtain further funding and modify the PPP model whilst preserving the values that EMRI was built upon?

Through this case discussion, students will gain an understanding of innovative emerging market entrepreneurship and social enterprise models with an insight into PPP models in the area of healthcare. The case also discusses the challenges of working with a government partner in emerging markets. It will stimulate a discussion around issues relating to scalability of the PPP model. Students will evaluate the per capita cost of EMRI and discuss whether the EMRI model is scalable to a national level. Finally, students will discuss and provide their own views on the adaptability of the EMRI model to dynamic business environments and the potential for alternative business models in the delivery of emergency response services.

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