HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to Homeback to Research & KnowledgeRPR/Fisons plcback to

Case Study

RPR/Fisons plc

By Stewart Hamilton, Alicia Micklethwait and Verity Croudace

17 pages

April 1997

Reference: IMD-1-0159

After enjoying several decades of fast profit growth the pharmaceutical industry is under threat. Research & Development costs are outstripping the return on investment, many of the best selling drugs are reaching the end of their 20 year patent protection period and there is the increasing threat of regulatory reform. Against this background Fisons plc (Fisons), a medium sized UK pharmaceutical company, is struggling. A new Chief Executive Officer is appointed. The third in three years. In his attempt to revive Fisons he is forced to adopt a radical programme of reform. His harsh medicine appears to be working when Fisons becomes the target of a hostile take-over bid from Rhtne-Poulenc Rorer Inc. (RPR), the giant French pharmaceutical company. Is Fisons able to fight off this bid and remain independent?

Keywords

Pharmaceuticals, Takeover, Valuation, Financial Analysis, Corporate Strategy

Settings

World/global
1995

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

Assortment optimization presents a complex challenge for retailers, as it depends on numerous decision factors. Changes in assortment can result in demand redistribution with multi-layered consequences. This complexity is even more pronounced for ...

General Management

By Andrey Vasilyev, Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert

in European Journal of Operational Research

August 2025, vol. 324, no. 3, pp. 799-813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Article

The anatomy of family business conflict

Understanding conflict in family businesses is a complex but essential study area for practitioners and academics. To enhance theoretical precision and provide practical insights, this article presents a comprehensive framework of family business ...

Customer Centricity Family Business

By Marco Mismetti, Barbara Del Bosco, Cristina Bettinelli and Alfredo De Massis

in Journal of Family Business Strategy

June 2025, vol. 16, no. 2, 100660, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2025.100660

Article

Boundary conditions for organizations in the Anthropocene: A review of the planetary boundaries framework 10 years on

We systematically review business research concerning the planetary boundaries framework: A natural science framework that identifies nine Earth system boundaries that govern the safe operating space for humanity. Ten years after the introduction ...

Sustainability

By Amanda Williams, Paolo Perego and Gail Whiteman

in Journal of Management Studies

June 2025, vol. 62, no.4, pp. 1811-1846, https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.13150

Article

Algorithms and ecosystems: AI in biodiversity conservation

AI in biodiversity conservation is opening new opportunities for businesses to better understand and protect nature.

Five Questions for Executives On Energy Transition

Get the Five questions for executives on energy transition right to drive effective, sustainable change. A guide to speed, leadership, and partnerships.

Sustainability

By Amanda Williams and Knut Haanaes

in I by IMD

Article

When Trade Walls Rise - Navigating Market Collapse

When trade walls rise, Finnish companies reveal how to exit collapsing markets, adapt strategies, and navigate uncertainty with resilience and foresight.

What do you know about cybersecurity risks when scaling industrial AI?

Discover key risks in scaling AI and learn 5 essential strategies to secure industrial AI systems from cyber threats, data leaks, and adversarial attacks.

Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Resilience Strategy Technology Management

in I by IMD

Case Study

Candles Killer: Lighting up the world at the bottom of the pyramid

Sustainability Customer Centricity Innovation Strategy

By Winter Nie and Yunfei Feng

Case Study

Governance at Theranos (A): A blindsided board

Board Business Ethics Leadership

By Anand Narasimhan and Shruti Bajpai

Article

Will shortages hit before tariff tensions ease?

Global trade faces tariff risks and supply chain strain. Freight leaders from DHL and Kuehne + Nagel share insights on navigating uncertainty and shortages.

Geopolitics Global Business Strategy Supply Chain

By Simon J. Evenett

in I by IMD

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

By Andrey Vasilyev Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert
in European Journal of Operational Research August 2025, vol. 324, no. 3, pp. 799-813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

General Management

Browse all topics

The anatomy of family business conflict

By Marco Mismetti Barbara Del Bosco Cristina Bettinelli and Alfredo De Massis
in Journal of Family Business Strategy June 2025, vol. 16, no. 2, 100660, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2025.100660

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Customer Centricity

Family Business

Browse all topics

What do you know about cybersecurity risks when scaling industrial AI?

in I by IMD

Summary

Discover key risks in scaling AI and learn 5 essential strategies to secure industrial AI systems from cyber threats, data leaks, and adversarial attacks.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Artificial Intelligence

Cybersecurity

Resilience

Strategy

Technology Management

Browse all topics

Candles Killer: Lighting up the world at the bottom of the pyramid

By Winter Nie and Yunfei Feng
Case reference: IMD-2661 ©2025

Summary

Shenzhen Power-Solution (SPS), founded in 2009 in China as an entrepreneurial venture, disrupted traditional lighting markets in African villages with its flagship product, Candles Killer. This solar lamp, priced under $5, replaces hazardous kerosene lamps and has an optimized design (9 components, water-bottle stands). The candles killer solar lamp addresses the critical need for affordable, safe and sustainable lighting for people at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP), a huge market that multinationals struggle to reach. By achieving both low cost and differentiation, SPS created a blue ocean market. The company has made remarkable progress in its mission to provide solar lighting to underserved communities: by 2023, it illuminated over 55 million people across 7.8 million households in 66 countries. Beyond social impact, SPS achieved environmental sustainability at scale, reducing cumulative carbon emissions by 6.7 million tons, the equivalent of planting 368 million evergreen trees. Candles Killer's success led SPS to expand its product line into a solar home system for phone charging and multi-bulb lighting. SPS also introduced Solar Media, a platform with pre-loaded content (medical tips, farming methods, education) to share vital knowledge in remote regions.

Reference IMD-2661

Organization Shenzhen Power-Solution

Industry Energy;Utilities, Electricity Supply;Consumer Goods, Consumer Electronics

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Customer Centricity

Innovation

Strategy

Browse all topics

Governance at Theranos (A): A blindsided board

By Anand Narasimhan and Shruti Bajpai
Case reference: IMD-2667 ©2025

Summary

This is a riveting case about poor board governance at Theranos that fostered a culture of deception and led to the company's collapse and the criminal conviction of its celebrated founder, Elizabeth Holmes. Case A outlines the establishment and growth of Theranos, it's board expansion and the issues that led to the Wall Street Journal article that raised serious questions regarding the truth of the company's claims about its product.

Reference IMD-2667

Organization Theranos

Industry Manufacturing, Biotechnology

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Board

Business Ethics

Leadership

Browse all topics

Will shortages hit before tariff tensions ease?

By Simon J. Evenett
in I by IMD

Summary

Global trade faces tariff risks and supply chain strain. Freight leaders from DHL and Kuehne + Nagel share insights on navigating uncertainty and shortages.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Geopolitics

Global Business

Strategy

Supply Chain

Browse all topics