The concluding case summarizes the key learning points from the journey, which can lead to discussions around how these lessons and the approaches used by Unilever can be applied to diagnosing the sources of complexity in the participants’ own organizations and tackling these challenges to drive growth and profitability.
Unilever Ice Cream Europe (A): Taking on the challenges of complexity
Summary
In 2001 the profitability and market share of the Unilever Ice Cream Europe (ICE) business were under pressure. ICE was the leader in its industry,...
Reference
IMD-3-2082
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Unilever
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Unilever Ice Cream Europe (A1): Starting conditions (transcript)
Summary
This case and video is an interview with Kees van der Graaf. He speaks about the start of the journey when he first became head of Unilever ICE and...
Reference
IMD-3-2083
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Unilever
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Unilever Ice Cream Europe (B): The in-home mwb market dive
Summary
The B-case and video picks up the story of how Kees van der Graaf’s team started coming together to identify and tackle the key challenges ahead. T...
Reference
IMD-3-2084
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Unilever
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Unilever Ice Cream Europe (C): Winning back at the office
Summary
The C-case and video is an interview with Kees van der Graaf. He speaks about the team’s return to the office following the market dive and how a r...
Reference
IMD-3-2085
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Unilever
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Unilever Ice Cream Europe (D): Lessons (transcript)
Summary
The concluding case summarizes the key learning points from the journey, which can lead to discussions around how these lessons and the approaches ...
Reference
IMD-3-2086
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Unilever
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Strategy Stack: an integrated approach to decision-making
Summary
The ways popular frameworks are used fall short in today’s rapidly changing environment. Here is a new way to make better-informed strategic choices.
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Bossard’s AI strategy for proven productivity (Cartoon case)
Summary
Bossard, a Swiss company founded in 1731, has successfully transitioned from a product-centric approach to one that offers services and solutions. It has achieved significant revenue growth despite economic challenges. Its brand promise, “proven productivity,” guides its actions, including its early adoption of AI. From 2010 to 2022, the firm's net revenue grew from CHF 475 million to CHF 1.154 billion (7.7% CAGR), despite a massive currency appreciation, a global pandemic and a supply chain crisis. “Proven productivity” permeates all levels and activities of the company and serves as a guiding principle in everyday decisions: How do you increase the productivity of customers? According to public records, Bossard’s customers were original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), such as Tesla, John Deere and Thermoplan. Bossard did not serve the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market, nor did it sell through do-it-yourself (DIY) chains like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Adeo, Kingfisher, Bunnings, OBI and Bauhaus.
Bossard already employs machine learning to anticipate demand trends across various products. The company's leadership is optimistic about leveraging generative AI for customer interactions. This could include an AI chatbot drawing on Bossard's extensive knowledge base to provide technical advice to customers, or AI-assisted tools to support Bossard’s own specialists in responding to enquiries. With a governance structure that promotes collaboration between the executive and non-executive boards, including AI expert Petra Ehmann, Bossard aims to democratize AI knowledge across the organization. It is also leveraging AI tools like Microsoft Copilot during its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system rollout. This strategic focus on AI aligns with Bossard’s dedication to enhancing customer productivity while embracing technological advancements to evolve its business. Balancing ongoing operations with strategic AI integration is a key challenge, but Bossard is confident in its ability to leverage AI to strengthen its brand and maintain its growth trajectory.
Reference
IMD-7-2575
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Bossard Holding
Industry
Manufacturing, Fasteners
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
The AI paradox: Will generative AI enhance or destroy the business model of 99designs.com? (Cartoon case)
Summary
99designs.com is a global platform connecting freelance designers with potential clients. The case study examines the potential impact of generative AI on 99designs’ business model. The platform uses a crowdsourcing approach that invites designers to compete for projects with only the winning designer getting paid. This model offers clients a variety of design options at a fixed fee, fostering creativity and competition among designers. The authors of the book “Real Impact Strategy” used the competition model at 99designs to design their book cover. The authors appreciated the interactive and collaborative nature of the process, which allowed them to incorporate feedback from potential readers into their final decision. However, the use of 99designs sparked criticism from traditional designers and colleagues regarding potential exploitation of designers and claims that genAI tools could have done the job instead. This criticism highlights the growing influence of genAI as proponents claim it can produce high-quality designs quickly and at low cost. Generative AI poses both opportunities and threats to 99designs. It can enhance the platform by increasing the quantity and quality of design submissions, making design services more accessible and affordable. Conversely, it threatens to devalue human creativity, reduce the demand for freelance designers, and undermine the platform’s business model by enabling clients to generate designs without professional assistance. The case ultimately raises questions about the future role of generative AI in the creative industries. In the teaching note, but not in the case itself, the authors conclude that 99designs.com provides publishers, and in this case, the co-authors, many benefits beyond designing the cover. It involves them in a learning process as well as helps them to create awareness and interest for the book through the cover survey.
Reference
IMD-7-2505
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Industry
Manufacturing, Graphic Design
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Putting the ‘G’ in ESG (and the ‘A’ in alpha)
Summary
Test your knowledge on ESG governance with our fun quiz! Learn how strong governance drives environmental and social success in investing. Take it now!
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Five lessons business could learn from the Olympics
Summary
Discover how Paris overcame uncertainty to successfully host the 2024 Olympics, demonstrating crisis management, leadership and excellent commercial expertise.
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How CEO’s drive saved car giant Ford from the scrapyard
Summary
Companies desperately in need of a turnaround in fortunes should take inspiration from the 2008 rescue mission by the then-new Ford boss Alan Mulally.
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The next US administration must reassure China, not just deter it
Summary
Panelists debate the next US administration’s policy on China
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Family businesses and strategic change: The role of family ownership
Summary
In this study, we analyze how the performance-aspiration gap influences strategic change in family firms, providing evidence of the moderating role of family ownership in this relationship. According to socioemotional wealth (SEW) theory, family o...
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¿Dónde se queda corta la estrategia industrial de Mario Draghi para Europa?
Summary
The call by the former Italian prime minister and ECB president for massive investment in the EU is a wake-up call to Europe's economic stagnation. But can the continent afford the trade-offs it is overlooking?
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Inspiring sustainability in sports: Carbon emission management at the International Olympic Committee
Summary
The case highlights the significant role played by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in reducing its environmental footprint and promoting sustainability in sports. As the leader of the Olympic movement, the IOC bore the responsibility of setting a positive example to inspire the broader sports community. With ambitious climate targets aiming to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2030, the IOC implemented a range of measures to reduce the environmental impact of its organization. These included the introduction of carbon budgeting, the adoption of innovative carbon footprint management tools as well as specific measures targeting areas such as mobility, building management and procurement. The Olympic House, inaugurated in 2019, was built according to some of the highest sustainability standards and stood as a testament of the IOC’s commitment to sustainability. Strategies to reduce emissions associated with international business travel, a major contributor to the organization’s overall carbon footprint, were particularly successful. The impact of these measures had to be carefully evaluated, considering their potential effects on organizational culture, efficiency, communication, employee satisfaction and talent attraction. Furthermore, the IOC leadership reflected on the effectiveness of its actions in inspiring other organizations within the Olympic movement to embrace sustainability practices. Looking ahead, the IOC remained committed to intensifying its efforts to achieve its carbon reduction goals by 2030. This included exploring improvements in impact measurement and introducing incentive schemes aimed at further encouraging carbon reduction.
Reference
IMD-7-2512
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
International Olympic Committee
Industry
Travel and Leisure, Sports
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications