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Latest Case Studies
Case Study Entrepreneurship Human Resources Leadership Organizational Behavior
Retaining entrepreneurial spirit during hypergrowth at sportswear brand On (B)
When one of On’s co-founders stepped into the elevator at the brand new On Labs headquarters in Zurich, a fellow co-worker asked whether it was also his first day at On. He was speechless. Less than a decade earlier, the 5 partners regularly went for lunch runs with some of the other 30 team members. And now in April 2023, On was a publicly list…
By Alyson Meister and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2482 ©2023
Case Study Leadership General Management Human Resources Organizational Behavior Diversity and Equity and Inclusion
Fostering psychological safety in teams
This note highlights the pivotal role of psychological safety in fostering a culture of flexibility and innovation within organizations, especially in a rapidly changing business environment. Drawing from Amy Edmondson’s seminal research, psychological safety is defined as the collective assurance felt by team members that they can openly expres…
By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2507 ©2023
Case Study Sustainability Marketing
Revier Brand Group, LLC: Will its “sustainability and consistency” brand positioning pay off?
The CEO of Revier Cattle Company, Tom Revier, had been an innovator in sustainable farming and humane livestock practices for over two decades. He and his partner Paul Hillen are considering whether they should launch a branded differentiated product in the market, and if so, how they should position this offering. The product has definite advan…
By Goutam Challagalla Philip Charles Zerrillo and Raghu Batta
Case reference: IMD-7-2170 ©2023
Case Study Organizational Behavior General Management Human Resources Leadership Politics
Understanding and overcoming resistance to change
In today’s turbulent business landscape, organizational change is imperative for survival and success. However, research reveals that 75% of transformations fall short of their objectives. The root causes of this failure are often human-centric, stemming from factors like fear of the unknown, loss of competence, identity, status, relationships, …
By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2506 ©2023
Case Study Leadership Communication General Management Human Resources Organizational Behavior
The power and practice of organizational judo
This note summarizes how Judo’s “gentle way” offers insights for mastering organizational politics. The Japanese martial art of Judo combines physical skill with mental strength and ethics. Its core principles offer valuable lessons for navigating organizational politics. 1. Maximum Efficiency but Minimum Effort (Seiryoku Zenyo): Judo emphasize…
By Michael D. Watkins
Case reference: IMD-7-2486 ©2023
Case Study Entrepreneurship Human Resources Leadership Organizational Behavior
Retaining entrepreneurial spirit during hypergrowth at sportswear brand On (A)
On Wednesday 15 September 2021, about 100 On team members were going to jog to the NYSE to mark the running shoe brand’s first day as a publicly traded company. One of few unicorns in Switzerland, On had been founded in January 2010 by running enthusiasts David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti, together with former professional athlete Olivier Bernh…
By Alyson Meister and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2470 ©2023
Case Study Finance Social Innovation
The ICRC: The Humanitarian Impact Bond (Abridged)
In July 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched the world’s first Humanitarian Impact Bond. This innovative finance pilot was an experiment by the ICRC to engage the private sector differently and diversify funding – critical given the widening humanitarian aid gap. It was a massive undertaking. The HIB, which had a ma…
By Vanina Farber and Shih-Han Huang
Case reference: IMD-7-2464 ©2023
The ICRC: The Humanitarian Impact Bond (Abridged)
By Vanina Farber and Shih-Han Huang
Case reference: IMD-7-2464 ©2023
Summary
In July 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched the world’s first Humanitarian Impact Bond. This innovative finance pilot was an experiment by the ICRC to engage the private sector differently and diversify funding – critical given the widening humanitarian aid gap. It was a massive undertaking. The HIB, which had a maximum potential deal size of CHF 26 million, took over four years to plan and multiple stakeholders, including governments, foundations, investors and lawyers, to put together. How did the ICRC pull this off and what possibilities does innovative finance offer the humanitarian and private sectors? Drawing on a series of proprietary interviews with key characters, various internal documents shared by the ICRC, and secondary sources such as news reports, press releases and reports by third-party organizations, this abridged case delves into the ICRC’s motivations for entering innovative finance, why it chose the HIB instrument, what it was, the hurdles and challenges of designing and setting up this complex instrument, and what the ICRC did to get the project off the ground. Participants interested in innovative finance, the humanitarian and/or development sectors, cross-sectoral/industry collaboration, and social innovation will find the case particularly interesting.
Reference IMD-7-2464
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization International Committee of the Red Cross
Industry Philanthropy, Non-profit Organizations Management
Available Languages English
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Case Study Sustainability Business to Business General Management Global Business Strategy
Creating a sustainability roadmap at Sika: The net zero pledge
The case describes how Patricia Heidtman, chief innovation and sustainability officer and member of the executive board at Sika, creates a roadmap for sustainability, including a net zero pledge. Sika deliberately put Patricia – also a trained chemist – in charge, unlike many companies that assign the sustainability agenda to the CFO, the head o…
By Stefan Michel
Case reference: IMD-7-2497 ©2023
Case Study Sustainability Strategy Business to Business
ZENITH: The opportunities and challenges of eco-conception (Mini case)
The collaboration between ZENITH and Nona Source – the LVMH group’s resale platform for deadstock – resulted in a 2021 product launch that saw ZENITH unveil a series of changeable textile straps as part of its women’s watch collection named DEFY Midnight. It reflected a choice the ZENITH brand made to step outside its traditional territory and e…
By Stéphane J. G. Girod and Martin Králik
Case reference: IMD-7-2523 ©2023
ZENITH: The opportunities and challenges of eco-conception (Mini case)
By Stéphane J. G. Girod and Martin Králik
Case reference: IMD-7-2523 ©2023
Summary
The collaboration between ZENITH and Nona Source – the LVMH group’s resale platform for deadstock – resulted in a 2021 product launch that saw ZENITH unveil a series of changeable textile straps as part of its women’s watch collection named DEFY Midnight. It reflected a choice the ZENITH brand made to step outside its traditional territory and endorse eco-conception and innovative collaborations. The challenge for the company was to ensure that the experimentation would not compromise in any way the underlying perception of luxury.
Reference IMD-7-2523
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization ZENITH
Industry Consumer Goods, Luxury Goods and Jewelry;Consumer Goods, Clocks and Watches;Manufacturing
Available Languages English
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Case Study Diversity and Equity and Inclusion Ethics Human Resources Leadership Organizational Behavior Sustainability
Rio Tinto: Everyday Respect (B) (eCase) – For usage of this eCase in a program, please contact Case Services
Part B of the Rio Tinto: Everyday Respect multimedia case series reveals the reaction to the report of various stakeholders, as well as how Rio Tinto has acted on the report’s recommendations. The case also shares some of the creative ways Rio Tinto has instilled a culture of respect and enabled it to permeate throughout the organization.
By David Bach and Shih-Han Huang
Case reference: IMD-7-2466 ©2023
Rio Tinto: Everyday Respect (B) (eCase) – For usage of this eCase in a program, please contact Case Services
By David Bach and Shih-Han Huang
Case reference: IMD-7-2466 ©2023
Summary
Part B of the Rio Tinto: Everyday Respect multimedia case series reveals the reaction to the report of various stakeholders, as well as how Rio Tinto has acted on the report’s recommendations. The case also shares some of the creative ways Rio Tinto has instilled a culture of respect and enabled it to permeate throughout the organization.
Reference IMD-7-2466
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Rio Tinto Group
Industry Materials, Metals and Mining
Available Languages English
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Case Study Diversity and Equity and Inclusion Ethics Human Resources Leadership Organizational Behavior Sustainability
Rio Tinto: Everyday Respect (A) (eCase) – For usage of this eCase in a program, please contact Case Services
In February 2022 Rio Tinto publicly released a workplace culture report that revealed that sexual harassment, racism and bullying had been occurring at an alarming rate throughout the organization. This was shortly after the Juukan Gorge disaster in Australia: Rio Tinto caused global outrage when its technicians blew up two rock shelters conside…
By David Bach and Shih-Han Huang
Case reference: IMD-7-2465 ©2023
Rio Tinto: Everyday Respect (A) (eCase) – For usage of this eCase in a program, please contact Case Services
By David Bach and Shih-Han Huang
Case reference: IMD-7-2465 ©2023
Summary
In February 2022 Rio Tinto publicly released a workplace culture report that revealed that sexual harassment, racism and bullying had been occurring at an alarming rate throughout the organization. This was shortly after the Juukan Gorge disaster in Australia: Rio Tinto caused global outrage when its technicians blew up two rock shelters considered sacred by the Aboriginal traditional owners and deemed to be of “the highest archaeological significance in Australia” by scientists. Why did Rio Tinto commission the report, how did it deal with the findings, and how might reckoning with the past shape its future? In Part A of this online multimedia case series, three Rio Tinto executives – James Martin, Chief People Officer, Kellie Parker, Chief Executive, Australia and Isabelle Deschamps, Chief Legal Officer, Governance & Corporate Affairs – and the independent expert commissioned to write the report, Liz Broderick, describe in their own words their experiences, considerations and the debate about whether to release the report.
Reference IMD-7-2465
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Rio Tinto Group
Industry Materials, Metals and Mining
Available Languages English
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Case Study Marketing
Karios: Rethinking customer processes in the luxury industry (C)
The (C) case describes the customer’s after-sales experience. The participants need to identify what went wrong again and how the brand might save the customer relationship.
By Dominique Turpin
Case reference: IMD-7-2492 ©2023
Karios: Rethinking customer processes in the luxury industry (C)
By Dominique Turpin
Case reference: IMD-7-2492 ©2023
Summary
The (C) case describes the customer’s after-sales experience. The participants need to identify what went wrong again and how the brand might save the customer relationship.
Reference IMD-7-2492
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Karios (Disguised)
Industry Consumer Goods, Luxury Goods and Jewelry;Consumer Goods, Clocks and Watches
Available Languages English
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Case Study Marketing
Karios: Rethinking customer processes in the luxury industry (B)
The (B) case describes the same customer’s follow-up experience in the same exclusive retail outlet. The case invites the participants to further identify why the customer experience is going sour and how it could have been better managed.
By Dominique Turpin
Case reference: IMD-7-2491 ©2023
Karios: Rethinking customer processes in the luxury industry (B)
By Dominique Turpin
Case reference: IMD-7-2491 ©2023
Summary
The (B) case describes the same customer’s follow-up experience in the same exclusive retail outlet. The case invites the participants to further identify why the customer experience is going sour and how it could have been better managed.
Reference IMD-7-2491
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Karios (Disguised)
Industry Consumer Goods, Luxury Goods and Jewelry;Consumer Goods, Clocks and Watches
Available Languages English
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Case Study Marketing
Karios: Rethinking customer processes in the luxury industry (A)
A short (A) describes the experience of a wealthy Chinese customer going to buy an exclusive watch in the retail outlet of a famous Swiss luxury brand. The customer goes from excitement to disappointment. The case invites the participants to identify the different steps of the pre-sale and in-store customer experience and to suggest how the cust…
By Dominique Turpin
Case reference: IMD-7-2490 ©2023
Karios: Rethinking customer processes in the luxury industry (A)
By Dominique Turpin
Case reference: IMD-7-2490 ©2023
Summary
A short (A) describes the experience of a wealthy Chinese customer going to buy an exclusive watch in the retail outlet of a famous Swiss luxury brand. The customer goes from excitement to disappointment. The case invites the participants to identify the different steps of the pre-sale and in-store customer experience and to suggest how the customer retail experience could have been better managed.
Reference IMD-7-2490
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Karios (Disguised)
Industry Consumer Goods, Luxury Goods and Jewelry;Consumer Goods, Clocks and Watches
Available Languages English
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Case Study Strategy Marketing Digital
Netflix (E): Capture value (Cartoon case)
This case is part of a series on Netflix. Case (A) discusses the company’s growth until July 2011. Case (B) tells the story of Netflix’s sharp share price decline after it announced it was splitting the business in two and increasing prices. Case (C) covers the years 2012/13, when Netflix found its way back to success. Seeing that the industry b…
By Stefan Michel and Sarah Von Blumenthal
Case reference: IMD-7-2499 ©2023
Netflix (E): Capture value (Cartoon case)
By Stefan Michel and Sarah Von Blumenthal
Case reference: IMD-7-2499 ©2023
Summary
This case is part of a series on Netflix. Case (A) discusses the company’s growth until July 2011. Case (B) tells the story of Netflix’s sharp share price decline after it announced it was splitting the business in two and increasing prices. Case (C) covers the years 2012/13, when Netflix found its way back to success. Seeing that the industry bottleneck was shifting from the channel (who can reach the viewers?) to the content (who owns the movie rights?), Netflix started to produce its own TV shows (e.g., House of Cards, Hemlock Grove). Case (D), set in 2020, focuses on a diverse set of strategic challenges Netflix is facing. First, as indicated already in the (C) case, the cost of content through licensing and production continued to increase. Netflix users had to get used to more frequent cancellations of their favorite show. Second, the “streaming war” between Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and YoutTube was intensifying on two fronts: competition for subscribers and for content. Third, Netflix was increasing its global presence to accelerate economies of scale by introducing new pricing strategies in foreign countries. Fourth, most movies are watched on mobile phones, where a vertical format is more natural than the traditional horizontal format. It was an open question whether movie producers should adopt this trend set by Instagram and TikTok. Thanks to the growing subscriber base, Netflix’s revenue and profitability were increasing. But is the company well equipped for the intensifying “streaming war”?
Reference IMD-7-2499
Copyright ©2023
Copyright owner IMD Copyright
Organization Netflix
Industry Media
Available Languages English
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