HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeDisruptionback to Research & KnowledgeSIX Payment Services (A): Disruptive innovation in the European payments industry?back to Disruption

Case Study

SIX Payment Services (A): Disruptive innovation in the European payments industry?

By Michael R. Wade

12 pages

May 2014

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-1543

The payment processing industry in Europe had operated in largely the same way for decades. A standard system of financial processing and clearing ensured a steady profit pool for most of the players. However, the payments system in Europe was facing threats on a series of fronts, including changing regulation that shifted power away from some incumbents, lower prices, new competitors, and more demanding customers. One of the region’s large players, Swiss-based SIX Payment Services, needed to decide how to respond to these threats.

Learning Objective

Disruptive innovation, the innovator’s dilemma

Keywords

Disruption, Payment System, Financial Services, Finance

Settings

Europe, Switzerland
Six Payment Services, Finance and Insurance, Financial Services
2014

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note, Video

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

This case study is part of a series

Keep reading

Article

Mercuria - A Vision for Navigating Volatility

Guillaume Vermersch, CFO of Mercuria, shares how strategic agility, tech, and sustainability shape modern finance in global energy and commodities trading.

Finance Leadership Strategy Sustainability Technology Management

in I by IMD

Article

Navigating disruption: The CFO role in a volatile world

Stephan Jansma, CFO at Trafigura, shares how today’s finance leaders must navigate global disruptions, manage liquidity in high-volatility markets

Change Management Decision Making Finance

in I by IMD

Article

Knowledge Scientists - Optimize AI

Knowledge scientists may be the key to unlocking AI's full value, offering transparency and structure that data scientists alone can't provide, says IMD’s Tomoko Yokoi.

Data Analytics Finance Technology Management

By Tomoko Yokoi

in I by IMD

Article

Predicting returns of listed private equity

We examine the predictive power of the net asset value (NAV)/price ratio for the LPX50 index, a key benchmark in the field of listed private equity, using monthly data from 2002 to 2024. A risk factor model reveals the index’s significant exposure...

Finance

By Arthur Enders, Michel Degosciu, Karl Schmedders and Maximilian Ulrich Werner

in Journal of Portfolio Management

August 2025, vol. 51, no. 9, https://doi.org/10.3905/jpm.2025.1.736

Article

De-Conglomeration Trend - CFOs

CFOs are leading the de-conglomeration trend, using strategic breakups to unlock value and boost agility in today’s fast-moving business landscape

Agility Corporate Governance Finance Leadership Strategy Sustainability

By Salvatore Cantale

in I by IMD

Article

Hong Kong must spread its wings and look beyond mainland Chinese IPOs

Hong Kong might be back on top of the global intial public offering (IPO) tables, but too many of its listings are Chinese. If the city wants to re-establish itself as Asia’s financial hub, it needs to be more than a conduit for mainland capital. ...

Finance

By Arturo Bris

in South China Morning Post

21 July 2025

Article

Busting the myths of M&A - 4 steps to success

Busting the myths of M&A: New research reveals why old merger strategies fail and how fresh thinking can lead to lasting value for both sides of the deal.

Finance

By Patrick Reinmoeller and Markus Nicolaus

in I by IMD

Article

AI’s great job shift will transform jobs and skills by 2030

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is unprecedented. Looking ahead at the job markets of 2030 and beyond, we can forecast the types of jobs and skills that may get automated. Alternatively, we can also see which ne...

Artificial Intelligence Disruption

By Michael R. Wade and Amit M. Joshi

in ccn.com

15 May 2025

Article

Climate Risk - CFO Horizons - Financial Imperative

CFOs must drive a financially disciplined way to manage environmental and climate risk amid growing push back against sustainability efforts.

Finance Sustainability

By Karl Schmedders

in I by IMD

Article

The dss+ journey - Buying your way into entrepreneurship

How a private equity-backed corporate carve-out created a successful, sustainable consulting powerhouse by Benoit Leleux

Entrepreneurship Finance

By Benoit F. Leleux

in I by IMD

Mercuria - A Vision for Navigating Volatility

in I by IMD

Summary

Guillaume Vermersch, CFO of Mercuria, shares how strategic agility, tech, and sustainability shape modern finance in global energy and commodities trading.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Finance

Leadership

Strategy

Sustainability

Technology Management

Browse all topics

Navigating disruption: The CFO role in a volatile world

in I by IMD

Summary

Stephan Jansma, CFO at Trafigura, shares how today’s finance leaders must navigate global disruptions, manage liquidity in high-volatility markets

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Change Management

Decision Making

Finance

Browse all topics

Knowledge Scientists - Optimize AI

By Tomoko Yokoi
in I by IMD

Summary

Knowledge scientists may be the key to unlocking AI's full value, offering transparency and structure that data scientists alone can't provide, says IMD’s Tomoko Yokoi.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Data Analytics

Finance

Technology Management

Browse all topics