The book New Realities: Business Dynamics at the Frontiers of Globalization presents a series of assessments of where the global economy may be headed.
It builds upon business cases from companies in:
- Brazil (operating in agribusiness);
- China (GVCs);
- India (education);
- South Africa (sustainable energy);
- Madagascar (textiles and clothing).
The impact of geopolitics, diplomacy, and economic growth in terms of global governance, as well as the role of the BRICS in the world economy, is also addressed.
Sustainability and Geopolitics: Rethinking strategy in a divided world
Summary
Sustainability can no longer be separated from geopolitics. In this webinar, our experts discuss how rising security risks, disrupted supply chains, and circularity are redefining strategy for global leaders. SustainabilityPlay VideoGeopoliticsSus...
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The return of industrial policy, and what it means for global business
Summary
Industrial policy is reshaping global competitiveness, strategy, and innovation as governments pursue resilience, security, and growth.
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Chugai (C): Navigating the next century of global innovation
Summary
Chugai C focuses on the company's future as it celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025. In 2021, Chugai launched its ambitious 'TOP I 2030' growth strategy, aiming to transition from Japan's top innovator to a global leader. The strategy sets two primary targets: doubling RD output and launching one in-house global product annually by 2030. These goals are supported by three key drivers: a RED SHIFT toward early-stage research, comprehensive Digital Transformation DX, and Open Innovation. The case examines the progress made and the significant challenges that lie ahead. These include intense competition from firms in China and India, technological disruption from AI-driven drug discovery, geopolitical risks and cultural barriers to attracting global talent. The central question posed is whether Chugai's proven model for success can sustain its bid for global leadership in an era of unprecedented market shifts.
Reference
IMD-2711
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Industry
Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Chugai (B): Alliance with Roche to be among the best
Summary
Chugai B examines the pivotal strategic alliance formed in October 2002 between Chugai Pharmaceutical and Swiss giant Roche. Facing constraints in RD funding and global reach, Chugai's President Osamu Nagayama sought a partnership to achieve the firm's ambition of becoming Japan's number one pharmaceutical enterprise while preserving its autonomy. The case examines the unique business model by which Roche acquired a 50.1 equity stake while Chugai retained its management, public listing and corporate identity. This structure created a powerful synergy: Chugai gained exclusive rights to develop and market Roche's innovative products in Japan, while Roche leveraged Chugai's RD pipeline for its global distribution network. The case details how the alliance transformed Chugai from Japan's 10th largest pharma firm into its market leader in oncology and by market capitalization by 2024. It provides a rich context for analyzing how strategic partnerships can bridge resource gaps, foster a 'capability revolution,' and accelerate a company's path to becoming a global innovation powerhouse.
Reference
IMD-2710
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Industry
Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Emerging Economies - Energy Transition
Summary
Brazil, India, and Nigeria, among others, present opportunities and challenges for business in a rapidly developing energy landscape.
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Europe’s irreplaceable innovator: ASML’s CEO on powering the digital future
Summary
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet discusses EUV innovation, AI chip demand, sustainability, and how Europe’s top tech firm powers the digital economy.
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Chugai (A): Overcoming adversity with a transformative leap
Summary
Chugai A traces the transformative journey of a leading Japanese biopharmaceutical firm from its founding in 1925 to the early 2000s. Starting with founder Jz Ueno's vision to 'create medicines that benefit society,' the case details the company's evolution from an over-the-counter OTC drug importer to a research-driven enterprise. Key milestones include the shift to prescription drugs in the 1960s and a strategic pivot to biotechnology in the 1980s. Despite Japan's limited biotech expertise at the time, Chugai successfully developed groundbreaking therapies by forging global partnerships, such as with the US-based Genetics Institute, and laid the foundation for its leadership in biopharmaceuticals. The case highlights visionary leaders like Jz Ueno, Kimio Ueno, and Osamu Nagayama, who drove pivotal strategic transformations in response to environmental and policy changes from 1925 to the 1990s. The central conflict focuses on how President Nagayama, upon taking office in 1992, navigated the limitations of the traditional business to seize the immense opportunities in biotechnology, ultimately realizing the firm's ambition to become an international enterprise.
Reference
IMD-2709
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Chugai Pharmaceutical
Industry
Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Four different paths to digital competitiveness
Summary
How do national strategies interact with industry dynamics? Four different paths to digital competitiveness.
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Industrial policy since the great financial crisis
Summary
This paper extends the New Industrial Policy Observatory (NIPO) dataset from 2009 to 2023 by employing large language model techniques to identify policy motivations. We document widespread industrial policy adoption across advanced and emerging m...
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
External Copyright
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
The geopoliticization of supply chains: How it started and where it’s going
Summary
xplore the geopoliticization of supply chains post-COVID, from tariffs and reshoring to Industry 4.0 automation and risk management for executives.
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