Leading Culture Change in Global Organizations

The case looks at the fundamental challenges, tensions and opportunities associated with an internally run venture as opposed to an externally funded startup or spin-off company. It discusses the genesis and context of Kontor, an internal venture funded by Resmed Inc. Resmed is an S&P 500 MedTech company. At the time of the case, May 2024, Resmed was also experiencing increasing external competitive threats and pressure on its margin due to GLP-1s, a class of medicines. Kontor is an internal venture at Resmed trying to find its way through turbulent times. Kontor applies Resmed's class-leading comfort and fit technology to the AR/VR space, thus making these devices more comfortable for the user. Kontor has been running for several years and Erika, the case protagonist, is the newly appointed general manager. The current turbulent situation is causing the executives to question investment in the internal venture. Erika must deal with many challenges, but the fundamental question is whether Kontor will create the most value for Resmed as an internal venture or whether it should be spun out and in what manner. The case compares five strategic possibilities: 1) Spinning out the business and running Kontor independently of Resmed with external investors, 2) keeping Kontor wholly owned by Resmed but, run it off-balance sheet, 3) sell Kontor to a strategic buyer, 4) keep running Kontor internally with operational assistance from Resmed Inc, or 5) wait and see how the venture goes without making a decision in the near term thus preserving all options.

This exercise provides a structured reflection tool designed to help individuals explore the significant events, emotional highs and lows, and patterns that have shaped their personal and professional journeys. Commonly used in executive education, leadership development programs and coaching contexts, the Lifeline Exercise enables participants to create a visual map of their experiences, identify key themes and gain valuable insights for future growth. The exercise involves creating a timeline graph where participants plot significant life events according to their emotional intensity in a range from deeply challenging experiences to peak achievements. Through this visual representation, participants can recognize patterns in their responses to adversity and success, understand the strengths that helped them navigate difficulties and identify recurring themes in their decision-making and growth. The accompanying teaching note provides comprehensive guidance for facilitators, covering three key stages: setting the stage for reflection, creating the lifeline graph, debriefing the exercise. It offers detailed instructions for conducting the exercise in various settings, whether for large groups, small groups, or individual sessions, and with specific approaches tailored to each context. This reflective tool serves multiple purposes: to increase self-awareness, recognize behavioral and decision-making patterns, gain perspective on how experiences have shaped values and priorities, and clarify future goals based on past insights. The exercise emphasizes the creation of a supportive environment where participants can engage in meaningful introspection while maintaining appropriate boundaries around personal sharing.

This case series explores what companies can learn from luxury brands without becoming luxury brands themselves. The video B case features interviews with three Vanzetti Engineering executives: the marketing director, the CEO and owner and the chief commercial officer. With the shrinking of the automobile industry, the company has had to reposition itself in other industrial sectors where it is significantly smaller than the customers. Vanzetti Engineering embraced some of the codes of luxury branding according to what suited it and ignored others. The company discovered that although it was focused mostly on creating functional value, it had to dwell much more on emotional and societal value creation. The process of brand elevation required a complete cultural transformation, and one of the lessons from the case is that a brand is not a slogan but a way of being and of delivering value.

In this edition of Leaders Unplugged, IMD President David Bach and Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen discuss Europe’s energy risks and bold leadership.

Join Knut Haanaes and Julia Binder with climate negotiator Paul Watkinson as they unpack global challenges and progress in the clean energy transition.

This guide examines the industry priorities and outlines five strategic areas of focus for supply chain transformation in 2025 and beyond.

When Antje Kanngiesser became CEO of Swiss energy company ALPIQ, she inherited a traditional culture, weary from restructuring and leadership churn. Partnering with IMD Professor Susan Goldsworthy, she launched a Secure Base Leadership program to unite leaders and co-create the future. The results were positive: Alumni became Coaching Ambassadors, SBL was embedded into processes, and executives were trained as coaches. Via a five-day program that became a company-wide movement, ALPIQ transformed culture by making leadership personal, shared and lived daily.

Survey after survey shows that executives think their business is in danger of being commoditized. This means their company is not able to differentiate sufficiently to command higher market prices and profits. Luxury brands, by contrast, are the opposite of commodity. Their whole approach to branding is based on desirability. This case series explores what companies can learn from luxury brands without becoming luxury brands themselves. The written A case gives a short background on Vanzetti Engineering, which is facing intensifying competition in an evolving marketplace, and launches the first question for discussion.

World Economic Forum President Børge Brende on new world order: geopolitics, resilience, and risk at IMD Alumni Symposium

In the face of burnout, quiet quitting, and workplace complexity, happiness is an overlooked factor that can transform leadership resilience and team performance.