The B case is situated more than 7 years after Lingo Media’s decision to enter the complicated Chinese market. The company has built an impressive market share, but revenues are lackluster and net losses continue to mount. How long can this really go on? Is it time to finally throw in the towel and refocus the company’s efforts on more profitable ventures elsewhere?
Michael Kraft (A): Opportunity knocks in China
Summary
This four-part case series takes a close look at the expansion strategy of Lingo Media, a small Canadian firm in the highly-regulated Chinese educa...
Reference
IMD-3-2127
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Available Languages
English
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Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Michael Kraft (B): Lingo media comes alive
Summary
The B case is situated more than 7 years after Lingo Media’s decision to enter the complicated Chinese market. The company has built an impressive ...
Reference
IMD-3-2128
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Available Languages
English
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Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Michael Kraft (C): New opportunities
Summary
In the C case, we learn that Lingo Media purchased A+, a Canadian company specializing in early childhood development products integrating the late...
Reference
IMD-3-2129
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Available Languages
English
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Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Michael Kraft (D): Orascom Telecom
Summary
The D case reveals that Lingo Media’s board of directors agreed to repurchase Speak2Me from Kraft’s investors group. A new business model is put it...
Reference
IMD-3-2130
Copyright
©2009
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Available Languages
English
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Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
WEF Unplugged: Geopolitics, sustainability, and a look behind the scenes
Summary
IMD’s David Bach and Julia Binder reflect on WEF 2026, global power shifts, values-based realism, and quiet corporate activism behind the scenes.
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Geopolitics dominates Davos: Values-based pragmatism as a blueprint for action
Summary
Davos 2026 laid bare transatlantic cracks, AI’s reality check, and sustainability’s reset—urging leaders to embrace values-based pragmatism.
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Hilti Fleet Management: Driving a global transformation
Summary
The case describes Hilti's transformation from a premium tool maker to a solution provider in commercial construction, while keeping its innovation leadership. Confronting industry pain points such as lost tools, downtime, safety risks and thin margins, Hilti created Fleet Management FM. This subscription bundles NURON tools, repairs, loaners, theft coverage, and Hilti's ON!Track asset management system into predictable monthly payments. IoT connectivity delivers real-time insights on utilization, battery health and maintenance. Moving towards end-to-end optimization E2E, FM digitally connects warehouses, vans and administrative processes, unlocking measurable productivity and margin improvement. FM also operationalizes circularity: productivity analyses right-size tool parks often by 2030 fewer assets, tools are refurbished or donated for a second life, and non-usable materials are recycled via a global network of local partners. The case illustrates how business model innovations with global coverage necessitate fundamental organizational transformations that can take many years. It allows students to develop concise, concrete and convincing value propositions in a B2B market environment. It also facilitates a discussion on solution readiness offering, supplier, contract, and customer and the identification of a sustainable competitive advantage based on the VRIO framework.
Reference
IMD-2697
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Hilti
Industry
Manufacturing, Machinery
Available Languages
English
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Oculis: Transforming ophthalmology a drop at a time
Summary
For the team at Oculis, the announcement of the new USD 100 million fundraising could not have come at a more opportune moment. The biopharmaceutical startup was founded in 2017 to transform ophthalmology by developing not only original delivery mechanisms but also groundbreaking treatments for eye diseases like Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). Established by seasoned industry experts, Oculis aimed to replace invasive eye treatments with more accessible, patient-friendly solutions such as topical eye drops. The initial research conducted in a laboratory in Iceland led to a pipeline of drug candidates, now at various stages of clinical testing. The firm continued to ramp up thanks to successive rounds of financing from top investors and partners, totaling more than USD 500 million at the end of 2024. However, it also faced some dramatic events, including the sudden death in early 2024 of its CTO. The company continued to scale, strategically balancing clinical advancements with regulatory milestones. The recent secondary offering on Nasdaq would accelerate the clinical development pipeline, in particular its novel neuroprotective candidate Prisosegtor (OCS-05), OCS-01, a topical eye drop for DME, and OCS-02, a topical biologic eye drop candidate for dry eye disease. Oculis now grappled with a number of strategic decisions, with two questions in particular concerning the team. Should it rely mostly on outsourcing production to a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) or develop its own in-house manufacturing capabilities? There were strong benefits and drawbacks to both approaches. It faced a related dilemma with its product pipeline. Should it continue to rely on its own R&D, as in the past, or should it consider acquiring technologies outside, through M&A activities?
Reference
IMD-2692
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Oculis
Industry
Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals
Available Languages
English
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South Korea’s Innovation Outputs - Competitiveness
Summary
South Korea’s innovation outputs are failing to translate into higher levels of competitiveness. Here’s how other innovation-driven economies can take heed
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L’Oréal Beauty Genius - Customer Focus - AI
Summary
L’Oréal Beauty Genius uses augmented reality and agentic AI to personalize beauty experiences and showcase the brand’s growing future readiness.
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Tools for coping in a world in flux
Summary
Navigating change has become essential as AI reshapes industries and remote work redefines relationships, forcing leaders and individuals to adapt faster than ever.thank you
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Ecosystem playbook - Microsoft Growth
Summary
Discover how Microsoft’s ecosystem-centric strategy under Satya Nadella fueled its transformation into a cloud and AI leader.
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What geopolitical maturity looks like
Summary
As geopolitics reshapes markets, leading firms move beyond risk mitigation to use foresight, intelligence, and public-private engagement to create competitive advantage.
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Communication Breakdown - Social Media Signals
Summary
A study of 1,000 executive posts shows how using social media signals can boost meaningful engagement by over 300% and redefine effective leadership online.
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