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Case Study

Spice World: Cultivating a unique culture

By Winter Nie and Shih-Han Huang

15 pages

November 2018

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Reference: IMD-7-1997

This case closely follows the rags-to-riches story of Zhu Quan and his path to build the Spice World empire in the highly competitive, low-barrier hot pot industry. A key part of the case is the examination of a unique corporate culture that utilizes a clear reward system, a unique on-boarding process and gamification. While this case highlights a special brand of Chinese grassroots entrepreneurship, it also provides a more generalized reflection on the resourcefulness, human relationship and flexibility that are more important than ever to succeed in China’s competitive market.

Learning Objective

Analyze the methods Spice World utilizes to create a unique corporate culture, and how these elements reinforce each other.
Paint a portrait of a Chinese entrepreneur and highlight key elements of success.
Understand the various roles systems and processes play in guaranteeing quality in Spice World’s business.

Keywords

Strategy, Corporate Culture, Branding, Marketing, Gamification, On-boarding, Training, Reward System, Motivation

Settings

Asia, China
Travel and Leisure, Hotels and Restaurants
1997 - 2017

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English, Chinese

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