C4SL - Case studies

Case writing is a core competence of the Center for Strategy & Leadership. Numerous famous ‘short cases' have been written so far. The most recent ones, over 30 illustrations and short cases, are included in the leading strategy textbooks Strategy: Process, Content, Context and Strategy Synthesis.

PHILIPS CONSUMER LIFESTYLE:

Sparking renewal in the drinking water industry

Rademakers M.

What are the market opportunities in Europe for point-of-use water (POW) purification systems? Water purification represents a rising concern, both for developed and developing countries, driven by customers' demand for access to clean, safe and well-tasting water. Point-of-use water purification systems hold the promise of making high-quality drinking water available at relatively low costs, if compared with bottled water and tap water. Basically, in the case of POW, consumers experience control over water safety. The Domestic Appliances business unit at Philips Consumer Lifestyle, a branch of Royal Philips Electronics, aims at building a strong position in the growing market for point-of-use water purification appliances. Philips water purifiers are gaining popularity in countries like India, Vietnam and Brazil, where high-quality drinking water is problematic. In Northwestern Europe, by contrast, drinking water is seen as a commodity, and consumers tend to trust the water they purchase in bottles or that they get as tap water from the local water companies or municipalities. However, this confidence is under pressure due to growing awareness about surface and ground water contamination, limitations to purification, and the negative environmental impact of bottled water. Given the drivers in favor of point-of-use water purification on the one hand, and the inhibitors on the other, key question is which are the decisive ones that will shape the industry or rather keep the current status quo in Europe. Should Philips be a driver of change in Europe, or go with the flow? Which direction will the European markets for drinking water develop?

Keywords: strategy, industry development, drinking water, point-of-use water purification

SIEMENS WATER TECHNOLOGIES:

Global Technology, Local Business?

Rademakers M.

Siemens Water Technologies (SWT), part of Siemens AG (Germany), is a leading water and wastewater treatment company in Canada, US, Middle East and Asia. 2009 saw the introduction in the European market of a new technology, Cannibal, based on state-of-the-art propositions for sludge (bio-solid) reduction in wastewater treatment systems. SWT's purpose is to consolidate Europe as an attractive technology hub of high standards and advanced studies in water treatment and sewage disposal.

The challenge for Siemens resides in Europe being a much national diverse whole of wastewater treatment policies and regulations, recently brought together under the EU Water Framework Directive, with the intention of building a common playground for the supply of clean and safe water. The Cannibal technology consists of biomass processes where sludge is first treated with facultative bacteria, then processed by anaerobic bacteria. The result of this practice, not yet entirely understood academically - the exact biological mechanisms behind the Cannibal process are in fact not known -, is an easier disposal and greater reduction of sludge waste.
However it raises divergent opinions about its efficacy and acceptance in Europe with respect to more conventional technologies regarding the management and disposal of sludge (i.e. incineration, use of sludge as fertilizer, etc). SWT is facing the question how to optimize the cross-border benefits of adopting the Cannibal technology, while penetrating the European market. Being active in Turkey, Italy and the Netherlands, the next step would be entering the UK market. A fundamental tension to manage for SWT is the question of standardizing the Cannibal sludge reduction proposition to reap the benefits of globalization, or take a customized country-by-country approach to cater for - and benefit from - the local needs and circumstances in the different national settings of Europe.

Keywords: strategy, global standardization, local adaptation, waste water treatment.

Wat ING Direct deelt met Wikipedia

Rademakers M., Wit, B. de (2007): FD Strategie, March, pp 15-16.

ING Direct gebruikt de nieuwste internettechniek om een oud probleem op te lossen: hoe kunnen medewerkers hun kennis met elkaar delen?

Succes Dwingt Vleesbedrijf tot Keuze

Rademakers, M. (2007): FD Strategie, Vol. 2, Iss. 7, pp 12-13.

Vion, de snelst groeiende voedingsmiddelenproducent van Nederland, is een ‘verborgen kampioen’. Het bedrijf maakte een fenomenale sprong van € 600 miljoen omzet in 2002 naar € 6 miljard in 2007. Op deze manier consolideerde Vion eigenhandig de vleesverwerkende industrie in Nederland en Duitsland. Product leadership bereiken is de volgende uitdaging voor het bedrijf.

Requiem voor de MTV Generatie

Walstra, L., Rademakers, M. (2008): FD Strategie, Vol. 3, Iss. 9, pp 77.

De afkalving van TV als massamedium heeft grote gevolgen voor muziekzender MTV. Het originele concept van de exclusieve muziektelevisie raakt steeds meer uit beeld ten gunste van de multichannel-strategie.