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To compete in the digital age, most companies understand that they must see digital and analytics capabilities as a core competency and strategic priority. But with the supply of talent falling further behind demand, attracting elite talent has proven difficult, especially for organizations playing catch-up. Even companies with advanced digital and analytics capabilities are struggling to meet their needs. The challenge is only getting harder, as demand is expected to grow significantly. Based on input from nearly 450 senior executives, A.T. Kearney’s second annual LEAP study validated its view that companies face growing challenges in seeking to build their digital and analytics talent. The authors define four levels of the analytics organization: 1. Leaders: Companies that deploy analytics to generate foresight on future business trends and to play a role in decision-making innovation. 2. Explorers: Companies that use analytics to predict trends to optimize business performance. 3. Followers: Companies that deploy analytics to understand and manage the drivers of cost and revenue. 4. Laggards: Companies that use analytics in the limited role of viewing past performance. <br><br> Various strategies used by leading firms to hire and retain intelligent, driven people who can work seamlessly at today’s intersection of technology, analytics, and business include: building a unique digital and analytics brand; embracing rotational programs; using cross-disciplinary teams; and building industry–university partnerships. Understanding a firm’s unique needs is key to determining how to go about hiring and retaining the right people to address those needs. Nevertheless, success in today’s marketplace requires a new normal in which digital and analytics capabilities are core to operations. Figuring out how to attract and retain “trilinguals” is the key to offering a distinct competitive advantage.

Several private startups, including Planetary Resources, SpaceX, and Deep Space Industries, had initiated plans to mine minerals in space. The ventures looked promising: an asteroid one kilometre in diameter contained, potentially, $20 trillion worth of industrial and precious metals. Governments had become involved in space exploration as well, with interests that ranged from projecting military power in space to claiming resources. The current legal framework surrounding space exploration was vague, but the United Nations Treaties and Principles on Outer Space recognized extraterrestrial resources as the “common heritage of humankind.” What should a privately funded venture company consider when developing a strategy for space exploration and mining? What would be the concerns of a senior government official or a representative from a global organization such as the United Nations? Are the concerns different for different countries? Optional supplement, 9B16M054, is available.

Supplement to 9B16M053.

On November 1, 2015, the four founders of Kaps Foods India Private Limited (Kaps) invited external business consultants to a business strategy meeting. The ice cream industry was moving toward the premium segment of the market, and Kaps was eager to move out of its stagnant phase. However, two of the four founders were skeptical about the acceptance of the Kaps brand in the higher-end market. They believed that the market would always consider Kaps a local brand, which was not ideal for moving into the premium market. Also, taking on the bigger players at the higher end of the ice cream segment would be a daunting task for the company. The four partners had a number of issues and options to ponder and discuss with consultants. Becoming a pioneer in the ice cream industry in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh was a proud achievement for the team, but what new marketing considerations would be involved in entering the premium market?

With a rich history stretching back to the 19th century, Wang Laoji herbal tea was one of the most popular drinks in China. The tea was sold in a green-box version by Wang Laoji and a red-can version licensed to Jiaduobao Beverage Co. Ltd. (Jiaduobao Beverage), but in 2012 the right to use the Wang Laoji name was lost by Jiaduobao Beverage following a legal dispute. Jiaduobao Beverage had to quickly transfer brand associations from Wang Laoji to its own brand and retain consumer loyalty. But was it successful in doing so? Did Jiaduobao Beverage enhance its brand equity through transferring Wang Laoji’s brand associations? What could Wang Laoji do to counter its loss of brand equity?

In August 2015, an intern at Asante Teaching Hospital, a prestigious not-for-profit hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, wanted to organize the cost data she had gathered from staff interviews into clear recommendations for the hospital's chief executive officer. Asante Teaching Hospital's maternity ward competitors had begun offering bundled pricing for natural births, and the intern wondered if Asante Teaching Hospital should do the same. In order to calculate the costs of the service, she planned to employ both activity-based and time-driven activity-based costing techniques. With this information, she could present the results of her analysis and recommendations for a pricing strategy.

Between 2012 and 2015, Viom Networks Limited (Viom), India’s largest independent telecommunications tower company, transformed its business from a position of near financial ruin to one of sustainable profitability. Viom’s journey demonstrated how suitable initiatives, supported by relevant leadership, can bring about remarkable improvement in a company. When American Tower Corporation (the world’s largest independent tower company) acquired a 51 per cent stake in Viom, it brought unexpected change. Further, the dynamism of the telecom industry presented challenges and opportunities that could bring about significant changes for the company into fiscal year 2016/17 and onwards. In its upcoming phases, Viom wanted to focus on predicting the next technological breakthrough and enabling growth ahead of the industry curve. How would Viom deal with these challenges?

Student spreadsheet for product 8B16M147.

In 2014, the master distiller from an established Scotch whisky producer founded McPhee Distillers on Vancouver Island, Canada, hoping to capitalize on the growing demand for whisky in the Asia-Pacific region in particular. Rather than competing with larger producers selling by the bottle, McPhee planned to sell whisky exclusively by the barrel, hoping to differentiate McPhee Distillers in the industry. As a first-time entrepreneur, the master distiller was surprised by the amount of overhead costs, but she was determined that there were no costs she could cut without compromising the quality of the whisky. Was her business model profitable, or had she made an error by focusing on barrel sales? Could she improve her operations?

In 2015, a global science and technology company’s Canadian national manager of channel markets is evaluating a potential change to the company’s distribution strategy for its innovative health care products to hospitals. The company currently relies on value-added resellers to distribute its products to Canadian hospitals. Recently, however, customers have been pressuring the company to ship products directly to hospitals, expecting that major cost savings could be achieved through a “direct distribution” model. The channel markets manager needs to assess the quantitative and qualitative issues related to direct distribution versus maintaining its current supply chain structure.

The chief financial officer (CFO) of Fuyao Glass Industry Group., Ltd. had to recommend dividend distributions prior to the company’s global initial public offering in Hong Kong. Fuyao was China’s largest automotive-glass manufacturer and the second-largest, most profitable, and fastest-growing automotive-glass manufacturer in the world. Controlled by its founder and largest minority shareholder, Mr. Cho Tak Wong, Fuyao was in the midst of substantial global expansion into the United States and Russia. The CFO had to project cash flows from operations, as well as substantial investment needs and the potential effects of the IPO, all while taking into consideration the effect of Fuyao’s dividends on existing and planned investors.

In 2014, an analyst with a leading investment company wanted to evaluate the financial performance of a kitchen appliances company, TTK Prestige Ltd., headquartered in Bangalore, India. To accomplish this task, the analyst decided to use the economic value added (EVA)-based performance measure, which accorded importance to value creation by management for its shareholders. Recently, there had been a shift away from traditional approaches of measuring shareholder value creation (e.g., earning capitalization and present value of estimated cash flow) towards more value-added approaches like EVA, which offered a more effective method for evaluating financial performance.

In 2016, the founder and sole owner of Mobiado, a Canadian line of luxury mobile phones, was evaluating his company’s marketing strategy. Proud of what he had achieved and passionate about his role as designer of one of the most unique and distinctive product lines in the category, he reflected on how he might need to adjust his company’s strategies to fit current trends and to remain competitive. Could the Mobiado product line continue to succeed by offering exclusive precision-engineered mobile instruments without the latest smartphone features? Would the new breed of luxury consumers continue to value form over function?

<p>The Nestle Maggi Case Study explores what happened on June 2015, when the Indian food regulatory body, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, declared Nestlé’s brand of noodles, Maggi, unsafe for human consumption. Tested samples showed excess levels of lead and added monosodium glutamate. To retain the trust of consumers, Nestlé recalled Maggi from all store shelves in the country. Management was then grappling with an improved re-positioning strategy to help Nestlé retain its considerable market share in India. The other issue that Nestlé needed to resolve was what role pricing would play in influencing consumer purchase decisions during the proposed product relaunch.</p>

In September 2014, a real estate and procurement expert was preparing his notes for an upcoming strategic meeting with the management team of the Regional Council of Lombardy (RCL), the governing body of one of the 20 regions in Italy. The RCL wanted to analyze the procurement process for two of its most important projects: the construction of Ospedale Papa Giovanni XXIII, a new cutting-edge, high-technology public hospital; and the construction of the hospital’s surrounding parking area. During the construction of the hospital, a number of scope changes had been introduced and a major issue emerged. Construction had concluded at the end of 2012—€156 million over budget. The surrounding parking area was also subject to some issues, but with relatively minor economic and reputational impacts. Two years after the end of construction, the RCL was performing post-project reviews with the intent of improving future project procurement performance.

Instructor spreadsheet for product 8B16D014.

Student spreadsheet for product 9B16D014.

<p>On August 3, 2015, Fitbit, Inc.’s (Fitbit) stock price hit an all-time high of $50.99. A few months earlier, when Fitbit went public on June 18, it had opened on its first day of trading at a price of $30.40 — 52% higher than its initial public offering price. As what appeared to be the most successful initial public offering of the year, Fitbit attracted significant attention and inevitably drew controversy as well. Some investors saw great potential and a promising future for Fitbit. Others were less positive, calling it a fad without any real opportunity for future development. In the face of growing competition from rivals with more extensive consumer bases, Fitbit wanted to ensure that it achieved sustainable growth. What was Fitbit, and what could it become? The question concerned not only potential investors but also the chief executive officer of the high-tech company. This <a href=” https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/category/collection/marketing/0ZG5c000000k9bW?c__results_layout_state=%7B%7D”>marketing</a> case study will examine Fitbit’s business strategy, product offerings, and future opportunities.</p>

In May 2015, the chief executive officer (CEO) of a small social enterprise was trying to decide how to expand its business. Textbooks for Change collected used texts from universities and supported African entrepreneurs and universities by donating text sales proceeds or through the distribution of donated materials to deserving schools. The CEO was considering expanding the business to collect textbooks from universities outside its region, and wanted to assess the potential financial viability of three targeted universities.

By September 2015, Deep Roots Distillery (DRD) had been operating for 22 months. While starting up had taken a little longer than originally estimated, material progress was now evident. By November 2015, the company expected to have six of its products (either spirits or liqueurs) available in the Prince Edward Island liquor store outlets. However, numerous questions remained for DRD’s owner and his small, family-run business. Given capital and resource constraints, how could DRD grow into a competitive business? How should time be allocated between research and development, production, marketing, and administration? Would the start-up’s current product/market strategy allow it to achieve its goals? If not, which expansion route should DRD take?