In any industry, companies must keep their mission, vision and values as the guiding aspects, as well as the determinants, of their market position. Kone, one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalator industry, was founded in 1910. Kone has always held the core belief that the elevator user experience should be more than a simple ride up or down. With its focus on design, Kone aims to give passengers an enjoyable experience that adds value to a building and its users. Using the latest technology, its elevators bring ride-comfort to a new level. In 2014, Kone launched the UltraRope, an innovative product built with carbon fibre technology. The new technology also increases rope lifetime to twice that of conventional ropes, which has the potential to reduce replacement costs. In addition, Kone offers a real-time rope condition monitoring system, which again, provides improvements to maintenance and safety. As a disruptive innovation, the UltraRope has potential applications, not only in the elevator industry, but in other industries as well. UltraRope is undoubtedly a significant milestone for Kone. How might this achievement change the elevator and related industries, and concurrently how could Kone maintain its distinctive position as an innovative company and best bring its new product to market? Is there a standout aspect of Kone's business culture that enables it to take the elevator industry to new heights?

Konecranes is a leading manufacturer of lifting equipment and a market leader in industrial cranes and components. Headquartered in Finland, the group has the world's most extensive crane service network. North Americas is the group's best performing territory, accounting for a third of global sales. However, it is increasingly clear that future growth will primarily come from emerging markets elsewhere. In mid-2012, Pekka Lundmark, president and chief executive officer of Konecranes, makes the radical decision to relocate his office from Finland to Singapore since he believes this will help bring the necessary balance between markets, move the company closer to new opportunities and achieve success. He is determined to continue Konecranes on its journey of pivoting this product- oriented company to one of high-end services. But is this the right approach? What are the implications of such a change in the business model?