Case Study 1

The case at hand involves Protein Power Plates, a successful meat-centric restaurant chain, debating a pivotal decision: whether to partner with V-Burger, a plant-based meat alternative company (Goldberg, Lena G. 2022. “Case Study: Would Vegan Offerings Dilute Our Brand?” Harvard Business Review. August 2, 2022). Founder Jamie Colvin is determined to maintain the brand's meat-focused identity, while Mila, the Chief Marketing Officer, sees embracing plant-based options as essential given the growing trend in vegetarian and vegan diets.

To address the question: “Should Protein Power Plates commit to a partnership with V-Burger?”, our team applied a strategic framework developed by Roger Martin (Martin, Roger. 2021. “Strategy & Design Thinking - Roger Martin - Medium.” Medium, December 24, 2021). We began by framing the core issue, which is the challenge posed by the changing consumer trends and the need to adapt to these shifts. We then decided on our “How might we question” which was, “How might we address the shift in consumption trends?”. We brainstormed different possibilities, those being either offering plant-based options or maintaining the current meat-focused strategy. We identified the “What would have to be true?” conditions that must be met for each possibility to succeed and found the most important one to be that there should be a sufficient and persistent demand for plant-based options. We then considered the challenges associated with each option including the resistance from customers who prefer meat options, the longevity of the plant-based trend, and the challenge of replicating the meat flavour. Furthermore, we emphasised the need to develop testing and transformation plans to make these possibilities viable and found the need for a month-long trial period to be particularly important. Finally, we concluded our approach by acknowledging that the final decision could not yet be determined.

In the analysis, we considered several pros and cons of Protein Power Plates' potential partnership with V-Burger. Pros include diversifying the menu, aligning with current health and environmental trends, capitalising on growth potential in the plant-based market, and demonstrating environmental commitment. However, the cons involve concerns about alienating existing meat-loving customers, uncertainty in plant-based demand and long-term viability, and mixed trial results, underscoring the complexity of the decision. This comprehensive analysis guided our recommendation to pursue the partnership while extending the trial, conducting in-depth research, negotiating terms, ensuring quality, and implementing a targeted marketing strategy to balance the potential benefits and drawbacks.

The strategic framework developed by Roger Martin was instrumental in guiding our decision-making process. We found the emphasis on transformation plans instead of eliminating possibilities allowed us to consider options that did not require a full commitment to either scenario.

In our discussions, we found the various analytical methods employed very interesting, including pyramid visualisation and the micro-macro method. These approaches offered insights into the decision-making process, considering market trends favouring plant-based options and the preferences of the target demographic. Our ultimate recommendation is to partner with V-Burger, subject to the previously mentioned conditions. Based on the diversity of analytical methods used and our post-presentation reflection, this strategy positions Protein Power Plates to adapt to evolving customer preferences while minimising risks.

At leading educational platform Ivory Tower, CEO Thorsten Konig proposed integrating Bitcoin into their business model, triggering a diverse array of opinions among company leaders. Some saw Bitcoin as a means to open doors to affordable global education, while others expressed concerns about unclear regulations and doubted students' inclination to use Bitcoin for tuition (Wang, Charles C.Y. 2021. “Case Study: Should We Embrace Crypto?” Harvard Business Review. October 19, 2021).

In our analysis, which employed the Backcasting process (Matthew Spaniol. 2022. “Backcasting as a Strategic Management Tool for Meeting VUCA Challenges, by Kent Thorén”), we identified Step 1 - Strategic Problem as the central question of how to embrace cryptocurrency. We moved to Step 3, where we conducted our analysis for a holistic understanding of the case. We took a comprehensive approach by dissecting the fundamental components of blockchain technology, ensuring that we considered all facets rather than focusing solely on its tokenization aspect. We then went back to Step 2, where we defined two primary visions - one to position Ivory Tower as a forward-thinking industry leader dedicated to enhancing security and decentralisation through blockchain technology, and the other to maintain their current corporate success. Our exploration in Step 4 led to the following recommendations - first, we advised addressing the regulatory hurdles, emphasising the integration of WWHTBT (Martin, Roger. 2021. “Strategy & Design Thinking - Roger Martin - Medium.” Medium, December 24, 2021) into all available options. Instead of a complete system overhaul, our suggestion was to experiment with small-scale cryptocurrency payments. This deliberate approach allows for a measured assessment of the feasibility and acceptance of cryptocurrency within our organisation.

Discussions offered insights into different age groups' reactions to Bitcoin, revealing diverse perspectives on this emerging payment method. Ultimately, our conclusion emphasised the importance of considering all facets of Bitcoin, not merely as an investment, to grasp its potential in education.

This case study at Ivory Tower presented a debate on the adoption of Bitcoin, weighing its potential for global education against uncertainties in educational payments. It serves as a snapshot of the broader discourse surrounding cryptocurrency's integration across various sectors.

The scenario at Ivory Tower brought into focus the potential benefits and challenges associated with embracing Bitcoin as a payment method for educational purposes. It's evident that while the possibilities for global access to education are enticing, concerns regarding regulatory uncertainties and the practicality of Bitcoin as a payment method for student tuition need careful consideration. The study underscored the significance of a comprehensive analysis, particularly regarding stakeholders' perspectives and the broader implications of adopting cryptocurrency within educational institutions like Ivory Tower.

Marjorie Heard, the visionary founder of Zevoron, a Filipino company renowned for its commitment to providing employment opportunities exclusively for transgender individuals in a competitive market, stands at a crossroads. She faces a pivotal decision that could define the future of her organisation - Should she deviate from the company's unique identity and hire non-transgender salespeople in pursuit of broader growth? This dilemma raises questions about staying true to the organisation's mission and achieving financial success (Puri, Sandeep. 2021. “Case Study: Should You Compromise Your Founding Principles for Faster Growth?” Harvard Business Review. December 14, 2021).

Our approach to analysing this decision involved employing the Five Strategy Approaches, each offering distinct insights and considerations (Reeves, Martin, Claire Love, and Philipp Tillmanns. 2021. “Your Strategy Needs a Strategy.” BCG Global. July 21, 2021).

Classical Strategy - This approach prioritises analysis, planning, and execution in stable, predictable environments. It aligns with Ajay's perspective, emphasising the expansion of Zevoron through a more diverse sales force. The focus here is on the generic growth in predictable markets, even if it means potentially diluting the company's original mission.

Adaptive Strategy - Adapting to the dynamic demands of markets characterises this strategy. “Over time those original safe spaces became less essential.” Khadijah's viewpoint resonates with the need of the moment, recognizing that change can be a sign of progress without meaning the abandonment of the existing clientele.

Visionary Strategy - Marjorie's initial vision for Zevoron was rooted in creating a protective environment for LGBTQ+ communities. This strategy calls for reevaluating the organisation's impact and reimagining its long-term vision. It poses the fundamental question of whether Zevoron should isolate itself in a secure environment or integrate with other communities while preserving its core principles and safety.

Shaping Strategy - Zevoron has been instrumental in reshaping the market with its hiring practices. Embracing a shaping strategy implies making decisions in collaboration with various stakeholders, such as members of the LGBTQ+ community, clientele, and partners.

Renewal Strategy - In situations demanding immediate responses and vitality, the renewal strategy comes into play. The current scenario underscores the need for a swift decision. The team must reassess the situation and choose between the growth of Zevoron, diversifying its workforce, and remaining faithful to its original mission.

Considering these individual strategies, our recommendation is to adopt an ambidextrous approach that integrates the Visionary, Shaping, and Adaptive strategies. This approach involves co-designing with relevant stakeholders, assessing the core mission's success, and redefining the organisation's vision in light of the current social climate. By moulding the market with an updated vision and evolving while differentiating themselves, Zevoron can chart a new, relevant, and contextual end goal that extends its mission to communities beyond the transgender community, promoting the creation of a safe, protected environment that is inclusive of other communities. Additionally, we suggest utilising alphabet cards as tools for guiding this reassessment (“Critical Alphabet – By Lesley-Ann Noel PhD.” n.d.). The cards, including "Deficit Thinking," "Intersectionality," and "Questioning Mindset," serve as reminders to ask essential questions when evaluating the needs of the moment. They prompt reflection on potential challenges, the interplay of various forms of oppression, and the use of questions to uncover opportunities and understand user contexts.

During our class discussion, various viewpoints emerged. Some participants advocated for staying true to the mission, enhancing it with additional training programs, and growing the business. Others expressed the perspective that maintaining an exclusively transgender salesforce could lead to their isolation from other communities. Expanding their salesforce, on the other hand, was seen as a way to promote their mission and collaborate through co-design, thereby establishing a secure environment for a wider range of communities.