NOVA SBE Cases

Case studies produced by Nova School of Business and Economics faculty and contributors.

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Alliance Boots: Leveraged Buyout

The previous days had been tough for Dominic Murphy, KKR’s Head of the Healthcare industry team in Europe, and for Stefano Pessina, Executive Deputy Chairman of Alliance Boots. Sitting in the conference room of KKR’s UK office, they were gazing at the projections for a potential investment. Their minds revolved around Alliance Boots, a multinational company operating in the pharmaceutical, health, and beauty industry and a key question had to be answered: should they increase the offer price to buy this company?
In 2007, Pessina, backed by KKR, intended to acquire and delist the newly merged firm and to improve its operations, announcing a potential offer for the shares of Alliance Boots at a 15.9% premium above the March 8th day’s close of £8.15. However, another private equity consortium, led by Terra Firma Capital Partners, also intended to take the opportunity to acquire Alliance Boots. An intense bidding war followed, which increased the offer price, leading to a final bid of £11.15 per share – a 36.8% premium offer over the undisturbed share price – made by Terra Firma’s consortium.

Author: Erik Javadi Jamal, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-19002
Number of pages: 19
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: No
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Back to the Footure: The Changing Portuguese Footwear Industry

We explore how by (a) adopting a consistent positive approach, (b) providing sound strategies to attack each obstacle with perseverance and a long-term vision, and (c) focusing on opportunities rather than risks, the trade association helped the industry navigate through the perils of globalization and, in the process, transform itself. We discuss how the trade association’s leadership guided the cluster and inspired the entrepreneurs through dramatic changes in the business environment by creating a platform that promoted sustained growth and innovation through both fierce internal competition in terms of product and marketing, and extensive collaboration regarding manufacture processes. Possible “futures” are also discussed.
This case is suited for the leadership and/or change sections of Organizational Behavior courses; and for cluster related discussions on Strategy courses.

FAE/EDP Case Study Prize Winner 2015

Author: Pedro Sena-Dias, Miguel Pina e Cunha, Arménio Rego
Reference Number: NSBE-15-14005
Number of pages: 24
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Banco Espírito Santo: Asset and Liability Management during the Financial Crisis

This is a case about the risk management of an European (Portuguese) bank at the beginning of Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis. A bank highly dependent on the wholesale funding market has to make crucial decisions about the mix of its assets and liabilities, funding and investmnent strategies and financial risk management in general.
Managing asset and liability mismatches is of crucial importance for financial institutions, which in the case of Banco Espírito Santo (BES) was exacerbated by its business strategy. That task is even more important and far more challenging since mid-2007 as the financial crisis constrained bank’s capabilities for risk management, capital management, and funding management, especially during 2010 due to the Portuguese sovereign debt crisis.
The “Banco Espírito Santo: Asset and Liability Management during the Financial Crisis” identifies the key variables in Asset and Liability Management and applies them to BES in a practical manner. The development of BES’s balance sheet structure, financial market conditions, and the European Central Bank measures are presented and examined in light of the key ALM topics described in the case, providing an aid to better understand the process of Asset and Liability Management by a bank.

Author: Pedro Lopes dos Santos, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-15001
Number of pages: 19
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Biotecnol: Financing a Cure for Cancer in Portugal

Biotecnol was the first pharmaceutical biotechnology start-up in Portugal. In 1996 this was still an emerging business in most of the world, with the initial success cases centered in the United States (Amgen, Chiron and Genentech). This case discusses the first steps of a new biotech start-up in Portugal, the evolution of its strategy, and the way financing and investment had to be readjusted to fit the company goals. This case allows a broad discussion on the match of adequate investment policy with the strategy when the business knowledge of the founders and the dynamics of a recent business branch require fast changes. The biotech start-up business model (specialized services, proprietary products, or the hybrid model) can be discussed based on Biotecnol’s case, as well as the adequate investment plan for the chosen strategy: type of investment, investor profile, local or international partnership, etc. Biotecnol also provides a good case for discussing the strategy of small countries in the global business of new biopharmaceuticals: local business or relocation to more developed markets, namely the US.
This case can easily fit into the introduction to an Entrepreneurship or Entrepreneurial Finance course, as it evokes relevant finance questions.

Author: Martim Alves da Silva, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-15002
Number of pages: 21
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Chipidea: Successful Exit of a Venture Capital Investment

This case describes the situation faced by the CEO of Chipidea after having received an unsolicited offer to sell his company. Chipidea was founded in Lisbon, Portugal, by José Epifanio da Franca, to design analogic microchips using technologies developed by his team at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. Franca has soon perceived that in a digital world inhabited by analog humans there would be a growing need for systems that would provide the interface between the analog and digital worlds. Through successive venture capital rounds Franca and his team built what would become as key global reference in the world of digital chips. The case presents the company’s evolution from inception to the day it was faced with an unexpected offer to buy the whole company. The case highlights the dilemma faced by many entrepreneurs between cashing out their equity ownership in the venture or holding it for some more years while trying to increase its value. It also discusses the many alternatives ways to liquify their investment, including auctioning the company or do an IPO. There is information to discuss the process as well as the pros and cons of each of the several alternatives facing the founders.
This case is suited for the “exiting investments” section of courses in entrepreneurial finance and venture capital.

Author: Luís Rainho, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-14002
Number of pages: 19
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Controlling SkyLand

Controlling SkyLand promotes the design of a management control system in the start-up phase of a company in the tourism sector.
The case requires a critical view of the described system, namely the implementation of responsibility centers, performance measures, and targets.
Students should recommend the most appropriate forms of control for a start-up such as SkyLand and propose a new management control system aligned with the company’s strategy.
The case builds on Otley’s (1999) and Simons’ (1995) frameworks and provides excellent material to practice their theoretical concepts.

Author: Marta Almeida, Inês Cruz
Reference Number: NSBE-15-14004
Number of pages: 12
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Corticeira Amorim

Corticeira Amorim’s history provides a basis for a stimulating debate within the context of two broad areas: Family-Owned Businesses (FOBs) and Strategic Management. FOB because, given the company’s family ownership since ever, it has a set of features that are typical in this type of firms and deserves a reflection. Strategic Management because, throughout its history, the company had to make strategic decisions, notably on what and how to compete, which is interesting to scrutinize also linking to its FOB profile. The case provides information and insights which drive students (notably post-graduates and executives) to the discussion of themes and concepts within these areas, such as family businesses, long term management/leadership, patient capital, verticalisation, internationalization, incremental/radical innovation, knowledge/innovation management and explicit/implicit knowledge.

Author: Paulo Valdada Serra, Miguel Pina e Cunha & Soumodip Sarkar
Reference Number: NSBE-15-16007
Number of pages: 31
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Doing Culture at OutSystems: Managing with just a few “big rules”

The growth of OutSystems, a knowledge-intensive IT company headquartered in Portugal with offices in the US, the Netherlands, and Singapore, has been accompanied by efforts to create a strong culture, one that preserves the traits that have supported its growth, such as innovation, adaptability, high performance, and accountability…This case presents the lessons OutSystems learned from previous international experiences and its latest growth model via local partners.
This case study is appropriate for MBA and Master level courses in management. The case is designed to be used in organizational behavior, leadership, change management, or organizational design courses. It might also be used in courses focusing on innovation, human resource management, international business, and entrepreneurship.

Author: Maria João Arrulo de Lima Melo, Miguel Pina e Cunha, Arménio Rego
Reference Number: NSBE-15-14001
Number of pages: 23
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Energias de Portugal – Renováveis (EDP-R): Reaping the Winds of Change (A)

Energias de Portugal –Renováveis (EDP-R) is the fourth largest player in today’s global renewable energy industry. This case analyses the strategic decisions behind EDP-R’s development from its inception as an offshoot of the recently privatized Portuguese Electricity Utility EDP, through its listing as an autonomous renewables company to its current status as the fourth largest global renewables player.
Case A centres on the period from 2006 to 2012 and focuses on EDP-R’s rapid growth from its inception in 2007, through its initial moves into the international wind energy market via greenfield site acquisitions and its €1.57 billion IPO in 2008, to the financial crisis and its heavy impact both on political and public support for continued governmental incentives for renewables development, and on the availability and cost of borrowing for further investment. The case focuses on the decisions facing the CEO of the company at this critical turning point in its history.
The case provides a broad base for discussion with Masters, MBA or Executive students on the main drivers of value and the changing market environment in the renewables and broader energy industry, and can be used as the basis for discussion in general or specialised strategy courses, to highlight the strategic formulation process, the importance of maintaining and communicating strategic clarity, and the importance of coherent focus in rapidly-changing markets. It provides good insights into the renewables sector, allowing for discussions on cost structures, operating requirements and the future of the industry.

Author: Nadim Bou Habib, Richard Fleming
Reference Number: NSBE-15-18001
Number of pages: 19
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Energias de Portugal – Renováveis (EDP-R): Reaping the Winds of Change (B)

Energias de Portugal –Renováveis (EDP-R) is the fourth largest player in today’s global renewable energy industry. This case analyses the strategic decisions behind EDP-R’s development from its inception as an offshoot of the recently privatized Portuguese Electricity Utility EDP, through its listing as an autonomous renewables company to its current status as the fourth largest global renewables player.
Case B analyses the period from the financial crisis through to 2017. It looks at how EDP-R built a strategy to not only survive the global crisis, but to build a successful and highly sustainable business model, helping it to recover from the dramatic impact of the crisis to again become an attractive prospect for investors searching for low-risk returns which could outperform traditional safe havens. It then presents the changing nature of the renewables landscape, with rapidly falling prices for renewable energy, in particular for solar and offshore wind power, requiring EDP-R to question its future strategy and the extent to which its current competitive advantages remain valid.
The case provides a broad base for discussion with Masters, MBA or Executive students on the main drivers of value and the changing market environment in the renewables and broader energy industry, and can be used as the basis for discussion in general or specialised strategy courses, to highlight the strategic formulation process, the importance of maintaining and communicating strategic clarity, and the importance of coherent focus in rapidly-changing markets. It provides good insights into the renewables sector, allowing for discussions on cost structures, operating requirements and the future of the industry.

Author: Nadim Bou Habib Richard Fleming
Reference Number: NSBE-15-18002
Number of pages: 10
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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How can a brand grow by migrating from a premium to a luxury positioning?: Claus Porto’s transformative journey from a premium soap brand to a luxury lifestyle brand

This case explores how a brand can increase sales by migrating from a premium to a luxury positioning, by studying the transformative journey of the 130 years-old Portuguese brand Claus Porto from a premium soap to a luxury niche lifestyle brand, from several perspectives, i.e., strategic, marketing and commercial. Claus Porto, together with its parent brand Ach. Brito, was acquired by the Portuguese investment fund Menlo Capital in 2015. Following the acquisition, the Management team underwent efforts to reposition the brand in the luxury lifestyle segment through changes in visual identity, product portfolio, distribution, pricing, and communication strategy. As theoretical basis, the case outlines the characteristics of the luxury industry and the benefits to switch from premium to luxury. The case presents the strategy developed until December 2017, while the teaching note provides insights on how the brand should accelerate the implementation of its luxury niche positioning after December 2017.

Author: Catherine da Silveira, Pia Neuer
Reference Number: NSBE-17-20001
Number of pages: 21
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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José Mourinho

The case browses through José Mourinho’s career as a football manager, focusing on what made him one of the most accomplished managers in the world. The viewpoint is that of leadership…This is a pivotal moment in Mourinho’s management career, at which one can evaluate the key features that led to his successes and also to his failures. It is interesting to muse over what he should do at this point to remain one of the most sought after coaches and keep his reputation as the “special one” from a management point of view and compare it to what he is doing.

Author: Pedro Sena-Dias, Miguel Pina e Cunha
Reference Number: NSBE-15-17001
Number of pages: 36
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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José Mourinho (Abridged)

The case browses through José Mourinho’s career as a football manager, focusing on what made him one of the most accomplished managers in the world. The viewpoint is that of leadership…This is a pivotal moment in Mourinho’s management career, at which one can evaluate the key features that led to his successes and also to his failures. It is interesting to muse over what he should do at this point to remain one of the most sought after coaches and keep his reputation as the “special one” from a management point of view and compare it to what he is doing.

Author: Pedro Sena-Dias, Miguel Pina e Cunha
Reference Number: NSBE-15-17002
Number of pages: 29
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
Tags:

KoolGamb (A): A Ténue Linha que Separa o Sucesso da Insolvência

Author: Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-17003PT
Number of pages: 12
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: No
Language: Portuguese
Price: € 3,50
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KoolGamb (A): The Thin Line Between Success and Bankruptcy

Author: Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-17003
Number of pages: 7
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: No
Language: Portuguese
Price: € 3,50
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Should eBay Divorce PayPal?

The following case study has the goal of studying the situation involving eBay, PayPal and Carl Icahn as of February 2014. The case focuses on the role of corporate governance issues and shareholder activism in the decision to spin-off a large and important business unit.
This case is intended for graduate courses (MBA and MSc) on Corporate Restructuring and the Divestments section of Applied Corporate Finance courses. It may also fit in the shareholder activism section of a Corporate Governance course.

Author: Manuel Castel-Branco, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-16005
Number of pages: 27
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Sonae Sierra: A Vision for Sustainability

This case study is on Corporate Responsibility (CR) and the Triple Bottom Line at Sonae Sierra, a real estate company specializing in the investment, development and management of shopping and leisure centers. The study was performed in order to expose some of the best practices in this area. It focuses on Sonae Sierra’s internationalization to Romania and the conflict between the “business” and the CR policies. Through interviews with Sonae Sierra staff and several documents, we were able to re-trace Sonae Sierra’s developments in this area and see some of the challenges they face.

Author: Pedro Teixeira Santos, Miguel Pina e Cunha
Reference Number: NSBE-15-08002
Number of pages: 15
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Spotify: IPO vs. Direct Listing: Is Spotify creating a new “music” trend in the stock market?

The case describes the path of Spotify Technology SA (Spotify) on its journey to become a public company. Spotify is a digital music service that gives access to millions of songs through digital music streaming services.
On April 4, 2018, Spotify went public through direct listing rather than the traditional initial public offer (IPO) route, an unconventional way to make its shares publicly tradable without raising new capital. This mainly eliminates the need for an investment bank to underwrite the initial offer along with other associated fees. Furthermore, valuations of the company were reaching $30b on its high-end range, which would make it one of the top 5 tech IPOs of all time. Finally, this event would also make Spotify the first major company to carry out a direct listing and could influence the way companies approach IPOs in the future.

Author: Paulo Soares de Pinho, Gabriel Giehl Martins
Reference Number: NSBE-16-20002
Number of pages: 21
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language:
Price: € 3,50
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Spring and Port Wine (A): The Keller Family at the crossroads

The case presents the story of Keller, a family vineyard in Portugal’s famous Douro Valley. It tells of the company’s impressive transformation and development, and in parallel shows the progressive detachment between the members of the fourth and fifth generations. In the spring of 2017, the situation seemed to have reached a point of no return, which is obviously hurting the family and the business. In essence, Michael, a fifth-generation member, CEO, and driving force behind the company’s success, now needs to decide whether to take up his sister’s suggestion of a sealed bid auction.

Author: Salvador da Cunha, Miguel Pina e Cunha, Alexandre Dias da Cunha
Reference Number: NSBE-16-20003
Number of pages: 17
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Spring and Port Wine (B): The Keller Family at the crossroads

The case presents the story of Keller, a family vineyard in Portugal’s famous Douro Valley. It tells of the company’s impressive transformation and development, and in parallel shows the progressive detachment between the members of the fourth and fifth generations. In the spring of 2017, the situation seemed to have reached a point of no return, which is obviously hurting the family and the business. In essence, Michael, a fifth-generation member, CEO, and driving force behind the company’s success, now needs to decide whether to take up his sister’s suggestion of a sealed bid auction.

Author: Salvador da Cunha, Miguel Pina e Cunha, Alexandre Dias da Cunha
Reference Number: NSBE-16-20004
Number of pages: 2
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
Tags:

Sumol Compal in China

In 2014, Julio Gomes, International markets manager of the Portuguese beverage company Sumol Compal, had the challenge of developing a business and marketing plan to triple revenues in the Chinese market within three years.

Author: Daniela Munhoz, Jorge Velosa
Reference Number: NSBE-17-16006
Number of pages: 23
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
Tags:

The Alfasom LBO

Author: Gonçalo Cabral, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-17002
Number of pages: 16
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: No
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
Tags:

TIMWE IPO: Go or no go?

This case describes the dilemma faced by Diogo Salvi, founder and CEO of Portugal-based TIMWE, on the day before his company’s second IPO attempt, in May 2012. The Greek sovereign debt crisis deepened and fuelled a sudden fall in the stock price of the only relevant comparable firm, which affected investors’ valuations of the offered shares while raising doubts about the success of TIME’s own IPO. The founder is confronted with choosing between the costs of a cancelled IPO (the second in a short period of time) and the costs of going ahead in the context of a market that suddenly has turned against him.
TIMWE was founded in 2002 by Diogo Salvi and two friends in Lisbon, Portugal. The company initially acted as an intermediary between providers of mobile entertainment content and mobile phone carriers globally, with a strong emphasis on emerging markets. The founders bootstrapped the company effectively, were able to generate profits at an early stage and to attract bank financing for expansion. Later the company diversified its portfolio of services and launched an innovative and popular mobile payment solution while expanding to 75 countries. In 2011 it considered an IPO but was forced to withdraw it. A second attempt was made in 2012.

Author: Diana Sofia Basílio, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-16-16004
Number of pages: 22
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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Vision-Box: When the Sky is Just the Beginning

Vision-Box is a technological company focused on providing robust and trusted digital identification technologies. Its core business is on the border control industry but it also provides solutions to the identity management and security surveillance markets. The usage of biometrics in the border control process was the disruptive innovation that enhanced its exponential global growth. In order to take advantage from increasing demand for its main products, develop the product offer with significant investments in software and big data and secure the leadership on its niche before stronger competitors make their entry on the niche, the company needs to raise outside capital. This case discusses the company’s evolution, how it quickly grabbed the opportunities that were offered to it, first by entering identity management and later expanding into border control automated systems. The case also describes the challenges imposed by ast growth.

Author: Frederico Andrade, Paulo Soares de Pinho
Reference Number: NSBE-18-19001
Number of pages: 17
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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WeDo Technologies: Commitment to Excellence (A)

WeDo Technologies: Commitment to Excellence (Cases A, B and C)

These case studies describe the situation faced by WeDo Technologies when the CEO, Rui Paiva, decided to move the company to a new and challenging growth chapter. WeDo Technologies, a global software development and integration company, was founded in February 2001 as a spin-off of the SONAE’s telecommunication company Optimus. Since then, headed by Rui Paiva and his executive team, the company enjoyed strong growth and profitability, acting globally. By the end of the first decade of operations, having consolidated worldwide leadership in the Revenue Assurance and Fraud Control industry, Rui Paiva perceived that the core organisational resources of the company were strongly suited to address different business processes within companies of diverse industries. This challenge and the alternatives to pursue it are the basis of the three cases.
The cases present the core industry and the company’s evolution from inception to the moment when a new growth chapter was envisaged (Case A – Company background), the main challenges faced by We Do Technologies (internally and externally) in its current positioning (Case B – Back to the drawing board) and the strategic planning process that was adopted to develop the road ahead for the next decade (Case C – Back to the future). The case highlights the several steps of environmental scanning, strategy formulation and strategy programming and describes a strategic planning process suited for strategy thinking under uncertainty. There is information to discuss the strategic thinking and planning steps as well as the pros and cons of of the process.
This case is suited for both management and MBA students, as well as business managers and executives involved in general management strategic decisions. The case is best suited for strategy and strategic planning courses, as well as courses that use foresight methodologies as a basis to develop strategy under uncertainty.

Author: João Silveira Lobo
Reference Number: NSBE-15-16001
Number of pages: 15
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
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WeDo Technologies: Commitment to Excellence (B)

WeDo Technologies: Commitment to Excellence (Cases A, B and C)

These case studies describe the situation faced by WeDo Technologies when the CEO, Rui Paiva, decided to move the company to a new and challenging growth chapter. WeDo Technologies, a global software development and integration company, was founded in February 2001 as a spin-off of the SONAE’s telecommunication company Optimus. Since then, headed by Rui Paiva and his executive team, the company enjoyed strong growth and profitability, acting globally. By the end of the first decade of operations, having consolidated worldwide leadership in the Revenue Assurance and Fraud Control industry, Rui Paiva perceived that the core organisational resources of the company were strongly suited to address different business processes within companies of diverse industries. This challenge and the alternatives to pursue it are the basis of the three cases.
The cases present the core industry and the company’s evolution from inception to the moment when a new growth chapter was envisaged (Case A – Company background), the main challenges faced by We Do Technologies (internally and externally) in its current positioning (Case B – Back to the drawing board) and the strategic planning process that was adopted to develop the road ahead for the next decade (Case C – Back to the future). The case highlights the several steps of environmental scanning, strategy formulation and strategy programming and describes a strategic planning process suited for strategy thinking under uncertainty. There is information to discuss the strategic thinking and planning steps as well as the pros and cons of the process.
This case is suited for both management and MBA students, as well as business managers and executives involved in general management strategic decisions. The case is best suited for strategy and strategic planning courses, as well as courses that use foresight methodologies as a basis to develop strategy under uncertainty.

Author: João Silveira Lobo
Reference Number: NSBE-15-16002
Number of pages: 12
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
Tags:

WeDo Technologies: Commitment to Excellence (C)

WeDo Technologies: Commitment to Excellence (Cases A, B and C)

These case studies describe the situation faced by WeDo Technologies when the CEO, Rui Paiva, decided to move the company to a new and challenging growth chapter. WeDo Technologies, a global software development and integration company, was founded in February 2001 as a spin-off of the SONAE’s telecommunication company Optimus. Since then, headed by Rui Paiva and his executive team, the company enjoyed strong growth and profitability, acting globally. By the end of the first decade of operations, having consolidated worldwide leadership in the Revenue Assurance and Fraud Control industry, Rui Paiva perceived that the core organisational resources of the company were strongly suited to address different business processes within companies of diverse industries. This challenge and the alternatives to pursue it are the basis of the three cases.
The cases present the core industry and the company’s evolution from inception to the moment when a new growth chapter was envisaged (Case A – Company background), the main challenges faced by We Do Technologies (internally and externally) in its current positioning (Case B – Back to the drawing board) and the strategic planning process that was adopted to develop the road ahead for the next decade (Case C – Back to the future). The case highlights the several steps of environmental scanning, strategy formulation and strategy programming and describes a strategic planning process suited for strategy thinking under uncertainty. There is information to discuss the strategic thinking and planning steps as well as the pros and cons of of the process.
This case is suited for both management and MBA students, as well as business managers and executives involved in general management strategic decisions. The case is best suited for strategy and strategic planning courses, as well as courses that use foresight methodologies as a basis to develop strategy under uncertainty.

Author: João Silveira Lobo
Reference Number: NSBE-15-16003
Number of pages: 4
Publisher: Nova School of Business and Economics
Teaching Notes: Yes
Language: English
Price: € 3,50
Tags: