Case Studies
Service Provider or Strategic Partner?
An IT organisation within a global pharmaceutical organisation felt itself to be – and was seen as – a service provider rather than a strategic partner to the wider organisation. Using Fractal’s approach to understanding structural relationships, the organisation gained insight into the factors creating the current dynamic. They could then create a clear and focused plan to update their service portfolio and degree of proactivity, to enhance the relationship between them and the organisation.
Developing a strategy for a software company
The existing value proposition had reached maturity and a new proposition and strategy were needed.
The development process started with the production of a set of strategic scenarios to enable the leadership team to get to grips with the trends, inevitabilities and uncertainties that faced them in their new direction. From this, potential opportunities were identified, short listed and crystallised into a new market opportunity. A strategy was developed that took into account the capabilities of the organisation and its position in the marketplace. A change programme was developed and implemented resulting in a new market and focus for the organisation.
Visualising External Opportunities and Threats
This IT and transformation group within a large pharmaceutical organisation had a range of short- and long-term external drivers, such as virtualisation, changes to sourcing, software as a service, geographic shifts in the core business. It was difficult to interpret the timing and potential impact of these disparate themes. Our consultant supported the group to capture these threats, opportunities and trends by visualising them on a ‘radar’ plot, together with a supplementary commentary and recommendations. This changed a disparate and tacit knowledge base into a comprehensive decision support information for senior managers.
Corporate Intelligence & Strategic Risk Management in a Bank
This group within the Bank’s headquarters faced a set of serious threats. Some of these were internal, some external and many were interacting, providing a complex set of problems that needed to be understood and addressed quickly. Fractal designed a ‘Congruence’ workshop that allowed all members of the team to contribute their understanding of the strategic risks and how these interacted and then to develop a holistic action plan.
Strategic Risk in a Public Sector Organisation
With a reformed senior management team following a serious threat of closure by the regulator, Fractal designed a workshop that allowed all members of the team to contribute their understanding of the strategic risks and how these interacted and then to develop a holistic action plan.
Strategic Risk in an Engineering Company
Faced with huge changes being demanded by one of its principal customers, this medium sized engineering company was threatened with bankruptcy. Fractal provided a Strategic Risk assessment. As well as the threats that were apparent in non-compliance, the analysis also revealed significant hidden problems associated with compliance. The analysis provided both a clear picture of the available options, and the costs and benefits of each. The company survived the threat.
From Conflict to Agreed Strategy
Members of the senior leadership team of this large IT company had been in conflict about the direction the company should take and specifically shifting the balance from products towards service based operations. Fractal ran a two day ‘Congruence’ workshop with around 30 of the senior team and rising young managers. Over the two days the group debated a series of themes in parallel and emerged with a consolidated and coherent position on the way forward that everyone had agreed to.
Developing Strategy in an IT Company
This medium sized IT company was facing a gap in its product pipeline and the threat of a catastrophic loss of its market. Fractal ran a two day ‘Congruence’ workshop with the senior management team that looked at opportunities for new markets, technology opportunities, untapped potential in the existing market, industry factors and how to manage change. The group emerged with a coherent strategy and a list of market opportunities. A year later the MD reported almost all of the decisions taken had been put into action.
Resolving Political Tensions in a Professional Body
This professional group was experiencing significant tensions as it developed and grew. A one day ‘Congruence’ workshop was run with members to agree the future direction in a way that would be acceptable to all. A plan was developed which allowed the group to first recognise and then accept its diversity of interest more readily.
Corporate Intelligence & Strategic Risk Management in an International Bank
The risk management group within a Bank’s headquarters faced a set of serious threats. Some of these were internal, some external and many were interacting, providing a complex set of problems that needed to be understood and addressed quickly. Fractal designed a ‘Congruence’ workshop that allowed all members of the team to contribute their understanding of the strategic risks and how these interacted and then to develop a holistic action plan.
Developing Strategy in a Professional Body
The regional group of a professional institute wanted to glean insights on members’ needs and interests to inform their strategy and development plan. Fractal ran a short ‘Congruence’ workshop which produced an integrated set of outcomes. These then formed the basis of the strategic development for the next two years.
