Each year, the EFMD Case Writing Competition celebrates the power of storytelling in management education. The 2024 edition showcased an impressive collection of cases spanning industries, regions, and institutions, all reflecting remarkable innovation, depth, and impact.

We continue this special interview series by spotlighting the voices behind these outstanding cases and celebrating their meaningful contributions to management development.

In this interview, we are pleased to feature Philip Moscoso and Alejandro Serrano from IESE Business School, winners in the “Bringing Technology to Market” category.

‘PLD Space’

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your academic and/or professional background?

Philip: I’m Philip Moscoso, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Innovation at IESE Business School, and a Professor in the Operations, Information and Technology Department. I have completed a Service Management Program at Harvard Business School, a General Management Program (PDG) at IESE Business School, and received my M.Sc. and Doctorate in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. At IESE, I teach executives in both open-enrolment programs as well as in-company programs and master’s students in the different MBA programs of the school. My research analyses how operations excellence and innovation can generate competitive advantage for companies. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to develop my areas of interest through teaching, research projects and consulting work. I have published more than 40 articles in international journals, in conference proceedings and in business newspapers. I have also authored more than 30 teaching cases and technical notes (some of them won awards), as well as two books on operations management. I complement my scholarly work with advisory services to companies. I have worked for international consultancies as Bain & Co. and KPMG, and for over 25 years have advised clients from different industries on issues as strategy, organisation, or performance and service improvement.

Alejandro: I’m currently a Senior Lecturer in the Operations, Information and Technology Department at IESE Business School. I hold degrees in Mathematics and Industrial Engineering from the University of Zaragoza. Later, I earned my MBA from IESE and completed a Ph.D. and an M.Sc. in Supply Chain Management through the MIT-Zaragoza Logistics Program, where I spent 12 years as a professor. Before transitioning into academia, I worked for over a decade in industry, holding various supply-chain leadership roles, including Head of Logistics and Head of Production. I’m also the co-author of the MIT Press book Practical Finance for Operations and Supply Chain Management.

2. What personal or professional experiences inspired you to write this particular case?

Phillip: I first met the President of PLD Space while advising another company, and when I later found out he joined PLD Space, I was immediately intrigued by the story behind this venture. It reminded me of what I had read about how SpaceX fundamentally disrupted the space industry — not only through a bold strategic shift in the business model but also by redefining the operations model. What particularly fascinated me was how a company like SpaceX managed to outperform long-established institutions like NASA in such a complex and high-stakes industry. This led me to explore whether a similar approach could take root in Europe, and how a young company like PLD Space might adapt and apply those principles in a different context.

Alejandro: When my co-author invited me to meet Ezequiel, the president of PLD Space, I immediately said yes—it sounded like a promising lead. We met for lunch, and from the first moment, I was captivated by the story of the company. It was not only fascinating but also genuinely fun to explore. We began by asking: how can we use PLD’s journey to teach something valuable in the classroom, beyond simply telling a great story about rockets and the space industry? That question led us to identifying a couple of compelling teaching angles, and voilà—the creative process kicked off. A few weeks later, after diving into numerous documents and conducting in-depth interviews, we had a first draft. Visiting PLD’s facilities in Elche and exchanging ideas with the founders further enriched the experience. It helped us refine how we wanted to structure the class discussion. Seeing it all firsthand was deeply inspiring.

3. What story were you aiming to tell through your case, and why do you believe it resonates today?

Philip: PLD Space is the story of two young dreamers from a small Spanish town who aspired to launch rockets into space. What began as a childhood passion — building model rockets from plumbing pipes and online-sourced materials, even mixing their own fuel — grew into a bold ambition: to build and launch a real rocket into orbit. With no initial funding or industry connections, they faced countless rejections and skeptical smiles. But they persevered. Through grit, vision, and relentless determination, they not only kept their dream alive — they built a company. By 2024, PLD Space had achieved its first successful suborbital launch, secured €155 million in funding, grown to 250 employees, and operated from three major facilities. This case resonates today because it captures the essence of entrepreneurial resilience and purpose-driven innovation. It shows that even in an industry dominated by global giants, vision, persistence, and belief can turn improbable dreams into real impact — a message that feels especially relevant in today’s world of uncertainty and ambition.

Alejandro: The case focuses on two key themes. First, it explores vertical integration in operations—specifically, the decision of whether to make or buy. We unpack the criteria behind that choice and examine how PLD approached the design and manufacture of critical components from scratch. Second, the case delves into the idea of product servitisation—how a product can evolve into a service offering. Both topics are highly relevant today, and neither has a one-size-fits-all answer. But by reflecting on them through the lens of PLD, students can uncover insights that apply across industries.

4. How did working on this case challenge or shift your perspective as an educator or researcher?

Philip: Rocket science is typically seen as one of the most complex and sophisticated fields of engineering. But as I worked on this case, I realised that success in the space industry isn’t just about having the brightest minds. Like in any other sector, it ultimately comes down to developing a successful business model. That requires understanding the industry’s economics, identifying drivers of growth and profitability, and executing with discipline. What also shifted my perspective was the critical role of agility and iterative learning. Traditionally, rockets weren’t launched until every failure had been engineered out — a mindset of perfection before action. Today, while mistakes are still costly and undesirable, there’s a greater emphasis on rapid learning from failure.

Alejandro: PLD’s story is unbelievable. The odds of a startup succeeding in the aerospace industry are incredibly slim—yet here they are, 13 years later, having successfully launched a rocket into space and now preparing for the next ones. As academics, we often emphasise detailed planning, perfect team design, cost control, and well-structured strategy. But after engaging with the PLD team, I’ve become convinced that the most critical factor in building a company is having a team of smart individuals who can truly work together—leaving egos at the door. Their story is a powerful reminder of the importance of grit, humility, and shared vision.

5. If there’s one key insight or message you would like readers or students to take away from your case, what would it be?

Philip: That if an entrepreneur is truly passionate about an idea, they should pursue it with conviction — even if it seems as ambitious as reaching space. But passion alone is not enough. One of the key lessons from this case is the importance of combining vision with pragmatism: knowing when to partner with others who bring complementary skills, especially in managing and scaling a multimillion-euro business. Great ventures are rarely built alone — they require both bold dreaming and solid execution.

Alejandro: Learn the rules of the industry you want to compete in—and then, break them. Challenge the status quo. Reimagine how things can be done. Innovation often begins where the conventional path ends.

The Sponsor’s Commentary

The category “Bringing Technology to Market” is kindly judged by The Case Centre. EFMD deeply appreciates the invaluable expertise and the dedicated efforts of The Case Centre in supporting the Case Writing Competition. Vicky Lester tells us more about the winning case:

1. Could you share a brief overview of your institution?

The Case Centre is the independent home of the case method. As a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity, we are dedicated to advancing the case method worldwide, sharing knowledge, wisdom, and experience to inspire and transform business education across the globe.

Founded in 1973, The Case Centre holds and distributes the world’s largest and most diverse collection of management cases, articles, book chapters, and teaching materials. Our collections include materials from leading business schools across the globe. We also provide a range of services to support the global case community: from access to materials and distribution to recognition programmes, workshops, awards, and knowledge resources.

The case method is a cornerstone of management education, fostering critical thinking, decision-making, and real-world problem-solving skills. By ensuring educators and students have access to high-quality, accessible materials and training, we play a critical role in shaping the next generation of business leaders.

We work globally with over 1,500 academic organisations, educators, and case writers, supporting excellence in management education. Through initiatives like our Impact Index and case awards, we recognise and promote best practice in case writing and teaching, further strengthening the case community worldwide.

Our core values of passion, independence, collaboration, continuity, innovation, and support guide our work in the case community, with partners, and with each other.

2. What inspired your institution to keep supporting the EFMD Case Writing Competition?

Supporting the EFMD Case Writing Competition aligns with our mission and core values. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to recognise high-quality educational materials that are enriching business education. We hope that our contribution reflects our commitment to advancing the case method, sharing knowledge and innovative ideas, while celebrating best practices.

3. What trends or challenges in the business world make this category especially relevant right now?

4. What stood out to you most about the winning case in your sponsored category this year?

There were a number of high-quality cases to choose from this year, all well written and with teaching notes that were well-structured.

What stood out to me about the winners in each category was that they reflected what’s currently going on in our wider societal context. Bringing real-world business dilemmas into the classroom is what the case method is all about.

What’s more, the winning cases all had high-stakes dilemmas at their core that, I think, will spark discussion and get students participating.

Add to that, each winner had an opening hook that grabbed my attention straight away. Leading on to an engaging story that I quickly became invested in. If I’m reading a case and I can’t look away because I need to find out what happens next, I’m usually onto a winner.

About Sponsorship

EFMD Case Writing Competition is proud to have dedicated sponsors who drive management education towards impactful teaching and learning. Sponsoring a category allows you to showcase your institution’s expertise in the specific field of management education in the wide EFMD network. The choice of category, its exact definition and any specific conditions are the privileges of the sponsor. Sponsorships for the following categories are currently available: Bringing Technology to Market, Continuous Improvement: the Journey to Excellence, and Finance and Banking. If you are interested in sponsoring the mentioned categories or launching a new category relevant to case writing and teaching, please contact Petra Grestenbergerova at petra.grestenbergerova@efmdglobal.org.

More information about the 2024 EFMD Case Writing Competition can be found on the EFMD Case Writing Competition page. Please visit The Case Centre’s webpage to access the collection of the winning cases. See other interviews from this series.