Each year, EFMD celebrates influential contributions to management development through the Case Writing Competition. The 2023 edition showcased a remarkable array of winning cases from diverse industries. To delve deeper into the stories behind these achievements, we spoke with the winners about their motivations, inspirations, and the challenges they overcame.

In this interview, we feature Niccolo Pisani from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), the winner of the “Continuous Improvement: The Journey to Excellence” category.

“Future-proofing HEINEKEN: The EverGreen strategy”

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share your academic or professional background?

I was born and raised in Italy, although I spent most of the past twenty years abroad. Since 2020, I have been a professor of strategy and international business at IMD, in Switzerland. Prior to joining IMD, I was a tenured associate professor at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. I started my academic journey pursuing a PhD in Management at IESE Business School, in Spain.

What inspired you to develop this particular case study?

What really captured my interest was the opportunity to examine the launch of HEINEKEN’s new strategy – EverGreen – which occurred at a pivotal moment in the company’s recent history. It was launched in 2021, amid a global pandemic, and led by the new CEO, Dolf van den Brink, who had taken up the reins after Jean-François van Boxmeer’s 15-year tenure. To me, this represented a truly unique opportunity to write a case on what it takes to launch an ambitious, all-encompassing strategy for sustainable growth in the midst of a crisis and right after a leadership transition.

What are the primary learning objectives you hope to convey through your case study, and how did you design the case to achieve these outcomes?

The case has three main learning objectives. First, discussing and working through the case helps learners to better understand how macro-level factors shape the external environment and thus play an important role in the design of a company’s multi-year strategy; second, it helps them to think holistically about how to approach the formulation of a strategy; third, it supports them in exploring strategy in an environment characterized by a high degree of uncertainty and helps them to understand how to identify strategic priorities that have implications for both the short and long term. To ensure the achievement of these outcomes, the case is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the situation prior to the launch of the strategy; the second part provides a detailed description of the strategy itself, while the third part informs the reader about what happened in the first two years of the strategy’s implementation.

How did you incorporate innovative elements or perspectives in your case study?

HEINEKEN is not just an iconic brand; it provides an ideal setting to discuss how companies formulate their strategies to drive growth in a fast-changing world, as well as the need to continue challenging themselves to adapt and expand beyond their core to stay ahead of the competition. I would say that a relevant perspective of the case is its explicit emphasis on the multi-dimensionality of the factors contributing to the design of a company’s strategy, in this case, for HEINEKEN.

How do you hope your case study will impact future learners and educators in your field?

I have used the case in a variety of programmes at IMD, and participants’ reactions have been great. The case provides several different angles for teaching it and enables learners to derive many important learnings. I hope other educators will also find it a valuable case that helps them engage in insightful discussions with their students on topics that are very relevant in today’s environment. Moreover, the case touches on fundamental changes reshaping not only the beer industry but also a number of other industries – such as digital, sustainability, and the blurring of categories.

The Sponsor’s Commentary

The category “Continuous Improvement: The Journey to Excellence” 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:

How does sponsoring a category in the EFMD Case Writing Competition align with your institution’s core values and mission?

Sponsoring a category in the EFMD Case Writing Competition aligns with The Case Centre’s mission as the independent home of the case method. By supporting this competition, we contribute to the development of high-quality educational materials that foster critical thinking and practical problem-solving skills among students globally. This sponsorship reflects our commitment to advancing the case method worldwide, sharing knowledge, wisdom and experience to inspire and transform business education across the globe and creating a platform where innovative ideas and best practices can be shared and celebrated.

Reflecting on the winning case and its contributions, what has been your institution’s learning experience from being involved in this competition?

Reflecting on the winning case, The Case Centre has gained valuable insights into emerging trends and challenges in the business world. The competition highlights the importance of integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications, enhancing our message to institutions across the globe in how case studies can be used as powerful teaching tools and have an incredible impact on developing vital employability skills in students to be our future managers and leaders.

In terms of content and pedagogical approach, what innovative or original aspects do you believe the winning case of the Continuous Improvement category brought to the competition?

The winning case in the “Continuous Improvement” category brought several innovative and original aspects to the competition. Its content was deeply rooted in contemporary business practices, presenting a real-life scenario that resonated with current industry challenges such as rising costs, global inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and rapidly changing consumer expectations. The case offered a holistic learning experience, demonstrating how an organisation can remain highly adaptive and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment while simultaneously creating long-term sustainable value for stakeholders. Additionally, the inclusion of a video trailer enhancing student engagement.

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 Latin American Business Cases. 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 2023 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.