A STRATEGY FOR E-TYPES

Case study for the Coursera course Strategy Management by the Copenhagen Business
School.

CONTEXT

E-Types is a design firm based in Copenhagen with an expanding potential international growing.
Since its foundation it bases its corporative vision on the premise ”Smash the world”. This extremely
revolutionary company has emerged as a profitable, ambitious and successful firm acquiring several
small firms, thus, ratifying its competitive advantages, unique resources and capabilities, different
proposals and distinctive prestige.
So, e-Types identity is differentiation, the identification of a challenge, to dig deeper into the client's
soul, and achieve a purpose beyond the norms and generality. That makes it its principal
sustainable competitive advantage and strategy perspective.

GOING FORWARD….

The growth of the firm is clearly stated from its remarkable position gained in the market. e-Types
should focus its strategy on a value creation model of innovation and differentiation. A strategy that
is certainly aimed at the future, concerns the long term plan, and involves the different facets that
characterize e-Types’ identity. Competition is always a factor to have in mind, but it would be a
mistake to develop strategies only aimed at competitors. The strategies should also take into account
the organizational culture, sense of belonging, commitment, and evolution within the firm and among
its members.
It shall continuously strive to adapt and influence its position through effective communication to
push the company towards the same basis in order to offer the client the searched meaning of design
with the desired added value. The sustainable competitive advantage should involve all the areas of
the organization and evolve with its vision. The final stage of the company’s strategic plan is reaching
the differentiation, high-profit margin on a bigger production scale with a bigger participation in the
world market sharing.

Strategy State Background

Strategy state can and should be partitioned into 6 different states. Strategy Implementation is
defined as:
The activity performed according to a plan in order to achieve an overall goal. For example,
strategic implementation within a business context might involve developing and then executing a
new marketing plan to help increase sales of the company’s products to consumers.

• Goal and metrics, performance management systems.

• Organizational structure

• Communication

• Resistance and risk

• Culture

• Power and informal networks

e-Types formulates a corporate strategy with a unique ingredient, by incorporating an edgy design
to drive a competitive advantage. Designing unique logos and items helps drive competition but
can garnish modern probability from traditional designs.

Strategy to be implemented

State of strategies to be implemented for e-Types are focused on 3 different states. 1)

Organizational Structure; 2) Resistance and risk; 3) Communication.

1. Organizational Structure:

e-Types should create an organizational structure that focuses heavily on collaboration between
each of its unique design firms (e-types studio;e-types digital; e-types daily;playtype) A
decentralize organizational model would work best within this design consultancy.
By using a decentralized organizational structure you would allow each VP to interpenetrate and
implement the message of the central board and CEO to the individual design firms.

The expected state is to incorporate a unique approach to individual growth, within each design
firm, while maintaining a profitable margin within the conglomerate. While each VP should handle
all business functions within the design firm the CEO will drive the culture and direction of the
conglomerate.

Within each separate firm, the team within the selected firm will be focused on driving results for its
own segment. This will also be given a chance to collaborate with other firms while not effecting the
momentum of said firm.
Each separate firm will also implement firm culture within the conglomerate to minimize the risk of
resistance to change when implementing new tactics and organizational directions.

E-Types should focus on driving segments within each firm, such segments should include sales
team, a research team, design team, and engineering team. Within all of these segments, they
should encourage a flat structure to allow segmented collaboration.

2. Communications

e-Types should create a communication strategy based on the external image of the company and
its necessity to be clear and consistent. All employees need to be informed about the scope and
importance of their role. Vision and status of the company is frequently shared and everyone
assumes their responsibility towards it. Better decision making in project selection and better
integrations of newly acquired firms will ensure E-Types of the continuity of business growth it
seeks.
All employees should be updated on organizational culture and changes on a regular basis such as
town hall meetings. This will once again prevent Resistance to Change and Risk while highlighting
the success of individuals and segmented firms within the conglomerate. Communication should
be open in regards to new design trends and outlook on a regular basis as well.
By having a transparent communication strategy and tool it will help the culture of the organization
to a) minimize the Resistance to Change and Risk. b) Drive a collaboration culture between each
said firm.
Allow the individual to be self-critical, e-Types should implement new communities within each
segment to drive culture growth and open communication with collaboration. A per review system
should be in place to encourage top talent and results while driving down any convoluted
conversation. Having a transparent system in place will help implement coherent organization.

3. Goals and Metrics

The fulfillment of the planned goals would allow the growth and sustainability of the company. In
this way, it is essential to use metrics to establish progress and difficulties, to design structured
KPIs which drive the integral operation towards the achievement of objectives.

Improve cost structure and revenue opportunities Enhance customer relationships both in
edgy/modern and traditional design contexts.

E-Types should be clear about its objectives with regards on the level of competitive market
positioning under the proposed differentiation strategy and efficiently utilization of human talent in
all areas of the company.

5% raised revenue from existing customers

5% revenue raise for both new products and customers
Positive feedback from projects of customers.
Concentrating efforts to acquire premium clients Implement shareholders coordination and tools
Implement e-TYPES open survey portfolio system.
Assign responsibility for survey operations to e-TYPES concrete unit

metric that could help a lot when making decisions is that of won bids; Likewise, the financial status
of the company and the percentage of growth in new customers must be taken into account. It is
extremely important that these metrics are aligned with the vision of the company.