CBS Case Competition 2007
48 elite students from all over the world have just been informed that they will be working with LEGO for 32 hours.
Danish treasure with turbulent past
LEGO is a Danish treasure with a turbulent past. Previous big economical losses have meant that the company’s survival was not to be taken for granted. However things are looking better; LEGO has just presented its annual report for 2006 and there is improvement on all economical levels. LEGO has gone from focusing on survival to focusing on profitability and the initiatives in this department are now proving effective. Further strategic, structural and operational initiatives are in place or planned – initiatives that are critical for the future success LEGO.
Students’ challenge:
To prove that they understand the company’s current situation and that they can analyze the initiatives to be implemented in order to ensure profitability – and not least that they can deliver a convincing presentation.
The international students are dealing with an international business – a company that competes with the biggest in the field some of which are five times the size of LEGO. This provides substantial challenges with regard the relativity of the production. As if the company’s own challenges alone were not enough the toy business is an extremely competitive business to deal with. The target group is decreasing, the industry consists of many players each with relatively small market shares and the competitors are pressuring LEGO on every front.
How can LEGO go from better to best in 32 hours?
12 esteemed business schools from all over the world – including a team from Copenhagen Business School – have each sent four students to Copenhagen this week. The challenge for these 48 highly motivated students is great. How can LEGO go from better to best in 32 hours? The theme for CBS Case Competition is Leveraging Novelty. Even though the seeds are planted for future success it is critical that LEGO comes up with something new and innovative and seriously utilizes the strength of this brand in order to be a success story – while at the same time keeping the basic values and key competences in mind.
It is kick off for the 48 elite students. In the next 12 hours it will be revealed who has understood LEGO’s situation and challenges, created an innovative, realistic strategy and presented it in a convincing manner.
The participants have from Wednesday, February 28th at 9 am till Thursday, March 1st at 5 pm to work out their solution. Friday, March 2nd before noon all teams will present their solutions before a panel of 15 judges. From 2 pm three finalists will present their solutions for the team of judges– which includes representatives of the board and business development of LEGO. The judges consist of a mix of managers from Danish and international companies - Thomas Thune Andersen, Partner and Executive Board Member, A.P. Moller-Maersk, Axel Henriques, Head of Corporate Banking in Nordea Bank Denmark and Bill Hoover, Director in McKinsey & Company, as well as leading academics, among them Gideon Kunda, Tel Aviv University.
See the entire program as well as live web cast on www.casecompetition.com
For further information please contact the case group: Bjørn Ruwald (4053 0301), Thomas Joachim Hansen (4050 7535) or Christoffer Husted Rasmussen (4098 2458)
The participants have from Wednesday, February 28th at 9 am till Thursday, March 1st at 5 pm to work out their solution. Friday, March 2nd before noon all teams will present their solutions before a panel of 15 judges. From 2 pm three finalists will present their solutions for the team of judges– which includes representatives of the board and business development of LEGO. The judges consist of a mix of managers from Danish and international companies - Thomas Thune Andersen, Partner and Executive Board Member, A.P. Moller-Maersk, Axel Henriques, Head of Corporate Banking in Nordea Bank Denmark and Bill Hoover, Director in McKinsey & Company, as well as leading academics, among them Gideon Kunda, Tel Aviv University.
See the entire program as well as live web cast on www.casecompetition.com
For further information please contact the case group: Bjørn Ruwald (4053 0301), Thomas Joachim Hansen (4050 7535) or Christoffer Husted Rasmussen (4098 2458)