HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeMarketingback to Research & KnowledgeSemi-submersible heavy-lift transport (E): Dockwiseback to Marketing

Case Study

Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (E): Dockwise

By Jean-Pierre Jeannet and Inna Francis

19 pages

December 2005

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-5-0695

This is the 5th case of a series, taking place in September of 2005. The case focuses on the role of John Nielsen, recently appointed to the board of Dockwise, the global leader in the semi-submersible heavy lift transportation business. After the acquisition of the Norwegian competitor OHT (see D case), Dockwise is looking at changed circumstances given the heavy turmoil in the market for oil (highest prices reached with more than $60 per barrel) and the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. Another new entrant has announced the intention of building new semi-submersible heavy lift ships through conversion of older tonnage, and rejuvenation of the tug-barge combination through a new generation of ocean-going tugs. The case puts the reader in the role of John Nielsen who must advice to Dockwise given the new and changed circumstances.

Keywords

Market Assessment, Defining Position, New Entry Strategy, Board of Directors Role, Global Turmoil, Market Leadership, Opportunity Assessment, Competitive Analysis, New Entrant, Shipping

Settings

World/global
Logistics and Supply Chain, Shipping
2005

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

This case study is part of a series

Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (A): Jan-Erik Dyvi Shipowners
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (B): Jan-Erik Dyvi Shipowners
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (C): Offshore heavy transport
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (D): Offshore heavy transport
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (E): Dockwise

This case study is part of a series

Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (A): Jan-Erik Dyvi Shipowners
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (B): Jan-Erik Dyvi Shipowners
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (C): Offshore heavy transport
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (D): Offshore heavy transport
Semi-submersible heavy-lift transport (E): Dockwise

Keep reading

Article

Marketing to women: Four tips for avoiding pitfalls

More than 80% of purchases are made by women. But reaching, interacting with, and converting female consumers is a challenge for most companies. You can get through the maze of marketing to women by using these four guidelines.

Culture wars: creating ‘buzz’ without being branded a failure

While it’s tempting for business leaders to think they can safely navigate a divisive cultural and political landscape, it’s a fool’s errand.

Branding Marketing

By Philip Thomas

in I by IMD

Case Study

Should Unilever pivot from being purpose-led?

Strategy Marketing Purpose Sustainability Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

By Goutam Challagalla and Samaja Penumaka

Article

Euro 2024 Sponsorship - Chinese Brands

Leading Chinese companies are preparing to take advantage of exposure and opportunities as top sponsors and suppliers to the UEFA EURO 2024 Men’s Soccer Tournament (Euro 24) — played by European teams thousands of kilometers away from China. 

Competitiveness Innovation Strategy China Future Readiness Marketing

By Mark J. Greeven and Howard H. Yu

in I by IMD

5 June 2024

Article

A marketing playbook for sustainable products

Marketing campaigns for sustainable offerings often fail, leaving businesses with products that do not sell. How can companies reach customers more effectively?

Sustainability Strategy Marketing

By Goutam Challagalla and Frédéric Dalsace

in I by IMD

7 May 2024

Case Study

Nespresso: Strategy reset for growth: The youth market (Abridged)

Nespresso, the global leading brand in portioned coffee, is facing an existential threat. The company’s current market base, which consists primarily of aging consumers, is likely to decline in the medium to long term. To compensate for the certai...

Marketing Strategy Sustainability

By Kamran Kashani and Goutam Challagalla

Article

How AI gives Taobao’s one billion customers the personal touch

Chris Tung is President of Strategic Development at Chinese e-commerce multinational Alibaba Group. He tells Amit Joshi how the company is integrating AI to optimize its customer experience.

Artificial Intelligence Customer Centricity Marketing

By Amit M. Joshi

in I by IMD

16 April 2024

Article

How to market sustainable products: Three paths to success

Many companies overestimate customers’ appetite for sustainable products, flooding the market with offerings that don’t sell. The reality is, social and environmental benefits have less impact on purchasing decisions than basic product attributes ...

Sustainability Global Business Marketing Customer Centricity

By Goutam Challagalla and Frédéric Dalsace

in Harvard Business Review

March-April 2024, vol. 102, issue 2, pp. 80-87

Case Study

Thales: Digital sales enablement with ContentFlix

Digital Transformation Business to Business Marketing Strategy

By Didier Bonnet, Michael R. Wade and Lisa Simone Duke

Case Study

Revier Brand Group, LLC: Will its “sustainability and consistency” brand positioning pay off?

The CEO of Revier Cattle Company, Tom Revier, had been an innovator in sustainable farming and humane livestock practices for over two decades. He and his partner Paul Hillen are considering whether they should launch a branded differentiated prod...

Sustainability Marketing

By Goutam Challagalla, Philip Charles Zerrillo and Raghu Batta

Should Unilever pivot from being purpose-led?

By Goutam Challagalla and Samaja Penumaka
Case reference: IMD-7-2578 ©2024

Summary

The case study delves into strategic transformation and leadership transitions at Unilever since 2009. Unilever has been an industry leader of business sustainability. Paul Polman was a pioneer who introduced the idea that, by addressing social and environmental problems, a company can unlock new growth opportunities. Polman launched a 10-year Sustainable Living Plan with three objectives: to enhance health and well-being, livelihoods and environmental sustainability. Alan Jope followed in Polman’s path and launched a novel plan for the new decade called The Unilever Compass, focused on sustainability. Unilever took a strategic turn during Jope’s tenure and asked the brands to use their products to solve social issues. He called this “purpose-led branding,” which confused investors. They believed social branding would take the company’s focus away from growth. Tensions were high at Unilever and resulted in a change in leadership. The company wants to focus on growth, which raises questions about the future of corporate sustainability at Unilever.

Reference IMD-7-2578

Organization Unilever

Industry Consumer Goods

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Marketing

Purpose

Sustainability

Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

Browse all topics

Euro 2024 Sponsorship - Chinese Brands

By Mark J. Greeven and Howard H. Yu
in I by IMD 5 June 2024

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Competitiveness

Innovation

Strategy

China

Future Readiness

Marketing

Browse all topics

A marketing playbook for sustainable products

By Goutam Challagalla and Frédéric Dalsace
in I by IMD 7 May 2024

Summary

Marketing campaigns for sustainable offerings often fail, leaving businesses with products that do not sell. How can companies reach customers more effectively?

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Strategy

Marketing

Browse all topics

How AI gives Taobao’s one billion customers the personal touch

By Amit M. Joshi
in I by IMD 16 April 2024

Summary

Chris Tung is President of Strategic Development at Chinese e-commerce multinational Alibaba Group. He tells Amit Joshi how the company is integrating AI to optimize its customer experience.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Artificial Intelligence

Customer Centricity

Marketing

Browse all topics

How to market sustainable products: Three paths to success

By Goutam Challagalla and Frédéric Dalsace
in Harvard Business Review March-April 2024, vol. 102, issue 2, pp. 80-87

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Global Business

Marketing

Customer Centricity

Browse all topics

Thales: Digital sales enablement with ContentFlix

By Didier Bonnet Michael R. Wade and Lisa Simone Duke
Case reference: IMD-7-2460 ©2024

Summary

The case explores the efforts of Hamilton Mann, Group VP, Global Digital Marketing & Digital Transformation at Thales, to build a sales enablement platform as part of Thales’ larger digital transformation. “ContentFlix” aimed to be a one-stop sales enablement platform bringing together content for presentations and sales pitches and integrating solutions from across the business. Thales’ key account teams were used to operating in silos and via face-to-face interactions. Similarly, marketing and sales were distant and did not work together as effectively and seamlessly as they could. ContentFlix was intended to break down those silos and encourage collaboration between the company’s different businesses and marketing and sales teams. Mann’s team had launched ContentFlix quietly, tackling each implementation challenge as it came, and adoption had been steady. The Covid pandemic changed everything. Enforced lockdowns meant that remote cooperation between units became the only way to do business. The platform’s adoption accelerated beyond Mann’s expectations and continued to grow post-pandemic. The case explores how the team planned the platform, supported its rollout across Thales and continued to build it throughout the pandemic and beyond. The case explores in rich detail the obstacles and challenges as well as the successes Mann and his team face. The case closes with the rise of generative AI (GenAI). The team starts to consider where GenAI could enhance ContentFlix. What possibilities were there to take the platform to its next stage of development?

Reference IMD-7-2460

Organization Thales

Industry Manufacturing;Information Technology, Information Services;Manufacturing, Aerospace and Defense

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Digital Transformation

Business to Business

Marketing

Strategy

Browse all topics

Revier Brand Group, LLC: Will its “sustainability and consistency” brand positioning pay off?

By Goutam Challagalla Philip Charles Zerrillo and Raghu Batta
Case reference: IMD-7-2170 ©2023

Summary

Reference IMD-7-2170

Organization Revier Cattle Company

Industry Food Production, Ranching

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Sustainability

Marketing

Browse all topics