HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeStrategyback to Research & KnowledgeRyanair: Defying gravityback to Strategy

Case Study

Ryanair: Defying gravity

21 pages

December 2005

Reference: IMD-3-1633

Ryanair was the pioneer of low cost flying in Europe. As the result of a series of marketing innovations and stringent control of costs it enjoyed a decade of rapid and profitable growth. By 2004 it had become the most profitable airline in the world (in terms of percentage operating profit). However, it faced intense competition from a variety of traditional, charter and other low-cost carriers. In September 2004 its larger archrival, easyJet, announced that it was going to begin flying into Ryanair’s home market. Michael O’Leary and his management team had to decide how to respond to this provocative move.

Keywords

Innovation, Marketing Strategy, Competition, Pricing, Airline, General Management

Settings

Europe
Ryanair
October 2004

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note

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

Best-selling Case Study

Keep reading

Case Study

TBC Group: Future proofing a history of success

Strategy Digital Growth

By Goutam Challagalla, Francis D. Kim and Philip Charles Zerrillo

Case Study

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

Strategy General Management Global Business

By Niccolò Pisani, Elham Pazirandeh-Micol, Karine Richard, Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham

Article

How to master the 6 skills of strategic thinking

Are you struggling to lead successfully in the face of relentless disruption and uncertainty? Now’s the time to master the art of strategic thinking, starting with these six key skills.

Strategy Disruption

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

4 February 2025

Article

Are stakeholders making or breaking your strategy?

An easy-to-use tool can help executives assess and manage the impact of stakeholders on the creation and destruction of value.

Stakeholder Management Strategy

By Paul Strebel, Angeliki Papasava and Patrick Reinmoeller

in I by IMD

Article

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

Assortment optimization presents a complex challenge for retailers, as it depends on numerous decision factors. Changes in assortment can result in demand redistribution with multi-layered consequences. This complexity is even more pronounced for ...

General Management

By Andrey Vasilyev, Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert

in European Journal of Operational Research

3 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Article

Publishing quantitative research in EMJ: Some editorial guidelines and recommendations

At the European Management Journal (EMJ), our mission is to publish manuscripts that challenge “the status quo through critically informed empirical and theoretical investigations, and present the latest thinking and innovative research on major m...

General Management

By Andreas Strobl, Anabel Fernández-Mesa, Ivan Miroshnychenko, Peren Özturan and Pawel Korzynski

in European Management Journal

February 2025, vol. 43, no.1, pp. 2-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2025.01.001

Article

Navigating Luxury’s New Reality - Krug - Manuel Reman

Manuel Reman combines Krug’s tradition with innovation, prioritizing authenticity and sustainability to keep the champagne house relevant in evolving times.

Leadership Luxury Strategy Sustainability

By Stéphane J. G. Girod

in I by IMD

CO-RO (B): Weathering the storm

By Omar Toulan and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2640 ©2025

Summary

Case B describes the unprecedented challenges faced by CO-RO in 2020. The implementation of the sugar tax in its largest Middle Eastern market led to a near 50% volume drop in CO-RO’s sales, and Covid-19 lockdowns impacted the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in particular. These events led to a dramatic drop in net sales and gross profit, forcing CO-RO to re-evaluate its growth strategy and implement cost-saving measures. By 2022, CO-RO faced further challenges with global supply chain disruptions and inflation due to the war in Ukraine. This required strategic decisions to stabilize and ensure future growth amid ongoing external pressures.

Reference IMD-7-2640

Organization CO-RO Group

Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Browse all topics

CO-RO (A): Storm clouds forming

By Omar Toulan and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2590 ©2025

Summary

The CO-RO Group is a manufacturer of fruit-based still drinks, concentrates and ambient ice (home-freeze popsicles) headquartered in Denmark. Although production takes place in Denmark, most of its products are sold internationally, with the company relying on long-term local partners to convert and market the finished products. Historically, the company focused on markets in which fruit-based drinks were rare, which led to steady growth in line with GDP and population increases; 70% of sales and 80% of profits came from the Middle East. Set between 2015 and 2019, Case A describes the company’s “Shape for Growth” strategy, which aimed to reduce over-reliance on key markets and resulted in new market entries and over 150 new products. This strategy also mitigated the effects of the 2014-2016 oil price crisis. However, in 2019, Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a 50% sugar tax on sweetened beverages threatened to significantly reduce market volumes.

Reference IMD-7-2590

Organization CO-RO Group

Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Browse all topics

TBC Group: Future proofing a history of success

By Goutam Challagalla Francis D. Kim and Philip Charles Zerrillo
Case reference: IMD-2651 ©2025

Summary

The case explores TBC Bank Group’s remarkable journey from a small Georgian bank to a regional leader in digital financial services across Central Asia. Founded in 1992 with just US$500 in initial capital, TBC evolved into Georgia’s largest financial institution and pioneered into digital banking. The case highlights TBC’s strategic expansion into Uzbekistan, where it rapidly built a leading digital banking ecosystem. Students will analyze TBC’s international growth approach as it transformed customer experience, leveraged technology and built a sustainable competitive advantage through product diversification, strong organizational culture and operational agility. The case explores international market entry, digital transformation and aligning strategies with local market needs, highlighting how TBC’s focus on innovation drives its regional expansion.

Reference IMD-2651

Organization TBC Bank Group

Industry Finance and Insurance, Banking

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Digital

Growth

Browse all topics

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

By Niccolò Pisani Elham Pazirandeh-Micol Karine Richard Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham
Case reference: IMD-7-2636 ©2025

Summary

The board of Nestlé S.A. announced that Anna Mohl would become the CEO of Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) — a global leader in nutritional science — on 1 January 2024. She was delighted to hear about her new position but knew there was little time to celebrate. The pressure was on her to make timely strategic decisions to navigate some operating challenges while future-proofing the business for years to come. As Anna sat at her desk and looked out the large window, she began reflecting on how NHSc had grown under her predecessor, Greg Behar, who was instrumental in expanding it into new markets and establishing it as a well-known player in nutritional health solutions. Anna’s dilemmas boiled down to four main questions: Should the company choose organic or inorganic growth? What about market expansion and exploring potential outside North America? How to ensure continued product innovation via research and development (R&D) and potential acquisitions? Finally, how best to align sustainability goals with financial performance? And, of course, expectations were high and a lot was at stake. Anna was aware that the journey ahead would not be easy, but she was ready to tackle the challenges head-on, steering the company towards long-term success.

Reference IMD-7-2636

Organization Nestlé Health Science

Industry Healthcare, Health and Medical Services;Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

General Management

Global Business

Browse all topics

Optimizing omnichannel assortments and inventory provisions under the multichannel attraction model

By Andrey Vasilyev Sebastian Maier and Ralf W. Seifert
in European Journal of Operational Research 3 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

General Management

Browse all topics

Publishing quantitative research in EMJ: Some editorial guidelines and recommendations

By Andreas Strobl Anabel Fernández-Mesa Ivan Miroshnychenko Peren Özturan and Pawel Korzynski
in European Management Journal February 2025, vol. 43, no.1, pp. 2-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2025.01.001

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

General Management

Browse all topics

Navigating Luxury’s New Reality - Krug - Manuel Reman

By Stéphane J. G. Girod
in I by IMD

Summary

Manuel Reman combines Krug’s tradition with innovation, prioritizing authenticity and sustainability to keep the champagne house relevant in evolving times.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Luxury

Strategy

Sustainability

Browse all topics