I had the pleasure of hosting the annual Strategy&amp; Signature event in the beginning of June at Hotel Maria for our clients. This year the event provided strategy and transformation leaders with an interesting opportunity to discuss the topic of ‘Value creation, transformations and turnarounds’ with our guest speakers: Roger Flynn, a recognised CEO and experienced...

Lead with passion & tell it like it is  – Reflections from the Strategy& Signature event

Do not miss out assessing your culture as part of your strategy renewal and transformation. Just as a ship requires a seaworthy check before setting sail, evaluating your organisational culture is the crucial prelude to a successful strategy renewal and transformation. As a strategist I know that a large culture-strategy disconnect can be catastrophic. You...

Strategy renewal provides a great opportunity for assessing your culture

I decided to write about savings programs for two reasons. Firstly, they are currently very common. According to PwC’s global survey from November 2022, 42% of senior executives globally have identified cost reductions as key components of their 2023 plans. Secondly, and more importantly, because too few cost programs generate long-term value, but there are...

Lessons from Companies that Achieve Growth after Cost Programs

There are certain key steps that every software company considering international expansion should take – in addition to hiring a good consultant (and tax advisor, the correct structuring of operations is a beast!) The first thing is to consider what actually is the objective of growth? Are we following customers, seeking to boost growth as...

Unlocking International Markets – watch your steps

The world is changing faster than before, and companies need to adapt quickly. At Strategy&amp;&#8217;s event, keynote speaker Lars-Johan Jarnheimer emphasized that it is now more crucial than ever for companies to get closer to the customer. Strategy&amp; organized a networking event, &#8216;Venturing and Growth,&#8217; at Hotel Kämp in the beginning of  June. The event...

IKEA’s Lars-Johan Jarnheimer: “In the world of algorithms and AI, it is crucial to truly stay close to the customer”

I recently held a workshop on international expansion for a Finnish software company. And as a white, middle-aged male, I hold it self-evident that my opinions (oops, I meant to say evidence-based insights) carry such universal truths that they should be shared with a larger audience. Finland is fortunate to be blessed with a lively...

International expansion for software firms – what do successful families have in common

strategy-ampersand-transparentwhite-lines-uutishuone

Strategy& ampersand_transparent&white lines_Uutishuone

As part of the PwC network, Strategy& helps clients solve their issues from strategy through to execution. We do that by combining our strategy consulting expertise with the vast capabilities of the network, to help you move your business forward with confidence.

Strategy, made real

Etusivu

Verotus

Johtaminen ja vastuullisuus

Yrittäjyys

Juridiikka

Taloushallinto

Teknologia ja digitaalisuus

Strategy& -topics

Medialle

Tilaa uutiskirje

Strategy&

COVID-19 was devastating to us as a society. The pandemic also proved, once again, that necessity is often the mother of fast innovation. To put it in Spencer Johnson’s terms, we suddenly needed to accept that we were running out of cheese at our cheese station.  
During the pandemic, new ways of working and value creation needed to be created quickly to stay in business, and potentially even strive. The boom of food delivery services, home entertainment video subscriptions, and remote meeting service providers are familiar examples to us all – as are the quick pivots of restaurants into serving only take-aways, the emergence of new “lights-out restaurants” that don’t have any seats, and the plethora of new work-from-home practices.  
While global disasters such as COVID-19 spark brisk change, most change trends are much slower. We talk about the increased pace of change or rapid technological disruptions, but the majority of change is gradual. The shift to electric powertrains is a great example². Today, the play on electric seems to be clear, the question is now much more on the adoption of green hydrogen, what the future might bring – and when a hydrogen society might be a reality.  
It seems that when it comes to most change, the early adopters are always much ahead of the masses and the laggards tend to have a chance to enjoy their cheese for longer than expected. Assuming this is true – and there is research that suggest this is the case – then companies, leadership teams and individuals should embrace the opportunity to spot the unmet needs of customers and the potential changes in value creation across the value chain. 
Has the fast-paced change achieved during the last few years empowered leaders to embrace change more actively? Are we all better at searching for new cheese? The answer, in short, is yes and no. 
PwC’s newest CEO Survey showed that forty percent of global CEOs think their organisation will no longer be economically viable in ten years’ time if it continues on its current path. The surveyed CEOs feel it’s critically important for them to reinvent their businesses for the future. Although they say that they want to make bold decisions, they admit that they aren’t currently spending enough time on business reinvention. 
Spencer Johnson&#8217;s unlikely bestseller was published 25 years ago, but its key insight feels as fresh as it did the first time that I read it. The main question that everyone remembers from “Who Moved My Cheese?” is “What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?” 
When facing uncertainty, some companies aspire to stick to the status quo simply because they fear what change might entail. Waiting until you are forced to adapt to the changes in your environment is certainly an option, but not an advisable one. Take a moment to consider what might move your cheese tomorrow – or next year. What are your assumptions and how can you ensure that you are on track to reimagining your company’s place in the world?  

<hr />
[1] For those unfamiliar with the book, a quick synopsis can be found online on many sites.
[2] <a href="https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/de/en/industries/automotive/digital-auto-report.html">https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/de/en/industries/automotive/digital-auto-report.html</a>

Nothing lasts forever: start looking for new cheese

Nothing lasts forever: start looking for new cheese

Lue lisää

Lead with passion & tell it like it is – Reflections from the Strategy& Signature event

Strategy renewal provides a great opportunity for assessing your culture

Lessons from Companies that Achieve Growth after Cost Programs

Unlocking International Markets – watch your steps

Yhteyshenkilösi PwC:llä

Juuso Laatikainen

Muut lukivat myös

Lead with passion & tell it like it is – Reflections from the Strategy& Signature event

Strategy renewal provides a great opportunity for assessing your culture

Lessons from Companies that Achieve Growth after Cost Programs