Introduction of DIENA Case Solution

The DIENA case study is a Harvard Business Review case study, which presents
a simulated practical experience to the reader allowing them to learn about real
life problems in the business world. The DIENA case consisted of a central issue
to the organization, which had to be identified, analysed and creative solutions
had to be drawn to tackle the issue. This paper presents the solved DIENA case
analysis and case solution. The method through which the analysis is done is
mentioned, followed by the relevant tools used in finding the solution.
The case solution first identifies the central issue to the DIENA case study, and
the relevant stakeholders affected by this issue. This is known as the problem
identification stage. After this, the relevant tools and models are used, which
help in the case study analysis and case study solution. The tools used in
identifying the solution consist of the SWOT Analysis, Porter Five Forces
Analysis, PESTEL Analysis, VRIO analysis, Value Chain Analysis, BCG Matrix
analysis, Ansoff Matrix analysis, and the Marketing Mix analysis. The solution
consists of recommended strategies to overcome this central issue. It is a good
idea to also propose alternative case study solutions, because if the main
solution is not found feasible, then the alternative solutions could be
implemented. Lastly, a good case study solution also includes an
implementation plan for the recommendation strategies. This shows how
through a step-by-step procedure as to how the central issue can be resolved.

Problem Identification of DIENA Case

Solution
Harvard Business Review cases involve a central problem that is being faced by
the organization and these problems affect a number of stakeholders. In the
problem identification stage, the problem faced by DIENA is identified through
reading of the case. This could be mentioned at the start of the reading, the
middle or the end. At times in a case analysis, the problem may be clearly
evident in the reading of the HBR case. At other times, finding the issue is the
job of the person analysing the case. It is also important to understand what
stakeholders are affected by the problem and how. The goals of the
stakeholders and are the organization are also identified to ensure that the case
study analysis are consistent with these.

Analysis of the DIENA HBR Case Study

The objective of the case should be focused on. This is doing the DIENA Case
Solution. This analysis can be proceeded in a step-by-step procedure to ensure
that effective solutions are found.
  In the first step, a growth path of the company can be formulated that
lays down its vision, mission and strategic aims. These can usually be
developed using the company history is provided in the case. Company
history is helpful in a Business Case study as it helps one understand
what the scope of the solutions will be for the case study.
 The next step is of understanding the company; its people, their priorities
and the overall culture. This can be done by using company history. It
can also be done by looking at anecdotal instances of managers or
employees that are usually included in an HBR case study description to
give the reader a real feel of the situation.
 Lastly, a timeline of the issues and events in the case needs to be made.
Arranging events in a timeline allows one to predict the next few events
that are likely to take place. It also helps one in developing the case
study solutions. The timeline also helps in understanding the continuous
challenges that are being faced by the organisation.

SWOT analysis of DIENA

An important tool that helps in addressing the central issue of the case and
coming up with DIENA HBR case solution is the SWOT analysis.

 The SWOT analysis is a strategic management tool that lists down in the
form of a matrix, an organisation's internal strengths and weaknesses,
and external opportunities and threats. It helps in the strategic analysis of
DIENA.
 Once this listing has been done, a clearer picture can be developed in
regards to how strategies will be formed to address the main problem.
For example, strengths will be used as an advantage in solving the issue.

Therefore, the SWOT analysis is a helpful tool in coming up with the DIENA
Case Study answers. One does not need to remain restricted to using the
traditional SWOT analysis, but the advanced TOWS matrix or weighted average
SWOT analysis can also be used.

Porter Five Forces Analysis for DIENA

Another helpful tool in finding the case solutions is of Porter's Five Forces
analysis. This is also a strategic tool that is used to analyse the competitive
environment of the industry in which DIENA operates in. Analysis of the
industry is important as businesses do not work in isolation in real life, but are
affected by the business environment of the industry that they operate in.
Harvard Business case studies represent real-life situations, and therefore, an
analysis of the industry's competitive environment needs to be carried out to
come up with more holistic case study solutions. In Porter's Five Forces
analysis, the industry is analysed along 5 dimensions.
  These are the threats that the industry faces due to new entrants.
 It includes the threat of substitute products.
 It includes the bargaining power of buyers in the industry.
 It includes the bargaining power of suppliers in an industry.
 Lastly, the overall rivalry or competition within the industry is analysed.

This tool helps one understand the relative powers of the major players in the
industry and its overall competitive dynamics. Actionable and practical solutions
can then be developed by keeping these factors into perspective.

PESTEL Analysis of DIENA

Another helpful tool that should be used in finding the case study solutions is
the PESTEL analysis. This also looks at the external business environment of the
organisation helps in finding case study Analysis to real-life business issues as
in HBR cases.

 The PESTEL analysis particularly looks at the macro environmental factors

that affect the industry. These are the political, environmental, social,
technological, environmental and legal (regulatory) factors affecting the
industry.
 Factors within each of these 6 should be listed down, and analysis should
be made as to how these affect the organisation under question.
 These factors are also responsible for the future growth and challenges
within the industry. Hence, they should be taken into consideration when
coming up with the DIENA case solution.

VRIO Analysis of DIENA

This is an analysis carried out to know about the internal strengths and
capabilities of DIENA. Under the VRIO analysis, the following steps are carried
out:

 The internal resources of DIENA are listed down.

 Each of these resources are assessed in terms of the value it brings to the
organization.
 Each resource is assessed in terms of how rare it is. A rare resource is
one that is not commonly used by competitors.
 Each resource is assessed whether it could be imitated by competition
easily or not.
 Lastly, each resource is assessed in terms of whether the organization
can use it to an advantage or not.

The analysis done on the 4 dimensions; Value, Rareness, Imitability, and

Organization. If a resource is high on all of these 4, then it brings long-term
competitive advantage. If a resource is high on Value, Rareness, and Imitability,
then it brings an unused competitive advantage. If a resource is high on Value
and Rareness, then it only brings temporary competitive advantage. If a
resource is only valuable, then it’s a competitive parity. If it’s none, then it can
be regarded as a competitive disadvantage.

Value Chain Analysis of DIENA

The Value chain analysis of DIENA helps in identifying the activities of an
organization, and how these add value in terms of cost reduction and
differentiation. This tool is used in the case study analysis as follows:

 The firm’s primary and support activities are listed down.

 Identifying the importance of these activities in the cost of the product
and the differentiation they produce.
 Lastly, differentiation or cost reduction strategies are to be used for each
of these activities to increase the overall value provided by these
activities.

Recognizing value creating activities and enhancing the value that they create
allow DIENA to increase its competitive advantage.

BCG Matrix of DIENA

The BCG Matrix is an important tool in deciding whether an organization should
invest or divest in its strategic business units. The matrix involves placing the
strategic business units of a business in one of four categories; question marks,
stars, dogs and cash cows. The placement in these categories depends on the
relative market share of the organization and the market growth of these
strategic business units. The steps to be followed in this analysis is as follows:

 Identify the relative market share of each strategic business unit.

 Identify the market growth of each strategic business unit.
 Place these strategic business units in one of four categories. Question
Marks are those strategic business units with high market share and low
market growth rate. Stars are those strategic business units with high
market share and high market growth rate. Cash Cows are those strategic
business units with high market share and low market growth rate. Dogs
are those strategic business units with low market share and low growth
rate.
 Relevant strategies should be implemented for each strategic business
unit depending on its position in the matrix.
The strategies identified from the DIENA BCG matrix and included in the case
pdf. These are either to further develop the product, penetrate the market,
develop the market, diversification, investing or divesting.

Ansoff Matrix of DIENA

Ansoff Matrix is an important strategic tool to come up with future strategies for
DIENA in the case solution. It helps decide whether an organization should
pursue future expansion in new markets and products or should it focus on
existing markets and products.

 The organization can penetrate into existing markets with its existing
products. This is known as market penetration strategy.
 The organization can develop new products for the existing market. This
is known as product development strategy.
 The organization can enter new markets with its existing products. This is
known as market development strategy.
 The organization can enter into new markets with new products. This is
known as a diversification strategy.

The choice of strategy depends on the analysis of the previous tools used and
the level of risk the organization is willing to take.

Marketing Mix of DIENA

DIENA needs to bring out certain responses from the market that it targets. To
do so, it will need to use the marketing mix, which serves as a tool in helping
bring out responses from the market. The 4 elements of the marketing mix are
Product, Price, Place and Promotions. The following steps are required to carry
out a marketing mix analysis and include this in the case study analysis.

 Analyse the company’s products and devise strategies to improve the

product offering of the company.
 Analyse the company’s price points and devise strategies that could be
based on competition, value or cost.
 Analyse the company’s promotion mix. This includes the advertisement,
public relations, personal selling, sales promotion, and direct marketing.
Strategies will be devised which makes use of a few or all of these
elements.
 Analyse the company’s distribution and reach. Strategies can be devised
to improve the availability of the company’s products.

DIENA Blue Ocean Strategy

The strategies devised and included in the DIENA case memo should have a
blue ocean strategy. A blue ocean strategy is a strategy that involves firms
seeking uncontested market spaces, which makes the competition of the
company irrelevant. It involves coming up with new and unique products or
ideas through innovation. This gives the organization a competitive advantage
over other firms, unlike a red ocean strategy.

Competitors analysis of DIENA

The PESTEL analysis discussed previously looked at the macro environmental
factors affecting business, but not the microenvironmental factors. One of the
microenvironmental factors are competitors, which are addressed by a
competitor analysis. The Competitors analysis of DIENA looks at the direct and
indirect competitors within the industry that it operates in.

 This involves a detailed analysis of their actions and how these would
affect the future strategies of DIENA.
 It involves looking at the current market share of the company and its
competitors.
 It should compare the marketing mix elements of competitors, their
supply chain, human resources, financial strength etc.
 It also should look at the potential opportunities and threats that these
competitors pose on the company.

Organisation of the Analysis into DIENA Case

Study Solution
Once various tools have been used to analyse the case, the findings of this
analysis need to be incorporated into practical and actionable solutions. These
solutions will also be the DIENA case answers. These are usually in the form of
strategies that the organisation can adopt. The following step-by-step procedure
can be used to organise the Harvard Business case solution and
recommendations:

 The first step of the solution is to come up with a corporate level strategy
for the organisation. This part consists of solutions that address issues
faced by the organisation on a strategic level. This could include
suggestions, changes or recommendations to the company's vision,
mission and its strategic objectives. It can include recommendations on
how the organisation can work towards achieving these strategic
objectives. Furthermore, it needs to be explained how the stated
recommendations will help in solving the main issue mentioned in the
case and where the company will stand in the future as a result of these.
 The second step of the solution is to come up with a business level
strategy. The HBR case studies may present issues faced by a part of the
 organisation. For example, the issues may be stated for marketing and
the role of a marketing manager needs to be assumed. So,
recommendations and suggestions need to address the strategy of the
marketing department in this case. Therefore, the strategic objectives of
this business unit (Marketing) will be laid down in the solutions and
recommendations will be made as to how to achieve these objectives.
Similar would be the case for any other business unit or department such
as human resources, finance, IT etc. The important thing to note here is
that the business level strategy needs to be aligned with the overall
corporate strategy of the organisation. For example, if one suggests the
organisation to focus on differentiation for competitive advantage as a
corporate level strategy, then it can't be recommended for the DIENA
Case Study Solution that the business unit should focus on costs.
 The third step is not compulsory but depends from case to case. In some
HBR case studies, one may be required to analyse an issue at a
department. This issue may be analysed for a manager or employee as
well. In these cases, recommendations need to be made for these people.
The solution may state that objectives that these people need to achieve
and how these objectives would be achieved.

The case study analysis and solution, and DIENA case answers should be
written down in the DIENA case memo, clearly identifying which part shows
what. The DIENA case should be in a professional format, presenting points
clearly that are well understood by the reader.

Alternate solution to the DIENA HBR

case study
It is important to have more than one solution to the case study. This is the
alternate solution that would be implemented if the original proposed solution is
found infeasible or impossible due to a change in circumstances. The alternate
solution for DIENA is presented in the same way as the original solution, where
it consists of a corporate level strategy, business level strategy and other
recommendations.

Implementation of DIENA Case Solution

The case study does not end at just providing recommendations to the issues at
hand. One is also required to provide how these recommendations would be
implemented. This is shown through a proper implementation framework. A
detailed implementation framework helps in distinguishing between an average
and an above average case study answer. A good implementation framework
shows the proposed plan and how the organisations' resources would be used to
achieve the objectives. It also lays down the changes needed to be made as
well as the assumptions in the process.

 A proper implementation framework shows that one has clearly

understood the case study and the main issue within it.
 It shows that one has been clarified with the HBR fundamentals on the
topic.
 It shows that the details provided in the case have been properly
analysed.
 It shows that one has developed an ability to prioritise recommendations
and how these could be successfully implemented.
 The implementation framework also helps by removing out any
recommendations that are not practical or actionable as these could not
be implemented. Therefore, the implementation framework ensures that
the solution to the DIENA Harvard case is complete and properly
answered.

Recommendations and Action Plan for

DIENA case analysis
For DIENA, based on the SWOT Analysis, Porter Five Forces Analysis, PESTEL
Analysis, VRIO analysis, Value Chain Analysis, BCG Matrix analysis, Ansoff
Matrix analysis, and the Marketing Mix analysis, the recommendations and
action plan are as follows:

 DIENA should focus on making use of its strengths identified from the
VRIO analysis to make the most of the opportunities identified from the
PESTEL.
 DIENA should enhance the value creating activities within its value chain.
 DIENA should invest in its stars and cash cows, while getting rid of the
dogs identified from the BCG Matrix analysis.
 To achieve its overall corporate and business level objectives, it should
make use of the marketing mix tools to obtain desired results from its
target market.