This case won the Knowledge, Information and Communication Systems Management category at The Case Centre Awards and Competitions 2020. #CaseAwards2020
Who – the protagonist
Linda W. Clement-Holmes, Procter & Gamble (P&G) Chief Information Officer (CIO).
What?
P&G is a leading consumer packaged goods company, regarded as a pioneer in extensively adopting big data and digitization to understand consumer behaviour.
Why?
Former Chairman and CEO, Bob McDonald, and CIO, Filippio Passerini, were responsible for the push on big data, which had resulted in P&G becoming more nimble and efficient.
However, some experts were sceptical about P&G’s obsession with digitization, and how it could slow the speed of decision making.
When?
It was in June 2015 when Linda replaced Filippio.
Where?
P&G is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, but its brands are sold worldwide.
Key quote
“Change movement is one of the biggest challenges of big data implementation. Analytics need to be integrated with processes. We had to educate and train our field force over and over again in order to make analytics a part of their daily routine.”
A head of analytics at a leading logistics company
What next?
Linda had the big responsibility of continuing and leveraging the big data initiatives started by Filippio.
In order to achieve this, a culture of data-driven decision making within the organisation needed to be implemented by the leadership team.
Linda’s job was to convince them of her vision.
Honoured
Vinod said: “I am extremely honoured to receive such a prestigious award from The Case Centre, popularly dubbed the Case Method Oscars!
“I am earnestly grateful for the recognition I have received for my effort which would not have been possible without the guidance and support of my Dean, Debapratim Purkayastha, who gave me an opportunity to associate with him in writing this case.”
Predicting the future
Debapratim commented: “Big data analytics has always been a key strategy for businesses to have a competitive edge and achieve their goals. Now, predictive analysis through big data can help predict what may occur in the future.
“The topic is very contemporary to current business trends and the case helps the students to be updated with the organisational readiness to welcome latest changes in technology for better performance. The case discusses in detail how Procter & Gamble adapted the big data through different tools like Decision Cockpit and Business Sphere.”
Strategy
Vinod commented: “The case helps understands many strategic, as well as technical aspects of big data and business analytics, and how they are implemented in a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) like Procter & Gamble.
“Not only does it help understand the opportunities and challenges in implementing a big data strategy, but also the significance of accessibility to information in an organisation and how its functioning can be transformed through the availability of real-time data.
“The case enables a discussion on ways in which big data could be productively employed in an organisation in some of the key business functions.”
Debapratim added: "Educators may like using our other case, Consumer Research at Procter & Gamble: From Field Research to Agile Research, as a follow-up, as it shows how the pioneers of marketing research is now leveraging big data for agile research.
Identifying the right information
Debapratim explained: “Understanding of the concepts that are going to be taught through the case study is a prerequisite of writing a case. Finding the relevant information, and presenting the case in an understandable manner to students is also equally important.
"Most importantly, people new to case writing should work with more experienced case writers to hone their skills in case writing.”
The case
Who – the protagonist
Linda W. Clement-Holmes, Procter & Gamble (P&G) Chief Information Officer (CIO).
What?
P&G is a leading consumer packaged goods company, regarded as a pioneer in extensively adopting big data and digitization to understand consumer behaviour.
Why?
Former Chairman and CEO, Bob McDonald, and CIO, Filippio Passerini, were responsible for the push on big data, which had resulted in P&G becoming more nimble and efficient.
However, some experts were sceptical about P&G’s obsession with digitization, and how it could slow the speed of decision making.
When?
It was in June 2015 when Linda replaced Filippio.
Where?
P&G is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, but its brands are sold worldwide.
Key quote
“Change movement is one of the biggest challenges of big data implementation. Analytics need to be integrated with processes. We had to educate and train our field force over and over again in order to make analytics a part of their daily routine.”
A head of analytics at a leading logistics company
What next?
Linda had the big responsibility of continuing and leveraging the big data initiatives started by Filippio.
In order to achieve this, a culture of data-driven decision making within the organisation needed to be implemented by the leadership team.
Linda’s job was to convince them of her vision.
Author perspective
Honoured
Vinod said: “I am extremely honoured to receive such a prestigious award from The Case Centre, popularly dubbed the Case Method Oscars!
“I am earnestly grateful for the recognition I have received for my effort which would not have been possible without the guidance and support of my Dean, Debapratim Purkayastha, who gave me an opportunity to associate with him in writing this case.”
Predicting the future
Debapratim commented: “Big data analytics has always been a key strategy for businesses to have a competitive edge and achieve their goals. Now, predictive analysis through big data can help predict what may occur in the future.
“The topic is very contemporary to current business trends and the case helps the students to be updated with the organisational readiness to welcome latest changes in technology for better performance. The case discusses in detail how Procter & Gamble adapted the big data through different tools like Decision Cockpit and Business Sphere.”
Strategy
Vinod commented: “The case helps understands many strategic, as well as technical aspects of big data and business analytics, and how they are implemented in a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) like Procter & Gamble.
“Not only does it help understand the opportunities and challenges in implementing a big data strategy, but also the significance of accessibility to information in an organisation and how its functioning can be transformed through the availability of real-time data.
“The case enables a discussion on ways in which big data could be productively employed in an organisation in some of the key business functions.”
Debapratim added: "Educators may like using our other case, Consumer Research at Procter & Gamble: From Field Research to Agile Research, as a follow-up, as it shows how the pioneers of marketing research is now leveraging big data for agile research.
Identifying the right information
Debapratim explained: “Understanding of the concepts that are going to be taught through the case study is a prerequisite of writing a case. Finding the relevant information, and presenting the case in an understandable manner to students is also equally important.
"Most importantly, people new to case writing should work with more experienced case writers to hone their skills in case writing.”
