Growth Implementation Research

The Growth Team Membership's research team provides actionable strategies, processes and tools to help you address key growth-related challenges.

• Best Practice Guidebooks – A step-by-step illustration of the specific activities performed by a profiled company to solve a pressing business challenge
  

  Research Methodology

  BEST PRACTICE GUIDEBOOKS: OUR RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

  Best Practice Guidebooks are step-by-step illustrations of the specific activities performed by a profiled company to solve a pressing business challenge. The following table outlines the methodology employed by the research team to ensure the viability and pertinence of the guidebooks.

  BEST PRACTICE GUIDEBOOK RESEARCH METHODOLOGY STEP OBJECTIVE KEY ACTIVITIES OUTPUT I. Problem Identification Identifying the most pressing challenges faced by each of the eight functions within the CEO’s growth team Conduct web-based surveys and analyze data to identify the most urgent and widely-shared challenges for each function Research topics for each of the eight functions in the CEO’s growth team II. Research Agenda Development Develop a function-specific research agenda for best practices research based on the most pressing challenges Develop a formal research agenda, share the agenda with GTM members, perform secondary research, formulate an interview guide, and develop a list of potential interviewees A set of function-specific agendas outlining the key challenges. A structured approach to investigate the functional challenges including: background information on topics, interview guide and pools of potential best practice companies III. Primary Research Identify potential best practices that solve the underlying causes of the identified challenges Conduct initial scoping interviews with companies, develop and refine hypotheses on the challenge, benchmark potential best practices based on their tools, processes and tactics, prioritize companies for additional interviews A prioritized list of best-in-class practices requiring further research and development to be a certified best practice IV. Best Practice Documentation Detail the best practice from the profiled company to enable members to effectively implement the solution within their own organization. Conduct in-depth interviews, create storyboard draft of solution, revise storyboard with profiled company, put storyboard into Best Practice Guidebook template, and finalize guidebook with written sign-off from profiled company Finalized Best Practice Guidebook that addresses a specific growth challenge facing specific functions within the CEO’s growth team V. Best Practice Guidebook Publication Disseminate completed Best Practice Guidebook to the GTM membership Post guidebook on the GTM portal, include identification of functions it is most relevant to, set up an "Ask the Thought Leader" webcast Published guidebook and webcast-based presentation of the guidebook to enable GTM members to implement the best practice Click here to view sample of a Best Practice Guidebook.

  Guidebooks

  Best Practice Guidebooks are step-by-step illustrations of the specific activities performed by a profiled company to solve a pressing business challenge. The following table includes a list of published and upcoming guidebooks. You'll also find a sample and a link to the full version for each guidebook.

  BEST PRACTICE GUIDEBOOKS YEAR TITLE FULL VERSION SAMPLES 2008 Innovation Management Process This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the R&D function at ConvaTec developed a method to structure its innovation process through formalized governing teams, phases, and phase reviews. Published 2009 Mature Product Reinvigoration Process This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how a Product Innovation function developed and implemented a comprehensive process to identify new markets and applications for mature products. Published 2009 Implementing a Customer Lifetime Value Approach to Sales and Marketing Strategies This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how a company uses a Consumer Lifetime Value (CLTV) model - the revenue a customer generates during their lifetime with the company - to pursue sales and marketing strategies based on the monetary value of each customer. Published 2009 ROI-based Marketing Program Evaluation and Budget Allocation Process This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how a marketing function developed and implemented an ROI-based marketing process to create, select, evaluate and monitor marketing programs. Published 2009 Business Intelligence Project Prioritization System This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how a business intelligence function (Market Research and Competitive Intelligence) developed a system to prioritize its project portfolio, allocate resources, and reduce redundant requests. Published 2009 Collaborative Innovation Process This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how two functions, Sales and R&D, co-developed and implemented a collaborative innovation program to test early stage innovations and speed the innovation commercialization process. The company profiled is IBM, a top 5 global computer products and services company. Published 2009 Building a Customer-Centric Business Model This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how Marketing and R&D functions used customer segmentation as the foundation for a customer-centric business model. Published 2010 Building Global Acquisition Integration Capabilities This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how a Corporate Development function established a network of part-time, region-specific integration teams to increase capacity and harness local knowledge for effective acquisition integration. Published 2010 Leveraging Sustainability for Competitive Advantage This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how a Corporate Strategy function developed a business model to address the "triple bottom line" of sustainability - economic, environmental, and social - to create tangible competitive advantages. Published 2010 Strategic and Economic Value Analysis of Innovative New Business Ideas This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the R&D/Innovation and Corporate Strategy functions at the Hewlett-Packard Company created a workshop-based process to analyze the strategic fit and economic value of ideas for entirely new businesses. Published 2010 Value Maximizing Acquisition Integration This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Corporate Development function at Cisco Systems developed an acquisition integration process to obtain the full value from each deal and build the capacity to conduct multiple concurrent integrations. Published 2010 Deriving Value from Corporate Responsibility through Community Engagement This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Corporate Strategy function at Intel creates an integrated corporate responsibility program - including its community engagement - that reflects its strategic objectives and maximizes impact. Published 2010 Capitalizing on Social Media to Drive an Effective Product Launch This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Marketing function at Microsoft Corporation leverages social media to engage brand enthusiasts who will support the launch of Windows 7. Published 2011 Implementing Value-Based Selling: A Process-Driven Approach This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how Sales Leadership at Energy Company* evaluated the sales process and sales force's capabilities, and implemented a sales effectiveness program to enable the sales force to deliver a value-based offering - convey value beyond price. The profiled company is a global energy company. *Energy Company is a pseudonym. Published 2011 From Macro to Micro: Translating Mega Trends into Strategy This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Corporate Development/Strategy function at Knorr-Bremse AG developed a systemic, Macro-to-Micro process to identify and integrate Mega Trends with its strategic planning process. Published 2011 Sales & Marketing: Revitalizing the Value Proposition This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Marketing function at Kronos collaborates with Sales to create and deliver a differentiated value proposition. Published 2011 Building a B-to-B Social Media Marketing Competency This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Marketing function at DuPont used social media pilots to develop social media marketing capabilities, and also how senior management created corporate governance measures and a Center of Excellence for social media. Published 2011 Vision to Implementation: Integrated Strategic Planning This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Corporate Strategy function at Sundt creates an integrated strategic planning process to break down silos, establish a shared corporate vision, and coordinate both strategic and tactical planning for effective implementation. Published 2011 Industry Solutions Labs: Showcasing Innovation This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Sales and Research functions at IBM create executive briefing centers to bring together clients, business partners, and IBM industry experts and researchers to explore how leading-edge technologies can solve pressing business challenges. Published 2011 Operationalizing a B-to-B Social Media Center of Excellence This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Marketing function at Cisco establishes a Center of Excellence to serve as a company-wide resource for best practices in social media. Published 2011 Scenario Planning: Fostering Long-Term Strategic Thinking This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Corporate Strategy function at Merck uses scenario planning to explore long-term threats and opportunities. Published 2012 Implementing an Effective Demand Management Process This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how the Corporate Marketing function at Kronos develops a comprehensive strategy for revitalizing all aspects of demand management. Published 2012 Activating Social Media within an Organization This Best Practice Guidebook demonstrates how Consumer Electronics Company collaborated cross-functionally to engage stakeholders, develop a comprehensive social media strategy, identify the appropriate capabilities, and launch the initiative. Published

• Growth Process Toolkits – Implementation manuals that synthesize Frost & Sullivan’s best thinking on how to most effectively execute each of the 10 critical growth processes
  

  Research Methodology

  GROWTH PROCESS TOOLKITS: OUR RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

  The Growth Process Toolkits will document Frost & Sullivan's best thinking and proven work on each of the 10 Growth Processes in a step-by-step implementation format. This research will give GTM members proven processes, tools, and templates to help them successfully navigate critical growth challenges. The table below illustrates the Frost & Sullivan process for ensuring these toolkits' applicability and resonance.

  GROWTH PROCESS TOOLKITS: METHODOLOGY STEP OBJECTIVE KEY ACTIVITIES OUTPUT I. GROWTH PROCESS CHALLENGE SURVEY Determine a common pain point associated with one of the 10 growth processes Conduct review of Frost & Sullivan research and secondary literature; leverage client survey Several testable hypotheses for focus of toolkit II. INTERNAL THOUGHT LEADER SEARCH & SCOPING Identify and interview Frost & Sullivan consultants with expertise in the area of focus Pressure-test hypotheses and refine scope of toolkit; conduct an audit of Frost & Sullivan resources within that scope Tightly scoped focus for toolkit; sense for which Frost & Sullivan resources may be featured III. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS Position research around key challenge(s) that the toolkit will address Articulate specific, mutually exclusive, and comprehensive challenges that our proprietary approaches have solved Concept for how each step in the process can be framed around a critical client challenge IV. PROVEN PROCESS ASSESSMENT Articulate specific steps that comprise the specific growth process and apply proven Frost & Sullivan resources to each step Leverage insights from root cause analysis and assess internal content to determine the best-in-class growth process and corresponding resources Toolkit template and materials to populate it V. DOCUMENTATION Provide clients with Frost & Sullivan tools, resources, and templates that will save them time and money in addressing their growth challenges Populate the toolkit with resources and insights, presented in a step-by-step, user-friendly format Completed toolkit, distributed to GTM members through the Web Click here to view the latest brochure.

  Toolkits

  The Growth Process Toolkits document Frost & Sullivan's best thinking and proven work on each of the 10 Growth Processes in a step-by-step implementation format. This research gives GTM members proven processes, tools, and templates to help them successfully navigate critical growth challenges. Below is a list of published and upcoming Growth Process Toolkits. As new titles are determined and published, this page will be updated.

  GROWTH PROCESS TOOLKITS MONTH YEAR TITLE FULL VERSION SAMPLES August 2008 Mergers & Acquisitions Published December 2008 Geographic Expansion Published March 2009 New Product Development Published June 2009 New Product Launch Published September 2009 Competitive Strategies Published December 2009 Distribution Channel Optimization Published March 2010 Vertical Market Expansion Published December 2010 Strategic Partnerships Published May 2011 Customer Strategy Published GTM members, contact your Account Manager to learn how to gain access to the Toolkits. If you're interested in becoming a member, contact us to learn more.

• Executive Briefings– Can't make an event? This is the executive summary of the best ideas exchanged at our live sessions.
• Career Insights – Annual executive surveys that help define priorities of each member of the CEO's Growth Team. These survey results uncover the top business environment factors influencing planning and the top functional challenges.