Scaling Vision: Strategy for Complex Worlds

Programma Vrijdag 29-08-2025

09:30u – Strategy and transformation in de biopharma industry met Prof. Robert A. Burgelman - Luc Uylenbroeck - Prof. Bart Van Looy

12:00u – Masterclass met Jacques Benkoski – The Market Entry Strategy

13:00u – Lunch

14:00u – Masterclass met Jacques Benkoski – The Market Entry Strategy Part II

15:00u – Round Up

 

Schrijf je nu in.

 

Extra info

Strategy and transformation in de biopharma industry
met Prof. Robert A. Burgelman - Luc Uylenbroeck - Prof. Bart Van Looy

Within the VBO-FEB Chair Belgian Business Champions KU Leuven and UCL  developed several teaching cases which each address complex strategic challenges/decision making processes. Besides SPADEL, DEME, Solvay, Barco, Lunch Garden and Le Pain Quotidien, also UCB figures prominently within this set of case studies.

UCB, as a mid-sized, biopharmaceutical had to re-invent itself during the last decades. Currently they are thriving on a patient-centric and excellence oriented strategy which allows them to be performant both in small and large molecules as well as more DNA oriented treatments.

Within this session, we highlight the recent trajectory of UCB (Edwin Zimmermann & Bart Van Looy), while Luc Uylenbroeck will discuss the vision and strategy outlined towards 2045 and beyond. Prof. Robert Burgelman joins the session to introduce insights from a recent study he conducted focusing on a similar German-based pharmaceutical company which did not succeed in remaining independent (due to co-selection biases in resource allocation decisions).

Combined, these cases will provide insights into strategic decision making enabling to balance exploitation and exploration in complex (and high stake) environments where relevant knowledge bases are in flux and transition.
https://www.vbo-feb.be/nl/nieuws/belgian-business-champions-chair-belgische-strategie-succesverhalen-op-internationale-tournee
https://sms.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smj.3652
 

Fading corporate survival prospects:
Impac of co-selection bias in resource allocation on strategic intent

Robert A. Burgelman, Pertti Aaltonen
First published: 08 August 2024

Abstract

Research Summary

Our field study of new business development in a German-based global pharmaceutical company reveals that the emergence of co-selection bias in project-level state-gate resource allocation engendered a corporate-level innovation portfolio imbalance. We show how the corporate portfolio imbalance resulted from incoherent managerial activities in the multilevel resource allocation process (RAP) decision context and how this caused fizzling out of the proactively established incipient strategic context of the favored-for-growth business unit. Moreover, we identify strategic RAP exploitation challenges that explain why sequential exploitation capability and exploitation drive deficits caused an exploitation trap that limited strategic discretion and stymied top management strategic intent to maintain the company’s independence. Our integrated frameworks augment strategic management theory of corporate RAP and offer guidance for future research.

Managerial Summary

We draw attention to the little-noticed phenomenon of co-selection bias emerging in the project-level state-gate resource allocation to new business development and maladaptive corporate-level innovation portfolio outcomes that it may produce. We show how top management can use the Bower–Burgelman RAP model to analyze the multilevel RAP decision context and identify the forces that may engender out-of-context managerial agency, such as co-selection bias. We highlight strategic RAP exploitation challenges that top management must meet by matching the RAP exploitation drive with a commensurate RAP exploitation capability to avoid an exploitation trap, thereby increasing the chances of company survival.

 

The Market Entry Strategy
Masterclass met Jacques Benkoski

Met zijn boek “The Market Entry Strategy” biedt Jacques Benkoski een helder en praktijkgericht kader voor bedrijven die nieuwe markten willen betreden, met bijzondere aandacht voor de complexe dynamiek tussen innovatie, timing en positionering.

Succesvolle markttoetreding vraagt niet alleen een goed product, maar een doordachte strategie die rekening houdt met timing, schaalbaarheid, lokale context en klantgedrag.

Wanneer, waar en hoe stap je in een nieuwe markt?

Met inzichten uit zijn jarenlange ervaring als investeerder in Silicon Valley, presenteert hij modellen en cases die helpen om:

  • de juiste marktsegmenten te identificeren
  • de go-to-market-strategie af te stemmen op productfase en klanttype
  • het belang van early adopters en kanalen goed in te schatten
  • risico’s te managen bij internationale expansie
  • Benkoski combineert theoretisch onderbouwde strategie met een no-nonsense aanpak.

Voor ondernemers, scale-ups en innovatie verantwoordelijken die zich willen voorbereiden op duurzame groei buiten hun thuismarkt.

Meer over onze gastsprekers op vrijdag
  • Prof. Robert A. Burgelman – Professor Emeritus, Stanford Graduate School of Business, die je blik op innovatie voorgoed zal veranderen.
  • Luc Uylenbroeck – Head of External Innovation & Operations, UCB Patient Solutions, Member of the Board, Rode Kruis België
  • Prof. Bart Van Looy – KU Leuven; Faculty of Economics and Business; Department of Management, Strategy and Innovation; Academic Dean, Flanders Business School
  • Jacques Benkoski – U.S. Venture Partners, serieel ondernemer die weet waar de knopen liggen en hoe je ze ontwart.