D&B's 'Blueprint for Growth' Strategy

Case Studies | Case Study in Business, Management, Operations, Strategy, Case Study

ICMR HOME | Case Studies Collection

Case Details:

Case Code : BSTR176
Case Length : 18 Pages
Pages Period : 1998-2005
Organization : Dun and Bradstreet
Pub Date : 2005
Teaching Note :Not Available
Countries : US
Industry : Business Information and Consultancy

To download D&B's 'Blueprint for Growth' Strategy case study (Case Code: BSTR176) click on the button below, and select the case from the list of available cases:

Price:

For delivery in electronic format: Rs. 400;
For delivery through courier (within India): Rs. 400 + Rs. 25 for Shipping & Handling Charges

» Business Strategy Case Studies
» Case Studies Collection
» Business Strategy Short Case Studies
» View Detailed Pricing Info
» How To Order This Case
» Business Case Studies
» Case Studies by Area
» Case Studies by Industry
» Case Studies by Company

Please note:

This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. It is not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. Nor is it a primary information source.

<< Previous

"D&B is a company that has been in constant change over the past five plus years and the change has turned especially positive since new management came on the scene in 2000."¹

- Kevin Gruneich, Senior Managing Director, Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc² in 2002.

End of an Era

In May 2005, Steven V Alesio (Alesio) became the Chairman and CEO of D&B,³ taking over the reins from Allan Z Loren (Loren). Loren had served D&B as the company's Chairman and CEO between May 2000 and January 2005 and remained Chairman till May 2005. Under his leadership, D&B managed a remarkable turnaround achieving a double digit earnings growth. Loren's 'Blueprint for Growth' strategy was the chief factor instrumental in putting the company back on the track of growth.

Loren joined D&B, in May 2000, after the erstwhile Dun & Bradstreet was separated into D&B and Moody's Investor Service. Before joining D&B, Loren was Executive Vice-president and Chief Information Officer at American Express. In the 1960s and 1970s, Dun & Bradstreet went in for several acquisitions, which affected the performance of the company adversely. Commenting on the problem, Vicki Raeburn, Chief Quality Officer and Senior Vice-president for data and operations at D&B's corporate headquarters in New Jersey said, "In the 1960s and 70s, we started to buy other companies and diversified so much that by the 1990s, we almost assumed the feel of a holding company."⁴

Loren envisioned D&B as a high growth, high margin business that offered several services to its customers to help them take the right business decisions.

However, for this to happen, he felt that the company had to focus on strategies that were applicable to its line of business, offer a better value proposition to customers, and build its brand image. In October 2000, Loren outlined a strategy that aimed at transforming D&B into a high growth company with a significant online presence. The strategy also aimed to ensure delivery of consistently good financial results, and an annual growth of 10% in operating income within a year. Loren implemented this strategy and within five years, D&B had regained its lost glory and had developed a portfolio of effective customer solutions.

D&B's 'Blueprint for Growth' Strategy - Next Page>>

Economics for Managers Textbook
Textbooks Collection

Economics for Managers Workbook
ICMR books Collection

Case Studies in Business Strategy Volume VI

Case Study Volumes Collection

1] "Analyst Continues to Recommend D&B," www.twst.com, March 04, 2002.

2] Bear, Stearns & Company Inc, a leading worldwide investment banking and securities trading firm with approximately $22 billion in capital and over 10,000 employees worldwide (www.yahoo.com).

3] D&B is the leading global provider of business information reports and B2B marketing lists, which clients can use to make critical business decisions.

4] "D&B Does the Business," Information World Review, March 2004.