Strategy in the news
Real company cases, linked to the model you analyse them with.
Practice material, not exam content.
These items are short summaries of widely documented developments (up to and including 2025), meant for practising models. Always check details in the original sources. Your exam tests the module material, not these current events.
- BP2025
BP scales back climate investments and returns to more oil and gas
In February 2025 BP announced a change of course: less investment in renewable energy and more in oil and gas. Investors, climate activists, governments and employees reacted differently.
Stakeholder mappingModule 1: The firm and its environmentDiscussion question: Analyse with stakeholder mapping: who has high power and interest, and how would BP approach each group?
- Toyota2023
Toyota keeps betting on several powertrain technologies
In recent years Toyota chose a mix of hybrids, fully electric cars and hydrogen, while some competitors moved faster to fully electric. Whether that is wise is judged differently.
Scenario analysisModule 1: The firm and its environmentDiscussion question: Analyse with scenario analysis: under which scenarios for the environment does Toyota's spread work well, and under which not?
- ASML2023
The Netherlands restricts exports of advanced chip machines
In 2023 the Dutch government introduced export rules for ASML's second most advanced lithography machines (advanced DUV systems), partly under pressure from geopolitical tensions around semiconductors. The rules apply since 1 September 2023.
Discussion question: Analyse with PESTEL: which factors (especially Political and Legal) act on ASML here, and how can the company respond?
- OpenAI en Google2023
Generative AI puts search engines under pressure
After the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 many analysts discussed whether answer engines would threaten Google's search model. Google responded with its own AI features in its search service.
Creative destructionModule 2: Industry and competitive strategyDiscussion question: Analyse with creative destruction and Five Forces (threat of substitutes): what is the threat, and how can an incumbent respond?
- Nvidia2024
Nvidia benefits from demand for AI chips
Around 2023 and 2024 demand for Nvidia chips for AI applications rose sharply. Besides the hardware, the CUDA software platform is often mentioned, which ties developers to the company.
Discussion question: Analyse with VRIO: which resources and capabilities are valuable, rare, costly to imitate and organised to capture?
- Meta2021
Facebook becomes Meta and shifts its investments
In 2021 Facebook renamed its parent company Meta and invested billions in virtual reality and the metaverse. In the following years artificial intelligence took a larger share of the investments.
Dynamic capabilitiesModule 3: Resources and capabilitiesDiscussion question: Analyse with dynamic capabilities: how do you see sensing, seizing and transforming, and what goes wrong or right?
- Unilever2024
Unilever announces the separation of its ice cream business
In March 2024 Unilever announced that it wanted to separate its ice cream division (with brands such as Magnum and Ben & Jerry's) to focus on its other businesses.
Corporate parentingModule 4: Corporate strategyDiscussion question: Analyse with corporate parenting: does Unilever as parent still add value to ice cream, or is another parent better (parenting advantage)?
- Netflix2023
Netflix cracks down on account sharing and launches a cheaper ad-supported plan
In late 2022 Netflix introduced an ad-supported plan; in 2023 it began charging extra in many countries for sharing accounts outside the household.
Ansoff matrixModule 4: Corporate strategyDiscussion question: Analyse with the Ansoff matrix: in which quadrant does each of the two moves fit, and why?
- Amazon2022
Amazon acquires film studio MGM
In 2022 Amazon completed the acquisition of MGM for around 8.5 billion dollars. The library of films and series was meant to strengthen Prime Video.
Related diversificationModule 4: Corporate strategyDiscussion question: Analyse with related diversification: which overlap in resources and markets is there, and which synergy is realistic?
- Intel2021
Intel presents IDM 2.0 and starts making chips for others
In 2021 Intel announced a strategy in which it keeps using its own factories, outsources part of its production and also wants to act as a manufacturer for other chip designers.
Transaction costs (Coase)Module 4: Corporate strategyDiscussion question: Analyse with transaction costs (Coase): when is making better than buying on the market, and what does that say about Intel's choice?
- Disney2019
Disney launches Disney+ and pulls content from other platforms
Disney launched its own streaming service in November 2019. A company that supplied content to streaming services thereby also began selling directly to consumers.
Vertical integrationModule 4: Corporate strategyDiscussion question: Analyse with vertical integration (forward integration): what does Disney gain and risk, and what does it mean for supplier power towards other platforms?
- Volkswagen en Rivian2024
Volkswagen and Rivian announce a joint venture
In 2024 Volkswagen and the American electric carmaker Rivian announced a joint venture for software and electronic architecture, with an investment by the German group in Rivian.
Entry modeModule 5: Internationalisation and M&ADiscussion question: Analyse with entry mode: why do parties choose a joint venture rather than an acquisition or developing it themselves?
- Microsoft2023
Microsoft completes its acquisition of Activision Blizzard
In October 2023 Microsoft closed its acquisition of the game group Activision Blizzard, after a lengthy review by regulators in the US, the EU and the UK, among others. The company wanted to strengthen its offering of games and subscriptions.
Discussion question: Analyse with M&A: which motives may have driven Microsoft and which integration risks do you see?
- Ahold Delhaize2016
Ahold and Delhaize merge into an international supermarket group
In 2016 the Dutch Ahold and the Belgian Delhaize merged into Ahold Delhaize. The companies named scale in purchasing as the main benefit and targeted about 500 million euros in annual synergies.
Discussion question: Analyse with M&A: which sources of synergy does the company name, and which are hard to realise?