Master International Management

UE3 – International Management Control

Final exam

F.R. Lherm

Apply learning to the Sodexho case_____________________________________________________

1. Purpose

This work complements the lecture and the works completed for continuous exam.
With regard to the strategy map, it introduces the difficulty of making sense from rich interviews
with possibly conflicting visions of strategy or performance.
With regard to informing strategic decisions, it provides an opportunity to apply what you learned to
another case.
Please note that it is individual.

2. Tasks: Drawing a strategy map and informing a strategic decision

2.1 Draw Sodexho’s strategy map

- Develop a vision statement (to be put at the top of the map)

- List the issues mentioned by the interviewees for each of the four BSC perspectives (or more if
needed)
- Cluster the issues by topic, where each topic represents a strategic objective and each issue is a
driver for that objective. Give an appropriate label to each objective.
- Draw a graphical representation of your strategy map (see below for an example) indicating the
cause-effect relationships between the objectives you believe to be related to one another

The final document should show the strategy map and the reasons for your choices.

NB1: To keep your strategy map manageable try to keep the number of objectives under 20
NB2: The objectives in the customer perspective should start with “I want…” to emphasize that the
customer is speaking.
2.2 Inform a strategic decision

2.2.1 Choose only one of the following issues (see list below, 2.2.2):

- What are the most important aspects to take into account in addressing this issue given Sodexho’s
business and/or structure? Explain your answer.

- Mention how you would address the chosen issue and list the information you need to take a
strategic decision with regard to the chosen issue.
NB: Do not actually address the issue, just elaborate on the process you would follow to address it
and, consequently, what information you would need and why.

- Select two pieces of information and pretend you cannot find it and have to approach it. Explain
how you would approach it.

The final document should tell what issue you selected (from the list below, see 2.2.2) and present
your answers to the three questions above.

2.2.2 Issues (choose only one):

- What would be the most interesting mix between hospital and school business for Sodexho?

- To extend business in Germany, should Sodexho acquire a competitor or build the business from
scratch?

- Should Sodexho follow a cost strategy or a upper market strategy?

- If Sodexho followed a cost strategy, what costs should they focus on?

- Was Sodexho right to enter the healthcare market?

3. Assessment

3.1 For the strategy map

- Relevance of the objectives chosen and of their association to a specific perspective

- Quality and consistency of the cause-effect linkages drawn between objectives in the strategy map

3.2 For informed strategic decision making

- Quality of reasoning behind the choice of the most important aspects to take into account to
address the issue you chose.
- Accuracy of the relationship between issue / solving process / information needed.
- Coherency and inventiveness in the logics underlying the construction of missing information