From Coal to Biotech [electronic resource] : The Transformation of DSM with Business School Support / by Jean-Pierre Jeannet, Hein Schreuder.

Preface -- DSM - From Dutch State Mines to Chemicals Company -- Transforming a Business School -- Moving from Sales to Marketing -- Achieving Market Orientation -- Developing Business Strategy Dialogues at DSM -- Enhancing Business School Impact -- Embedding Business Strategy Dialogues as a Core Process -- Contributing to Business Strategy Dialogues -- Experimenting with Corporate Strategy Dialogues to Focus and Explore -- Branching out Beyond Strategy -- The Big Decision: Exit Petrochemicals?- Leveraging Faculty Learning Cycles -- Completing the Transformation of DSM -- Lessons for Academia and Business -- The Seven Traits of a Successful Company.

This management book documents the remarkable transformation of DSM, first from a coal mining company to a commodity chemicals producer, and then in the last two decades to the life sciences & materials sciences company it is today, with its strong focus on biotechnology. The book gives an inside view on the ‘strategic learning cycles’ that have driven this evolutionary transformation. It also discusses the company traits that have contributed to its ability to adapt, grow and prosper. Renowned business schools such as IMD and Babson have accompanied the second transformation of DSM through their executive education programs. The book documents this support and draws lessons for long-term collaboration between companies and the business school world.  .