Thursday 5 November 2015

WoodTrend.co.uk Live MBA consultancy challenge

Lynne Schey approached Royal Holloway with a real challenge.  

Lynne Schey


What did her successful wood flooring, cladding and decking company need to do to its website to remain competitive ?  


Could the fresh, business experienced MBA minds be engaged in critically reviewing the dynamic market place WoodTrend.co.uk operates in she asked.  Yes, of course !  

  
Sustainable Amazonian Hard Woods



WoodTrend is a premium, sustainable company which has taken painstaking care to ensure that its Brazilian forestry complies to the highest levels of contemporary ethical business.  Imitators have copied innovative 'hidden nail' joinery design that had been a source of competitive advantage.  Increasingly sophisticated web based shop windows have seen strong price transparency emerge, driving commodity-price focussed consumption.  Architects on large, high end construction projects are increasingly under pressure to 'value engineer' their designs to offer a luxurious look on a lean budget, putting further pressure on margins.  


Rodrigo in discussion with the group



Lynne Schey reflected positively after the half day consultancy collaboration "What a special session it was this morning. Just what I needed! I would love to have this group all in my office every day feeding me with energy and ideas. Infectious. They all work so well together. There was a great deal of respect for each other in the room."











Dr Sarah Glozer, who leads the introductory marketing teaching on the MBA International Management programme, said "Our MBA students greatly enjoyed the real, honest and practical challenge offered up by WoodTrend, something really to get their teeth into. I don't think I have ever seen the students look so engaged and enthused, so they most definitely took a lot from the session."





Justin O'Brien, MBA Director at Royal Holloway, was delighted at the high levels of energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by the students, who were mid-way through their first term of an intensive study programme.  This was the first of four real, live business consultancies the hard working group have woven into their demanding and practically oriented full time masters degree.