How to crack GSK E^3? By Team Drug Lords from IIM Kozhikode

The case arrived. After taking our time to read the case, we devised our own problem statement based on our shared understanding of the case. Once we understood the case of GSK E^3, we had to balance futuristic technology, keeping in mind the practicality as well as strategy amidst the myriad of ever-changing pharmaceutical laws in the country. 

The Role Play - Tony Stark, Disruption, and Strategy

Our individual roles in the team were well balanced. The Pharma Consultant (Leki) gave industrial and legal insights. His field experience helped us weed the “Tony Stark” ideas – futuristic but impractical. The Chief Technology Officer (Vaishali) gave us a myriad of disruptive technological tools used across other industries. The Chief Strategy Officer (Nikhil) studied market landscape to identify current trends of digital channels being leveraged by incumbent pharmaceutical companies.

The Approach

We approached the subject matter in the following five steps:

1. Analysis of Emerging Digital Pharmaceutical Landscape

1. Key Enablers for Growth of Digital Channels

1. In-Depth Study of Key Regulations which are or will Shape Future of Digital Channels

1. Forecast Future Products/Services offered via Emerging Digital Channels

1. Recommend Key Strategic Initiatives in-line Current/ Emerging Trends to Leverage Digital Channels

Our primary research took us to the ground level stakeholders – doctors, patients as well as pharmacists. We burned the midnight oil, deep-diving into secondary research and deriving insights from our primary research data. Integrating our primary and secondary research, we first brought a clear story on which we would build on our solution. We had to weave our story correctly which would establish connections with our recommendation. 

Three days to go for submission and we were still debating on subtle legal aspects of our potential solution. Campus round was a joy ride to see five teams come up with five different aspects of the case while presenting their unique solutions. 

Reaching the finals and the D-Day

The curiosity and anxiety were off the roof till we were announced the Campus Winners but, it was not over yet. Being the campus winners did not mean that we’ll automatically qualify for the national finals. Our nervous wait ended with the much-awaited email inviting us for the grand finale in Mumbai. We were allotted our GSK E^3 mentor, Mr. Vinod Balakrishnan, who critically reviewed our work to evolve our storytelling strategy and solution before the D-Day. 

Team Drug Lords – the very name evoked curiosity amongst everyone in the room. Our presentation went smooth and Q&A was rather frank on both sides, filled with humour and pinpointed sharp responses. It was only later that we came to know that the grand finale was streamed live at our college and that we became ephemeral campus stars.

Takeaways

After 18 pre-campus case competition rejections, we realised that as cliché as the saying goes - success is not a destination but a journey. We understood the importance of team roles and of primary research, without which we could have not derived invaluable insights. Last but not the least, we are profoundly indebted to our GSK Mentor and our IIM Kozhikode Campus batch mates who helped us ideate upon our solutions and storytelling.