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Big Spaceship: Ready to Go Big? - Case Solution

Boris Groysberg; Michael Slind | Harvard Business Review ( 409047-PDF-ENG ) | February 02, 2009 (Revision: 2023-09-10)
Abstract:

Big Spaceship is a digital marketing agency known for the websites it has developed to market major Hollywood movies and leading consumer brands. The company had gained several awards and has made a name for itself in the advertising industry. Its founder and CEO, Michael Lebowitz, looks into how the company can transcend its size but still retain its values and culture. This case study depicts the culture of Big Spaceship including its shift from a functional structure to a team-based structure. It also looks into the company's plan of expansion.

Case Questions Answered

  • What are the defining features of the industry in which the company competes? Who are the competitors of Big Spaceship?
  • Does the company's value proposition relate to the company's ability to create strategic differentiation?
  • How do organizational design, culture, and their human capital practices support the company's value proposition?
  • Is Big Spaceship organized to go big?

1. What are the defining features of the industry in which the industry

competes? Who are the competitors of Big Spaceship?

The defining features of the industry to which Big Spaceship belongs are creativity, competency or talent, teamwork, communication, and relationships.

Having creativity means having the ability to innovate, improve, or create new ideas that can help the company in handling projects and building a strong reputation. Backing this up is the competency or talent of the employee to execute the ideas into profitable efforts.

Being able to pool and harness these competencies and talents into the right teams will lead to stronger coordination, improved efficiency and effectiveness, and high-quality, timely projects.

But to be able to have a team, communication must be always open and strong. A breakdown of communication can lead to a lot of issues for both the company and the clients. Relationships are also very important in this industry because this helps make the process work for both parties.

Digitas, a digital shop with 3,000 plus employees, was recently purchased by Publicis Group; R/GA, digital agencies under Omnicom, AKQA, along with other boutique general agencies, full-service agencies, digital agencies, and digital production shops comprise the competitors of Big Spaceship.

2. Does the company’s value proposition relate to the company’s ability

to create strategic differentiation?

The company’s value proposition is being a provider of solutions through various forms of digital media or serving the digital space, developing novel marketing concepts and adaptations of digital technology (spirit of innovation)…

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