Case Study of Diversified Software Intelligence (DSI)
Key Visuals
Project Context:
This was an academic project for a Policy course where my group and I created a fictional company, Diversified Software Intelligence (DSI), to simulate real-world challenges and decision-making.
DSI, a company founded in the 1990s, faced a leadership crisis following the unexpected death of its founder and CEO, Ben Young. Megan Young, the sole heir, had to decide how to handle the company’s future amidst declining employee morale, loss of market share, and management struggles under an interim CEO.
Objective:
Create and analyze complex business challenges within a fictional organization and propose strategic solutions using policy frameworks.
Approach:
Led the team in crafting a detailed backstory, including DSI’s history, organizational structure, and key problems.
Designed a comprehensive analysis using tools like SWOT, IFE (Internal Factor Evaluation), and QSPM (Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix) to evaluate potential solutions.
Explored four strategic alternatives:
Selling the company to the interim CEO.
Hiring an external CEO.
Megan assuming the CEO role.
Promoting an internal VP to CEO.
Results and Recommendations:
The recommended solution was to promote an internal VP to CEO. This approach balanced stability with the opportunity for Megan to learn the business under less immediate pressure.
Proposed specific steps for implementation, such as interviewing candidates, setting measurable goals, and addressing cultural challenges.
Personal Contributions:
Played a central role in designing the company scenario and its challenges.
Led the strategic analysis process and ensured data-driven evaluations for all alternatives.
Created engaging visuals and participated in presenting solutions to the class.
Facilitated collaboration within the group, ensuring each member contributed to the final recommendations.
Tools and Frameworks Used:
SWOT Analysis, IFE Matrix, and QSPM to simulate a real-world corporate policy evaluation process.
Utilized storytelling techniques to create a compelling and realistic case study scenario.