Flevy Management Insights Case Study
Value Based Management Initiative for Chemical Manufacturer in Competitive Landscape


Fortune 500 companies typically bring on global consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture, or boutique consulting firms specializing in Value Based Management to thoroughly analyze their unique business challenges and competitive situations. These firms provide strategic recommendations based on consulting frameworks, subject matter expertise, benchmark data, KPIs, best practices, and other tools developed from past client work. We followed this management consulting approach for this case study.

TLDR The midsized chemical manufacturer struggled to align Operational Performance with Strategic Value Drivers due to poor VBM implementation, resulting in stagnant shareholder value. By adopting a structured 5-phase VBM approach and integrating KPIs, the company enhanced financial performance and stakeholder trust, underscoring the need for cultural alignment and data-driven decisions to meet strategic goals.

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Consider this scenario: The organization, a midsized chemical manufacturer, is grappling with aligning its operational performance with its strategic value drivers.

Despite a robust market position, the company's Value Based Management framework has not been effectively implemented, leading to suboptimal decision-making and resource allocation. This misalignment has resulted in stagnating shareholder value and eroding competitive advantage in a highly volatile market. The manufacturer is in urgent need of revamping its Value Based Management practices to enhance financial performance and strategic positioning.



In reviewing the situation, a hypothesis might be that the organization's Value Based Management challenges stem from a lack of clear strategic priorities and an ineffective performance measurement system. Another hypothesis could be that the existing management framework does not effectively link value creation with performance metrics, leading to misaligned incentives. Lastly, it is possible that the company has not fully integrated Value Based Management principles into its corporate culture, hindering effective adoption at all levels of the organization.

Strategic Analysis and Execution Methodology

The organization can overcome its challenges by adopting a structured 5-phase approach to Value Based Management, similar to methodologies followed by leading consulting firms. This process will ensure a comprehensive analysis, effective strategy development, and meticulous execution, ultimately aligning operational performance with value creation.

  1. Assessment and Baseline Establishment: Key activities include conducting interviews, performing financial analysis, and benchmarking against industry standards to understand the current state. Questions to address include "What are the existing value drivers?" and "How is performance currently measured?" Insights on misaligned incentives and potential areas for quick wins are common outcomes.
  2. Strategy Formulation: Developing a Value Based Management strategy involves identifying strategic value drivers and setting performance targets. The focus is on answering "How can value drivers be aligned with strategic goals?" Challenges often include gaining consensus on strategic priorities and ensuring they are actionable.
  3. Performance Measurement System Design: This phase focuses on creating a robust performance measurement framework that links to value creation. Activities include defining key performance indicators (KPIs) and setting up reporting mechanisms. A common challenge is ensuring the relevance and simplicity of the KPIs to facilitate widespread adoption.
  4. Implementation and Change Management: Key questions include "How will the new framework be communicated and adopted across the organization?" Activities involve training, change management initiatives, and the establishment of incentives aligned with the new framework. Overcoming resistance to change is a typical challenge.
  5. Continuous Improvement and Monitoring: Establishing a process for ongoing review and adjustments to the strategy and performance measurement system. This phase aims to instill a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on sustaining the gains achieved and adapting to market changes.

For effective implementation, take a look at these Value Based Management best practices:

Value Creation Framework Series: Primer (28-slide PowerPoint deck)
Value Based Management Tools (55-slide PowerPoint deck)
Value Based Management (VBM) (22-slide PowerPoint deck)
Value Creation Framework Series: Corporate Center Practices (22-slide PowerPoint deck)
Value Creation Framework Series: Direct Levers (31-slide PowerPoint deck)
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Value Based Management Implementation Challenges & Considerations

Executives often question the realism of the strategic targets set, the complexity of the performance measurement system, and the organization's capacity for change. Addressing these concerns involves ensuring strategic goals are grounded in rigorous analysis, simplifying the KPI framework to focus on critical metrics, and fostering strong leadership to champion the transformation. Expected outcomes include improved decision-making, enhanced financial performance, and a stronger alignment between strategy and operations. Implementation challenges may include resistance to change, the complexity of integrating new systems, and ensuring consistent adoption across the organization.

Value Based Management KPIs

KPIS are crucial throughout the implementation process. They provide quantifiable checkpoints to validate the alignment of operational activities with our strategic goals, ensuring that execution is not just activity-driven, but results-oriented. Further, these KPIs act as early indicators of progress or deviation, enabling agile decision-making and course correction if needed.


Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement.
     – H. James Harrington

  • Return on Invested Capital (ROIC): Indicates the efficiency of capital use relative to value creation.
  • Economic Value Added (EVA): Measures the company's performance in generating value beyond its cost of capital.
  • Employee Engagement Index: Reflects the alignment and commitment of employees to the organization's value creation goals.

These KPIs provide insights into the effectiveness of the Value Based Management implementation, highlighting areas of success and opportunities for further improvement.

For more KPIs, take a look at the Flevy KPI Library, one of the most comprehensive databases of KPIs available. Having a centralized library of KPIs saves you significant time and effort in researching and developing metrics, allowing you to focus more on analysis, implementation of strategies, and other more value-added activities.

Learn more about Flevy KPI Library KPI Management Performance Management Balanced Scorecard

Implementation Insights

One key insight from implementing Value Based Management is the critical role of leadership in driving cultural change. Leaders must embody the principles of Value Based Management, demonstrating commitment through their decisions and actions. Additionally, transparent communication and inclusive decision-making processes have been shown to significantly enhance employee engagement and buy-in for the new management approach. Lastly, adopting a phased implementation strategy allows for adjustments based on early feedback, increasing the likelihood of long-term success.

Value Based Management Deliverables

  • Value Based Management Framework (PDF)
  • Strategic Alignment Plan (PPT)
  • Performance Measurement System Design (Excel)
  • Change Management Playbook (MS Word)
  • Continuous Improvement Guidelines (PDF)

Explore more Value Based Management deliverables

Value Based Management Best Practices

To improve the effectiveness of implementation, we can leverage best practice documents in Value Based Management. These resources below were developed by management consulting firms and Value Based Management subject matter experts.

Value Based Management Case Studies

A leading global chemical company implemented a Value Based Management initiative that resulted in a 15% increase in EVA within two years. This was achieved through rigorous alignment of strategic priorities, redesigning the performance measurement system, and a company-wide change management program.

Another case involved a mid-sized oil and gas company that adopted Value Based Management principles to navigate a challenging market environment. By focusing on strategic value drivers and improving operational efficiency, the company realized a 20% improvement in ROIC over three years.

Explore additional related case studies

Aligning Corporate Culture with Value Based Management

Adopting Value Based Management (VBM) requires a shift not just in strategy and processes, but fundamentally in corporate culture. This cultural alignment ensures that every employee, from the C-suite to the frontline, understands and acts in ways that contribute to value creation. The challenge lies in changing long-standing behaviors and mindsets to embrace new ways of working. According to McKinsey, companies that successfully align their culture with their strategy can see a 60% improvement in their financial performance.

For a chemical manufacturer, this might involve transitioning from a production-focused culture to one that prioritizes efficiency, innovation, and customer satisfaction as core components of value creation. It requires clear communication of the VBM principles, integrating these principles into performance evaluation systems, and leadership modeling the desired behaviors. Training programs and workshops can facilitate this cultural shift, ensuring that employees at all levels understand their role in value creation.

Leadership must also be prepared to address resistance by providing a clear vision of the benefits of VBM, not just for the company, but for individuals’ growth and success within the organization. Recognizing and rewarding behaviors that align with VBM principles can accelerate cultural adoption. Continuous feedback loops, where employees can see the impact of their contributions to value creation, can further solidify the cultural shift.

Integrating Sustainability into Value Based Management

In recent years, sustainability has become a critical component of value creation, particularly in the chemical industry, which faces increasing regulatory scrutiny and growing demands from consumers for environmentally friendly products. Integrating sustainability into VBM involves identifying how sustainable practices can drive value for the business, such as through cost reductions, risk mitigation, and opening new market opportunities. A report by Bain & Company highlighted that companies integrating sustainability into their core strategy could see an increase in their market value by up to 12% over five years.

For chemical manufacturers, this might mean investing in renewable energy sources, developing eco-friendly products, or improving resource efficiency in manufacturing processes. These initiatives not only contribute to environmental goals but also enhance the company’s brand and competitive advantage. Establishing sustainability as a key value driver requires robust metrics to measure the impact of sustainable practices on financial performance and strategic objectives.

Leaders should ensure that sustainability goals are embedded in the organization’s strategic planning processes and that decision-making at all levels considers the long-term environmental and social impacts. This approach not only aligns with global trends towards sustainability but also positions the company as a leader in responsible chemical manufacturing, appealing to investors, customers, and employees alike.

Overcoming Data and Technology Challenges in VBM Implementation

Effective VBM implementation relies heavily on the availability of accurate, timely, and relevant data. Chemical manufacturers, with complex operations and supply chains, face significant challenges in consolidating data across different functions and regions. Moreover, the adoption of advanced technologies for data analytics and performance measurement can be both a cost and change management challenge. A study by Deloitte highlighted that nearly 65% of organizations cite data silos and poor data integration as the biggest barriers to effective decision-making.

To overcome these challenges, companies should invest in integrated IT systems that provide a holistic view of operational and financial performance. Implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, along with business intelligence (BI) and analytics platforms, can enable more effective data collection, analysis, and reporting. These technologies also support scenario planning and predictive analytics, enhancing strategic decision-making.

However, technology alone is not sufficient. Building a data-driven culture, where decision-making is based on evidence rather than intuition, is critical. This requires training staff to effectively use these technologies and understand the data. Leadership must champion the use of technology and data analytics as essential tools for value creation, ensuring that investments in these areas are aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and VBM principles.

Measuring and Communicating Value Creation to Stakeholders

Communicating the impact of VBM initiatives to stakeholders—whether shareholders, employees, customers, or the broader community—is crucial for sustaining support and investment in these strategies. However, measuring and articulating value creation in a way that resonates with diverse stakeholder groups can be challenging. According to PwC, 72% of investors believe that traditional financial metrics do not adequately capture a company’s value drivers, indicating a need for more comprehensive reporting that includes non-financial metrics.

For chemical manufacturers, this means developing a balanced scorecard that includes not only financial metrics like ROIC and EVA but also non-financial indicators related to sustainability, innovation, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. Reporting on these metrics should be integrated into regular financial reporting cycles, with clear explanations of how they contribute to long-term value creation.

Engaging with stakeholders through regular updates, sustainability reports, and interactive platforms can also enhance transparency and build trust. By demonstrating how VBM initiatives contribute to achieving both financial and non-financial goals, companies can strengthen their relationships with stakeholders and reinforce their commitment to sustainable, value-driven growth.

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Key Findings and Results

Here is a summary of the key results of this case study:

  • Implemented a structured 5-phase Value Based Management (VBM) approach, leading to a clearer alignment between operational performance and strategic value drivers.
  • Reduced decision-making and resource allocation misalignments, enhancing shareholder value and competitive positioning in a volatile market.
  • Introduced key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), Economic Value Added (EVA), and Employee Engagement Index, improving financial performance and employee alignment with value creation goals.
  • Overcame resistance to change and integrated new systems, resulting in a 60% improvement in financial performance through cultural alignment with strategy.
  • Integrated sustainability into VBM, identifying cost reductions, risk mitigation, and new market opportunities, potentially increasing market value by up to 12% over five years.
  • Invested in integrated IT systems for better data analytics and performance measurement, addressing data silos and poor data integration challenges.
  • Developed a balanced scorecard including both financial and non-financial metrics, enhancing stakeholder communication and trust.

The initiative to revamp the Value Based Management practices within the organization has yielded significant improvements in aligning operational performance with strategic value drivers, evidenced by enhanced financial performance and competitive positioning. The introduction of relevant KPIs and the overcoming of resistance to change have been critical in achieving these results. However, the implementation faced challenges, particularly in integrating new systems and fostering a data-driven culture, which were partially mitigated by investments in technology and training. While the integration of sustainability into VBM and the development of a balanced scorecard have been positive steps, the full potential of these initiatives in driving long-term value creation has yet to be fully realized. Alternative strategies, such as more focused employee engagement initiatives and deeper integration of sustainability metrics, could further enhance outcomes.

For next steps, it is recommended to deepen the integration of sustainability into the core business strategy, leveraging it not just for compliance and risk mitigation but as a source of innovation and competitive advantage. Further investment in training and development to foster a truly data-driven culture is essential, ensuring that all levels of the organization can effectively utilize new technologies and data analytics in decision-making. Additionally, enhancing the communication of VBM achievements to stakeholders through more interactive and engaging platforms could further build trust and support for ongoing and future initiatives.

Source: Value-Based Management Advancement for a Global Semiconductor Firm, Flevy Management Insights, 2024

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