The Alberto-Culver Company manufactures and markets beauty, personal care and household products in more than 120 countries. A $1.4 billion company, Alberto-Culver is responsible for brands such as Alberto VO5, TRESemme, Nexxus, St. Ives, Mrs. Dash and Static Guard. The brands manufactured and marketed by Alberto-Culver are more recognizable than the Alberto-Culver Company brand. This makes employee recruitment a challenge.
Alberto-Culver asked an ELC team to create a marketing and branding strategy to increase awareness of the company and of why it is a great place to work. In response the team conducted primary and secondary research then developed nine recommendations to position Alberto-Culver as the employer of choice.
Dennis Barsema teaches a Microfinance course for the NIU College of Business each fall semester. In the past he has taken the students to Mexico to see microfinance in action. This model limits the number of students who can enroll and is not sustainable long term.
Mr. Barsema asked an ELC team to investigate and create a simulation for a Microfinance course to use in place of the trip. In response this virtual ELC team researched technology platforms, chose one and started the development of the simulation. A second ELC team will continue their work in fall 2009.
Since 1936, Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) has focused on providing low-cost, high quality insurance. With over eight million auto policyholders and insuring more than 12 million vehicles, GEICO is now the fastest growing auto insurer in the U.S., and is currently the third largest private passenger auto insurer in the nation. GEICO, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, also enjoys the highest ratings in the industry for financial strength and claims-paying ability, including an AAA rating from Standard and Poor's, AAA from Moody's and A++ from A.M. Best.
GEICO has partnered with the Northern Illinois Alumni Association for several years. This partnership provides the NIU alumni with an additional discount on their auto insurance, which averages 8%. GEICO asked an ELC team to create and execute a solid marketing plan within a defined budget to increase the number of NIU alumni who receive a quote.
In response, the ELC team created and implemented marketing campaigns using multiple platforms targeting current students and young alumni. The team was successful in creating a buzz around campus as it generated an article in the Northern Star campus newspaper. Link to article
The McDonald's U.S. Controller Group is a world class organization of innovative committed financial experts who are essential business partners in McDonald's success. The SpendSmart team supports the strategic sourcing initiatives performed by the U.S. Controller Group which will drive company savings in excess of $20 million a year.
McDonald's SpendSmart Department charged an ELC team with analyzing ways to control their commodity risk for non food items such as fuel, steel, nickel, restaurant equipment and furnishings, services, construction, etc. The team developed recommendations in the following areas: Supply Availability; Commodity Correlation; Financial Instruments; Contracts.
McKesson is America's oldest and largest healthcare services company dating back more than 174 years. It is the largest pharmaceutical distributor in North America, delivering more than a third of all medicines used daily by pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes and doctors' offices. McKesson has 30 Forward Distribution Centers varying in age and size. Many are reaching capacity. In the current business model, orders are placed overnight and all products are delivered by 12 p.m. the following day. McKesson asked an ELC team to analyze an alternate business model that differentiates the level of service provided and delivery method by fast and slow moving products. The team was challenged to identify the slow moving products, quantify the impact of the proposed business model on the customers, and determine the benefits of the new model. In response, the ELC team developed different scenarios for centralization and product delivery; analyzed the affect of each on profitability; and made recommendations for further action.
The College of Business Board of Executive Advisors Strategic Directions committee is actively evaluating growth opportunities for the graduate programs in business, particularly the MBA in its various formats (evening, Professional, Executive). To enhance the planning and decision making, the Board charged an ELC team to conduct a market analysis study of the Chicago and Chicago suburb market for MBA programs. They asked that the study include potential market size by region and program type and the competitive environment. The Board also requested secondary and primary sources for research.
In response the ELC team employed a multi-staged market research study to determine how to better position the NIU College of Business MBA programs. Their study included secondary research, exploratory research (in-depth interviews, focus groups, campus intercept interviews and phone interviews) and primary research (four surveys). After analyzing the data, the team delivered six recommendations to the Board of Executive Advisors.
Wal-Mart asked an ELC team to work with the Real Estate Reporting, Systems and Strategy Team to develop a Realty Systems and Strategy Dashboard. The objective of this dashboard is to provide Real Estate management an automated and integrated view of key portfolio information across Real Estate. The dashboard will facilitate decision making across the portfolio. Some of the key information vital to this dashboard include but is not limited to: (1) Realty Systems and Strategy Portfolio Statistics; (2) Program Health; (3) Project Alerts; and (4) Capacity and Resource Breakdown.
In response, the team analyzed technology platforms. After choosing one, the team created a dashboard for Wal-Mart that will provide cost savings, improve time efficiency, increase productivity and store project information in a centralized location.