Mercodia adopted open strategising to transform a stagnant culture into a dynamic organisational capability, empowering decentralised leadership to drive 70% growth and a record-breaking financial turnaround.
User Story
From a Desk-Drawer Strategy to 70% Growth through Active Strategy Work and Involvement
+70%
revenue growth in three years
90%
organisation actively engaged in strategising
17
certified in Open Strategising
5
years working with the method
Open Strategising has helped us transform our organisation—clarity improved, alignment increased, and results followed: 70% revenue growth and nearly 30× profit over three years.
The Starting Point: The Stagnation of Success
Mercodia, a veteran in the Life Science sector, found itself in a decade-long plateau. Despite high technical competence, the company was a victim of its own previous success. The strategy process had become disconnected from daily operations; leadership would develop plans during annual "strategy days," but these documents saw little follow-up.
Culturally, the organisation had become cautious and inward-looking. There was a pervasive expectation that directives should only come from the top, leading to bottlenecks and a hesitancy to surface operational challenges. Without clear ownership or a proactive commercial focus, the business "chugged along" without making significant financial or operational strides.
The Systematic Solution: Strategy as a Verb
To ignite growth, Mercodia redefined its approach, shifting from "Strategy" as a noun (a document) to "Strategising" as a verb (an action).
Continuous Learning & Psychological Safety: To break the culture of caution, Mercodia shifted its internal language. The question "Why did this happen?" was replaced with "What have we learned?". This created a safe environment where questions were asked to understand and improve, not to assign blame.
Decentralised Strategy Language: Several managers and key personnel were certified in the new strategy methodology. This established a "common language" across the firm, allowing strategy to be discussed and driven at every level of the organisation, rather than residing solely with senior leadership.
Resource Prioritisation: Guided by a systematic analysis of market data, Mercodia made the bold decision to pivot its resources toward its bioanalysis business—a small segment at the time (3% of revenue) that held the highest potential for growth.
The Result: Record-Breaking Momentum
The transformation was rapid and profound, leading to the most successful financial period in Mercodia’s 35-year history.
- Exponential Growth: Total revenue rose by 70% in just three years, while the focused investment in bioanalysis saw its share of revenue grow to 15%.
- Gazelle Validation: This robust performance earned Mercodia the prestigious Dagens Industri Gazelle status, providing significant internal pride.
- The "Spark" of Empowerment: Today, decision-making is distributed. Employees proactively present early-stage ideas, and the "spark" in the eyes of the staff has returned as they drive the business forward collectively.