EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

FESTO didactic faces the challenge to integrate sustainable aspects into the value chain of their online learning platform, FESTO LX, to signalize that the venture is concerned with the rising challenge of sustainability and to potentially gain a competitive advantage over current and future competitors. The different activities for integration or optimization must be carefully evaluated so that no sub-optimal decision is made and the product remains valuable in the long run.

Goal

The project goal was the mapping of the FESTO LX value chain and the identification of activates that would create positive sustainable impact in it. Following the mapping and identification of activities, the team would compare them and choose two activities that are promising and in relation to costs create the highest sustainable impact. The last goal was the identification of an implementation strategy as well as the presentation of the found results to the project partner.

Methodology

Consisting of a Value chain framework adapted for online learning platforms method where the individual activities have been identified trough interviews with FESTO didactic employees and trough secondary research of managerial literature. Following, the identification of potential activities to be integrated or optimized, company analysis and interviews were conducted. Finally, for the identification of the two concrete solutions interviews, secondary research, brainstorming and a primitive cost-benefit analysis has been conducted.

Results

The extensive research has resulted in the identification of two viable and novel activities that are located in different segments of the primary activities within the value chain. In addition, the results lead to the conclusion that further activities can be integrated in the value chain and would allow for a long run competitive advantage and create a major sustainable impact in the future. Nonetheless the implementation costs of these activities must be closely monitored as a commitment to their integration could be costly and yield relatively low impact and thus yield low benefit for FEESTO didactic. Further the implementation strategy for individual activities varies so that cost minimization and sustainable impact maximization is ensured and gained competitive advantage is maintained in the long run.

Cooperation Partner

• Festo Didactic SE
  Rechbergstraße 3
  D-73770 Denkendorf, Germany
  www.festo-didactic.com

Contact Person

• Dr. Ute Gebhard - digital.learning@festo.com

Student Team

• Maximilian Trentini

• Val Vovk Petrovski

• Florian Grill

• Elias Germann

• Jakub Janek

Project Manager

• Caroline Fabian

• Shtefi Mladenovska