Page 162 - Harnessing the Strengths

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DILEMMA 7:

PUSH VERSUS PULL

Challenge
Peter Webber is satisfi ed. It was nice speaking with the mar-
keting people. The meeting provided quite a few new insights,
including knowing that the creativity of these people is indis-
pensable to Cloverpill’s success. Nevertheless, he has been
placed in an almost impossible dilemma. Ever since the meet-
ing he has been struggling with whether he should continue
creating products and educating the markets, as they have
always done in the United States and northwest Europe, or
whether he should actually listen more to the existing needs
of the clients, the patients.
Both have their pros and cons. Cloverpill has a reputa-
tion to maintain as a company that always brings the latest
products to the market. But the African and Indian practice
of using the clients’ needs as a starting point is also worth
taking into consideration. With this goal in mind, he has
even invested in new SAP software. This system will help to
connect diverse business processes. The margins might be
lower, but India and Africa are enormous markets.
This gives rise to an essential question: Does Cloverpill
want to be known as a market leader, or as a follower of cli-
ent needs? The servant-leadership of Peter Webber is being
tested once again.

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