Business adaptive strategies in crisis

: the case of Delta Q

Abstract

COVID-19 crisis forced several companies to rethink their business models, raising important questions about how firms can respond effectively to crises. The present thesis is a case study about Delta Q, exclusively oriented to the Portuguese market, that describes how the global pandemic affected their core business and analyzes the fundamental strategic adjustments implemented. Delta Q, one of the top-sellers of coffee capsules in Portugal, has experienced rapid changes in consumer behavior, demand and competition. The pandemic highly contributed to accelerating those changes and brought new dynamism, especially in the modern channel e-commerce. In order to compensate for big drops in some business areas caused by COVID-19, Delta Q leverages its presence in other segments to sustain a competitive advantage in the long-term.The case study, as a pedagogical instrument, aims to apply strategy and management concepts into the real Delta Q scenario to successfully manage the negative impacts of the pandemic and enhance the firm’s performance. At the end of the case, students will be able to exploit the main crisis drivers that affected Delta Q’s business to subsequently orchestrate the most relevant strategic reactions based on subjects of competitive advantage, competitor’s positioning, dynamic capabilities and strategic alignment.

Date of Award	30 Jun 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Nuno Cardeal (Supervisor)