NIHILENT LIMITED: BUILD OR BUY TALENT TO SUSTAIN CREATIVE
DISRUPTION IN HUMANIZING TECHNOLOGY CASE STUDY
SOLUTION
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SYNOPSIS
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Nihilent Limited, established in 2000, is an information technology (IT) services and consulting company
based in Pune, India. It is engaged in helping its clients in problem-solving and change management through
a human-centred approach. Instead of providing just the traditional IT services for clients, Nihilent enables
n
its clients to acquire a deeper understanding of the customer’s mindset and emotional responses by utilizing
its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge analytics and tools related to facial expressions,
tio
brainwave mapping, and sentiment analysis to create consumer-centric digital products.1 Thus, the company
not only provides the “what” through its consulting but also supplements the “how” through its IT and other
services. This differentiation in Nihilent’s services from other traditional IT services comes from the
lu
extensive use of design thinking. In fact, Product Life Cycle Development (PROLICY-D), developed by
Nihilent, was the first patented framework of its kind driven by design thinking.2
So
Nihilent is led by a charismatic and very creative leader, L.C. Singh, who has been at the centre of leading the
go to market strategy and client acquisition through his design thinking workshops, and most initial work has
been acquired based on his personal credibility. Singh is thus struggling with the question of how to sustain
creative disruption through humanizing technology, which he has so painstakingly built. Can he find the right
leadership to carry his vision forward? Can the Government of India’s Make in India initiative and
Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) policies and ecosystem help Nihilent gain competitive advantage?
OBJECTIVES
• Understand whether to build, borrow, or buy talent.
• Learn how to map talent to the talent matrix.
• Understand how environmental factors need to shift from technology to human experiences.
• Learn to suggest policy changes and regulatory prescriptions for consulting firms.
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
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ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1. a) To manage succession and leadership challenges, should Nihilent find the next chief executive
officer (CEO) from within the current team or hire someone from outside the company?
b) How can the existing choices be mapped in a talent matrix and a decision be made for the right candidate?
2. What should Nihilent do to retain its creative disruption, which requires the qualities of a strategy
consulting firm and the agility and discipline of an IT services firm?
3. How can Nihilent lobby for policy changes specific to consulting firms?
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, 3
ANALYSIS
e
1. a) To manage succession and leadership challenges, should Nihilent find the next chief
pl
executive officer (CEO) from within the current team members or hire someone from outside
the company?
1 a)
m
briefly summarize Nihilent’s background, its unique approach to human-centred
Sa
technology, and Singh’s role. The importance of strategic leadership and succession planning in the context
of Nihilent should be highlighted. To encourage small group discussion for ten minutes,
divide the class into two groups. Group A may take a position in selecting the next CEO from within the
current team and Group B may advocate for hiring an external candidate for the role. Each group can
identify arguments supporting their position. encourage students to draw upon the
n
theoretical concepts from the readings and justify the position that they take. let the
tio
debate continue, with each group giving a point and justifying the position taken with case facts.
Three models of leadership succession have been discussed in the literature. explain the
build, borrow, buy model with organizational examples (see Exhibit -1). This discussion will be
lu
followed by a debate of the pros and cons of each strategy, as outlined below.
So
Models of Leadership Succession
explain the build, borrow, buy strategy 4(see Exhibit -1) and students may come up
with a solution for either of the three options.
Build. Building talent refers to building an internal talent pipeline and choosing the CEO from this group.
Examples of successful internal CEO appointments include the following:
• Nike, Inc (Nike). John Donahoe had diverse experience at companies like eBay Inc., PayPal Holdings
Inc., and ServiceNow Inc. He had served on Nike’s board of directors since 2014 before becoming the
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -1: EXAMPLES OF BUILD, BUY, BORROW
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The Case Solution Starts From page 6
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EXHIBIT -5: OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLICY ADVOCACY AND CHALLENGES FOR NIHILENT
m
Sa
Strengths of Nihilent as a first mover Opportunities for policy advocacy Challenges to address
- Influence policy frameworks to - Mitigate risks associated with early adoption of new
Innovative leadership
support innovation and R&D. technologies.
- Advocate for policies promoting
n
- Pioneering with PROLICY-D and AI for human- - Overcome inertia within the organization and
technology adoption and digital
centric solutions. industry.
transformation.
tio
- Decoding emotions for consumer-centric - Shape regulations to encourage - Address potential shifts in consumer preferences
products. sustainable business practices. and technology capabilities.
lu
-
- Design thinking for business transformation.
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
DISRUPTION IN HUMANIZING TECHNOLOGY CASE STUDY
SOLUTION
e
pl
SYNOPSIS
m
Sa
Nihilent Limited, established in 2000, is an information technology (IT) services and consulting company
based in Pune, India. It is engaged in helping its clients in problem-solving and change management through
a human-centred approach. Instead of providing just the traditional IT services for clients, Nihilent enables
n
its clients to acquire a deeper understanding of the customer’s mindset and emotional responses by utilizing
its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge analytics and tools related to facial expressions,
tio
brainwave mapping, and sentiment analysis to create consumer-centric digital products.1 Thus, the company
not only provides the “what” through its consulting but also supplements the “how” through its IT and other
services. This differentiation in Nihilent’s services from other traditional IT services comes from the
lu
extensive use of design thinking. In fact, Product Life Cycle Development (PROLICY-D), developed by
Nihilent, was the first patented framework of its kind driven by design thinking.2
So
Nihilent is led by a charismatic and very creative leader, L.C. Singh, who has been at the centre of leading the
go to market strategy and client acquisition through his design thinking workshops, and most initial work has
been acquired based on his personal credibility. Singh is thus struggling with the question of how to sustain
creative disruption through humanizing technology, which he has so painstakingly built. Can he find the right
leadership to carry his vision forward? Can the Government of India’s Make in India initiative and
Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) policies and ecosystem help Nihilent gain competitive advantage?
OBJECTIVES
• Understand whether to build, borrow, or buy talent.
• Learn how to map talent to the talent matrix.
• Understand how environmental factors need to shift from technology to human experiences.
• Learn to suggest policy changes and regulatory prescriptions for consulting firms.
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1. a) To manage succession and leadership challenges, should Nihilent find the next chief executive
officer (CEO) from within the current team or hire someone from outside the company?
b) How can the existing choices be mapped in a talent matrix and a decision be made for the right candidate?
2. What should Nihilent do to retain its creative disruption, which requires the qualities of a strategy
consulting firm and the agility and discipline of an IT services firm?
3. How can Nihilent lobby for policy changes specific to consulting firms?
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, 3
ANALYSIS
e
1. a) To manage succession and leadership challenges, should Nihilent find the next chief
pl
executive officer (CEO) from within the current team members or hire someone from outside
the company?
1 a)
m
briefly summarize Nihilent’s background, its unique approach to human-centred
Sa
technology, and Singh’s role. The importance of strategic leadership and succession planning in the context
of Nihilent should be highlighted. To encourage small group discussion for ten minutes,
divide the class into two groups. Group A may take a position in selecting the next CEO from within the
current team and Group B may advocate for hiring an external candidate for the role. Each group can
identify arguments supporting their position. encourage students to draw upon the
n
theoretical concepts from the readings and justify the position that they take. let the
tio
debate continue, with each group giving a point and justifying the position taken with case facts.
Three models of leadership succession have been discussed in the literature. explain the
build, borrow, buy model with organizational examples (see Exhibit -1). This discussion will be
lu
followed by a debate of the pros and cons of each strategy, as outlined below.
So
Models of Leadership Succession
explain the build, borrow, buy strategy 4(see Exhibit -1) and students may come up
with a solution for either of the three options.
Build. Building talent refers to building an internal talent pipeline and choosing the CEO from this group.
Examples of successful internal CEO appointments include the following:
• Nike, Inc (Nike). John Donahoe had diverse experience at companies like eBay Inc., PayPal Holdings
Inc., and ServiceNow Inc. He had served on Nike’s board of directors since 2014 before becoming the
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -1: EXAMPLES OF BUILD, BUY, BORROW
e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, e
pl
EXHIBIT -5: OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLICY ADVOCACY AND CHALLENGES FOR NIHILENT
m
Sa
Strengths of Nihilent as a first mover Opportunities for policy advocacy Challenges to address
- Influence policy frameworks to - Mitigate risks associated with early adoption of new
Innovative leadership
support innovation and R&D. technologies.
- Advocate for policies promoting
n
- Pioneering with PROLICY-D and AI for human- - Overcome inertia within the organization and
technology adoption and digital
centric solutions. industry.
transformation.
tio
- Decoding emotions for consumer-centric - Shape regulations to encourage - Address potential shifts in consumer preferences
products. sustainable business practices. and technology capabilities.
lu
-
- Design thinking for business transformation.
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
