There is a case to be made against "great cases"
But a recent transformation story from Bayer AG is both noteworthy and newsworthy
by Niels Pflaeging
Some of you who have been in touch with the BetaCodex and the network for some time may be aware of a “challenge" our movement has been facing: We do not rely on "great cases" to impress others, or to fool the market. Different than most in our field, we do not use “magnificent cases” to catch attention. In fact, we stopped talking much about the dozens of Beta cases and our own transformation cases years ago. And for a reason: Over the years, we learned that anyone who is seriously interested in Beta transformation, and anyone who would then become a consulting client, was neither asking for case examples, nor insisting on case stories. They just wanted to get the work done.
There is another reason to not over-accentuate cases: Talking about great cases constantly suggests that cases are supposed to be copied, and somewhat implies that we are holders of ultimate truth and definite answers. Ethically (at least to us) this difference matters. From a marketing point of view, on the other hand, it may at times make Beta a "harder offer" than it would be to sell some framework or tool.
Amazing case
How and why, then, is the Bayer Bitterfeld case different? Silke Hermann and I think that the particular case of Bayer Bitterfeld should be perceived differently. There is a single key reason for this. In order to appreciate the difference, we have to look back at 2024. That year, Bayer made a big bet: Group CEO Bill Anderson publicly announced a group-wide transformation following a set of “DSO” principles, which are in sync with BetaCodex laws. What followed was a flurry of public statements and debate in media and in the management arena. Some merely applauded, others signaled curiosity, some thought it was unlikely that Bayer could ever meet the challenge of slashing bureaucracy and hierarchy and make Bayer truly “dynamic”, with “shared ownership”. In short: There was a lot of noise around DSO in 2024! In the meantime, Bayer Bitterfeld got to work: The unit was among the first to initiate transformation. Bayer Bitterfeld general manager Andrea Heym took great care to adopt DSO through a decentralized Cell Structure Design – fast, and with minimal external support, which was provided by consultants Red42.
In spite of the swift action, local management agreed that no over-promising and under-delivering could occur. Which meant that no public announcements about the work were to be made until after completion of the transformation, in early January 2025. In short: The case of Bayer Bitterfeld was initiated and finalized within the DSO mandate, discreetly and with focus. This case is not one of “chance or long-term dabbling”; it is not opaque or lacking context, but one of “challenge accepted and mission accomplished to specification – within the year”. Put differently: This is a no-bullshit case example of both consistent Beta organizing and swift Beta transformation.
Take five
At least five aspects make Bayer Bitterfeld a prominent, noteworthy and especially compelling case of Beta transformation:
Psychology: Bayer is very much a household name, the company is one of the world's most famous corporate brands.
Context/Brand sensuality: One must have lived in a cave with no Wifi to have escaped news around Bayer CEO Bill Anderson's DSO initiative in 2024. The Beta transformation in Bitterfeld was undertaken within the DSO framework and Anderson's mandate. At date, Bayer Bitterfeld is a "leading" implementation of DSO principles within Bayer.
Regulation: Bayer Bitterfeld, producer of Aspirin and other drugs for international markets, is operating in one of the most highly regulated, most challenging industries. There is nothing "simple" in decentralizing production of pharmaceuticals!
More regulation: It is no secret that Bayer has firmly established employee representation – something that is often interpreted as a "barrier" to self-organization, transformation and speed of action.
Plant operating model: Running a site in 3-shifts poses an additional challenge when trying to pull off organizational transformation that deserves the name "together with all the willing", fast and without hordes of consultants. Still, it took Bayer Bitterfeld only months to get the transformation done.
These are very strong "talking points" to use when helping business owners, senior executives or business unit heads to embrace the BetaCodex and Beta transformation. Now it is in our hands to help people grasp the possibility and to act upon it. In times like this, Beta is more relevant than ever, both for companies and for democracies in our societies at large. The time to make the case for change with other companies is now. 2025 is the year.
Now you
Questions? Agreement? Counter-arguments? Ideas? Please comment!
More on the topic:
Check out Andrea Heym's original LinkedIn post about the Bayer Bitterfeld case, here!
Learn more about Cell Structure Design and systematic decentralization for organizations here!
Learn more about the BetaCodex and the BetaCodex Network here!
Watch a conversation between Rijon Erickson and Niels Pflaeging about why "dabbling" and "experimentation" will never lead to any transformation, here.
AND you can watch and/or listen to more about what can and CAN'T be learned from so-called "great cases" here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Sh2fRFwGotw?si=rXbHzeitoLM_i8V5