Opportunity or necessity? The Case of ZM S/A

Abstract

This teaching case portrays the dilemma of ZM S/A, an auto parts industry, regarding the disruption of B2B to B2C sales channels. With the growing demand for sales through online channels due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company puts into perspective the feasibility of starting direct sales operations (B2C) through the creation of its own e-commerce or the promotion of its distributors’ online sales. The purpose of the case is to promote reflection on the strategic changes in sales channels and the potential conflicts of creating an e-commerce platform. This is a real case that uses the company’s name and replaces the names of individuals involved for privacy. The construction of the case relied on primary sources, through interviews with those involved, and on secondary sources, through sectoral data. The case can be applied in the final years of undergraduate programs in business administration and graduate programs in strategic marketing and digital marketing, specifically in courses related with business management, organization and marketing strategies, operations management, and innovation.

Keywords:
Marketing channels; Sales; Marketplace; Digital transformation