Business Case Studies & Business Publications

Corteva Agriscience: Communicating R & D...

West, June A., Sim...

Case

Corteva Agriscience: Communicating R & D Strategy to a Global Organization

West, June A.; Simko, Paul J.; Glinska, Gosia

BC-0275 | Published April 30, 2021 | 29 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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This case explores Corteva Agriscience’s (Corteva’s) research and development (R & D) organization, and the work of Wendy Srnic, global leader of Integrated Field Sciences (IFS); Kate Irvin, Corteva’s R & D communications leader; Neal Gutterson, Corteva's chief technology officer; and the R & D leadership team (RDLT) to communicate Corteva's new purpose and strategy to approximately 5,000 R & D employees in more than 140 countries worldwide. Because Corteva had been formed from a merger of three different organizations with different cultures, mindsets, and skillsets, communications efforts would have to accomplish a lot, including creating ownership and buy-in while promoting unity and a sense of belonging. Everyone in the company needed to understand how their job fit into the company's big picture, and it was critical that Srnic, Irvin, Gutterson, and the others work quickly so that every employee could start 2020 on the same page. How could the team work together to engage the global organization, to share Corteva's thinking and philosophy, get everyone's input, and help skeptics buy into the strategy?