{"id":1149,"date":"2018-12-07T20:25:02","date_gmt":"2018-12-07T20:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/books.twu.ca\/strategic-discoveries\/?post_type=chapter&p=1149"},"modified":"2019-01-18T17:01:32","modified_gmt":"2019-01-18T17:01:32","slug":"zenyatta-strategic-influence-by-clen","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/books.twu.ca\/strategic-discoveries\/chapter\/zenyatta-strategic-influence-by-clen\/","title":{"rendered":"Zenyatta’ Strategic Influence by CLEN"},"content":{"raw":"

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\r\nZenyatta holds great potential as a Canadian company on the brink of scientific and technological breakthroughs in graphene. CLEN\u2019s analysis of Zenyatta focuses on the company\u2019s current and future strategic direction. This process began with a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis to better understand Zenyatta\u2019s current position, while also presenting several recommendations based on our findings and observations. Given the company\u2019s recent leadership change, we feel strategic influence is essential for this company\u2019s fiscal recovery, as well as it\u2019s sustainability and vision. Our recommendations will guide the company through the next three to four critical years, supporting the change in strategic direction. We wish to acknowledge and recognize the extended efforts of Zenyatta\u2019s current leadership and their attempt to change the direction of their company.\r\n

SWOT Analysis Results<\/strong><\/p>\r\nIt is important, before we proceed with our assessment, we revisit the results of Meet Zenyatta by CLEN SWOT analysis (November 2018) to identify both Zenyatta\u2019s perspective (Figure 1.1) and CLEN\u2019s subsequent analysis (Figure 1.2) of the company\u2019s internal strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and external threats.\r\n\r\nFigure 1.1 SWOT Analysis by CVB\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
STRENGTHS<\/td>\r\nWEAKNESSES<\/td>\r\nOPPORTUNITIES<\/td>\r\nTHREATS<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Best quality of graphene<\/td>\r\nTechnology<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\nInvestor fatigue<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe tenacity of their employees\/shareholders is to be commended especially during such a tumultuous year (comment on the change in leadership earlier this year). \u00a0CLEN\u2019s further research identified similar and differing points of analysis as noted in Figure 1.2 (below).\r\n\r\nFigure 1.2 SWOT Analysis by CLEN\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
STRENGTHS<\/td>\r\nWEAKNESSES<\/td>\r\nOPPORTUNITIES<\/td>\r\nTHREATS<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Quality of Graphene\r\n\r\nStaff Commitment<\/td>\r\nBrand recognition\r\n\r\nCapital crunch\r\n\r\nStaff compensation\r\n\r\nOnline Presence<\/td>\r\nGovernment relations\r\n\r\nNew discoveries\r\n\r\nPartnerships<\/td>\r\nAccess to land\r\n\r\nFinances\r\n\r\nNew Technology\r\n\r\nGlobal Trade\r\n\r\nEconomy<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Zenyatta: A bright future full of challenges and opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\r\nThe words robust, creative, tenacious and unique easily describes this technologically leadership team. However, this company\u2019s future rests on a shaky foundation: its sole business opportunity depends on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a small First Nations community in Northern Ontario. If the relationship is jeopardized (due to cultural sensitivity and a real or perceived absence of respect), the company would cease to exist. What\u2019s more, the company very recently weathered a leadership change and is experiencing \u2018investor fatigue\u2019, according to Colin Van der Kuur.\r\n

Zenyatta focuses on the future as opportunities for strategic partnerships emerge<\/strong><\/p>\r\nAsk Colin Van der Kuur about the future of graphene and he\u2019ll tell you the possibilities are endless.\r\n\r\n\u201cGraphene is unlimited in its next best ideas,\u201d Van der Kuur says, as he rhymes off a list of potential projects.\r\n\r\n\u201cThere\u2019s just so many fabulous ideas it's unbelievable,\u201d he says.\r\n\r\nVan der Kuur is a research catalyst for Zenyatta, a graphene solutions company based in Northern Ontario. For those who\u2019ve never heard of graphene, it\u2019s a little known--but naturally occurring--single layered form of crystalline carbon in a hexagonal pattern. Tapped for its strength, flexibility, light weight and conductivity, graphene has the potential to open up new markets in everything from medicine to manufacturing to everyday consumer products.\r\n\r\n\u201cYou can put graphene into concrete and it becomes forty per cent stronger,\u201d Van der Kuur says.\r\n\r\nIn his role, Van der Kuur decides what area of research the company should focus on. At the moment, it is concrete, but in the future, Van der Kuur hopes Zenyatta will lead the way in developing the next generation of the lithium ion battery, among other things.\r\n\r\nStill considered a \u2018start-up\u2019, Zenyatta is in its early stages of growth, after having weathered a major change at the helm: shareholders voted to remove the former management team, making way for a new brand of visionaries, which includes Van der Kuur.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe previous management completely overestimated their ability and underestimated ours,\u201d he says.\r\n\r\nThe new leadership team has been in place since May 11, 2018 and, as many in the \u2018start-up\u2019 phase know all too well, the money isn\u2019t good--yet.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re not getting paid significantly for the corporate world,\u201d Van der Kuur says. \u201cIt's a passion interest for all of us.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe focus now is on making quick work of their short-term obstacles, which includes brand recognition and product awareness. The goal is to drive productivity by way of strategic partnerships, as they leverage the high quality of the graphene they\u2019re able to produce.\r\n\r\nBut what they really need now are investors.\r\n\r\n\u201cAll of our current shareholders have been more wait-and-see since the takeover and all of our current shareholders are quite happy with the job that we\u2019re doing,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it takes a while to prove yourself and to bring more investors to the table.\u201d\r\n\r\nVan der Kuur remains confident that the company\u2019s fortunes--and share price--will soon change.\r\n

Zenyatta Strategic Influence Plans<\/strong><\/p>\r\nThe following \u00a0information comes from Hughes, Beatty, and Dinwoodie (2015) strategy influence model.\r\n\r\nStrategic influence is the leader\u2019s ability to create commitment to organizational strategic direction and learning, which is essential to sustaining a contemporary competitive advantage (p.145). For Zenyatta, this means developing a plan focusing on:\r\n\r\nDeveloping a \u2018Zenyatta Mindset\u2019<\/strong>\r\n