ISS describes a $2 billion multinational service company active in commercial cleaning. The case explores the company's entrepreneurial organisational structure which features autonomous country managers linked to headquarters by strong financial controls, as well as the future challenges of moving from acquisitive to organic growth and improving profitability.
For a service management class, the case gives an example of a company that has entered a low-status, price conscious business with a concept, which has allowed the company to charge a premium price. The case can also be used to explore an organisational model of distributed entrepreneurship as an alternative to the traditional hierarchical organisation.
- AR1993
