Kino Biotech and Kinofy: Shifting from “I” to “We”

Publication Type

Case

Publication Date

9-2021

Abstract

Set in early 2021, this case is about Kino Biotech, a Singapore-based company producing health and beauty products, most notably its flagship brand, Kinohimitsu. Its operations and distribution have expanded globally, especially to Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. In April 2018, Kino Biotech launched a spin-off company called Kinofy to leverage its cross-border commerce license and digital business experience of operating in China. Kinofy provides consulting solutions to Singapore and international companies that want to enter China. Kinofy is also pivotal in building a cross-border e-commerce platform where the collective intelligence can be accumulated when more Singapore and international firms enrol.

By following the journey of Kino Biotech and Kinofy from their start and through several critical transformations across three decades, this case enables a rich discussion on how firms manage strategic change, internationalisation, and digital transformation.

Students will learn 1) how to use the Business Model Canvas for analysis, 2) how firms manage strategic change and transformation, and to be agile while scaling up, 3) how firms pursue a global strategy and enter countries like China, 4) how firms engage in digital business, such as through omnichannels, managing online-to-offline operations, and implementing business transformation, and 5) how firms collaborate with one another to build their ecosystems.

Keyword(s)

Entrepreneurial business strategy, digital transformation, digital marketing, digital platforms, business models, international business

Discipline

Asian Studies | Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Strategic Management Policy

Research Areas

Strategy and Organisation

Data Source

Field Research

Industry

Food and beverage sector

Geographic Coverage

Singapore

Temporal Coverage

2021

Education Level

Executive Education; Postgraduate; Undergraduate

Publisher

Singapore Management University

Case ID

SMU-21-0023

Comments

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Additional URL

https://cmp.smu.edu.sg/case/5046

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