The PCDA Project of Doctors Without Borders-Spain Harvard Case Solution & Analysis

The case focus is set in mid-March 2011, a couple of weeks after Juan Ramon Axta's appointment as the brand new head of the PCDA endeavor at a time when sales were plummeting. The PCDA was successfully established in November 2010. The effort and also this cutting edge notion created to publicize it received extensive media coverage. The PCDA was initially quite successful with consumers. The initiative was viewed as a distinctive innovation in Spain and all over the world. During the first 20 days that followed the product launch, 1.5 million packets were sold. After three months, sales reached 3 million packets. Pharmacies complained of constant stock outs. The sales of the PCDAs surpassed all previous outlooks. Based on this particular first success, MSF ordered an additional 3 million packets. However, in the end of February sales fell by 400,000 packets (i.e., a 50% decrease from the previous month). At that pace MSF feared 100,000 packets would not be exceeded by sales in March. This sharp drop in sales created significant doubt about the future of the campaign. Atxa had to determine whether MSF should continue with the project or cancel it. He wondered whether he should put a stop to it and learn from the experience. He had lately been placed in charge of it, therefore he felt compelled not to pick this option. Nonetheless, what was the best thing to do?

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