Signify Health

Case Study: Signify Health - Building International Technology Development to Support Platform Scaling

Vanessa Bretas, Esther Tippmann and Jonathan Levie (University of Galway) developed this teaching case to provide material for class discussion for educators seeking to cover platform business models, challenges of scaling a platform business, location choice criteria and structure of an international technology development organisation in their courses.

Synopsis of the case study

Signify Health is a US health care services company that disrupted the US health care market with its value-based care provision. This case study focuses on the opening of its first technology centre outside the United States. Signify Health had an ambitious plan to develop an international centre of excellence for innovation, seen as a critical step to develop new solutions and provide technologies that would enable the platform to scale up its business. This case study explores important decisions, including where to locate the international technology centre, how to integrate the new centre into the wider domestic organization, and challenges of scaling a platform business.

How might this case study be useful to you?

For educators, this case study can be used in courses or modules on international management, international business, global strategy, entrepreneurship, international entrepreneurship, and R&D management. It is suitable for undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. The case study enables students to learn about a platform business model and the strategies required to achieve desired growth. It can also help them learn about the role that investing in technology development plays in scaling a platform business. A comprehensive teaching note is available.

Citation: Bretas, V.P.G., Tippmann, E. and Levie, J. (2023). Signify Health: Building International Technology Development to Support Platform Scaling. Ivey Publishing.