Dropbox

By Jim Lattin, Peter Levine, Justin Randolph

2013 | Case No. E471 | Length 22 pgs.

Entrepreneurship

The case profiles Sujay Jaswa, VP of Business Development at the enterprise software company Dropbox, along with the company’s “freemium” business model and Dropbox’s sales organization to date. The case discusses the mechanics of a freemium product offering, as well as Dropbox’s sales activities to date, which have largely been automated and emphasize inside online sales. With the product’s evolution, the company’s continued growth, and a shifting customer profile, Jaswa deliberates whether a change to the company’s sales organization is merited, and if so, what the structure of such an organization should be. In particular, Jaswa debates whether the company has reached a point in its life cycle that requires an “outbound”, direct sales force.

Learning Objective

To require students to consider how and why the nature of a sales organization may evolve as a company and business product scales. To provide an overview and discussion on a “freemium” sales organization and related business model. To consider how a business can change its organizational structure without negatively affecting the culture that has been incubated to date.

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