San Francisco Seminar 2009
The 2009 seminar came in the wake of the financial crisis and marked a clear shift in mood. This was the year when digitalization was no longer about growth alone, but about robustness, coherence and the ability to stand firm in the face of turmoil. Platform economics, customer experience and multi-channel commerce were not new concepts – but now they were put into serious, under pressure.
Day 1
The first day provided a data-driven picture of how the financial crisis changed consumer behaviour and digital purchasing patterns in the United States. For the first time, e-commerce experienced a genuine decline – while the foundations for continued digital growth became increasingly clear.
This was the day that showed that market uncertainty does not stop digitalisation – it accelerates it.
Day 2
The second day focused on how companies can build seamless and resilient customer journeys across channels. It became clear that multichannel and omnichannel are not technological choices, but organisational and cultural ones. The day showed that the future of commerce is not about channels – but about flow.
Day 3
The third day focused on J.C. Penney and the challenge of modernising a large, traditional retail organisation in response to digital expectations and new competitors. The case showed that the greatest barriers are rarely technological, but lie in culture, structure, and governance. The day taught us that the transition to digital commerce is as much about identity as it is about innovation.
Day 4
The fourth day compared Macy’s and Saks as they responded to the financial crisis, revealing two fundamentally different strategic choices. While Saks prioritised cost-cutting and survival, Macy’s chose to invest in digital growth, local adaptation, and emotional brand building. The day made it clear that digitalisation is not primarily about technology, but about the values and direction an organisation holds on to when pressure is at its greatest.
Day 5
The final day shifted the focus from channels and retail to what underpins all lasting digital transformation: people, culture, and learning. Through the Silicon Valley perspective, it became clear that sustainable innovation does not begin with systems, but with experimentation, rapid feedback, and a willingness to discard one’s own ideas. The day connected the challenges of retail with Silicon Valley’s approach: learning before control, culture before structure – and people at the centre.
Summary
The San Francisco seminar in 2009 was a clear turning point in the understanding of digitalization and innovation. The financial crisis had removed much of the technology optimism, leaving a more realistic picture of which businesses had actually built lasting digital capacity – and which had focused on short-term measures.
