Zipline: Reverse Agility in an Uncertain Environment

Zipline Ghana, established in 2019, transformed health care delivery by utilizing drone technology to serve over 1,200 health care facilities and to address the medical needs of more than 22 million Ghanaians. Its parent company, Zipline Global (Zipline), had demonstrated reverse agility by re-engineering its drones to address the evolving needs of markets in other countries. In August 2023, recognizing the increased demand in Ghana for quick and cost-effective deliveries in the face of rising fuel prices and shifting consumption patterns, Mawuli Atiemo, country manager of Zipline Ghana, was considering whether the company should diversify from its government medical supply contracts to undertake business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) contracts in the country. This expansion would likely present Zipline Ghana with new challenges, including considerations around data privacy, potential delivery disruptions, and workforce adjustments.