Publication database

The case study describes the strategic moves of Airbus in the twin-aisle-twin segment since the announcement by Boeing of the launch of its 787 Dreamliner. Airbus' clients initially reacted negatively to the strategic response on two occasions by criticizing the design of its competitive offering. By the end of 2006, however, there were positive signs that the new design, the A350 XWB, would be able to find its market. However, the formal industrial launch was not yet made and the A350 program management office had been asked to prepare a series of proposals to the Board of EADS regarding the next steps.

Anna Frisch has tried to initiate change at Aesch AG, a large global provider of medical devices for the healthcare industry. As marketing director, she has identified major shifts in German healthcare that demand that Aesch changes its ways of approaching customers. Instead of targeting the specific needs of doctors in hospitals, Aesch should rather address the new decision makers: the CEOs, CFOs, or CIOs of hospitals, who have a different buying logic. In Aesch's matrix organization (global product responsibility, supported by regional sales) Anna wants to convince the heads of marketing for the different product businesses to change. She seems to be able to quickly convince her colleagues of what she calls "C-level marketing." However, as soon as work is supposed to start, she realizes that commitments were less strong than she assumed. A few weeks later, Anna is clearly told that there will be no support for her.
The short case study is set when Anna realizes the failure of her change initiative. The case discussion allows analyzing and discussing various mistakes in the areas of:
- defining an attractive vision and strategy,
- reading and playing the organizational culture, power and politics,
- communicating a change initiative successfully,
- managing the stakeholders.
The case is supported by a 6-minute video showing Anna reflecting on the events, her analysis of failure, and her personal preferences as of December 2008.

The four-part case study (text cases A, B, C, and video case D) illustrates key concepts and lessons about leading adaptive change in the context of some extra-musical initiatives of Berlin-based and world-famous conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim. The case illustrates the challenges associated with resistance to adaptive change, understanding of stakeholders, management of conflicts, and the psychological challenges of leading unpopular, although important, change efforts under the conditions of pressure from various affected parties, who consciously or unconsciously attempt to divert the change-oriented leader from pushing forward. The case serves as fruitful ground for exploration of the theory of adaptive change (as put forward by Heifetz and Linsky), discussion of the dangers of leading, and psychological challenges of leading.

The four-part case study (text cases A, B, C, and video case D) illustrates key concepts and lessons about leading adaptive change in the context of some extra-musical initiatives of Berlin-based and world-famous conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim. The case illustrates the challenges associated with resistance to adaptive change, understanding of stakeholders, management of conflicts, and the psychological challenges of leading unpopular, although important, change efforts under the conditions of pressure from various affected parties, who consciously or unconsciously attempt to divert the change-oriented leader from pushing forward. The case serves as fruitful ground for exploration of the theory of adaptive change (as put forward by Heifetz and Linsky), discussion of the dangers of leading, and psychological challenges of leading.

The four-part case study (text cases A, B, C, and video case D) illustrates key concepts and lessons about leading adaptive change in the context of some extra-musical initiatives of Berlin-based and world-famous conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim. The case illustrates the challenges associated with resistance to adaptive change, understanding of stakeholders, management of conflicts, and the psychological challenges of leading unpopular, although important, change efforts under the conditions of pressure from various affected parties, who consciously or unconsciously attempt to divert the change-oriented leader from pushing forward. The case serves as fruitful ground for exploration of the theory of adaptive change (as put forward by Heifetz and Linsky), discussion of the dangers of leading, and psychological challenges of leading.

The four-part case study (text cases A, B, C, and video case D) illustrates key concepts and lessons about leading adaptive change in the context of some extra-musical initiatives of Berlin-based and world-famous conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim. The case illustrates the challenges associated with resistance to adaptive change, understanding of stakeholders, management of conflicts, and the psychological challenges of leading unpopular, although important, change efforts under the conditions of pressure from various affected parties, who consciously or unconsciously attempt to divert the change-oriented leader from pushing forward. The case serves as fruitful ground for exploration of the theory of adaptive change (as put forward by Heifetz and Linsky), discussion of the dangers of leading, and psychological challenges of leading.

The 15-minute video case study presents the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a world-renown orchestra that works without a conductor and is thus very different from almost every other orchestra of its size in the world. The musicians are responsible for jointly developing the interpretation of a piece of music. Everybody is asked to contribute to this process. The orchestra members are rotated frequently, so that everybody is a soloist or section leader at times, in the "tutti" at other times. Put differently, every musician is a leader at times, a follower at other times. The case study is showing how the orchestra works in the context of workshops with executives from the corporate world. The case focuses on contributions by the musicians of Orpheus, outlining the vision, the process of work, and the underlying values shared by the orchestra members. The case illustrates principles of shared, distributed leadership and thus sheds light on traditional, hierarchical concepts of leadership and aspects of leadership and teamwork.

Michel Portal, an executive with Auchan in France, has been appointed to head up a new acquired subsidiary in the imaginary country of Syldavia. This case is based on a real situation that has been disguised to ensure confidentiality of the persons involved. Syldavia, as a the host country is depicted as a economy in transition, and as such could be considered as one of the eastern and central European countries, although the case that inspired this situation is not situated in this part of the world. Auchan Syldava is typical of a "taking charge" case study where participants are expected to help Michel Portal, the new CEO, to develop a strategy for his new assignment for a company that he is expected to turn-around in a relatively short time span. The case provides a detailed description of the Grünfeld group which Auchan has acquired as well as the strategic, organizational and cultural context both at the mother company and the new subsidiary.

"It takes two to speak the truth - one who speaks and one to hear." (Thoreau) This 19-minute video case-study documents scenes from a workshop of the Critical Orchestra (Das Kritische Orchester), a music ensemble consisting of very experienced musicians who are joining once a year for very special rehearsing sessions. The musicians - from such world class ensembles such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Berlin, or the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig - work and have worked with the world's leading conductors: Karajan, Bernstein, Kleiber, Abbado, Rattle, Barenboim etc. In this special workshop they will, however, be led by rather inexperienced conductors in their late twenties or early thirties. These young conductors are given the chance to rehearse selected pieces with the orchestra - only to then be given feedback by these very experienced, world-class musicians. The case study owns much of its force to the double-reversed setup vis-a-vis expectations: Senior, experienced musicians being led by rookie conductors; and the musicians in the orchestra telling the conductors what to do. The case study can be used to illustrate the concept of feedback, focusing on the challenge of making this process effective for the parties involved. It allows for reflections on giving and receiving feedback and may be used in courses covering issues related to feedback or coaching (individual consultations, group coaching, or peer coaching). It can also be used to introduce feedback and coaching elements into programs then serving as an introduction and lead-up to these program elements.

The “drawbridge” is the short story of a baroness who, despite orders by her husband not to leave the castle, pays a servant so that she can leave the castle to visit a lover overnight. On her way back to the castle, she is killed by a madman after she unsuccessfully tried to get help from her lover, a boatman, and a friend. The half-page story has been circulating for more than three decades and is widely used for educational purposes throughout the world. Even though it is a classic, it has not been used as a case study in the context of management and leadership classes. It is available as a text version or comic strip.

There is an increasing interest in “responsible leadership” and “responsible business.” This case is an ideal opening for such topics. It may also be used as an introduction to leadership or general management programs, as an illustration of case work (different perspectives, no right and wrong answers, participants “doing” the work, discussion rather than lecture), as an illustration of the fuzziness of language, which we deal with in many (management) contexts (e.g. guilt vs. accountability vs. responsibility vs. fault), and/or as an illustration of how people look at the same context or phenomenon, but reach very different interpretations and judgments.