Roderick Swaab

Professor of Organisational Behaviour
The case follows the story of Brazilian business leader, Ricardo Semler, who took the family marine-pump business, Semco, to multi-national, multi-sector success. To do so, Ricardo Semler dramatically changed his own leadership style by relinquishing control and working less hard, and subsequently transformed the culture at Semco via a radical process of workplace democratisation.

Published 26 May 2023

Reference 5982

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Education Management Leisure, Travel and Tourism Banking

Region South America

View case
The case follows the story of Brazilian business leader, Ricardo Semler, who took the family marine-pump business, Semco, to multi-national, multi-sector success. To do so, Ricardo Semler dramatically changed his own leadership style by relinquishing control and working less hard, and subsequently transformed the culture at Semco via a radical process of workplace democratisation.

Published 12 Aug 2016

Reference 5982

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Region South America

View case
The case follows the story of Brazilian business leader, Ricardo Semler, who took the family marine-pump business, Semco, to multi-national, multi-sector success. To do so, Ricardo Semler dramatically changed his own leadership style by relinquishing control and working less hard, and subsequently transformed the culture at Semco via a radical process of workplace democratisation.

Published 12 Aug 2016

Reference 5982

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Region South America

View case
This case is a role-play between a director of a consulting company and an associate during an annual performance appraisal. During the meeting, the director has the challenging task of giving some unexpected negative feedback to an otherwise high-performing associate who comes to the meeting expecting to hear nothing but good news. Can the director give the feedback effectively?

Published 23 Jun 2014

Reference 6068

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Consulting

Region Europe

View case
This case is a role-play between a director of a consulting company and an associate during an annual performance appraisal. During the meeting, the director has the challenging task of giving some unexpected negative feedback to an otherwise high-performing associate who comes to the meeting expecting to hear nothing but good news. Can the director give the feedback effectively?

Published 23 Jun 2014

Reference 6068

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Consulting

Region Europe

View case
The case follows the story of Brazilian business leader, Ricardo Semler, who took the family marine-pump business, Semco, to multi-national, multi-sector success. To do so, Ricardo Semler dramatically changed his own leadership style by relinquishing control and working less hard, and subsequently transformed the culture at Semco via a radical process of workplace democratisation.

Published 28 Apr 2014

Reference 5982

Topic Leadership & Organisations

Industry Education Management Leisure, Travel and Tourism Banking

Region South America

View case
Negotiations and Conflict Resolution, Groups and Teams, Social Hierarchies