When Renault sent Carlos Ghosn to turnaround its alliance partner Nissan, observers were sceptical of his chances. After soliciting recommendations from the employees, he unveiled a three-year plan involving plant closures, job cuts, and a refocus on design. Within two years, the company had achieved a dramatic recovery, posting record profits and proposing a dazzling array of new models. Note that there are two versions of the case: 'Redesigning Nissan (A) & (B)' covers the dynamics of taking charge (case A) and the process of leading change (case B). There is also a combined and condensed version of the cases: 'Nissan's U-Turn: 1999-2001', for instructors wishing to cover the material in a single session.
The cases raise a number of themes to do with how an incoming leader establishes credibility, builds a case for painful change, gathers support, provides constant and consistent communication, sells growth as well as cuts, enforces accountability, measures progress, and sustains momentum for change.
- Automobile
- Cars
- Alliance
- Transformation
- Turnaround
- Restructuring
- Change
- Revival
- Strategy
- Vision
- Leadership
- Cost cutting
- Plant closures
- Empowerment
- Trust
- Growth
- Fair process
- Credibility
- Cultural differences
- Cross-functional teams
- Product development
- Productivity
- Design
- Purchasing.
