Octapharma (B): Crisis and Leadership

Companies regularly face difficulties, but sometimes they have to face a "life threatening" crisis. Such events challenge leadership, not least because of their complexity - technological puzzles, loyalty and political maneuvering, branding and communication issues, to name a few. But they can also be are powerful integrative moments, and when "well navigated" they can become opportunities for wider company reforms.

The objective is to help students see how crisis is an opportunity for change, although it must be navigated well and with a supportive coalition. The case also reveals how crisis is an opportunity for natural opposition to surface.