The case investigates the role of creative directors in the luxury fashion industry. When in October 2015 Raf Simons quit Christian Dior, industry observers wondered why anyone would voluntarily walk away from such an esteemed fashion house, and who would replace him. Beneath the glamorous veneer, the luxury and fashion industry puts tremendous stress on creative directors.

Organizational design can be complex, involving many different levers. But at its roots are a few fundamental formal structures or forms: functional, matrix, and divisional. This case tracks the early history of a (fictitious) start-up company in the software/mobile entertainment industry that rapidly expands and needs to consider the pros and cons of these various archetypes of formal structure.

A team led by Vivienne Cox, Executive Vice President for Gas, Power, and Renewables, identifies and launches a new business, BP Alternative Energy. Investing on this scale in a “green” power business was a radical departure for BP.It illustrates how Cox guided the emergence of a vision for AE, got key stakeholders on board and set in place conditions for a highly motivated team.

Tracey Burns, Director of Nursing at the King Edgar NHS Hospital Trust was assigned to head a project to improve the efficiency of patient flows throughout the hospital's system. The case describes how nurses are empowered to play a more proactive role in the process of discharging patients.