1. Assess Lafley’s and McDonald’s leadership of Procter and Gamble. What steps were taken to make P&G a learning organization?
2. He notes in this 2005 article that not every one of P&G’s businesses was able to fully embrace this concept. What could Lafley do to implement his ideas?
3. Do you believe Lafley was correct that P&G couldn’t grow without changing how it handled innovation? The connect and develop model for innovation, unlike the traditional internal R&D, looks to external sources for innovation. The article explains that P&G changed its focus in 2000, and the company, and its stock, has grown steadily since then.
4. What were the major organizational changes Lafley made at P&G, and what challenges still remain?
5. What intangible resources did P&G have that Lafley and McDonald used to enact their change strategies? What competitive strategy did these resources best support?