Assignment
Case Study:
Anne Mulcahy: Leading Xerox through the Perfect Storm
Suggested Assignment Questions
I. Mulcahy's qualifications:
1. As a Xerox board member, do you support the selection of Mulcahy to turn Xerox around? What are her strengths and weaknesses vis-a-vis this role?
2. How did Xerox get to the point of bankruptcy? Was it a case of management ineptitude or simply shifting industry trends?
II. Mulcahy's leadership:
3. How effective has Mulcahy been in her first five months as COO in addressing the root causes of Xerox's problems?
4. Does Mulcahy grasp the severity of Xerox's difficulties? What do Exhibits 1 and 2 indicate about Xerox's financial condition?
III. Mulcahy's disposition:
5. Is Mulcahy so concerned about her employees' job security that she cannot take painful yet necessary actions?
6. Did the stress of Mulcahy's role take an abject toll on her reasoning faculties?
IV. October 23, 2000 decision point:
7. As Mulcahy's advisor, what course of action would you recommend? Stay the course with limited changes? Make deep cuts in R&D and SG&A? Or seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for reorganization purposes?
8. What are the consequences and risks of each option?
V. Twin problems of bank debt & SEC investigation:
9. How can Mulcahy get these on-going problems resolved? Can her personal involvement make a difference?
10. Is there a linkage between the two issues? Can one be solved without the other?