“We Googled You” Case Study from HBR
Summer 2008
OL 690 – Responsible
Corporate Leadership
Framing:
With the sudden growth in wealth among China’s population, retailers are
looking to expand operations in the once communist country. Luxury apparel
retailer Hathaway Jones and CEO Fred Westen are
forming a strategy to take advantage of this emerging market. With sales of $5
billion in 2006 and loosing market share to the lower price point competition,
Fred was recruited to bring a breath of new life into the company. Expansion
into China
was one of his plans and needed a sharp executive to spearhead this operation.
Derived from a phone conversation from his former roommate, Fred is put in
contact with his daughter Mimi Brewster. Mimi works for a competing clothing
retailer and is looking to expand her resume into a management position.
