Required Reading
- Mankins, Michael C. and Steele, Richard, Turning Great Strategy into Great Performance, in HBR 10 Must Reads on Strategy.
- Bartlett, Christopher & Wozne, Meg (2000). GE's Two Decade Transformation: Jack Welch's Leadership. Harvard Business School Press. HBS 9-399-150
- Heifetz, R.A., & Laurie, D.L. (2001, December). The work of leadership. Harvard Business Review, 79 (12). (B)
- Neilson, Gary L., Martin, Karla L. & Powers, Elizabeth. The Secrets to Successful Strategy Execution, in HBR 10 Must Reads on Strategy
- Grant, R.M. (2008). Contemporary strategy analysis(6th ed.). Malden, MA: Blackwell. Chapters 10, 13, 15, 16. (Optional)
Multimedia
YouTube - Jack Welch on Leadership and the State of Corporate America, UCLA
YouTube - Jack Welch: Create Candor in the Workplace
YouTube - GHRF 2008: Jack Welch - Former CEO, GE
YouTube - Interview with Jack Welch
MIT World ? : A Conversation with Jack Welch
GE's Two Decade Transformation Case Analysis
Analyze the case study based on the questions given below. As in earlier weeks, this case study assignment is also tightly integrated with the readings for this and previous weeks. You will need to acquire a good understanding of key ideas from the readings before starting to analyze the case study.
Case Analysis Questions:
- How difficult a challenge did Welch face in 1981. How effectively did he take charge?
- What was Welch's objective in the series of initiative he launched in the late 1980?s and early 1990â??s.? What was he trying to achieve in the round of changes he put in motion in that period? Is there a logic or rational supporting the change process?
- How does such a large, complex diversified conglomerate defy the critics and continue to grow so profitably? Have Welch's various initiatives added value? If so, how?
- What is your evaluation of Welch's approach to leading change? How important was he to GE's success? What are the implications for his replacement?