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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2012

  Jess Westerly at Kauflauf GmbH

  John J. Gabarro, Colleen Kaftan, John J. Gabarro and Colleen Kaftan

  Jess Westerly is the assistant product owner of CRM applications for computer and office supply wholesalers and retailers at Kauflauf, a fast-growing provider of subscription enterprise software headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany. Only months into her job, outsider Westerly tries and fails to implement a change in field consultants' sales call patterns. Westerly had introduced the changes to the sales organization via a memo that outlined her directive and explained the reasons behind it. Field consultants immediately complained about the infringement on their decisions about how to spend their time and the insensitivity to the relationship-oriented nature of developing business. Three months later, sales statistics show little difference in calling patterns. After explaining, defending, and reshaping her stalled initiative, Waverly presents her amended proposal to key senior executives and is given three weeks to produce an implementation plan. If the plan is deemed acceptable, she will be asked to implement it.

  Citation:

  Gabarro, John J., and Colleen Kaftan. "Jess Westerly at Kauflauf GmbH." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-527, August 2012.

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2012

  Jess Westerly at Kauflauf GmbH

  John J. Gabarro, Colleen Kaftan, John J. Gabarro and Colleen Kaftan

  Jess Westerly is the assistant product owner of CRM applications for computer and office supply wholesalers and retailers at Kauflauf, a fast-growing provider of subscription enterprise software headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany. Only months into her job, outsider Westerly tries and fails to implement a change in field consultants' sales call patterns. Westerly had introduced the changes to the sales organization via a memo that outlined her directive and explained the reasons behind it. Field consultants immediately complained about the infringement on their decisions about how to spend their time and the insensitivity to the relationship-oriented nature of developing business. Three months later, sales statistics show little difference in calling patterns. After explaining, defending, and reshaping her stalled initiative, Waverly presents her amended proposal to key senior executives and is given three weeks to produce an implementation plan. If the plan is deemed acceptable, she will be asked to implement it.

  Citation:

  Gabarro, John J., and Colleen Kaftan. "Jess Westerly at Kauflauf GmbH." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-527, August 2012.

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2011 (Revised from original 2010 version)

  Erik Peterson at Biometra (A)

  John J. Gabarro, Thomas J. DeLong and Jevan Soo

  Describes the problems facing a recent MBA graduate in his job as general manager of a medical device company owned by a parent corporation. Raises issues of corporate divisional relationships and the difficulties facing an inexperienced manager who seems to be receiving little support. A redisguised and updated version of earlier case 494-005, reflecting the challenges of managing in innovation/R&D-driven industries and across multiple international sites.

  Keywords: Business Subsidiaries; Leadership; Managerial Roles; Product Launch; Organizational Structure; Problems and Challenges; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry;

  Citation:

  Gabarro, John J., Thomas J. DeLong, and Jevan Soo. "Erik Peterson at Biometra (A)." Harvard Business School Case 411-031, August 2011. (Revised from original July 2010 version.)

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