Body Shop International

Christopher A. Bartlett

Case | HBS Case Collection | November 1991 (Revised July 1995)

Body Shop International

Abstract

Describes the start-up and rapid growth of a company whose founder holds strong, non-traditional beliefs about the role of the corporation and its responsibility to society. After profiling Anita Roddick as a person, the case describes the anti-mainstream approach she took to building her highly successful business (no advertising, simple packaging, non-traditional R&D). After elaborating on the strong values she has imposed on the business, concludes by highlighting questions of the business' transferability to the United States and its survivability as Anita steps back.

Keywords: Business Startups; Business Growth and Maturation; Leadership Style; Management Succession; Management Teams; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Values and Beliefs; Global Strategy; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry;

Language: English

Format: Print

19 pages

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Citation:

Bartlett, Christopher A. "Body Shop International." Harvard Business School Case 392-032, November 1991. (Revised July 1995.)

The case traces Bryan Upton’s 20-plus years as managing director of a Sheffield-based cutlery company and describes the strategic and organizational actions he took to raise sales and earnings at more than 25% annually, even as the local industry was in steep decline.
After outlining how the U.K. cutlery industry has evolved, the case describes the major changes introduced by Upton and his mentor Jerry Hahn in Richardson Sheffield to upgrade production technology, innovate the product line, and instill customer orientation. The case focuses on the impact of Upton’s controversial approach to human resource management in general and to management selection and development in particular on the organizational climate at the firm.
The case closes by identifying some major changes that threaten Richardson Sheffield. In 1986, Hahn’s ownership position is sold to an Australian industrial company with a different operating style and different strategic objectives for Richardson Sheffield. Top management is also undergoing a transition, with Upton gradually moving aside and outsiders being introduced. Finally, the approaching 1992 EC market harmonization presents new competitive challenges and market opportunities.

Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | June 1995 (Revised September 2019)

Richardson Sheffield

Christopher A. Bartlett and Ashish Nanda

This note was prepared to aid instructors in the use of "Richardson Sheffield," HBS No. 392-089. The case traces Bryan Upton’s 20-plus years as managing director of a Sheffield-based cutlery company and describes the strategic and organizational actions he took to raise sales and earnings at more than 25% annually, even as the local industry was in steep decline. After outlining how the U.K. cutlery industry has evolved, the case describes the major changes introduced by Upton and his mentor Jerry Hahn in Richardson Sheffield to upgrade production technology, innovate the product line, and instill customer orientation. The case focuses on the impact of Upton’s controversial approach to human resource management in general and to management selection and development in particular on the organizational climate at the firm. The case closes by identifying some major changes that threaten Richardson Sheffield. In 1986, Hahn’s ownership position is sold to an Australian industrial company with a different operating style and different strategic objectives for Richardson Sheffield. Top management is also undergoing a transition, with Upton gradually moving aside and outsiders being introduced. Finally, the approaching 1992 EC market harmonization presents new competitive challenges and market opportunities.

Keywords: Development; general management; Human Resources; Management; Leadership; Strategy; United Kingdom;

Citation:

Bartlett, Christopher A., and Ashish Nanda. "Richardson Sheffield." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 395-212, June 1995. (Revised September 2019.) View Details

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Describes the entrepreneurial leadership of Jack Manning Bancroft (JMB), a young Indigenous Australian university student who created the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), a nonprofit organization he formed to respond to the problem of Indigenous high school students completing high school at less than half the rate of non-Indigenous students. The case traces the strategic, organizational, and cultural challenges JMB faced in building an organization that eventually offered mentoring partnerships to 8,000 Indigenous students in 350 high schools throughout Australia. Furthermore, the AIME students were completing school and going on to university at the same rate as non-Indigenous students. The case concludes as JMB contemplates taking his successful, sophisticated model to the United States.

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Body Shop International

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