Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • January 1995 (Revised September 2011)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (A)

By: Herminia M. Ibarra and Nicole Sackley
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:18
ShareBar

Abstract

Examines Beer's actions on assuming leadership of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, the world's sixth largest advertising agency, during a period of rapid industry change and organizational crisis. Focuses on how Beers, the first outsider CEO, engages and leads a senior team through a vision formulation process. Chronicles closely the debates among senior executives struggling to reconcile creative, strategic, and global vs. local priorities. Sixteen months later, with a vision statement agreed upon, Beers faces a series of implementation problems. Turnaround has begun, but organizational structures and systems are not yet aligned with the firm's new direction. Concludes as Beers must decide how to work best with her senior team to achieve alignment in 1994.

Keywords

Organizational Change and Adaptation; Leadership; Advertising; Organizational Structure; Advertising Industry

Citation

Ibarra, Herminia M., and Nicole Sackley. "Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (A)." Harvard Business School Case 495-031, January 1995. (Revised September 2011.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

Related Work

    • January 1995 (Revised September 2011)
    • Faculty Research

    Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (A)

    By: Herminia M. Ibarra and Nicole Sackley
Related Work
  • Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (A) By: Herminia M. Ibarra and Nicole Sackley
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College