Case | HBS Case Collection | June 1995 (Revised June 1995)

Ernst & Young United Kingdom (A)

by John J. Gabarro and Samantha Graff

Abstract

Intended to be a robust example of the challenges encountered during the early stages of a large-scale organizational transformation effort in a professional service firm. Describes a massive change program initiated and led by the new managing partner along with a small group of firm leaders. The first half outlines the conceptual phase, the process of obtaining firm-wide "buy-in" to the idea of change, and the launching of 10 change initiatives. The second half explores three challenges identified by the change leaderhsip that they intended to address in the coming year. The first concerned the organization of the London office (which accounted for over half of the firm's revenues and professionals). The second was growing dissatisfaction among the firm's non-partner senior managers. The third problem was the increasingly frequent feedback that many people were overwhelmed by the number of change initiatives or were confused by how the initiatives related to one another.

Keywords: Restructuring; Change Management; Leading Change; Management Teams; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Problems and Challenges; United Kingdom; London;

Format: Print 24 pages Find at Harvard

Citation:

Gabarro, John J., and Samantha Graff. "Ernst & Young United Kingdom (A)." Harvard Business School Case 495-061, June 1995. (Revised June 1995.)

Related Work

  1. Case | HBS Case Collection | November 1995

    Ernst & Young United Kingdom (B)

    John J. Gabarro and Samantha Graff

    Discusses progress made by mid-1995 on the three challenges identified by the change leadership at the end of 1993. First, it describes the decision-making process that resulted in a general consensus to reorganize the huge London office, and it highlights certain psychological, logistical, and strategic challenges of implementing this change. Second, it addresses action plans taken to increase the satisfaction of the firm's nonpartner senior managers. Third, it explores continued efforts of the change leadership to communicate and clarify its vision.

    Keywords: Change Management; Leading Change; Management Teams; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Restructuring; Problems and Challenges; Decision Making; Adaptation; Perspective; United Kingdom; London;

    Citation:

    Gabarro, John J., and Samantha Graff. "Ernst & Young United Kingdom (B)." Harvard Business School Case 496-010, November 1995.  View Details
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About the Author

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John J. Gabarro
UPS Foundation Professor of Human Resource Management, Emeritus

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