Northwest Airlines: Strategic Alliance and Strategic Position--May 1996

Leonard A. Schlesinger; Davis  Dyer

Case | HBS Case Collection | July 1996 (Revised January 1997)

Northwest Airlines: Strategic Alliance and Strategic Position--May 1996

by Leonard A. Schlesinger and Davis Dyer

Abstract

Describes the strategic position of Northwest Airlines in 1996 and discusses its financial rebound and changes and improvements since the 1993 restructuring agreement. Describes the company's new strategy and its management of principal strategic assets, focusing at length on the strategic alliance between Northwest and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Describes how the alliance was formed, how it obtained antitrust immunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and how that ruling facilitated operating cooperation between the two partners. Concludes by considering strains in the alliance and the impact of competitive alliances formed in 1996 by leading U.S. and European airlines.

Keywords: Air Transportation; Restructuring; Alliances; Competitive Strategy; Government Administration; Cooperation; Business Strategy; Air Transportation Industry; United States; Netherlands;

Format: Print

29 pages

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Citation:

Schlesinger, Leonard A., and Davis Dyer. "Northwest Airlines: Strategic Alliance and Strategic Position--May 1996." Harvard Business School Case 897-034, July 1996. (Revised January 1997.)

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Case | HBS Case Collection | June 2019

Athena Bancorp (Brief Case)

Leonard A. Schlesinger and Sarah Abbott

Athena Bancorp was founded in 2016 by Beth Daniels, a banking professional with 15 years of experience in the industry. Daniels took advantage of what she perceived as a gap in the market caused by recent industry consolidation, a decreasing industry focus on branch banking, and tighter lending standards. Athena has an aggressive growth goal—"to grow to 15 branches, with loans and deposits increasing by threefold over the next five years." However, the bank's operating philosophy centers on a high-touch approach, and it relies on dedicated, highly capable employees who are willing to work long hours. Burnout is setting in at the branch level and morale is declining. Daniels and her leadership team are struggling to hire enough employees to execute this strategy. The case illustrates a company whose success is driven primarily by its human resources (HR) strategy. It also highlights the opportunities and challenges of operating a service business with a high performance/high commitment culture. The case can be used to discuss topics such as leadership, management, organizational culture, strategy, motivation, and entrepreneurs. It is recommended for upper-level undergraduate students or MBA students in courses focused on organizational behavior, general management, human resource management, leadership, or entrepreneurship.

Keywords: Banks and Banking; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Organizational Culture; Human Resources; Strategy; Service Delivery; Banking Industry;

Citation:

Schlesinger, Leonard A., and Sarah Abbott. "Athena Bancorp (Brief Case)." Harvard Business School Brief Case 919-517, June 2019. View Details

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Northwest Airlines: Strategic Alliance and Strategic Position--May 1996

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