Publications
Publications
- May 2003 (Revised November 2005)
- HBS Case Collection
Marks & Spencer: The Phoenix Rises
By: Joseph L. Bower
Abstract
The great U.K. retailer fell on hard times in 1998. In 2001, a new CEO was recruited who appears to have succeeded in turning around this world-renown company. This case examines the steps he took (strategic, structural, and recruiting key people) and highlights a series of fundamental questions that remain. Can the company regain its premium retail brand given the new competition and given the breadth of market segments that it addresses under one roof? Are the new approaches to sourcing and segmentation sound? Should the firm seriously consider reentering the international retail markets?
Keywords
Global Strategy; Recruitment; Leadership Development; Crisis Management; Supply and Industry; Business Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Segmentation; Retail Industry
Citation
Bower, Joseph L. "Marks & Spencer: The Phoenix Rises." Harvard Business School Case 303-096, May 2003. (Revised November 2005.)
