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  • September 2003 (Revised November 2005)
  • Case
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Best Buy Co., Inc. (A): An Innovator's Journey

By: Dorothy A. Leonard and Brian DeLacey
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:20
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Abstract

The CEO of Best Buy, a hugely successful retailing company, has hired consulting firm Strategos to imbue the company with an improved innovative capability. The six-month program of experimental learning yields new business ideas and also trains Best Buy employees as innovation coaches. However, this kind of learning is expensive and time consuming. The case details the learning journey as experienced by Best Buy employees and raises the question of when such development programs are appropriate. Focuses on the learning process and stimulates debate about how people and organizations learn in general, as well as how an innovation capability can be fostered.

Keywords

Innovation and Management; Innovation Strategy; Management Teams; Creativity; Adoption; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Employees; Learning; Training; Programs; Retail Industry; United States

Citation

Leonard, Dorothy A., and Brian DeLacey. "Best Buy Co., Inc. (A): An Innovator's Journey." Harvard Business School Case 604-043, September 2003. (Revised November 2005.)
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About The Author

Dorothy A. Leonard

→More Publications

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