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  • March 2009
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

The Home Depot: Leadership in Crisis Management

By: Herman B. Leonard, Marc J. Epstein and Melissa Tritter
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:20
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Abstract

Examines the challenges The Home Depot faced in the aftermath of natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Andrew. By providing 40,000 to 50,000 items sold by knowledgeable associates, The Home Depot became a destination place for customers in need of anything from shovels to a new kitchen sink or supplies to use in recovering from a hurricane or flood. Disasters are thus both a source of disruption to the company's operations and a source of additional demand for its products and services. How, then, should The Home Depot organize itself in advance of disaster events?

Keywords

Disruption; Customer Focus and Relationships; Leadership; Crisis Management; Logistics; Natural Disasters; Retail Industry

Citation

Leonard, Herman B., Marc J. Epstein, and Melissa Tritter. "The Home Depot: Leadership in Crisis Management." Harvard Business School Case 309-055, March 2009.

About The Author

Dutch Leonard

General Management
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