Publications
Publications
- April 2015 (Revised December 2018)
- HBS Case Collection
Steve Jobs: Leader Strategist
By: Cynthia A. Montgomery and David B. Yoffie
Abstract
Strategically, Steve Jobs got it brilliantly right some times and terribly wrong other times. This case examines Jobs' development as a leader strategist over the course of his entire career. The successes and failures of Apple, NeXT, and Pixar are used to probe the role of strategy in organizational success and to examine a leader's distinctive responsibility to set (and reset) a viable course for a business. While Jobs' greatness may make him seem inaccessible at times, a closer look shows that some of his most valuable managerial capabilities were honed slowly, painfully, over time, and that there is much others can learn from his experience.
Keywords
Strategist; Steve Jobs; Apple; Leadership; Competitive Advantage; Personal Development and Career; Strategy
Citation
Montgomery, Cynthia A., and David B. Yoffie. "Steve Jobs: Leader Strategist." Harvard Business School Case 715-454, April 2015. (Revised December 2018.)