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  • December 2016
  • Supplement
  • HBS Case Collection

Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail

By: Ryan Raffaelli, Joshua D. Margolis and Das Narayandas
  • Format:Video
  • | Language:English
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Abstract

This is a video supplement, to be used when teaching the Ron Johnson case. See abstract:

In April 2013, Ron Johnson (HBS '84) stepped down after just 18 months as CEO of J.C. Penney. In his brief tenure, Johnson, an acclaimed retailer respected for his innovation and success in shaping the retail image at Target and Apple, introduced dramatic departures from J.C. Penney's traditional retail approach and enacted changes quickly and simultaneously, with little market testing. Over Johnson's final 12 months as CEO, J.C. Penney shares dropped more than 50%. The case describes the environments at Target, Apple, and J.C. Penney during Johnson's tenure and how his experiences may have shaped the strategies that he implemented while CEO at J.C. Penney.

Keywords

Leadership; Leadership Development; Legal Industry; Procurement; Professional Service Firms; Pricing; Competition; Organizational Behavior; Change Management; Innovation Leadership; Situation or Environment; Failure; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Retail Industry; United States

Citation

Raffaelli, Ryan, Joshua D. Margolis, and Das Narayandas. "Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail." Harvard Business School Multimedia/Video Supplement 417-704, December 2016.
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About The Authors

Ryan L. Raffaelli

Organizational Behavior
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Joshua D. Margolis

Organizational Behavior
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Das Narayandas

Marketing
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Related Work

    • December 2016
    • Faculty Research

    Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail

    By: Ryan Raffaelli, Joshua D. Margolis and Das Narayandas
Related Work
  • Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail By: Ryan Raffaelli, Joshua D. Margolis and Das Narayandas
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