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  • May 2017
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Pho Hoa Dorchester

By: Leonard A. Schlesinger, Michael Raiche and Roger Zhu
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:17
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Abstract

Pho Hoa is a traditional, family-owned Vietnamese restaurant in Dorchester, Massachusetts that opened in 1992. As he approached retirement in recent years, the founder/owner has scaled down his involvement in the day-to-day operations, leading to a number of operational and financial issues, including variable food quality and deficient wait staff service. The restaurant is about to transition from 1st to 2nd generation ownership, and Tam Le, the son of the founder, realizes that major operational and financial changes are required to maintain the restaurant’s long-term viability. This case is intended to provide students with a better understanding of the personal, professional and cultural challenges facing small business owners. Using the context of a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, it examines the operational changes associated with transitioning ownership from the founder to his son, including formalizing equity stakes and internal processes, establishing a clear organizational structure and improving customer service. It also explores the personal motivations and ambitions of Tam Le, who is simultaneously assuming control of the restaurant and exploring a number of other commercial ventures unrelated to the legacy family business.

Keywords

Pho Hoa; Tam Le; Small Business; Restaurants; Dorchester; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Organization; Family Business; Change Management; Transition; Diasporas; Cash Flow; Food; Employment; Wages; Working Conditions; Leading Change; Business Processes; Organizational Culture; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Structure; Ownership Stake; Franchise Ownership; Family and Family Relationships; Food and Beverage Industry; Viet Nam; Massachusetts; Boston; Eastern United States

Citation

Schlesinger, Leonard A., Michael Raiche, and Roger Zhu. "Pho Hoa Dorchester." Harvard Business School Case 317-121, May 2017.
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About The Author

Leonard A. Schlesinger

General Management
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