Still Leading (B10): Louis Gossett Jr.— A New Role Erasing Racism

Rosabeth Moss Kanter; Ai-Ling Jamila Malone

Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2017

Still Leading (B10): Louis Gossett Jr.— A New Role Erasing Racism

by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Ai-Ling Jamila Malone

Abstract

Louis (Lou) Gossett Jr.’s exemplary life included a groundbreaking career in entertainment and a bold and audacious goal to erase racism. From the Broadway stage to television and the movie screen, Gossett earned major accolades in his field, notably becoming the first African American man to win an Oscar (Academy Award) for Best Supporting Actor for his moving portrayal as Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman in 1982. Despite his accomplished Hollywood career, as an African-American male he was subjected to constant discrimination in the industry and in society. Amidst the duality of success and distress in his life, Gossett forged a meaningful life path, marked by resilience and perseverance. In 2006, his desire to make an even greater impact led him to create the Eracism Foundation. Eracism was defined as “the removal from existence of the belief that one race, one culture, one people is superior to another.”

Keywords: leadership; Advanced Leadership Initiative; advanced leadership; entrepreneurship; Change; Transition; Entrepreneurship; Social Entrepreneurship; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Prejudice and Bias;

Language: English

Format: Print

11 pages

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Citation:

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, and Ai-Ling Jamila Malone. "Still Leading (B10): Louis Gossett Jr.— A New Role Erasing Racism." Harvard Business School Case 318-053, October 2017.

Gun violence was a significant problem in America. Three Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellows Christy Wood, Russell Sternlicht, and Gareth Glaser each decided to do something about gun safety. They each used their professional and leadership experience to identify their own solutions to the issue. Wood created a set of principles for investments funds to pressure gun manufacturers and gun sellers within their portfolios to adopt safety standards. Sternlicht designed a membership-based lobbying and advocacy group in order to harness the power of mass movements to create positive change. And Glaser founded a smart-gun company whose product could help reduce certain types of deaths and injuries. Would any of these three innovations move beyond the historical gridlock on gun safety?

This is a teaching note to the original case: Gun violence was a significant problem in America. Three Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellows Christy Wood, Russell Sternlicht, and Gareth Glaser each decided to do something about gun safety. They each used their professional and leadership experience to identify their own solutions to the issue. Wood created a set of principles for investments funds to pressure gun manufacturers and gun sellers within their portfolios to adopt safety standards. Sternlicht designed a membership-based lobbying and advocacy group in order to harness the power of mass movements to create positive change. And Glaser founded a smart-gun company whose product could help reduce certain types of deaths and injuries. Would any of these three innovations move beyond the historical gridlock on gun safety?

From 2008-2010 Anand Piramal ran a series of pilots for his digital healthcare startup, Piramal e-Swasthya (PeS) to “democratize healthcare” in rural areas of India. PeS ran into difficulties so Anand Piramal had to decide whether to continue the organization and if so how. In 2010, an unexpected opportunity emerged that could have significant implications for PeS’s organizational structure and future prospects. Anand Piramal now faced several options for PeS. He needed to weigh the pros and cons of each option to make the best decision to fulfill his vision of providing quality healthcare services to “bottom-of-the-pyramid” populations. This case exemplifies the strategic decisions an entrepreneur must make to ensure that a social impact venture can be sustainable and scalable.

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Still Leading (B10): Louis Gossett Jr.— A New Role Erasing Racism

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