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  • January 2018
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

John Rogers, Jr.—Ariel Investments Co.

By: Steven Rogers and Greg White
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:30
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Abstract

John Rogers Jr., the founder and CEO of Ariel Investments, an enormously successful finance firm with $12 billion of invested capital, is one of the few African Americans in the asset management industry. As one of the high profile leaders in the black business community, John has decided to encourage Fortune 500 companies and major foundations to increase the volume of business that they do with black and other minority-owned companies. His encouragement comes in the form of public criticism of these organizations. He challenges them to stop paying “lip service” to inclusion, diversity, and fair business opportunity and sincerely commit to these ideals through action and results. A member of John’s Board of Directors has advised him to cease his leadership of this effort because it could be detrimental to Ariel Investments. Is the board member right? Is John being reckless? Is there a model that can be created to determine if and when John and other leaders should publicly express their opinions?

Keywords

Advocacy; Diversity; Investment Management; Affirmative Action; Disruption; Cost vs Benefits; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Fairness; Moral Sensibility; Values and Beliefs; Corporate Accountability; Leading Change; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Problems and Challenges; Financial Services Industry; Chicago

Citation

Rogers, Steven, and Greg White. "John Rogers, Jr.—Ariel Investments Co." Harvard Business School Case 318-099, January 2018.
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Related Work

    • January 2018
    • Faculty Research

    John Rogers, Jr.—Ariel Investments Co.

    By: Steven Rogers and Greg White
Related Work
  • John Rogers, Jr.—Ariel Investments Co. By: Steven Rogers and Greg White
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