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  • July 2018
  • Teaching Note
  • HBS Case Collection

Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail

By: Ryan Raffaelli
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:22
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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. Teaching Note for HBS No. 516-016.

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. "Ron Johnson: A Career in Retail." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 419-010, July 2018.
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About The Author

Ryan L. Raffaelli

Organizational Behavior
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