Publications
Publications
- March 2020 (Revised April 2021)
- HBS Case Collection
Odebrecht's 'Transformation Journey' (A)
By: Suraj Srinivasan, Lynn S. Paine, Ruth Costas and Mariana Cal
Abstract
At the center of one of the largest corruption scandals in Latin America, Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht signed a leniency agreement with American, Swiss and Brazilian prosecutors in 2016 admitting to paying bribes in 12 countries. In an effort to regain financial stability and restore its damaged reputation, the Group overhauled its governance and set in motion a major organizational transformation effort. The case describes the Group's transformation journey and details various dilemmas that the new board of directors faced as the Group sought to put the scandal behind it and forge a path to the future.
Keywords
Board Of Directors; Organizational Transformations; Business Ethics; Corruption; Internal Controls; Business And Government; International Business; Engineering And Construction; Family Businesses; Corporate Misconduct; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Transformation; Organizational Culture; Crisis Management; Ethics; Engineering; Family Business; Crime and Corruption; Emerging Markets; Construction Industry; Brazil; Latin America
Citation
Srinivasan, Suraj, Lynn S. Paine, Ruth Costas, and Mariana Cal. "Odebrecht's 'Transformation Journey' (A)." Harvard Business School Case 320-002, March 2020. (Revised April 2021.)