Publications
Publications
- December 2023
- HBS Case Collection
Robert McNamara: Changing the World
By: Robert Simons and Shirley Sun
Abstract
This case traces the life of Robert McNamara from Harvard Business School to Ford Motor Company to the U.S. Department of Defense. McNamara excelled in every job along the way: becoming the youngest-ever professor at Harvard Business School, the first non-family president of Ford, and Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy. He achieved these successes by using quantitative techniques he learned at Harvard to drive goal-oriented efficiency. Unfortunately, his tendency to manage by the numbers had dire consequences when he ran the Vietnam War. Many blame McNamara, who relied on incomplete and inaccurate performance measures, for 58,000 American deaths in a war that the United States ultimately lost. Studying the life choices of Robert McNamara will be a cautionary tale for all leaders and students of business.
Keywords
Performance Measurement; Military; Leadership Development; Values and Beliefs; Personal Characteristics; Leadership Style; Success; Business and Government Relations; Power and Influence; Business Education; War
Citation
Simons, Robert, and Shirley Sun. "Robert McNamara: Changing the World." Harvard Business School Case 124-036, December 2023.