Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 721-045.
Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 421-044. In 2020, Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals in various swimming events, was now retired. As he looked back on his 20+ year athletic career, he considered what had gone into making him the greatest of all time—the highs and lows, successes and struggles. He had lived with mental health issues for much of his life, going public with his struggles in 2015, when he talked about his depression and suicidal thoughts. Mental health was a major focus for Phelps in 2020. He was working on removing the stigma associated with mental health issues, improving access to care, and preventing suicides. But as a professional athlete who was used to the rigor and routine of daily workouts and measurable goals, how could he ensure he was having the greatest possible impact in this new mission?
Suzhou Good-Ark, a Chinese semiconductor implemented "Sage Culture" management based on traditional Chinese philosophy. Productivity doubled, turnover decreased, and employee satisfaction shot up. By 2015, more than 2,000 companies had toured Wu’s factories, and Wu had established a small consortium of companies that trained with Wu to implement Sage Culture management in their own companies. However, as Sage Culture drew heavily on the Chinese culture, would it work outside of Good-Ark and outside of China? Moreover, since Wu required the business leaders who joined the consortium to make a personal commitment to transforming themselves, would it be a worthwhile investment? Tjioe Ka In, Executive Director of Tung Lok Group based in Singapore, would have to evaluate whether to adopt this style of management in her own company.
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