In December 2022, Juan Luciano, Chairman and CEO of agribusiness and nutrition giant ADM, considered the next phase of the historic company's future. Beginning in 2011 when he joined as COO and moving into his tenure as CEO in 2015, Luciano led a transformation of ADM from a commodities-focused trading company to a customer-centric solutions firm. Upon coming aboard at ADM, Luciano saw changes in the agribusiness industry that warranted pivots in ADM's business strategy to ensure long-term success. To shepherd the company through a changing industry, Luciano conceptualized three "strategic horizons"-general timeframes to pursue specific goals. The first horizon was aimed at getting ADM financially fit including raising ROIC above WACC and reducing CapEx. The second horizon was characterized by moving closer to customers through identifying global macro-trends and offering corresponding products and services to generate better margins. As part of the second horizon, ADM acquired flavor company and food and beverage solutions provider WILD Flavors which resulted in Luciano creating a Nutrition division that used rapid design-for-market capabilities to create complete product solutions for customers. As a leader, Luciano exhibited the traits of both a learner (e.g., seeking out a variety of perspectives before ultimately making key decisions himself) and a teacher (e.g., utilizing drawings, vivid analogies, and hands-on demonstrations). Luciano needed to define the company's next horizon. He knew his general goal was sustainable growth, but balancing profitability with innovation and pace of change with durability of change could prove challenging in the years to come.

In June 2021, Darden Restaurants CEO Gene Lee contemplates how to position the world's biggest full-service restaurant more than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

A female executive considers whether a staff job is a dead end or the next step to becoming CEO. This fictional case study by Anne Donnellon, Joshua D. Margolis, and Amy Gallo feature expert commentary by Rakefet Russak Aminoach and Nadia Rawlinson.

A female executive considers whether a staff job is a dead end or the next step to becoming CEO. This fictional case study by Anne Donnellon, Joshua D. Margolis, and Amy Gallo feature expert commentary by Rakefet Russak Aminoach and Nadia Rawlinson.

A female executive considers whether a staff job is a dead end or the next step to becoming CEO. This fictional case study by Anne Donnellon, Joshua D. Margolis, and Amy Gallo feature expert commentary by Rakefet Russak Aminoach and Nadia Rawlinson.

In February 2018, Nayana Mawilmada (Nayana), investment head for the Sri Lankan government's ambitious $40 billion Megapolis project, must weigh an attractive job offer to move from the public sector to the private sector. A massive government project aimed at improving the lives of 5.8 million people living in and around Colombo, the Megapolis was stalled for many years until Nayana took on a leadership role. The case documents what he has learned to do to move things forward across a complex web of stakeholders (vying government agencies, politicians, funding institutions, academic experts, the press, users, and the general public). Just as the project gains official approval and is set to move to actual implementation, Nayana faces a career choice. Alongside that choice, students must determine whether Nayana has been successful or not.

Two weeks after Cinépolis released a documentary film about corruption, a judge ordered its provisional suspension, claiming it had to be edited before it continued to be shown, against Mexican cinematography laws. Cinépolis, Latin America's largest movie theater chain and the fourth largest in the world, welcoming 134 million moviegoers in 2011, had never distributed a film in its 40-plus years of existence, nor had there ever been an instance of pro-bono distribution in Mexico. Presumed Guilty, the country's highest grossing documentary, not only achieved commercial success but also fueled a revolution in Mexico's judicial system. Alejandro (as he was called by everyone who worked with him) knew he faced a difficult decision. What risks would Cinépolis run if he chose to fight for freedom of speech? How far was he willing to take such a fight?

Karen Bruck, Corporate Sales Director at MercadoLibre, Latin America's largest e-commerce platform, needs to make a decision about one of her managers, who, while analytically savvy, has an approach that does not fit in with the company's culture.

In this fictional case, an associate director of business development at a gaming company is selected for a prestigious cross-functional innovation group. When one of her peers in the work group isn't able to meet his deadlines because of his heavy workload, she picks up his slack. But at the end of the project, she needs to give him a rating in the company's new peer-feedback system, and she's worried that if she's honest, it will hurt his career and cause trouble for her. Should she give him the low rating she thinks he deserves? Or should she give him a pass this one time? This fictional case study by Anthony J. Mayo, Joshua D. Margolis, and Amy Gallo features expert commentary by Dan Goldenberg and Aiko Bethea.

In this fictional case, an associate director of business development at a gaming company is selected for a prestigious cross-functional innovation group. When one of her peers in the work group isn't able to meet his deadlines because of his heavy workload, she picks up his slack. But at the end of the project, she needs to give him a rating in the company's new peer-feedback system, and she's worried that if she's honest, it will hurt his career and cause trouble for her. Should she give him the low rating she thinks he deserves? Or should she give him a pass this one time? This fictional case study by Anthony J. Mayo, Joshua D. Margolis, and Amy Gallo features expert commentary by Dan Goldenberg and Aiko Bethea.

In this fictional case, an associate director of business development at a gaming company is selected for a prestigious cross-functional innovation group. When one of her peers in the work group isn't able to meet his deadlines because of his heavy workload, she picks up his slack. But at the end of the project, she needs to give him a rating in the company's new peer-feedback system, and she's worried that if she's honest, it will hurt his career and cause trouble for her. Should she give him the low rating she thinks he deserves? Or should she give him a pass this one time? This fictional case study by Anthony J. Mayo, Joshua D. Margolis, and Amy Gallo features expert commentary by Dan Goldenberg and Aiko Bethea.

An unlikely but highly effective leader of a traditional bank, Rakefet Russak-Aminoach, simultaneously leads a classic change effort and an unconventional effort to innovate.

This case addresses the nuances of gender dynamics and career progression at the top of the organization, where even women who have strong leadership expertise, experience, and alliances with powerful male colleagues still get stuck. Told from the point of view of Sonia Millar, the case explicitly presents two significant challenges: How can Millar sustain her career momentum into the CEO role despite taking on the critical but difficult role of CIO: How can Millar address the potentially antagonistic actions of another business leader who may be another strong contender for the CEO promotion? The case provides the opportunity to discuss influence, action planning, talent management, inclusion, and implicit bias. It is designed to provoke debate in the classroom regarding the phenomenon of gender bias (among other forms of bias) in the workplace. It is recommended for upper-level undergraduates, MBA candidates, and executive education participants in courses focused on organizational behavior, power and politics, leadership, diversity, and career management.

Following a full takeover of Darden Restaurant's Board of Directors, Darden COO Gene Lee is weighing an offer to become interim CEO.

The CEO of a California-based craft brewery manages new partnership with-and potential acquisition by-industry giant Heineken.

In 2016, Kurt Summers, the Chicago City Treasurer, considered his future in Chicago politics. With an unpopular governor and mayor soon up for reelection, should Summers consider running for higher office? Summers reflects on his time growing up in gang-controlled neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago, and career experiences in both the public and private sector. These include stints at Harvard Business School, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, the Chicago Olympics bid, and in local government. He tries to assess what he should do in this situation and what the best next steps would be in terms of his career. The case also discusses his work and leaderships styles, his personal life, including his relationship with his wife, and how he has adjusted to the new role of being a politician.

As 2016 was approaching its end, Rakesh Kapoor, CEO of RB, one of the world's major fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, envisioned the prospect of a major acquisition that would add a line of health-related products that promised growth in the developing markets of Asia. The acquisition would also move RB closer in size to its better-known rivals, such as Unilever or P&G. RB, formerly Reckitt Benckiser, produced health, hygiene and home products and its strategy revolved around 19 top-selling global brands known as Powerbrands, such as antiseptic Dettol or sore throat medicine Strepsils, and cold remedy Mucinex. In 2016, the company recorded sales of $13.4 billion and a market capitalization of $62 billion. Kapoor wondered whether the moment was ripe for a major acquisition or if the organization needed more time to adapt to its new health and hygiene oriented strategy and some key organizational changes. Could Kapoor keep what made RB so unique among its FMCG peers intact through this transformation, and would an acquisition advance or jeopardize what distinguished RB?

In 2016, Kurt Summers, the Chicago City Treasurer, faced a decision with potential personal and political ramifications: whether or not to ask the city's Mayor to join a class action anti-trust suit against the city's creditors for actions they took during the Global Financial Crisis. Summers reflects on his time growing up in gang-controlled neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago, and career experiences in both the public and private sector. These include stints at Harvard Business School, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, the Chicago Olympics bid, and in local government. He tries to assess what he should do in this situation and what the best next steps would be in terms of his career. The case also discusses his work and leaderships styles, his personal life, including his relationship with his wife, and how he has adjusted to the new role of being a politician.

The case addresses reforms to regulations in Israel's telecommunications industry initiated and implemented under the leadership of Minister of Communications Moshe Kahlon in 2009-2010. The case highlights the challenges faced by a politician attempting to institute regulatory and legislative reforms in the face of uncertainty and resistance from an incumbent oligopoly. When Kahlon entered office, three cellular companies, Pelephone, Cellcom, and Partner (the Big Three), dominated the market. Against Big Three opposition, Kahlon must decide whether to continue pushing changes to introduce new competitors in the industry, remove contract termination fees, and reduce the payment of inter-connection fees between cellular providers, which advantaged incumbent companies and drove up consumer prices. Kahlon applied a distinct political style that won him support from career civil servants within the ministry of communications and ministry of finance, from the press, and from the public.