Every morning, Paul Marsh, the chairman, president, and CEO of Kansas-based Coltrane Farm Equipment & Manufacturing, climbs the six flights of stairs to his office as part of his stress management plan. But recently the stress has intensified. In just five months, Marsh is retiring, and critics charge that there is no one suitably prepared to step into his job. Coltrane has prospered mightily under Marsh's leadership, and in recent years he has pushed the company to grow overseas. At the same time, Marsh also has a history of conflict with his closest subordinates. Coltrane's former president and COO left eight months ago and has not been replaced, and the head of international operations was fired in 1992 after just 21 months on the job. With the clock ticking, can Coltrane develop a plan to find a replacement for Marsh who can successfully lead the company into the next century?

Every morning, Paul Marsh, the chairman, president, and CEO of Kansas-based Coltrane Farm Equipment & Manufacturing, climbs the six flights of stairs to his office as part of his stress management plan. But recently the stress has intensified. In just five months, Marsh is retiring, and critics charge that there is no one suitably prepared to step into his job. Coltrane has prospered mightily under Marsh's leadership, and in recent years he has pushed the company to grow overseas. At the same time, Marsh also has a history of conflict with his closest subordinates. Coltrane's former president and COO left eight months ago and has not been replaced, and the head of international operations was fired in 1992 after just 21 months on the job. With the clock ticking, can Coltrane develop a plan to find a replacement for Marsh who can successfully lead the company into the next century? In 95509 and 95509Z, John Pound, Philip A. Lichtenfels, Alonzo McDonald, and Jeffrey Sonnenfeld offer advice on this fictional case study.

Every year since 1982, Naturewise Apparel has donated $400,000 to charity through its Corporate Giving Fund. This year, Dana Osborne, the founder and CEO of the children's clothing manufacturer, decided to allow each of the company's regional divisions to decide for itself where the money should go. Her goal was to include all employees in the program and to pay back the various local communities that support the company. Dana's good intentions backfired, however, when an abortion clinic in Illinois was bombed and the bomber claimed affiliation with a radically pro-life group called TermRights. Naturewise's Midwest division had inadvertently provided donations to TermRights through a nonprofit umbrella corporation called CHICARE. How should Dana handle the media? Five experts consider this fictitious scenario and give advice on forming an effective media policy.