Provincial Papers is a very troubled manufacturer of coated paper located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The director and chairman of the board of Provincial Papers is being informally pressed to take on the CEO role. He is assessing the possibility of rescue in the face of depressed market prices, an over-supplied industry, departing personnel and money-losing operations. The (B) case, 9A99M017, presents the issues he faces when he decides to accept the job.

The new CEO of Provincial Papers, a coated paper manufacturer, was very concerned about the many issues facing the company - including union relations, credibility, reliability, lack of information, lack of communication, poor morale and financial difficulties. He must decide how best to focus his efforts in the short term. This case is a follow-up to Provincial Papers Inc. (A), case 9A99M016.