Donna Dubinsky & Apple Computer
CONSIDERING ONLY SEGMENT 1: July 1981 to fall 1984
(Donna’s first three years at Apple - before the JIT idea surfaced)
1. Why was Donna so successful during this time period?
2. How do others at Apple (AND YOU) describe her strengths during this time period?
3. How do others at Apple (AND YOU) describe her weaknesses during this time period?
Segment 2: September 1984 (Steve Jobs criticizes distributions’ 1985 business plan) & beyond
1. How did Dubinsky react to the initial JIT idea and then to the subsequent growing interest in the JIT proposal? Why?
2. What do you think Donna should have done differently?
- Consider: (1) Her reaction to Jobs’ criticism of the current distribution system (2) the period between Jobs’ initial JIT idea and the strategy review meeting in December 1984 (3) the task force proceedings
3. What do you think others (Campbell, Weaver, Jobs, Coleman) should have done differently during the above time periods?
4. Consider the confrontation between Dubinsky and Sculley at the executive leadership experience session at Pajaro.
- Why did she do it?
- What do you think of her approach? If you were Sculley, on your drive home after the confrontation, what would you be thinking about Donna?
Henry Tam and the MGI Team
1. What is your evaluation of the MGI team’s process? What were the causes of the team’s process problems?
2. What were the strengths of the MGI team? How would you have evaluated the team “on paper” before the first meeting?
3. Were the differences among the team members a liability or an asset?
4. What could Henry have done earlier to avoid the team’s problems?
5. At the end of the case, what actions could Henry have taken to increase the team’s effectiveness?
Conflict on a Trading Floor
1. As the junior salesperson at FirstAmerica, what would you do?