When It Hits the Fan: Managing the Nine Crises of Business

Drawing on his own experience and the experiences of other CEOs, including William Agee of Bendix and T. Boone Pickens of Mesa Petroleum, the author explains how to recognize and manage nine types of business crises

Former American Motors chairman Meyers, a visiting professor at the Carnegie-Mellon business school, and Holusha, Detroit bureau chief of the New York Times, outline fateful stages in a corporate business crisis: gradual failure (of product, management or market), denial and recrimination, anger and fear, panic and collapse. The pattern in recent years is oft-repeatedContinental Illinois, Schlitz, Union Carbide, Braniff Air, to name a few. But crises can be managed, stress the authors, and, if overcome, can give a corporation new life and create new business heroes (e.g., Lee Iacocca's last-minute crisis management at Chrysler). Meyers and Holusha provide an absorbing look at the dark side of American business along with a generous bundle of object lessons for turning things around.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Meyers, former chairman of American Motors, and Holusha, Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times, briefly outline nine crises which face organizations. Their explanation of each type of crisis is really a vignette about organizations such as Chrysler, TWA, International Harvester, Continental, and Atari. There is nothing new in the stories, which have been covered before. The discussion of managing crises only touches the surface of a very serious topic facing managers. For large collections.Jane M. Kathman, Management Dept., 37 South College Avenue, Col lege of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.