Mattell Case Study
Summarize the key facts of the case in a paragraph.
This article discusses the organizational growth, obstacles and changes of toy maker, Mattel. Over their 50 years of experience, Mattel has grown from a garage run shop to an international super star. The case mainly addresses CEO, Bob Eckert’s organizational changes that catapulted Mattel to industry leadership. In a 2008 interview, Mr. Eckert says “if you can consistently try to do the right thing, life is so much easier. If you live by your basic values, a) you'll get through it, and b) you'll feel satisfied that you did the best you could” (Yang, 2008). By examining Mattel’s admirable reactions to adversity, the article demonstrates how the CEO really lives by these words. Through effective change and excellent communication both internally and externally, Mattel has become an industry leader and a positive example of doing the right thing. It finishes by analyzing Mattel’s efforts to correct its errors by enforcing stricter oversight on its manufacturers, in future efforts to avert future mistakes.
Yang, J. L. (2008, January 22). Mattel's CEO recalls a rough summer. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/21/news/companies/mattel.fortune/
In what ways did Mattel’s Robert Eckert display effective leadership? In what ways was he ineffective?
Mattel’s CEO, Robert Eckert displays consistently effective leadership at many stages throughout his time with company. When he took over Mattel, he made many changes very swiftly. By selling off unsuccessful acquisitions and products, he was able to cut employee costs by cutting hundreds of jobs. While this is not an ideal situation, it was important to improving inventory controls by streamlining products. He also developed a system to more effectively measure demand for its products earlier in production. He also helped streamline the logistics, improved the company’s information stream and improved relations with retailers;
This article discusses the organizational growth, obstacles and changes of toy maker, Mattel. Over their 50 years of experience, Mattel has grown from a garage run shop to an international super star. The case mainly addresses CEO, Bob Eckert’s organizational changes that catapulted Mattel to industry leadership. In a 2008 interview, Mr. Eckert says “if you can consistently try to do the right thing, life is so much easier. If you live by your basic values, a) you'll get through it, and b) you'll feel satisfied that you did the best you could” (Yang, 2008). By examining Mattel’s admirable reactions to adversity, the article demonstrates how the CEO really lives by these words. Through effective change and excellent communication both internally and externally, Mattel has become an industry leader and a positive example of doing the right thing. It finishes by analyzing Mattel’s efforts to correct its errors by enforcing stricter oversight on its manufacturers, in future efforts to avert future mistakes.
Yang, J. L. (2008, January 22). Mattel's CEO recalls a rough summer. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/21/news/companies/mattel.fortune/
In what ways did Mattel’s Robert Eckert display effective leadership? In what ways was he ineffective?
Mattel’s CEO, Robert Eckert displays consistently effective leadership at many stages throughout his time with company. When he took over Mattel, he made many changes very swiftly. By selling off unsuccessful acquisitions and products, he was able to cut employee costs by cutting hundreds of jobs. While this is not an ideal situation, it was important to improving inventory controls by streamlining products. He also developed a system to more effectively measure demand for its products earlier in production. He also helped streamline the logistics, improved the company’s information stream and improved relations with retailers;