Leading Organizations 1

LEADING ORGANIZATIONS CASE STUDY

Student’s Name

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Professor’s Name
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Leading Organizations Case Study

Introduction
The case presents Robin Chase as a solid leader with unquestionable team formulation
skills before launching her startup company. She also appears focused and visionary, as
expressed through her interactions with critical stakeholders before setting up Zipcar. Her ability
to convince initial investors to understand her objective and mission and support her idea
ultimately further portrays her as a persuasive leader. Equipped with these traits and after several
months of trying to formulate a workable business model, Chase sets up her company. In her
view, her workforce, which she had sourced herself, was flexible and dependable. However,
despite having a reliable workforce and the right mindset, Chase started facing various
challenges. For instance, she realized that the business model was not workable due to
understated expenses. She had also projected higher returns than was practically possible. As a
result, the company would no longer cover its expenses, and increasing the price was not an
option for a startup company like Zipcar. From the case study, it appears that Chase pursued her
ambitions to provide a societal solution without proper background research.
Chase’s Strengths
Firstly, Chase is a resilient leader. The case study reveals that she incubated the business
idea for over six months before eventually launching it. During her networking, Chase would
meet experts who would refer her to other experts who Chase would later find not helpful.
Nonetheless, she forged on with those with whom she agreed. Chase also appears to be aware of
distractors along the way. Effectively, she sheds them off and continues pursuing her idea.
Notably, Chase established her business while also bringing up three children three years apart.
Thus, despite the responsibilities associated with motherhood, she successfully puts up her team
and company like a resilient leader. Her ability to utilize the little available resources to source
new members to her team further exemplifies her leadership. She convinces most of her team
members not to work for the money from the case. Despite the discouragement from some of the
people she confided in, Chase pursues her idea with zeal. None of her interactions with her team
members revealed her weaknesses or loss of hope amidst the funding challenges.
Secondly, Chase is a risk-taker. Without previous experience with startups, Chase
embarks on an unknown path in the car-sharing industry. Despite the lack of previous
experience, she is convinced that the business will be successful. Indeed, Chase spends an
incredible amount of time formulating the business mission and objectives. She also invites
investors and convinces them to risk their money in her idea. Her ability to convince people to
invest in an idea when many people were unwilling to invest in the industry reveals her ability to
take risks. The case reveals that Chase had already found out that companies in the car-sharing
industry were not performing well. However, she decided to take the risk and change the
business model. Unlike them, she chose to incorporate technology. Although technology had not
proliferated the market back then, Chase thought the situation would change and insisted on her
investment. With her participative style, she managed to set up the company despite the risks.
Thirdly, Chase is a decisive leader. After the second trial, she passed her GMAT scores
despite not taking math since high school. She would then complete her business course and
enroll for a Master’s in finance, which she excelled in. Such a trajectory undoubtedly confirms
her decisive capability. Chase’s maneuvers after setting up Zipcar further exemplify her
leadership skills. At the onset, she defines the organization’s objectives and mission. She wanted
to found an organization that would offer a lasting solution to a contemporary problem while
also giving back to the community. She also wanted a business that would allow her to use her
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skillset. After settling on the idea and sharing it with her close friends and partners, Chase
embarked on background research of the industry’s dynamics. She further contacted people
across various industries who she thought would be helpful through her start-up journey. Her
networking capability and ability to use the available resources to start up something is the
hallmark of leadership. Chase’s reliance on the few close friends and their networks exemplifies
that.
Chase’s Weaknesses
Due to Chase’s weaknesses, her idea, although viable, did not succeed. The case reveals
that she had a solid educational background. She was also good at quantitative analysis.
However, she lacked sufficient experience in the practical business environment. Her educational
background in French, English, and Philosophy did not adequately provide her with the practical
skills needed by a startup entrepreneur. Despite enrolling in a business school, she appears to
have little knowledge about businesses. For instance, she invested many hours formulating a
pricing business model instead of setting an arbitrary price and changing it later. As a result, she
was stuck with a fixed pricing model whose change would disrupt the business operations. Chase
also downplayed red flags, which would have prepared her better before venturing into the
business. For instance, she should have sought to understand why other businesses in the car-
sharing industry were performing dismally. Instead, she trusted her confidence until she made
the losses.
Chase also makes uncalculated moves, unlike a leader. She mobilizes her close friends
and investors towards a basic idea. Chase further convinces them to commit their time and
resources several months before finalizing her preparations. As a result, she gets late preparing
the pricing model and rarely consults when formulating it. Chase does not discuss the pricing
model with critical stakeholders and launches the company pretending that it works. Although
she was a great listener, she did not consult on crucial decisions. For instance, she ought to have
consulted the key stakeholders before setting the prices. Chase also failed to formulate standard
operating procedures for the company. As a result, it is impossible to trace crucial management
decisions' flow. She also interrupted the President's work, rendering him jobless, eventually
hurting one investor. The behavior portrays Chase as indecisive and inexperienced. Claire should
have facilitated the President's work and oversight conducted by Chase and the other investors.
The Decision Making Context
Chase, a startup business leader with a solid educational background, sought to set up a
business that would solve the contemporary problem while meeting her career objective.
Confident due to her upbringing and strong academic background, she formulates a team to help
her actualize the idea. After a few months, the company is running. The company initially
appears to be benefitting from positive publicity from the media and an aggressive marketing
campaign. However, a post mortem of the financial results reveals that the company is running at
a loss. Disappointed, Chase turns emotional and excludes herself to mourn the supposed loss.
Despite her confidence, strong academic background, and resourcefulness, she does not seem to
appreciate the importance of consulting others in decision-making. Had she consulted her team
members or involved them at every step of the decision-making process, the business would
have undoubtedly performed better.
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Proposed Approach
As a business student, I understand that startups face challenges such as unrealistic
expectations, fierce competition, or collaboration with unsuitable partners.1 For instance, Chase
seems to have had unrealistic expectations despite having a great team. She had founded her
business model on 9.6 hours of car usage daily against the practical 5.5 hours. As a result, she
was frustrated when the business did not meet the 9.6-hour target. If I were to actualize her
business idea, I would create and document a business model. A business model defines the
business’s core business activity.2 I would then formulate an organizational chart and develop
standard operating business procedures to guide the day-to-day operations. A detailed job
description would guide each position. That way, it would be possible to hold every team
member accountable. I would also consult with other team members to meet the company’s
overall objective. 

1
Sarath Tomy and Eric Pardede, “From Uncertainties to Successful Start Ups: A Data Analytic Approach to Predict
Success in Technological Entrepreneurship,” Sustainability 10, no. 3 (February 26, 2018): 1–24, https://doi.org/.

2
Štefan Slávik, “The Business Model of Start-Up—Structure and Consequences,” Administrative Sciences 9, no. 3
(September 9, 2019): 1–23, https://doi.org/.
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Bibliography
Slávik, Štefan. “The Business Model of Start-Up—Structure and Consequences.” Administrative
Sciences 9, no. 3 (September 9, 2019): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci9030069.
Tomy, Sarath, and Eric Pardede. “From Uncertainties to Successful Start Ups: A Data Analytic
Approach to Predict Success in Technological Entrepreneurship.” Sustainability 10, no. 3
(February 26, 2018): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030602.
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