Yellowtail Marine

Case Overview

The Yellowtail Marine, Inc. case combines corporate and industry data with an "in-basket" exercise. It focuses attention on the difficulties of Robyn Gilcrist – the newly appointed President – to efficiently managing the company's daily operations while at the same time developing a corporate strategy. Robyn Gilcrist has taken over as CEO a few days after the death of Olaf Gunerson, Yellowtail's founder and former owner. Therefore, there was no proper hand-over for Gilcrist.

Appointed by the company's new owner, Charles Boswell, the plan was for Robyn to have 12 months working with Gunerson before his retirement, but death intervened. Now Robyn must learn the business in a fast pace and keep it running without him.

The case concerns Gilcrist's first day as president. Gunerson's death caused her to joined Yellowtail some weeks ahead of the scheduled starting date. Boswell has asked her to deal with whatever needs doing, fly to San Fancisco to a board meeting this

afternoon, and then attend Gunerson's funeral the following day. By that time Boswell wants a preliminary strategic plan.

Boswell challenges Gilcrist with a difficult task, which is only made more so when she arrives