The “Sacred Cow” at Lunix Corporation: When Getting Rid of an Incompetent Employee Becomes Risky Business

Description

The “Sacred Cow” at Lunix Corporation: When Getting Rid of an Incompetent Employee Becomes Risky Business: Abstract

A rapidly growing educational technology company hires a young and savvy professional, Frank Atwood, to head and restructure its Web Services Department. Atwood’s enthusiasm is quickly dampened by long work hours and, worst of all, by an unqualified and unwilling employee, Charles Johnson, who is even resistant to being trained in current technology. To Atwood’s dismay, his boss, Megan Moore, hints at the need to fire Johnson, but she is not eager to be responsible for making the decision. The reason for this is Johnson’s status as a long-time family friend of the President and CEO and his family. When the situation becomes intolerable, Atwood realizes that he needs to “sacrifice the sacred cow,” but the question is: how can he do it in a way that benefits everyone involved?

Additional information

Also available in French.

Teaching notes are available for professors. Contact the HEC Montréal Case Centre.