Abstract:
In January 1969, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was jolted by the publication of a report by Ralph Nader that branded the agency and its staff as inadequate and incompetent, and its action to curb unfair competition and deceptive practices both ineffective and trivial. Shortly thereafter, President Nixon appoints Caspar Weinberger chairman of the FTC and charges him with revitalizing the failing agency. To complicate matters, Weinberger must face a Senate clearly opposed to the presidential domination of past FTC chairmen and the use of the agency as a "political dumping ground," while dealing with a request by an influential congressman for special favors.
Learning Objective:
The case is a good vehicle for discussing overall management strategy, and, in particular, the need for a good "fit" among agency goals, internal organizational capabilities, and external sources of funding, authority, and other support.
