HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeAgilityback to Research & KnowledgeHow Covid-19 tests entrepreneurs’ agility (B): Mobilizing through the crisisback to Agility

Case Study

How Covid-19 tests entrepreneurs’ agility (B): Mobilizing through the crisis

By Heather Cairns-Lee, Angelika Kipor, Sabina Djuric, Ekaterina Risovanaya and Brice Mahé

5 pages

December 2021

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2345

Case B describes Tatulova’s actions in response to the crisis. This included a meeting with President Putin to discuss the situation of small businesses. Tatulova’s speech, in which she pleaded with him to support Russian entrepreneurs, made her very visible in Russia and propelled her into a nationwide role as the ombudsman for small businesses during the crisis. This new role provided her with an opportunity to influence at a broader level, yet it diverted time from nurturing her own business. Her choice to accept the ombudsman role provides an opportunity to discuss what motivates entrepreneurs to stretch and reinvent themselves and the role of communication and networks in crisis management.

Learning Objective

Learn about entrepreneurial orientation and growth mindset to support agile leadership to address shocks and challenges in crisis situations.
Illustrate how fortunes can be suddenly disrupted and map responses to crisis; Examine the impact of a crisis and explore the possible responses that leaders have.
Demonstrate the importance of agility; Explore how leaders make decisions in rapidly changing and unpredictable environments.
Identify the core attributes of a growth mindset; Illustrate the difference and consequences between fixed mindset and growth mindset.

Keywords

Agility, Crisis, Entrepreneurial Process, Growth Mindset, Resilience, COVID-19, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Growth

Settings

Russia
AnderSon Café, Travel and Leisure, Catering
2020

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

Sustainability trends for 2026

Sustainability trends for 2026 shape a shift to execution, strengthening resilience, competitiveness and value through circularity, AI energy systems and smarter product design.

Sustainability

By Frédéric Dalsace, Goutam Challagalla, Julia Binder, Florian Hoos, Sara Ratti, Adrian Dellecker, Howard H. Yu, Michael R. Wade, Vanina Farber and Karl Schmedders

in I by IMD

Article

Impact measuring in sustainable ventures: A process perspective

Impact measurement is crucial for sustainable ventures to quantify their contribution to sustainable development. Although research has highly focused on impact measurement as a static activity, we conduct a qualitative study to explore how impact...

Sustainability

By Jan Moellmann, Esther Salvi and Frank-Martin Belz

in Business Strategy and the Environment

23 December 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70499

Article

Connecting every corner of South Africa

How South Africa is closing the digital divide through SA Connect, expanding affordable, reliable broadband to underserved communities and every citizen by 2030

Growth Technology Management Value Creation

in I by IMD

Article

In the field with HP

How did HP turn a sustainability vision into a successful global partner program?

Sustainability

By Heather Cairns-Lee, Julia Katharina Binder and Valerie Keller-Birrer

in In the Field

19 December 2025

Article

What every manager should know about the Queen Bee myth

It says very little about women, and a great deal about the cultures they are operating in.

Leadership Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

By Ginka Toegel

in Fast Company

17 December 2025

Video

EVs accelerate the great automotive rewiring

Reuters US autos journalist Mike Colias discusses his new book Inevitable: Inside the Messy, Unstoppable Transition to Electric Vehicles, which explores how the development of electric vehicles is revolutionizing the global auto sector.

Innovation Sustainability

By Mark J. Greeven and Mike Colias

in I by IMD

Article

The confidence gap is a myth. Here is the data to prove it.

The idea that women lack confidence has become one of the most widely accepted explanations for leadership inequality. It appears in boardrooms, talent reviews, and executive coaching sessions. The logic is simple and appealing. Women do not rise ...

Leadership Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

By Ginka Toegel

in Ceoworld Magazine

15 December 2025

Article

Sustainable Construction - Baufritz

Germany’s Baufritz developed sustainable construction over its century-old existence and is exporting its environmentally friendly model across Europe

Sustainability

By Julia Binder and Manuel Braun

in I by IMD

Article

Are myths about women who network holding you back?

Networking is vital for career advancement, yet women still face unique challenges when building professional relationships. Jennifer Jordan debunks three common misconceptions.

Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

By Jennifer Jordan

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

11 December 2025

Article

Why women don't need fixing. Workplaces do

If the issue were truly women's confidence or competence, we would not see women outperforming men academically, founding businesses at record rates or thriving in environments where systems are transparent and bias is minimised. The problem is no...

Leadership Diversity and Equity and Inclusion Workplace Well-being

By Ginka Toegel

in Entrepreneur

10 December 2025

Connecting every corner of South Africa

in I by IMD

Summary

How South Africa is closing the digital divide through SA Connect, expanding affordable, reliable broadband to underserved communities and every citizen by 2030

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Growth

Technology Management

Value Creation

Browse all topics