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Case Study

Governance at Theranos (B): The aftermath

By Anand Narasimhan and Shruti Bajpai

4 pages

May 2025

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Reference: IMD-2668

This is a riveting case about poor board governance at Theranos that fostered a culture of deception and led to the company’s collapse and the criminal conviction of its celebrated founder, Elizabeth Holmes. Case B explains Theranos’s eventual collapse and highlights how the board contributed to a culture of deception within the company.

Learning Objective

To examine the role and responsibilities of corporate boards in high-growth, founder-led companies.
To understand how board composition and independence impact organizational accountability.
To discuss the importance of transparency, reporting and ethical culture in corporate governance.

Keywords

Business Ethics, Governance, Leadership, Board

Settings

America, United States of America
Theranos, Manufacturing, Biotechnology
2003-2022

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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