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Case Study

D’Addario: Keeping in tune (f)

By J. Stewart Black

5 pages

March 2014

Reference: IMD-7-1562

D’Addario is a firm that can trace its roots back to 1680. The firm has grown over the last 30 years in particular faster than the industry. While the firm will remain solidly in the control of the D’Addario family, it is in search of a new president. Part of the challenge is to look at the industry and the company and determine what capabilities and experience D’Addario needs in a new president. Rick Drumm is a final candidate for the position of president. He has had an interesting career to this point but has never lead a firm as large as D’Addario. The challenge for Drumm is to determine if D’Addario is a good fit for him and if so how he can best describe his experiences and capabilities that would make him an attractive candidate to D’Addario. The case has multiple parts and is set up as a role play. All participants have common background on the situation via Case A. Case B provides insights and perspectives from the view of Rick Drumm. Case C provides insights and perspectives from the view of Jim D’Addario. In addition there is a Case D that provides the perspective of Rick Drumm and an interview he has been asked to do with legendary former GE CEO, Jack Wlech. Case E provides the perspective of Jack Welch on his up coming interview of Rick Drumm. Case F describes the decision and epilogue of the case through 2014.

Learning Objective

This case is designed to address the issue of the fit of a senior executive candidate with the firm on one hand, and the firm with the senior candidate on the other hand. The multi-part case allows participants to explore this fit from both the perspective of the firm toward the candidate and the candidate toward the firm.

Keywords

Career Management

Settings

Northern America, United States of America
D'Addario and Company, Consumer Goods, Musical Instruments
2006-2014

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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