ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors invite the reader to engage with four of the transition case studies and to accompany the leaders and organisations through the story of their unique experience. Why them? Why Diane, Pierre, Max and John and not the other four? In July 2000, Diane officially took up her new position as general manager of the French subsidiary of the ConsuCo group. Entrepreneurism was an important element in the ConsuCo value system: her subordinates were expected to behave as though the company belonged to them. Pierre decided to accept the post of Supply Chain Director after a brilliant career of more than ten years with the company. In parallel, Max had instigated a leadership development programme for the middle managers which was beginning to bear fruit after only a few months. John's task at Netco was to create an entirely new sector of activity, to undertake a start-up.
