Article Reflection No. 33 (11/26/2022)

Article: How One of the Country’s Most Storied C.E.O.s Destroyed His Legacy

Reflection:

In The New York Times article “How One of the Country’s Most Storied C.E.O.s Destroyed His Legacy, William D. Cohan describes the ascent and descent of General Electric, a company that was, “in its heyday…Microsoft, Apple and Google combined in terms of prestige, technological prowess and management expertise” (Cohan 6). The fall of G.E.’s value, Cohan writes, can be attributed to how the company’s former chief Jack Welch selected the wrong successor: Jeff Immelt.

Given the context behind corporate successors, this article definitely reminded me ofthe transition Disney is undergoing right now. Both of these scenarios raise questions about whether there should be certain guidelines in selecting a successor who will regulate a lucrative company. Especially when deciding upon a successor for large corporations that impact many people, I believe that the team giving advice to help choose a successor must also consider the various aspects similar corporations missed in history. Analogously, in the book My Own Words, Ruth Bader Ginsberg discussed the importance of seeing how other supreme courts handled similar issues before making conclusions for one’s own.

(Photo Credit: Bloomberg)