General Electric and the National Broadcasting Company:
A Clash of Cultures
This case examines events which ensue when a corporation known for both
innovation and budget discipline takes over a business with a tradition
of public service. The clash of cultures between General Electric and
the National Broadcasting Company becomes most clear in matters
affecting the prestigious but unprofitable NBC News Division. NBC News
President Lawrence Grossman, slow to adopt cost-cutting measures, finds
himself in conflict with GE-appointed NBC President Robert Wright. The
case raises the question of the extent to which private corporations
have public responsibilities and of the extent to which claims about
the latter may mask poor management practices. Congressional hearings
exploring corporate takeovers and their effect on television news cap
the case and allow for role-playing.
General Electric and the National Broadcasting Company: A Clash of
Cultures, 40pp+, (C16-90-939.0)
