The Spanish Riding School (SRS) was an icon of Austrian national identity, the earliest riding school on the planet and the primary exponent of the art of classical dressage (a "ballet" with horses). In 2012, 447 years after its foundation, the schoolfaced a serious risk, as it had to decide on how to live its so called "privatization" by the Austrian government. Since her appointment (on a 5-year contract) in December, 2007, Gürtler had acted fast to execute a series of initiatives directed at reducing costs, raising revenue, and improving organizational capacities. While these changes appeared to be successful at staunching the financial losses of the SRS, they were not without price.
Internally, several experienced passengers had firmly resisted the changes and had been later disregarded; externally, critics had started a media campaign claiming that the quality of the SRS's performances had diminished and been "debased" as a result of the changes. As Gürtler looks to her second term as Managing Director, the studentsare asked to assess her organizational change efforts, and contemplate her strategic options regarding going forward.
PUBLICATION DATE: June 01, 2016 PRODUCT #: NA0379-HCB-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE
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