As children, we read about the adventures of Robin Hood and his intense rivalry against the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham. In Joseph Lampel’s “A Sample Case Study: Robin Hood” (1991), we are re-introduced to Robin Hood at a critical point in his regime against the Sheriff. Faced with a lack of crucial resources and the strengthening power of the Sheriff, Robin must determine a course of action with which to proceed. Approaching the case from the perspective that Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham are fierce rivals competing in the business of tax collection, personal and property protection, and income distribution, we have developed a strategic plan for Robin Hood, as ...view middle of the document...
An analysis of the case revealed that Robin Hood and the Sheriff have many fundamental beliefs in common, although they may practice them in different ways. Both leaders firmly believe in structure, loyalty, and power; and are personally driven to meet their objectives.
The central difference between their beliefs is in the area of taxation. Robin believes in fair taxation for all people, while the Sheriff wants to accommodate the rich rather than the common people.
The Sheriff takes advantage of the existing government structure. He has the law on his side, and has influence upon the creation of new legislation. The Sheriff has had formal management structures for years, and is the clear incumbent in the market. By contrast, Robin is willing to live outside the law, and though Robin also believes in structure and delegation, his organization is new and, by necessity, employs a top down approach to management very much influenced by Robin’s own vision, which he has not had to impose upon his organization’s people, as it is a vision shared by all those recruited.
The Sheriff is loyal to Prince John and has alliance with friends at court with legislative powers. Robin, on the other hand, is loyal to his band and the common people, who seek to change the system through widespread acclaim. His accomplishments have attracted the attention of the Barons who previously had backed Prince John.
In terms of industry structure, the Sheriff and Robin both have an aversion to competition and each seeks to eliminate it by displacing the other’s organization.
Both Robin and the Sheriff are highly motivated: Robin acts out of a strong belief in justice, the Sheriff acts out of a strong desire to maintain power. Each of the two is willing to compromise personal and property protection in order to achieve their goals. In the case of Robin, he is willing to rob the rich. The Sheriff is willing to rob the poor.
In order to develop a strategic plan for Robin Hood, an assessment of the current organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats was conducted.
The core strength of Robin’s organization is that of a high level of motivation and a clear commitment to the ideal of justice. This has been a key factor in his ability to inspire allegiance and loyalty to his cause at a grassroots level, amassing a large, well-trained and experienced team of Merrymen, in addition to a steady labour pool of willing applicants to draw from.
Robin, a popular leader with a clear vision, is supported by a strong core management team, to whom he delegates effectively. His men are well-organized with a proven ability to implement and accomplish the initial shared objectives which he established. A strong alliance with the villagers and farmers has also been beneficial to the organization, particularly as the team has outgrown and outstripped the food resources of the forest.