Purpose Following the diesel emissions debacle of 2015, Volkswagen Group has rebounded significantly in terms of sales and market value. When examining Volkswagen’s dramatic recovery, it is clear to notice four distinct elements that helped to bring about this rapid turnaround. To push through the public relations nightmare and regain sales traction, Volkswagen embarked on a four-step process that centered on four key words: Replace, Restructure, Redevelop and Rebrand. The purpose of this study is to examine that process. Design/methodology/approach This study is a case study examining the performance of Volkswagen Group and their recovery from the 2015 diesel emissions scandal. To achieve their significant turnaround, the company sought to: replace the leadership, restructure the organization, redevelop the strategy and rebrand the product. This study examines those four steps in the recovery process as a model for other firms. Findings To try and achieve an unprecedented turnaround, the company sought to: replace the leadership, restructure the organization, redevelop the strategy and rebrand the product. These four strategic elements formed the basis of a newly focused company and continue to push the company forward and further away from the scandal. This four-step process of recovery provides an excellent case study for other firms who may find themselves in the midst of turmoil and crisis. Originality/value To push through the public relations nightmare and regain sales traction following their 2015 emissions testing scandal, Volkswagen embarked on a four-step process that centered on four key words: Replace, Restructure, Redevelop and Rebrand. These four strategic elements formed the basis of a newly focused company and continue to push the company forward and further away from the scandal. This four-step process of recovery provides an excellent case study for other firms who may find themselves in the midst of turmoil and crisis.

Purpose This paper aims to examine the prospects of a Boeing recovery following disasters in 2019 and 2020. While some companies have navigated successful journeys through the process of reputational recovery following self-inflicted pain, Boeing faces significant reputational and global complications which have greatly prolonged the recovery process. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a case study approach examining the recovery process for Boeing, considering the safety issues of 2019 and the pandemic crisis during 2020. Although the Covid-19 spread was certainly a black swan event, Boeing had already inflicted a great deal of damage upon its business and reputation because of the 737 Max. This paper examines their recovery process thus far by using a four-step recovery model of replace, restructure, redevelop and re-brand that has been implemented in previous corporate recoveries. Findings When examining the corporate recovery process, though the four-step approach is a model that can work across industries, there are some challenges depending on corporate specifics. The major challenge with Boeing is the ongoing reputational concerns regarding safety combined with the new global reality because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A full corporate recovery will require attention to each of these four prongs of the process, stretched out over several years. Any missteps along the way will only prolong the pain for one of history’s most historic and influential manufacturers. Originality/value While several publicly traded companies have overcome significant obstacles over the past five years in the quest to regain trust within the marketplace, Boeing continues to face strong headwinds. Using previous examples of corporate recovery provides an interesting case analysis of what to do and what not to do during the corporate recovery process and provides a unique blueprint to what might bring Boeing back from the brink.

The East Carolina University International EdD supports school leaders in the United States and across the globe to address local educational equity challenges. To achieve this, we prepare and support school and district leaders to use evidence as practitioner-researchers together with members of their educational community. As a result, the reimagined EdD harnesses the power and utility of participatory action and activist research to address a contextualized, equity-focused dissertation in practice. We explore how two doctoral students have transformed their practices during and after their EdD experience.

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Purpose This paper aims to center on the analysis of corporate recovery from internal ethical failure with the examination of Wells Fargo and Company. To move beyond self-inflicted reputational damage and regain sales traction, successful turnaround companies have embarked on a four-step corporate recovery process centered on four key words: Replace, Restructure, Redevelop and Re-brand. Wells Fargo is one recent addition to these recovery stories. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses Wells Fargo and Company as a case model to examine corporate recovery. Wells Fargo is just one example of multinational companies that found themselves victims of internal impropriety, poor leadership supervision and unethical strategic decision-making resulting in significant financial losses, drastic declines in stock price and damaged reputation. Using Wells Fargo as an example from the banking industry, the case study approach is an effective way of assessing the viability of the corporate recovery model in various industries. Findings The corporate recovery model has served Wells Fargo well over the past few years as the stock price climbed nearly 60% in 2021. In addition, increasingly less public discussion about the account fraud scandal has allowed the reputation of the bank to recover as well. By the last quarter of 2021, the bank saw a 15% increase in revenue and an 86% increase in net income over the previous year. It appears that CEO Scharf is well on his way to turning around the prospects for Wells Fargo and the recovery model has proven again that there is a way through self-inflicted corporate damage. Originality/value The recovery story of Wells Fargo and Company adds to the litany of successful corporate recoveries where companies have achieved unprecedented turnarounds by following the model of replacing the leadership, restructuring the organization, redeveloping the strategy and re-branding the product. Implementing this four-pronged recovery strategy can help a company not only survive their specific scandal but also move away from reputational harm and get back on a growth trajectory.