What if a business school case study is untrue?

May 2010

"One of my competitors brags about how a prestigious business school wrote a case study about their financial turnaround. I happen to know that the story is almost completely bogus--in fact, they're still a financial basket case. Can I demand a retraction?"

Mike: Relax. B-school case studies are generally well-researched, but I don't think anybody relies on them for important decisions about credit or long-term financial strength. Moreover, by emphasizing their past financial problems, your competitor may be raising an issue that is better left unmentioned.

If you're right about the problems that the case study overlooked, you can look forward to reading an update written for next year's students--this time, using your competitor as an example of "what not to do in a turnaround."