Case “Shred” Short Cycle
Case Preparation Chart
Short Cycle Process
Student Name: Long Tran
Case Title: Mount Everest – 1996
Who?
What?
Why?
Name
Rob Hall
Scott Fischer
Andy Harris
Anatoli Boukreev
Jon Krakauer
Doug Hansen
Beck Weathers
Yasuko Namba
Sandy Hill Pittman
Lopsang Jangbu
Position
Leader of Adventure Consultants
Leader of Mountain Madness
Guide of Adventure Consultants
Guide of Mountain Madness
Journalist of Outside Magazine
Client of Adventure Consultants
Client of Adventure Consultants
Client of Adventure Consultants
Client of Mountain Madness
Lead Sherpa of Mountain Madness
Issues
In Spring 1996, there was trend of conquering Summit of Mount Everest. Leaders
of Adventure Consultants organized a group of climbers to climb Mount Everest.
There were essential human errors such as disobey turnaround time, poor
decision making, underestimate weather, logistical issues, overconfidence in
health and experience of the climbers, and lack of communication which leading
to the death of guides and climbers.
- Trend of conquering Mount Everest attracted more inexperienced
climbers and created a business opportunity for experienced climber like
Rob Hall and Scott Fischer on this demand. The climbers paid a high fee
which also created pressures to climber and guides to push themselves
over limit even in the unsafe situations.
- The journey leaders underestimate the weather risk, and they believed in
their experience in the weather pattern. They failed to estimate the risk
of potential sudden storm and left their teams in the life risk condition.
- The journeys leader also failed to establish the backup plan for critical
situations and obey the turnaround time which they planned. They did
not purchase enough oxygen supplemental oxygen and radio for both
climbers and guides, which caused their deteriorating physical condition
and lack of communication during the journey
- The journey leaders were overconfident in their climbing experience and
preparedness for the clients who were mostly had no high altitude assault
experience. Journey to the summit demanded heavily physical and mental
for both climbers and guides, but the desire to reach the top of the world
affected their safety decisions.
Adapted from Mauffette-Leenders, L.A., Erskine, J.A., Leenders, M.R. (2007). Learning with cases, 4th edition. London, Ontario:
Ivey Publishing.
Case “Shred” Short Cycle
When?
How?
In April 1996, climber and guides of both Adventure Consultants and
Mountain Madness gathered in the Base Camp for staring training and
acclimate their physical to high altitudes at Mount Everest.
- On May 6th 1996: they began their journey to the summit of Mount
Everest.
- On May 10th 1996: they reached the summit, but there were delays
during the journey from Camp IV to the summit due to no rope were
affixed on the route. The shortage of communication radio also caused
the delay due to the front group could not communicate with the back
group for ensuring they all on the same route and arrived the top on time.
The delay caused some remain on top far past the turnaround time for
descent. Some climbers descended right after reaching the summit
backed to Camp IV successfully.
Late Afternoon and Evening: There was a sudden storm which was
trapping the remain climbers on the route of descent.
- On the late night of May 10th and morning of May 11th 1996, the survivors
attempted to rescue the remains on the descent route, but several
climbers including Rob Hall and Scott Fischer perished.
Case Difficulty Cube
Analytical1
Conceptual2
Presentation3
The main task is to
- This case shows the
This case shows multiple
evaluate the failure of
failure of risk
factors which need to be
decision making
management. The
considered when
especially are disobey
leaders
analyzing:
the turnaround time,
underestimated the
- Leadership decision
mismanagement the
risk of weather
- Management
inexperienced climbers,
change, client’s
- Natural environment
leadership
health and
misjudgments, and the
experience.
natural environment.
- Failure of planning
There is also a critical
management: The
factor in this analysis
leaders failed to
which is trending
obey the turnaround
pressure affects the
time, allocation
safety protocol.
journeys resources
(supplemental
oxygen, radio),
communication, and
plans for unexpected
critical situations.
- Decision making
under pressure: the
leaders made poor
decision due the
-
Adapted from Mauffette-Leenders, L.A., Erskine, J.A., Leenders, M.R. (2007). Learning with cases, 4th edition. London, Ontario:
Ivey Publishing.
Case “Shred” Short Cycle
huge profit from
demanding
conquering the
Mount Everest. The
high altitude
environment also
affect physical and
mental condition
which can impair the
judgment in critical
situations.
Case Difficulty Cube description:
1. Analytical: What is the reader’s task based on the information given in the case? Is it clearly
identified? Are there multiple potential tasks? How complicated are those tasks?
2. Conceptual: What theories, concepts, or techniques will help the reader understand or resolve
the case? What ideas does the reader bring to the case?
3. Presentation: How complicated is the case? What information is relevant? What information is
missing?
Adapted from Mauffette-Leenders, L.A., Erskine, J.A., Leenders, M.R. (2007). Learning with cases, 4th edition. London, Ontario:
Ivey Publishing.