Page 45 - Articulate Files

Standard Life

Strategy, Finance, Turnaround, IPO

The essence of case study

teaching lies, in part, in getting

the user to read between the
lines, to draw elements out

and combine them to

construct a more complete analysis of the situation facing

him or her. The Standard Life case study attempts this by
not simply providing a one dimensional paper based case

study but also, and more importantly, an on-line case and

teaching vehicle. Reading the paper based case study will
not do justice to the story embedded in the paper-based

case study. It is necessary, if the best teaching and learning

experience is to be achieved, to emerse oneself in the on-

line case study accessing all that it has to offer.

The story of Standard Life starts with an attempted

demutualisation in 2000 by a Monaco based, Austrailian,
carpetbagger, Fred Woollard. This event triggered a cascade

of actions which lead ultimately to the demutualisation and

floatation of Standard Life.

To fight off Woollard Standard Life had called on, or were

given, the support of staff, policy holders, clients and
general public. To a great extent management showed a

loyalty to these stakeholders through its commitment over

the next three years to honouring its promise to maintain

the policy bonuses and with-profits values. It did this at a