Achilles dilemma: challenges and barriers in the small business growth

Abstract

The company Olympus is a small manufacturing company that operates in the wooden packaging, manufacturing pallets and boxes, which are used primarily by companies in the metal-mechanic sector. Achilles Delfos is owner Olympus’ company, since it is founding in 1987, he was envisioned the growth and credibility that his company was gaining in the market. However, this stability was broken at the time the structure was expanded, and Achilles lost the full control of the activities developed in the organization. In 2006, Achilles realized that his company had growing too quickly that change was inevitable. This case study proposes a reflection on the problems experienced by the organization through the following theoretical approaches: crisis of growth and organizational change, and general management skills. The learning main is to allow students to observe the crisis of growth and organizational change experienced by the company, reflecting on the importance of managerial competencies in this context. The case was developed for use in the disciplines of organizational studies and organizational management, preferably in undergraduate courses.