From ‘Off-the-Rails’ to ‘Back-on-Track’

Abstract

Jarvis followed a path to crisis all too familiar to corporate restructuring professionals who help restore troubled companies to health. Just as clearly, the Jarvis case holds many lessons for companies that are not ever-vigilant about improving their core operations—versus using “artificial” methods to boost results. Thos article includes a colorful blend of personalities and politics. In the end, Jarvis's “miraculous” resurrection was fashioned by a team of crisis managers from AlixPartners LLP, who helped the company lead a very hard-fought and improbable rescue. The successful conclusion of the Jarvis PLC engagement earned AlixPartners the 2006 International Turnaround of the Year Award from Turnaround Management Association.