VectorTech: Managing a Product Crisis (A)

The VectorTech Quantum processor case study, comprising four fictional cases (A through D), presents a comprehensive crisis scenario in the tech industry. Beginning with an outside expert's discovery, in the (A) case, of a calculation error in the Quantum processor, the narrative unfolds over three more cases and through various stages of the company's response. The (B) case delves into the initial public revelation of the issue and the varied internal and external reactions. As the situation escalates, the (C) case captures VectorTech's delayed but formal acknowledgment of the problem. Finally, the (D) case illustrates the ramifications of VectorTech's handling of the crisis, including public backlash, stock price impact, legal repercussions, and a belated comprehensive response strategy. Throughout the four cases, the evolving nature of the crisis and VectorTech's responses underscore the importance of timely, transparent, and empathetic crisis management and customer communication.

All of these cases can be distributed, read, and analyzed in a single 90-minute class period.