Business Nightmares with Evan Davis

Evan Davis tells the stories of some of world’s most momentous business disasters

Britain’s best-loved economist delves into the nightmares that can engulf a business in three crucial areas:product design and manufacture; marketing and public relations and strategic decision-making.

AN INVALUABLE EDUCATION

From the spectacular unpopularity of ‘New Coke’ to Persil’s clothes-eating washing powder; from Apple’s awkward handling of a minor defect in the iPhone4, to Sir Freddie Laker’s over-hasty expansion of his fledgling airline, this series is an invaluable education in how to avoid a business blunder - and how the smartest companies manage to bounce back after disaster has struck.

NO COMPANY IS IMMUNE

It appears that no corporate giant is immune from self-inflicted disaster, and that there are real lessons to be learned by the rest of the business world. Going beyond the anecdotes and the gut-wrenching headlines, Business Nightmares takes an in-depth analytical look at these dramatic and illuminating stories.

FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS

First-hand accounts from company insiders, often including the people who themselves took the fateful decisions, reveal the detail behind these excruciating stories and explain just how much was at stake.

Focussing not just on what happened, but why it happened, some leading lights from the business world examine the consequences and pick important lessons from the carnage.

ADVICE FROM THE BUSINESS GURUS

They are Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, entrepreneur and inventor Sir James Dyson, Interbrand chairman Rita Clifton, management trouble-shooter Sir Gerry Robinson, CEO of global advertising group WPP Sir Martin Sorrell, and PR guru Mark Borkowski.

WORTH TAKING A RISK?

Clever risk-taking is often at the heart of great business triumphs but these are the salutary tales of times when risks did not pay off. The results are plummeting shares, tarnished reputations, and demands for heads to roll.


MEET EVAN'S BIG BUSINESS HITTERS

Sir James Dyson

Sir James is an industrial designer, inventor and entrepreneur

Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is a billionaire entrepreneur with companies selling products and services around the world

Sir Gerry Robinson

Sir Gerry Robinson has been Chairman and CEO of compnaies from Granada to MOTO

Sir Martin Sorrell

Sir Martin Sorrell is founder and Chief Executive of a global advertising group

Rita Clifton

Rita Clifton is Chairman of Interbrand-the global branding consultancy

Learning from my own business nightmare

Find out about what they learned from their own business nightmares

I worry you'll enjoy it too much

Evan Davis on the pleasure we get when brands get it wrong: "There are a few straightforward bad mistakes: the genuine howlers that prompt one to ask, "What were they thinking?""

BBC Class Clips

Watch educational clips from Business Nightmares with Evan Davis, specially created for use by teachers in the classroom, including secondary business studies content on topics marketing, production and business enterprise.

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