Babson Professor John Altman, Case Director
Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship
© Babson College, 2000.
Abstract
This is an unconventional short case about one man's effort to modernize the British Navy at the end of the nineteenth century. Sir Percy Scott joined the Navy when he was thirteen and soon and frequently thereafter presented new ideas to his superiors. Unfortunately most of his innovations were met with disinterest by career officers steeped in tradition and the "old ways."
His greatest innovation was in the field of gunnery where Scott devised a system that eliminated the uncertainties of targeting caused by a ship's roll and the corresponding firing interval of the gunner. The new system improved accuracy by an unbelievable 3000 percent! Later he suggested the building of aircraft carriers and anti-torpedo boats in preparation for World War 1. Neither suggestion was embraced--- much to the detriment of the British Navy.
Location of the company: England
Years spanned by the case: 1866 through 1913
Industry segment: British Navy
Stage of the company: Mature
Age of the entrepreneur: 20's through 40's
Key Words: Entrepreneurship, military, navy, England, British, inventor
DVD
There is no DVD available for this case.
Teaching Notes
A case teaching package, written by John Altman, is available for this case. The teaching package includes strategies for case presentation, key concepts, solutions to the assignment questions in the case, and suggestions for the most effective ways to work this case into a course.
Please place orders for this published case
through The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship 
