“Whatever” attitude prevails at HP : Employees more bemused than outraged at Hewlett Packard's fall from grace

Purpose – Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – At one time Hewlett Packard employees felt privileged to work for such an innovative and outstanding company. A combination of success orientation, technical excellence and business ethics made HP a company that both executives and workers were proud of. Team working created strong bonds between small groups of employees at HP but this was tempered by good inter‐team collaboration and just a healthy dash of competitiveness. Recruitment was brisk with HP high on the list of companies new graduate techies wanted to work for. Today HP is a chastened, but hopefully wiser firm after scandal rocked the company last year. Practical implications – Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.