Components

Case Study

Danger on Table Rock Lake

Christine Ladwig
February 16, 2024
SKU:
BUS-009888
Region: 
North America
Topic: 
Ethics & Social Justice, Strategy & General Management
Length: 
3 pages
Keywords: 
strategy, Business Ethics, civil liability, operational risk, cost-benefit analysis
Copyrighted by: 
Society for Case Research
Student Price: 
$4.00 (€3.72)
Average rating: 
0

About 35 minutes after leaving its dock near Branson, Missouri, Ride the Ducks Stretch Duck 7, a modified World War II amphibious craft, began foundering and taking on water. Steep waves and 65 mph winds from a derecho (inland hurricane) on Table Rock Lake overwhelmed the Ripley Entertainment boat that July afternoon in 2018. As a result, 16 of the 31 passengers on board, as well as one of two crew members, drowned when the boat capsized. This accident and others across the U.S. threaten to shutter duck boat attractions, some of which have been in continuous operation since the mid-1940s. This tragic incident has left Ripley Entertainment in a quandary: should they continue to operate? —and if yes—how can they do so safely?  

Learning Outcomes: 

In completing this assignment, students should be able to:

1. Investigate what occurred in a business operational accident and identify causes that need remediation

2. Evaluate similar business operational accidents and identify associated risks and remediation

3. Develop a strategy to promote safe business operations based on industry and operational risks

4. Judge whether to discontinue or continue business operations