Executive Summary The success of individual firms in similar industries varies greatly. Two factors appear to be central to explanations of such firm-level differences in performance-leadership and strategy. Much can be learned about leadership and strategy by studying rich case examples of success and failure. This article profiles one such example, the T. Eaton Company of Canada. Eaton's was founded in 1869 and rose to prominence as Canada's greatest retail store. Some 130 years later Eaton's was reduced to bankruptcy leaving Canada bereft of an icon. The lessons in leadership and strategy that contributed to Eaton's stunning early success and eventual demise are outlined.
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