SEMCO ASE C STUDY 1
DISORGANIZATION AT EMCO ASE S C STUDY
Contisa B. Jessie
School of PHD: Organization &Management: Leadership, Liberty University
SEMCO ASE C STUDY 2
Abstract
The case study review will analyze and assess the challenges and issues of Semco, a
manufacturing company that supplied marine pumps to Brazil’s shipbuilders. The company was
run by Antonio Semler who later gave up control to his son, Ricardo Semler in 1982. Dubbed a
Brazilian tycoon, Ricardo reign over the family business Semco and was named Businessman of
the year in 1990 and 1992. His high-profile status didn’t allude to the issues he was facing in the
business. Semler transformed the family's marine pump company, Semco, turned it into a multi-
national, multi-million, enterprise spanning numerous industries. He started the process as his
father did with an authoritarian structure but later moved to a more participative structure after
having a health scare visiting a pump factory. He then radicalized workplace democratization to
shift the culture at Semco to blend his work and personal life for enjoyment not stress. Ricardo
Semler drastically altered his personal management style by giving up authority and putting in
less effort. He effectively implemented the same leadership concepts in the banking, hotel, and
education sectors. In turn, the Semco organization is facing criticism from disorganization and
incorporating particular philosophies of leadership that may have not been the best option at the
time for the organization. This study will also discuss how the Bible talks about following God’s
path to structure and leadership.
Keywords: Leadership, Analyzing, Structure, Success, Partnership, Management,
Disorganization, Holacracy
