HH.ru (D): The Bumpy Road Continues

The HH.ru case series tracks the development of a respected NASDAQ-listed Russian technology company as it struggles with the fallout of the Russian invasion or SMO (“Special Military Operation”) of the Ukraine. While the senior leadership at HH realized that the new geopolitical situation might affect their client’s behavior and economy more generally, they faced the nearly insurmountable challenges of maintaining the company’s values during a time of great stress. The case series includes five separate linked cases. The HH (A) case is the most comprehensive and covers the company’s history and reviews its values. It ends just before the start of the Russian SMO. The (A) case helps students appreciate that HH is a well-run, Western-oriented technology company with values fully consistent with those in the West. The (B) case captures the events in the company immediately after the start of the SMO and raises important questions for how leaders should engage employees on potentially contentious issues. The (C) case jumps forward four months and reviews the company’s efforts to bring order and calm to employees who are in trauma. It also captures the actions of an HH leader who has seemingly broken with company protocol intended to protect the employees with alternative views of the SMO. The (D) case focuses on the impact of Putin’s partial mobilization order of September 21, 2022, with the consequence that many of HH’s more talented employees are now fleeing the country. The (E) case provides an epilogue and update and reviews some of the lessons learned by HH leaders.