How Boeing Lost Its Way: Culture, Leadership, and the Cost of Short-Term Thinking

ABOUT THE EPISODE Greg Shea, Adjunct Professor of Management; Senior Fellow, Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management, discusses Boeing's reputational decline. Professor Shea traces the roots of Boeing’s troubles to the 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, which triggered a deliberate shift away from engineering excellence toward short-term business returns. He outlines how the company's leadership distanced itself from frontline operations and dismantled its core engineering ethos. With employee trust frayed and public confidence shaken, Shea emphasizes that real recovery for Boeing must go beyond PR—requiring deep organizational reform and a renewed, visible commitment to quality.

ABOUT THE PODCAST This Week in Business features interviews with Wharton faculty about the latest news, fascinating trends, and issues impacting both consumers and the business world. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School and published twice per week.

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