FYRE FESTIVAL: DOUSING THE FLAME
CASE STUDY SOLUTION
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pl
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SYNOPSIS
Sa
The Fyre Festival of 2017 became infamous after turning into a chaotic island-based disaster. Entrepreneur
and festival organizer Billy McFarland had made several mistakes when planning the event, with a number
of organizational and leadership issues contributing to the festival’s failure. What had gone wrong from an
organizational standpoint, and what proactive measures could have been taken to avoid the problems?
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tio
lu
OBJECTIVES
So
• consider elements of culture, leadership, power, and influence to identify both the root causes of the
disaster and the ways the event planning issues could have been avoided;
• understand the effects of groupthink, escalation of the commitment behavioural pattern, and a lack of
accountability;
• identify proactive measures to avoid failure and the struggle of having to react to problems in the
moment they arise; and
• develop and evaluate event planning alternatives considering the available resources, with an aim to
create a positive solution for all stakeholders.
The Case Solution Starts From page 4
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ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
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Sa
1. Analyze the history of the Fyre Festival. What was the intended vision, and when did this vision start
to change? Who are the key players? Who is accountable?
2. Identify the root causes of the festival’s failure.
3. As a consultant to McFarland, what specific criteria should be used to measure event planning
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alternatives and what metrics should be used to gauge their success?
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4. What instructions would you give to McFarland for changing the way the next event is planned, and
how would the organizers themselves need to change? Create an action plan for Fyre Festival 2,
focusing on the organizational mistakes made during the first festival and how they will be resolved.
lu
Or
So
As a consultant to McFarland, analyze the failure of the first Fyre Festival and provide recommendations
for how to solve the organizational issues for future events.
The Case Solution Starts From page 4
, ANALYSIS
1. Analyze the history of the Fyre Festival. What was the intended vision, and when did this vision
start to change? Who are the key players? Who is accountable?
e
The intended vision for Fyre festival was “An immersive music festival on a remote and private island in
pl
the Exumas.”1 This vision began to alter with the change of locations from Norman’s Cay to Roker Point.2
The idyllic island getaway further deteriorated as complications regarding accommodations, food, and
m
artists continuously arose.3
Sa
Key players in this case include festival organizers Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, as well as other important
team members including Marc Weinstein, Yaron Lavi, and Grant Margolin. Analyzing the interests of each
of the stakeholders such as Ezra Birnbaum reveals how some members were focused on financial returns
at the cost of effective planning.4
n
Most parties involved in the planning and execution of Fyre Festival are accountable for the failure to some
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 4
CASE STUDY SOLUTION
e
pl
m
SYNOPSIS
Sa
The Fyre Festival of 2017 became infamous after turning into a chaotic island-based disaster. Entrepreneur
and festival organizer Billy McFarland had made several mistakes when planning the event, with a number
of organizational and leadership issues contributing to the festival’s failure. What had gone wrong from an
organizational standpoint, and what proactive measures could have been taken to avoid the problems?
n
tio
lu
OBJECTIVES
So
• consider elements of culture, leadership, power, and influence to identify both the root causes of the
disaster and the ways the event planning issues could have been avoided;
• understand the effects of groupthink, escalation of the commitment behavioural pattern, and a lack of
accountability;
• identify proactive measures to avoid failure and the struggle of having to react to problems in the
moment they arise; and
• develop and evaluate event planning alternatives considering the available resources, with an aim to
create a positive solution for all stakeholders.
The Case Solution Starts From page 4
, e
pl
ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
m
Sa
1. Analyze the history of the Fyre Festival. What was the intended vision, and when did this vision start
to change? Who are the key players? Who is accountable?
2. Identify the root causes of the festival’s failure.
3. As a consultant to McFarland, what specific criteria should be used to measure event planning
n
alternatives and what metrics should be used to gauge their success?
tio
4. What instructions would you give to McFarland for changing the way the next event is planned, and
how would the organizers themselves need to change? Create an action plan for Fyre Festival 2,
focusing on the organizational mistakes made during the first festival and how they will be resolved.
lu
Or
So
As a consultant to McFarland, analyze the failure of the first Fyre Festival and provide recommendations
for how to solve the organizational issues for future events.
The Case Solution Starts From page 4
, ANALYSIS
1. Analyze the history of the Fyre Festival. What was the intended vision, and when did this vision
start to change? Who are the key players? Who is accountable?
e
The intended vision for Fyre festival was “An immersive music festival on a remote and private island in
pl
the Exumas.”1 This vision began to alter with the change of locations from Norman’s Cay to Roker Point.2
The idyllic island getaway further deteriorated as complications regarding accommodations, food, and
m
artists continuously arose.3
Sa
Key players in this case include festival organizers Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, as well as other important
team members including Marc Weinstein, Yaron Lavi, and Grant Margolin. Analyzing the interests of each
of the stakeholders such as Ezra Birnbaum reveals how some members were focused on financial returns
at the cost of effective planning.4
n
Most parties involved in the planning and execution of Fyre Festival are accountable for the failure to some
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 4
