Lampel (1991) presents this theoretical case on Robin Hood. Robin wanted the Sheriff of Notthingham removed from office. Robin’s strategy was to create a state of unrest and make the sheriff fail in tax collection. He does this with the help of his Merrymen. They rob from the rich and give to the poor. By the second year, his band grew.
He gained recruits from all over England. Meanwhile, his activities remained provincial.However, the sheriff got reinforcements and the support of Prince John, the regent. Hence, contrary to Robin’s expected outcome, the sheriff had actually strengthened his hold. By default, Robin leads his growing band.
However, when he proposed a change in operations to solve the problems of rapid growth, his lieutenants resisted the idea. The major problem of this case is strategic as well as political. In this case, the ra
...pid organizational growth is but a minor symptom, a problem in operations.The major symptoms of this major problem are: a) the sheriff’s political connections, the nobility in this case, prefer a state of stability rather than a state of unrest, hence, instead of removing their ally from office, they supported the sheriff; b) Robin’s lieutenants prefer not to antagonize the farmers, since these are allies to the Merrymen, hence, they rejected Robin’s proposal; and c) Robin’s operations remained provincial, just within the realm of Nottingham, while his popularity gained recruits from all over the kingdom.In this case, Robin cannot afford to antagonize other sheriffs or even the regent by operating beyond the boundaries of Nottingham.
All of these major symptoms are external. Meanwhile, the internal factors that have major effects on the problem are:
a) Robin’s recruitment policy; b) the limited area of the base of operations, Sherwood Forest; and c) the limited source of revenue, the rich in Nottingham. Robin has to consider other strategies to remove the sheriff from office. He also needs an exit strategy.For instance, he needs to weaken the sheriff’s political connections or strengthen his own political connections.
He also needs to: a) shape up his recruitment policy to better manage rapid personnel growth; b) expand his base of operations by considering other forests to increase the food supply; c) explore other provinces with rich citizens to expand the revenue source, preferably those provinces that send reinforcements so these will be recalled to their original areas of operations; and d) establish a manual of operations that can be replicated in other areas of operations as Robin’s organization expands.Of course, this opportunity for expansion comes also with a corresponding risk: that of antagonizing other sheriffs and the regent which could turn into a full blown war. Should a full blown war happen, this could compromise Robin’s graceful exit. As a short term strategy, Robin should weaken the sheriff’s political connections.
Robin needs to rob the supplies of the reinforcements that the Sheriff’s allies are sending to Nottingham as well as their riches. The core strength of Robin’s Merrymen is robbing instead of tax collection, of which they have no extensive experience.Let us consider also that Robin’s allies are Nottingham farmers, hence, he should exert his efforts to expand his robbing operations outside of Nottingham, specifically targeting the sheriff’s allies. However, he does not need to subsidize other farmers outside of Nottingham. This should be his
long term strategy. This is basically increasing the revenue stream while rigidly controlling expenses.
Moreover, Robin must use any corresponding revenue surpluses to gain the favor of barons outside his areas of operations.Specifically, Robin must target those provinces that the sheriff has no close alliance with. This should also be part of Robin’s long term strategy. He could use the other barons to maneuver the sheriff’s fall from favor or use the connection and wealth to recruit a pool of assassins to finally neutralize the sheriff. Also, Robin’s exit strategy should consider a replacement sheriff that would be favorable to Robin’s cause, someone who is agreeable to the farmers of Nottingham.
Finally, Robin should settle outside of Nottingham and set-up legitimate operations in the area of a baron he has allied with. I recommend that Robin weaken the sheriff’s allies, expand and strengthen his own alliances, increase his revenue stream while limit his expenses, use any revenue surpluses to expand and strengthen his alliances as well as accomplish his goal of removing the sheriff from office and last but most important, execute the proposed exit strategy.
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