1. Based on what you have learned in this chapter, what did Wal-Mart do that many other firms and government officials did not do to deal effectively with the hurricane? Explain your answer.
2. How should corporate planners handle situations such as Katrina before they actually occur? Explain your answer.
3. Another company that was praised for its work in the aftermath of Katrina was Federal Express. It has a policy called “flexibility planning.” Long before Katrina, FedEx conducted disaster drills several times a year – for everything from big earthquakes to bioterrorism to a monster typhoon hitting the company’s hub in the Philippines. Do you think most companies should engage in this sort of planning exercise? Why or why not? Explain your answer.