Business Case Studies & Business Publications

In Search of an Ally: Mark Gallagher, Re...

Prengler, Melanie,...

Case

In Search of an Ally: Mark Gallagher, Rebecca Wagner, and the #MeToo Movement

Prengler, Melanie; Younge, Ayana; Kemp, Bianca

OB-1480 | Published January 31, 2025 | 3 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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Against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, Mark Gallagher, a US Army veteran turned financial analyst at a premier film studio in Hollywood, has just learned that his boss has been sexually harassing his subordinate and friend, Rebecca Wagner. Disturbed and unsure of what to do, Wagner has requested Gallagher’s advice. But Gallagher doesn’t know what to do either. Should he confront his boss on Wagner’s behalf or recommend she ignore the unwanted advances? If he chooses the former, what could potentially happen to her career—and his? As the day wears on, Gallagher grows more unsettled, nagged by resurging memories he’d long suppressed. Could it be that the situation has hit too close to home? Regardless, as Wagner's manager and friend, Gallagher must make a decision. What should he do? This fictionalized caselet is part of the “In Search of an Ally” series, which invites students to consider how they might support colleagues who are members of a community that has recently suffered a megathreat—whether they, too, belong to the same community or can relate to the incident. These caselets also explore appropriate workplace behavior related to relationship dynamics and boundaries, sensitive personal information, trust, and job responsibilities. They are appropriate for courses on communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, relationship management, talent management, and other related topics in organizational behavior.