How J.C. Penney and Sears Could’ve Steered Clear of the Slope of Death

By Dan Scouler

What the Slope of Death is not is irreversible or unstoppable. Frequently, responding to the smoke before the fire can keep a company out of mortal danger. Avoiding the Slope of Death in the first place is the objective, and here the backstory of both J.C. Penney and Sears offer a textbook guide of what not to do.