Story of the fictional Essential Corporation, a company with a proud history but a lot of hidden problems barring it from a promising future. Once the leader of its industry, Essential Corporation has lost its way. Its flagship product line is being rendered a commodity by competition. One huge retail account is diverting attention away from smaller, traditional customers. Suspicion and blame are dividing departments. Worst of all, management is in denial, with some managers hiding problems rather than working to solve them, while others struggle to preserve the status quo rather than move forward to new opportunities.