
Hadley, Baxendale, you and proactive services
In my last blog, I presented the findings of the Hadley vs. Baxendale case, which was decided in England in the 19th Century. In case you missed it, the court decided that Baxendale had to pay Hadley damages for not delivering goods or services according to an agreement between the two parties. In doing so, it established a precedent that applies today. An enterprise that does not deliver can be liable for damages. The inability to deliver can result from willful neglect or from an accident of some sort. In today’s IT-intensive operations, that could range from a major disaster to a minor firmware glitch – basically anything that can cause unplanned downtime.