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Joint ventures are common methods of managing projects that involve different countries. Managers need to consider whether a shared management or dominant parent approach works best for a specific enterprise. Thirty-seven experiences point up the difficulties of working with more than one parent. Dominant parent ventures, those managed by one company like wholly-owned subsidiaries, are more successful than shared management ventures, where both companies contribute functional personnel. Problems often arise in shared situations because managers of international ventures have communication problems and different attitudes regarding: time, the importance of job performance, material wealth, and the desirability of change.

Noranda is preparing to develop a $400 million copper mine in Chile. The Task Force of Canadian Churches opposes the investment because of the lack of human rights in Chile and has made its presence felt at Noranda's last five annual meetings. Enough data is in the case to analyze the investment on financial and moral grounds. Is Noranda morally right to go ahead? To what extent should the answer to this question govern their decision? What is the role of business ethics in this decision?