個案總覽

In an ever-changing world, certain topics-such as sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and gender-still are hot-button items for many people. This series of vignettes covers many diversity topics, primarily in the workplace, and should promote engaging and intense debate. In reading them, students should try to see each vignette from the different perspectives presented.

This case details the various issues, dilemmas, and complexities of immigration as it relates both to business and American society in general. MegaBank manager Judson Dillon is on the verge of finalizing a $65 million equity investment in the world's largest tomato greenhouse, HydroFruit, Inc., which he believes is an attractive investment opportunity. At the same time, he suspects that the company is an employer of illegal immigrants. Immigration was currently a politically, socially, and legally hot topic in the United States. Laws had been enacted to ensure that employers did not hire illegal immigrants, yet many in the United States said that getting rid of all illegal immigrants was an impossible and, for the U.S. agricultural economy, destructive move. On the surface, HydroFruit was in compliance with all minimum legal requirements, but that didn't mean that some illegals didn't slip through the cracks, and the company's CFO had admitted to Dillon one night that "Without illegals, our industry stops dead." In Dillon's mind, this comment reinforced his suspicion that HydroFruit was no different from many other employers in the agricultural industry, as well as his belief that it simply wouldn't be practical for Congress to disrupt such an important segment of the U.S. economy. Yet MegaBank could not invest in a company that it knew-or suspected of-acting illegally.

Miranda Shaw had decided to do a Google search on the two finalists for the open position in her company. Based on the photos she saw on her preferred applicant's Facebook page, she decided to hire the other applicant, whose Internet search returned no controversial results. But Shaw found herself wondering if it had been ethical for her to base her decision on a Facebook page, because she had not told either applicant that she would be using the Internet to research them.

Facebook was one of the many social networking Web sites (such as MySpace.com) that launched in 2004. A free-access site that allowed users to connect and interact with other people, Facebook was immensely popular, having millions of active users. Of course, putting questionable content on one's Facebook page could become a source of embarrassment. In this case, consulting firm manager Miranda Shaw is trying to decide between two highly qualified applicants for a position in her company. She's leaning toward hiring one candidate until she finds photos on his Facebook page of him partaking in unsuitable activities (smoking pot, etc.) during college. Shaw is no longer certain about her decision. This case provides a brief and simple way to look at the issues, privacy and others, of social networking sites.

This case explores the larger context of competition among Internet companies for market share globally, especially in the emerging Chinese economy, as well as concerns about advancing the core values of the company including user privacy. Specifically, it concerns the decision facing Yahoo! CEO Jerry Yang when he is confronted with a request by the Chinese government to release the name of one of its users for alleged violations of Chinese law.

Although biofuels had been used for many years (from 1980 to mid-2007, an estimated 2 trillion miles were driven on ethanol-blended fuels in the United States), it was not until the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with dwindling oil supplies, the threat of global warming, and unrest in the oil-rich Middle East that people began thinking of them seriously as alternatives to petroleum-based fuel. Biofuels were also considered better for the environment than gasoline because they produced far less carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, and fewer toxic contaminants, hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds. This note describes biofuel production and the many effects its increasing use had on the energy supply, agriculture, and the environment. The use of biofuels was not without controversy, and this note is a good starting point for students who can be asked to research further and identify and discuss the issues presented by biofuel use.

Small business owner Tim Bono must decide whether to accept business from a customer that involves transferring film with homosexual content, and if doing so violates his company's "Christian and ethical values."

On February 19, 2005, British Airways flight 268, a 747, took off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) headed for London's Heathrow Airport. It would be an 11-hour, 5,000-plus-mile flight. Shortly after takeoff, only 296 feet in the air, one of the jet's four engines exploded. The pilots had to determine what course of action to take: return immediately to LAX or continue the flight. This case outlines the various options and the potential consequences of each. See also the B case (UV0774).

Gender in the workplace. Is it still an issue? While it is increasingly easier in the early 21st century for women to work, manage, and take positions of high responsibility in American business, some issues and difficulties still remain. This series of vignettes touches on some difficult situations-for both women and men-involving sexual and romantic relationships in the workplace, decisions on whether to start a family, dress codes, family obligations, and sexual harassment.

As 2004 came to a close, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, found itself facing a variety of stakeholder issues. The largest company in the world, which had ranked number one on the Fortune 500 for several years, was accused of, among other things, sending jobs overseas, destroying small-town America, paying its workers substandard wages and providing abysmal healthcare coverage, and discriminating against women and minorities. Many outsiders accused the retailer of circumventing or ignoring the principles upon which the legendary Sam Walton founded the company: respect for the individual, service to customers, and constant striving for excellence. As 2005 began, Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott and other Wal-Mart executives had to address the various issues. This case details not only the rise of Wal-Mart and its notable capabilities and strategies, but also how the retailer had inadvertantly found itself with such a negative reputation.

When a senior audit partner at a well-established Washington-based audit firm discovers that one of his employees has disseminated inaccurate information, the partner must figure out the reason--lack of communication, racial tension, or misguided management are all possibilities--and subsequently decide what course of action to take. See also the B case (UV1345).

Is it deception or is it simply a clever business tactic? The varieties and scope of deceptive behavior are examined in this series of caselets, which offer a wide range of sample dilemmas in many fields, including medical publishing, the auto industry, investment banking, the oil industry, and even in the fine art of writing a resume.

This note provides a brief review of the Muslim religion, including the geographical representation of its believers, a description of its basic tenets, and a sketch of its historical development. Also provided is a brief synopsis of the Prophet Muhammad, and a distinction is made between the Sh'ia and the Sunni faiths. The note was written to complement the teaching of any case that assumes knowledge of Islam.

This case present the dilemma of an employee who, having been terminated in a manner he deems is unfair, has to decide whether to cash or return a $2,500 check wrongfully sent him by his former employer.

Although not set in a business environment, this case illustrates a common dilemma existing in almost any setting: Do you uphold an institution's honor code, although it means implicating a friend and comrade of wrongdoing?

This case illustrates the dilemma of an employee who, having received an offer to go elsewhere (although to a noncompeting business), must decide where his loyalties lie.

This case presents the dilemma of an employee who, when presented with options by his business, must weigh all the different factors (including his career goals and his fellow employees) in deciding what course of action to take.

The case lays out the controversies surrounding the human genome project. The ability to generate any individual's genetic profile raises important legal, social, and ethical questions. How should these issues be addressed and how can the rights of the individual be protected? This case can be used to portray problems in the biotechnology industry, confidentiality in the health care industry, as well as the progress of technology and the ability of the present legal and medical system to deal with it.

This case illustrates managerial dilemmas that might arise when a company's offices are located in different countries, with different cultural and social styles and practices. The case also highlights how one might deal with personnel issues when many factors--including leadership, employee well-being, and different cultural norms--all present problems.