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  • Dieselgate - Heavy Fumes Exhausting the Volkswagen Group

    At the end of September 2015, Matthias Mueller stepped in as CEO for the Volkswagen Group, days after Martin Winterkorn resigned over the biggest automotive emissions scandal the world had ever seen. Weeks before, the United States Environmental Protection Agency confirmed the result of investigations proving that Volkswagen had installed software in its most successful diesel engines, which were cheating on the test stand and manipulating results. The successful rapid expansion of Volkswagen's TDI models in the US market was based on fraud. Across brands, about 11 million of the Group's diesel vehicles worldwide were later discovered to have had the cheating device installed. This shattered the worldwide brand and developed into a threat to the formerly pristine image of "Made in Germany" products. Mueller, a veteran of the Volkswagen group, took charge in maneuvering Volkswagen Group out of the crisis, finding technical solutions and regaining the trust of customers, authorities and employees. The Group claimed that the scandal was the result of a chain of errors dating back to 2005. The case illustrates how a failure of proper corporate governance, over-ambitious target-setting and an authoritarian management culture can lead a successful company into crisis. It also leaves us to ponder why a corporate leader in social responsibility could be linked to such a massive scandal.
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  • Student Hacking into University's Learning Management System to Save His Grades: A Cautionary Tale

    It was 18 February 2016 and Loo Wee Ling, Practice Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University, had just received a communication about a case of cheating in the School of Law where she taught. GK, a 32-year-old Russian national, was mid-way through his final year of the Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) programme at SMU, when he embarked on a course of action that resulted in his being convicted of two offences under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act and sentenced to two months' incarceration in a Singapore prison. Worried about not qualifying for legal practice in Singapore, he had tried to save his grades by hacking into the learning management system of a law module using his law professor's userid and password which he had obtained by stealth using a USB keylogger plugged into the common computer in the classroom. His fear of doing badly in the final examinations of the Law of Property module led him to delete the online answer scripts of all his course-mates in the hope of being able to retake the examination. This proved to be his undoing as discovery of the deleted scripts led to investigations that traced the hacking back to him. GK committed crimes which led to dire consequences for himself. Loo was interested to have her students analyse, from an ethical perspective, what exactly is wrong with GK's actions?
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  • Strange Bedfellows: eBay, craigslist and Profit versus Public Service

    This case provides a fascinating true story that will engage students and provide them with a real life example of corporate law and governance in the context of a socially responsible company. Specifically, the case addresses minority shareholder rights, fiduciary duties of directors and controlling shareholders, ethical decision-making in the business context. The case useful for an advanced business law course and is positioned to discuss social entrepreneurship and options for directors and officers of social enterprises who want to focus on social and service missions without risking a breach of their fiduciary duties. The instructor's manual provides theoretical frameworks in the areas of corporate social responsibility, business ethics and principles of corporate law to guide the discussion of the case. The manual also provides additional multimedia teaching aids and updated information regarding expanded choices of entity currently available for social enterprises.
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  • Corruption in Russia: IKEA's Expansion to the East (A)

    This four-part case series can be used to discuss business ethics, compliance/governance, integrity management, reacting to and preparing against corruption in the context of internationalization and allows to also briefly touch upon the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case (A) describes a challenge IKEA was facing, while trying to enter Russia in 2000. The company was preparing to open its first flagship store on the outskirts of Moscow, only the first of several planned projects. After substantial investments in infrastructure and logistics, IKEA focused on marketing, but quickly faced a sudden complication. Its major ad campaign in the Moscow Metro with the slogan "[e]very 10th European was made in one of our beds" was labeled "tasteless". IKEA had to stop the campaign because it "couldn't prove" the claim. Soon Lennart Dahlgren, the first general manager of IKEA in Russia must have realized that the unsuccessful ad campaign was going to be the least of his problems: A few weeks before the planned opening, the local utility company decided not to provide their services for the store if IKEA did not pay a bribe. What should IKEA and Lennart Dahlgren do? Was there any alternative to playing the game the Russian way and paying? The subsequent cases (B), (C), and (D) describe IKEA's creative response to the challenges described in case (A), and then report about new challenges with alleged corruption within IKEA and in the legal environment, and finally raise the question whether IKEA can be considered to have a social responsibility to fight corruption on a societal level in order to build the platform for its own operation in Russia.
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  • Corruption in Russia: IKEA's Expansion to the East (B)

    Supplement to case ES1691. This four-part case series can be used to discuss business ethics, compliance/governance, integrity management, reacting to and preparing against corruption in the context of internationalization and allows to also briefly touching upon the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case (A) describes a challenge IKEA was facing, while trying to enter Russia in 2000. The company was preparing to open its first flagship store on the outskirts of Moscow, only the first of several planned projects. After substantial investments in infrastructure and logistics, IKEA focused on marketing, but quickly faced a sudden complication. Its major ad campaign in the Moscow Metro with the slogan "[e]very 10th European was made in one of our beds" was labeled "tasteless". IKEA had to stop the campaign because it "couldn't prove" the claim. Soon Lennart Dahlgren, the first general manager of IKEA in Russia must have realized that the unsuccessful ad campaign was going to be the least of his problems: A few weeks before the planned opening, the local utility company decided not to provide their services for the store if IKEA did not pay a bribe. What should IKEA and Lennart Dahlgren do? Was there any alternative to playing the game the Russian way, and paying? The subsequent cases (B), (C), and (D) describe IKEA's creative response to the challenges described in case (A), and then report about new challenges with alleged corruption within IKEA and in the legal environment, and finally raise the question whether IKEA can be considered to have a social responsibility to fight corruption on a societal level in order to build the platform for its own operation in Russia.
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  • Corruption in Russia: IKEA's Expansion to the East (C)

    Supplement to case ES1691. This four-part case series can be used to discuss business ethics, compliance/governance, integrity management, reacting to and preparing against corruption in the context of internationalization and allows to also briefly touching upon the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case (A) describes a challenge IKEA was facing, while trying to enter Russia in 2000. The company was preparing to open its first flagship store on the outskirts of Moscow, only the first of several planned projects. After substantial investments in infrastructure and logistics, IKEA focused on marketing, but quickly faced a sudden complication. Its major ad campaign in the Moscow Metro with the slogan "[e]very 10th European was made in one of our beds" was labeled "tasteless". IKEA had to stop the campaign because it "couldn't prove" the claim. Soon Lennart Dahlgren, the first general manager of IKEA in Russia must have realized that the unsuccessful ad campaign was going to be the least of his problems: A few weeks before the planned opening, the local utility company decided not to provide their services for the store if IKEA did not pay a bribe. What should IKEA and Lennart Dahlgren do? Was there any alternative to playing the game the Russian way, and paying? The subsequent cases (B), (C), and (D) describe IKEA's creative response to the challenges described in case (A), and then report about new challenges with alleged corruption within IKEA and in the legal environment, and finally raise the question whether IKEA can be considered to have a social responsibility to fight corruption on a societal level in order to build the platform for its own operation in Russia.
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  • Corruption in Russia: IKEA's Expansion to the East (D)

    Supplement to case ES1691. This four-part case series can be used to discuss business ethics, compliance/governance, integrity management, reacting to and preparing against corruption in the context of internationalization and allows to also briefly touching upon the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Case (A) describes a challenge IKEA was facing, while trying to enter Russia in 2000. The company was preparing to open its first flagship store on the outskirts of Moscow, only the first of several planned projects. After substantial investments in infrastructure and logistics, IKEA focused on marketing, but quickly faced a sudden complication. Its major ad campaign in the Moscow Metro with the slogan "[e]very 10th European was made in one of our beds" was labeled "tasteless". IKEA had to stop the campaign because it "couldn't prove" the claim. Soon Lennart Dahlgren, the first general manager of IKEA in Russia must have realized that the unsuccessful ad campaign was going to be the least of his problems: A few weeks before the planned opening, the local utility company decided not to provide their services for the store if IKEA did not pay a bribe. What should IKEA and Lennart Dahlgren do? Was there any alternative to playing the game the Russian way, and paying? The subsequent cases (B), (C), and (D) describe IKEA's creative response to the challenges described in case (A), and then report about new challenges with alleged corruption within IKEA and in the legal environment, and finally raise the question whether IKEA can be considered to have a social responsibility to fight corruption on a societal level in order to build the platform for its own operation in Russia.
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  • Building a "Backdoor" to the iPhone: An Ethical Dilemma

    In February 2016, Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive officer, challenged a U.S. Federal Court order for Apple to assist the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a case involving suspected international terrorism. The government wanted Apple to provide the FBI with access to encrypted data on an Apple product, the iPhone. Cook's refusal to acquiesce to the government's demands drew strong public debate, pitting the proponents of national security against those in favour of customers' digital privacy and security. The case invoked an ethical dilemma faced by management in issues involving right-versus-right decisions. Which right should Cook choose? What are the ethical dilemmas involved in making this decision? How should Cook resolve the dilemma?
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  • Howzzat?

    The game of cricket that originated in Britain thrives on passion and the following it generates in India and other South Asian countries is tremendous. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the apex governing body that controls all cricketing events in the India. Being the richest such body, BCCI is the most powerful national body among similar organizations across countries where cricket is played. The world of cricket saw a sea change with the introduction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to its unprecedented commercial success. The case describes the betting scandal that hit IPL, BCCI and its promoter in the middle of 2013. The scandal involved the son-in-law of the President of BCCI. The events following the scandal saw the Supreme Court of India, the highest judicial body in the country, to indict BCCI and its President of serious misgovernance. Set in this backdrop, the case highlights governance issues in the functioning of not for profit organizations such as BCCI. The case provides an opportunity to reflect on and discuss as to how such quasi-public bodies ought to be governed.
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  • "Gentlemen, We Will Chase Perfection": The Extraordinary Success of the National Football League (NFL)

    The National Football League (NFL) is one of the most lucrative professional sports leagues in the world. A multi-billion dollar enterprise with millions of fans filling stadiums or riveted to their screens on game day, the NFL and its teams have, over the years, been led by strong personalities who have built up an empire that is the envy of managers in every other professional sport. The result of a merger between two leagues, the NFL has experienced phenomenal growth since its founding in 1920. Its business model has evolved significantly over the years. One of its distinguishing features is its revenue-sharing model, which favours parity by distributing revenue generated by the League evenly among its teams. Despite its commercial and financial success, however, the NFL has had to pay particular attention to its brand image, which has often been tarnished by incidents related to player conduct off the field, as well as to issues related to the protection and health of players. The encounter between a successful business model and the management of the various crises that have marked the contemporary history of the NFL makes this organization a fascinating subject of study for anyone interested in management.
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  • The Counterfeit Safety Label

    Jeff Spaulding, president and CEO of Specialty Products, Inc. (SPI), learned that one of the company's Chinese suppliers had placed counterfeit UL (Underwriters Laboratories) safety certification labels on a popular line of decorative table lamps manufactured for the company. SPI designed and imported a wide range of seasonal, gift, and home décor products, including lighting. Further investigation revealed that many lamps bearing counterfeit UL labels had already been shipped to retail stores and sold to consumers. Spaulding assembled his top management team-the heads of product development, sales, compliance, and finance-to determine the appropriate course of action. Among the factors the team needed to consider were possible safety risks to consumers, legal and reputational risks to the company, the financial costs of recalling or destroying improperly labeled lamps, the company's relationship with its suppliers, and the interests of the private investors who owned SPI.
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  • Corporate Citizenship in Mining Projects: The Case of the Ambatovy Project in Madagascar

    This case looks at the Ambatovy mining project in Madagascar, which involves exploring and exploiting a giant nickel and cobalt mine near Moramanga, on Madagascar's east coast. The project could bring important economic and social development to Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world but requires a high level of commitment to environmental protection along with the support of local communities. The company is developing programs to compensate for its ecological footprint and to achieve the goal of "no net loss" of biodiversity. The case gives a history of the project, the main actions taken, and the results delivered by the company while attempting to engage in "sustainable exploration and exploitation" and to be a "responsible" corporate citizen. The company's perspective of the social, economic, and environmental issues surrounding the project is compared with that of two other stakeholders: the government and local communities.
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  • Nuclear Energy: An Answer to Climate Change?

    Environmental activist groups have traditionally opposed nuclear energy. However, the growing environmental problems associated with global climate change requires major changes to reduce the carbon intensity of electricity generation. Should environmental groups reverse course and support the construction of new nuclear plants--using technology that could be rapidly deployed at scale--to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global climate change?
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  • Trek-ation

    In this case, a senior business analyst at the online travel agency Trek-ation struggles with the decision of whether to pursue a potentially lucrative idea. Her innovation team had proposed revising the online pricing algorithm in order to use the cookies and other information from customers' web browser to customize pricing for flights and hotels. Although she wanted to increase revenue for the company and meet her targets, she was also concerned not only about the backlash if this tactic was revealed to the public but also, more importantly, about both the fairness of this practice and the violation of customer privacy norms.
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  • Mountainview Country Club: Who's Minding the Store?

    After five years of working at the Mountainview Country Club, Sandi Lane must decide which of several courses of action to take in response to financial improprieties committed by her supervisor and some co-workers. The Club's general partner has refused to act on Lane's concerns. Her supervisor's wife who also worked at the Club has just threatened Lane: "I'll see to it that you don't work here anymore!" As Controller of the Club, Lane was responsible for all aspects of the accounting functions -- but, with no staff. She handled payroll and tax preparation, human resources, budget and financial statement preparation, membership tracking, and cash flow forecasting. She spent much of her time at the Club trying to implement basic accounting procedures. Cash flows were precarious with one of the partners in the Club making expenditures of $20,000 and more without regard to budgets or cash availability. The food/beverage area had losses of $60,000 annually and inventory shrinkage in the Pro Shop was more than $100,000 each year.
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  • Alqueria: More than Just a Glass of Milk (B)

    Alquería was founded by Professor Jorge Cavelier and his son Enrique Cavelier with the motto, "A bottle of milk is a bottle of health." From Alquería's inception, the Cavaliers looked for ways to innovate on their products and to substantially improve the quality of the milk they offered to their customers, introducing new packaging formats and production techniques. In 1992, Carlos Enrique Cavelier took over at Alquería's helm. His studies in Sociology, Anthro¬pology and Public Administration abroad as well as his years in public service in Colombian po¬litics prepared him to become a business leader who cared not only about his family business' prosperity but also about the communities surrounding the company. During his tenure, Cave¬lier has shown a special commitment to his suppliers -small dairy farmers- helping them with training programs on nutrition and more updated, efficient and quality-enhancing production techniques. He has also played a key role in his organization's communication and identity buil¬ding efforts, as well as a strong network and partnership driver, engaging Alquería stakeholders. Headed by Cavelier, Alquería has taken a leading role in significant national debates, such as the ones on corporate responsibility in post-conflict scenarios, on free trade treaty challenges, and on Colombia's competitiveness issues, among others. The company's current management has received national and international awards. By 2013, Alquería ranked among Colombia's largest dairy producers, following Colanta S.A. and Alpina S.A. Case B looks at the advantages and potential of the strategy pursued to include suppliers in Alquería's overall strategy via an initiative deployed at La Macarena, which provides the grounds for a second debate, complementing and delving deeper into the learning objects set for this case.
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  • Fraud risk management: A small business perspective

    Small businesses face big challenges when it comes to managing fraud risks. Financial strain, rapid growth, and a lack of resources and expertise create ample opportunity for motivated fraudsters to take advantage of small businesses. In this article, we draw upon insights from our years as fraud investigators to offer seven practical recommendations to help small business leaders prevent and detect fraud in this unique environment. These strategies can help even the smallest company make a big difference when it comes to fraud risk management.
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  • After the wrongdoing: What managers should know about whistleblowing

    Most of us are likely at some point to observe wrongdoing in our organizations, and some of us will blow the whistle to someone with the authority to put a stop to the wrongdoing. Or we may be managers, inspectors, or auditors who serve as the official 'complaint recipient' when one of our colleagues wants to report wrongdoing in the organization. Whether we blow the whistle or are tasked with cleaning up after someone else does so, we are better off knowing in advance how the whistleblowing process usually plays out. In this article, we discuss the pragmatic implications of 30 years of systematic research about whistleblowing: who does it and when, and why they choose to report the wrongdoing internally (within the organization) or externally (to outsiders). To avoid external whistleblowing, which entails all sorts of costs for the organization, we recommend that managers take clear steps: investigate the allegations, make the results of the investigation known to those affected, correct the problem if one is found, and avoid reprisal against whistleblowers. These actions can increase the chance that information about organizational wrongdoing stays inside the organization, where it may be remedied, instead of being made public.
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  • The Book of Bad Arguments

    This note, intended to accompany the short booklet An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments, discusses the logical framework behind argumentation and presents the basic logical rules necessary to reach sound conclusions. Throughout, it refers to the philosophical foundations of logical reasoning and attempts to address these concepts in the framework of management. By the end, diligent students should be able to identify the necessary structure and components of a sound argument-as well as the fatal attraction of unsound arguments-and be able to apply these ideas to create long-term value as leaders of firms and organizations.
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  • Moral Theory, Frameworks, and the Language of Ethics and Business

    Since ethics is an integral part of management, it is vital for managers to become comfortable with the language of ethics, and to understand how it is inextricable from the language of business. Students will examine key theories of ethics and how they apply to management decision making.
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