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This note provides a brief overview of the history of Saudi Arabia as well as the economic and political context in 2018. The note is an essential supplement to the case "Almarai Company: Milk and Modernization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," HBS No. 719-020, but is also appropriate for other relevant cases.

This case describes President Donald Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs of 2018. The case covers the recent history of U.S. trade protectionism in these industries, as well as the domestic and international politics surrounding the Trump tariffs. The case discusses industry reaction to the tariffs, as well as their implementation by the Department of Commerce, and retaliation by other countries.

Italy's March 2018 elections led to a populist government which included the right-wing League and the anti-establishment 5 Star Movement. To respect their electoral promises, the two parties came up with a budget plan which provided for a public deficit at 2.4%, a figure higher than what the previous administration had promised the EU Commission. On October 23, 2018, the EU Commission rejected such plan asking Italy to revise downwards the public deficit. The same day, Italian bond yields spoke to 4-year highs, up to 3.7% as investors questioned Italy's capacity to repay its public long-term debt, the second highest in the EU. Would the Italian government be able to implement its plan?

This note focuses on managers' responsibilities-economic, legal, and ethical-to investors. In capitalist and some socialist economies, these responsibilities traditionally have been grounded in fiduciary duties and are typically part of the common law or statutory law or are incorporated in civil codes. But, as this note will show, fiduciary obligations are deeply intertwined with economic and ethical responsibilities.

With SAR 14 billion ($3.7 billion) in 2017 revenues, Almarai was Saudi Arabia's largest dairy producer, distributor, and marketer, with a large portfolio of branded dairy products, juices, bakery goods, and infant formula and a sales presence across the Gulf region, Jordan, and Egypt. Almarai employed some 42,000 people across its operations, from its massive dairy farms to its processing plants to its vast sales and distribution operation that reached over 100,000 outlets. Notwithstanding its diverse portfolio, the core of Almarai's business was (1) sales of branded fresh/chilled dairy products, (2) in Saudi Arabia, (3) distributed through the traditional retail channel made up of thousands of small neighborhood shops called bakalas. In October 2018, all three of these focal points were under pressure. Under the economic-restructuring programs of Saudi Arabia's new crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, new taxes and subsidy cuts were squeezing household budgets. Concurrently, changes to other government policies were causing expatriates-who made up about a third of Saudi Arabia's population and were a key consumer of Almarai's dairy products-to leave the country in droves. This case finds Almarai's management team, led by soon-to-retire CEO Georges Schorderet, debating how the company can defend and grow its position in Saudi Arabia while also finding new sources of future growth (e.g., bringing its production model to new markets with fragmented dairy sectors or entering new product categories such as fish or ice cream). The decision of how to move forward will be based on an assessment of Almarai's strengths, how they can be best used to drive future growth, and how relevant they will remain in a market that is changing so dramatically.

How can policymakers and business leaders address AI and automation's potential for widespread labor market displacement? This case examines potential policy responses, looking closely at the United States' existing social safety net and the impacts of implementing Universal Basic Income or a federal job guarantee.