Case Scenario: Managerial decision making case: leadership, ethics and bribery
A large multinational company is launching a new product line in several countries. Your department, corporate marketing, has set up a series of training sessions for the company's sales teams in several major cities around the world and has shipped in advance, training materials to those locations. On the day before the training was scheduled to begin, the in-country manager at one of the largest locations called to inform you the training materials were being held up by Customs at the local airport pending an investigation of their intended use. She tells you the delay could possibly take several days unless a "permit fee" (or gratuity) is paid to the Customs officials to expedite the release of the materials. The in-country manager is recommending the company pay the fee or risk not having the materials in time for the training class. An unconfirmed rumor has surfaced that the in-country manager is related to one of the Customs officials.
As the newly promoted director of corporate marketing, you are eager to make a good impression, since the person you replaced was promoted to vice president of international operations. While the company has a policy forbidding the payment of bribes to foreign officials, it is also counting on the sales team, with the assistance of the marketing organization, to meet some very ambitious objectives for the new international product line. Meeting these objectives is critical if the company is going to achieve its annual revenue goals.
Please respond to the given questions.
Question 1. What are the managerial and ethical issues presented in this scenario?
Question 2. What options are available to you as the director of corporate marketing? State the pros and cons of each option you identify.
Question 3. Based upon the options you identified above, describe, fully and succinctly, your course of action.
Question 4. Also address what action(s) you would take so that all in-country managers would know how to respond should they encounter a similar situation at their location.
Question 5. Identify the leadership style you would utilize to bring about a professional resolution to this situation.
Question 6. With the understanding that leadership involves influencing others, give your personal definition of Leadership, and share some personal perspectives that have shaped your leadership style.
Question 7. How can you use your prior leadership experience(s) to make a meaningful contribution to the MSOL program and to enhance the learning of others?