What action should a junior manager take when he discovers poor working conditions at his company's South China supplier?
What action should a junior manager take when he discovers poor working conditions at his company's South China supplier?
The Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Center for Leadership and Ethics Case Series
In 2003, a new purchasing director and product designer, Felipe Montez, is hired by a Spanish maker of personal electronics. The company has long outsourced elements of its manufacturing to China, but no one from headquarters has ever visited the factories where its goods are produced. When Montez makes the trip, he discovers that workers at one factory, many of whom are very young, are subjected to unsafe and unhealthy working conditions. Montez's manager does not want to make any changes that might result in higher prices. This case teaches students how to explore this complex problem in the global supply chain and how a junior staff member might prudently take action.
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