Trouble at FOXCONN: balancing profitability, stakeholder relations & values - Digital case

This teaching case study is structured as a digital role play in which students must make strategic decisions in a complex and real life scenario. The students assume the role of management for the Chinese electronics assembler Foxconn as they are confronted with the events leading up to and after the notable 2010 factory worker suicides. The students are then able to compare their decisions with those of actual Foxconn management. The role-play highlights the complexity of improving factory workers' rights while maintaining a company's or even country's competitive advantage using the relationship between Foxconn and Apple/China and the 'West' as an example. More broadly, the story of Foxconn gives us insight into the process of how developing country governments, such as China, have begun to place social concems over economic growth. Indeed, the events at Foxconn have had a gloôal impact on the growing movement for workers' rights and fair electronics with some boldly if not idealistically wondering ifwe are seeing the end oflow wage labor, a question that the students must confront at the end of the simulation.

- Evaluate strategic options for dealing with a crisis situation.
- Consider how proposed solutions influence the actions of stakeholders.
- Create a strategy taking into account business needs and ethical considerations.
- Compare developed versus developing country perspectives on CSR.
- Formulate an opinion on how stakeholders can influence responsible supply chain management.

CSR - Stakeholder Management - Sustainable supply chain management - Public relations - Labor relations - Workers' rights

Licences - Masters - Masters spécialisés - MBA

Manufacture of electronic products

- Online digital case: created in motion design, this case is a real "Game Play" very entertaining.
- Request a FREE temporary access by sending by email your contact details (NAME, TEL, SCHOOL) to: ccmp@cci-paris-idf.fr

- PPT : the case includes a teaching note & Debriefing supplement with 29 slides

- The Campus license (Site licence) is granted for two years.

Année de la problématique : 2010

Livraison : Connexion en ligne

Temps d'utilisation : 3h00 (short version & long version)

Code du secteur d'activité : 30 - Fabrication de machines de bureau et de matériel informatique