Nike Memo or Debate Assignment
Labor Practice Problems in Malaysian Contract Factory
Related to Chapter: http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/1.0/exploring-business/27989#book-28021
[Prepared by Karen Collins, author of Exploring Business]
This assignment provides you with an opportunity to strengthen your writing and/or debating skills and form opinions on current issues affecting a major corporation.
Preparation for the Assignment
This assignment solicits your opinions on Nike’s reaction to labor practice problems in a Malaysian contract factory. To complete this assignment, you should read the following (which are all attached) and watch the referenced UTube video.
· Nike Case: Jump Starting Corporate Responsibility
· Nike Press Release, August 1, 2008: Nike, Inc. Statement Regarding Hytex Contract Factory
· Watch video (Nike Contractor in Malaysia using forced labour) of Malaysian factory and its employees filmed by undercover crew and posted on YouTube at this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qzm7MCusGM
· Read the following articles:
o Malaysian Factory Violates Major Rights
o Nike Supports Migrant Workers in Malaysia
o No Violations of Labour Law in Nike factory
o CRO (Corporate Responsibility Officer) Magazine Publishes CRO's 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2008 and Names Nike No. 3
Instructions
If your instructor wants you to write a memo, you should use the attached Memo Format for this assignment. Your memo should not exceed two pages. It should be single spaced (with a double space between paragraphs and bulleted items).
If your instructor wants you to prepare to debate the issues, follow the steps outlined in the attached article, “How to prepare for a debate.”
Scenario
Because you love surfing and scuba diving (the use of selfcontained underwater breathing apparatus), you were understandably delighted when you were promoted to manager of the Honolulu NikeTown. It’s a big step up from your current position as assistant manager of the Chicago NikeTown. Plus, your quality of life promises to improve immensely: Not only will you be getting plenty of practice in your favorite sports, but you’ll be basking in the sun on Wikiki.
On your very first day of work at the Honolulu store, you overhear a customer saying that Nike had abused workers in one of its contract factories. You had recently attended a national sales meeting at Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, and you remember hearing Hana Jones, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Nike, speak about the recognition the company recently received when it was voted #3 in corporate responsibility. You also found her talk on Jump Starting Corporate Responsibility interesting. (You were pleased to see that her talk was written up as a Nike case for Introduction to Business students around the country.)
You decided to talk with some of your employees to learn if they knew why the customer made the statement that Nike had abused workers in one of its contract factories. Your employees were unaware of the situation so you decided to go online and see what you could find. You felt fortunate that it was relatively easy to determine that the customer’s comment stemmed from negative publicity about recent labor practice problems in a Nike contract factory in Malaysia. You found some interesting articles about the situation from various sources. Plus you found a video of the factory and its employees that was posted on YouTube.
You believe it is important that they know what has happened so you decide it’s time to educate your employees about the situation and provide your opinion on the issues. After briefly explaining the situation, you plan to provide your opinion on the following:
ü Are Nike’s proposed actions reasonable? Why/why not?
ü Are Nike’s actions similar to those taken in the past or has the company learned from its mistakes? Why/why not?
ü Is Nike a good (or bad) corporate citizen? Why/why not?
As Nike managers are encouraged to share their opinions about issues, you feel you can be honest with your employees. In fact, it is Nike’s tolerance for openness that has kept you with the company for ten years.
You’ll start first thing tomorrow. Surf’s up today.
ATTACHMENTS
Memo Writing and Debating Materials:
How to Write a Memo
Grading sheet for memo assignment
How to prepare to debate
Nike Case Materials:
Nike Case: Jump Starting Corporate Responsibility
Nike Press Release:
August 1, 2008 (Beaverton, Oregon): Nike, Inc. Statement Regarding Hytex Contract Factory
Articles on the Malaysian Contract Factory and Nike’s Corporate Citizen Award:
o Malaysian Factory Violates Major Rights
o Nike Supports Migrant Workers in Malaysia
o No Violations of Labour Law in Nike factory
o CRO (Corporate Responsibility Officer) Magazine Publishes CRO's 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2008 and Names Nike No. 3
How to Write an Effective Memo
Memos are effective at conveying fairly detailed information. To help you understand how to write a memo, read the following sample memorandum.
Memorandum
TO: Introduction to Business Students
FROM: Introduction to Business Instructors
DATE: August 27, 2009
RE: Writing Effective Memos
______
As college students, you’ll be expected to analyze real-world situations, research issues, form opinions, and provide support for the conclusions that you reach. In addition to engaging in classroom discussions of business issues, you’ll be asked to complete a number of written assignments. For these assignments, we’ll give you a business situation and ask you to analyze the issues, form conclusions, and provide support for your opinions.
In each assignment, you’ll use the memo format, which is the typical form of written communication used in business. Writing in memo format means providing a complete but concise response to the issues at hand. Good memo writing demands time and effort. Because the business world expects you to possess this skill, we want to give you an opportunity to learn it now.
Guidelines
Here are a few helpful hints to get you started on the right track:
The format should follow the format of this memo. Note the guide headings—”TO,” “FROM,” “DATE,” and “RE.” [By the way, “RE” stands for “in regards to”.] We also include a line across the page to signal the beginning of the body of the memo.
Keep paragraphs short and to the point. The trick is being concise yet complete—summarizing effectively. Paragraphs should be single-spaced, flush against the left margin, and separated by a single blank line.
Accent or highlight major points. Use underlining, bullets, or bold type for desired effect (taking care not to overdo it).
Use short headings to distinguish and highlight vital information. Headings keep things organized, provide structure, and make for smooth reading. Headings (and, as appropriate, subheadings) are an absolute must.
Your title (the “Re” line) should reflect the contents of your memo: It should let the reader know why he or she should read it. Keep the title short—a phrase of a few words, not a sentence.
Be persuasive and convincing in your narrative. You have limited space in which to get your key points across. State your positions clearly. And again, be concise (a memo is not a term paper).
If you have any additional information in the form of exhibits—charts, tables, illustrations, and so forth—put them in an attachment. Label each item “Exhibit 1,” “Exhibit 2,” and the like. Give each one a title, and be sure to reference them in your narrative (“As shown in Exhibit 1, the annual growth rate in sales has dropped from double-digit to single-digit levels”).
Finally, staple multiple pages for submission. Needless to say, be sure to proofread for correct spelling and punctuation. Don’t scribble in changes by hand: They’re sloppy and leave a bad impression.
Final Comment
Now that you’ve read our memo, we expect you to follow the simple guidelines presented in it. This form of communication is widely practiced in business, so take advantage of this opportunity to practice your memo-writing skills.
Business 1 Memo Evaluation
[Note: I also have an excel version of this grading sheet]
I. Introduction and Conclusion (15 points)
Introduction: The writer says what he or she is going to say. The writer is specific about what will be accomplished in the memo. It is clear who is writing to whom and why.
Conclusion: The writer provides an overall conclusion that is clearly related to the purpose of the memo and the prior evidence in the memo. The conclusion pulls together the main points without simply repeating them.
Points earned: ______
______
II. Flow and Structure (15 points)
Flow: Writer connects points so there is a clear flow from one idea to the next.
Structure: The main idea in each section is clear and focused. Introductory sentences and/or headings are clear and precise and indicate to the reader the main point of that paragraph, section, or list of bulleted items.
Points earned: ______
______
III. Substance, Support and Application of research (25 points)
Substance: The writer does what he or she said would be done in the introduction.
Support: Opinions and conclusions are supported. Specific examples are used to support the main points. The relevance of the examples to the main points is clear.
Application of research: The research is used to support what the writer wants to say. Statements are accurate.
Points earned: ______
______
IV. Mechanics and Style (15 points)
Tone and style: The memo reflects the appropriate level of formality. The writer demonstrates clear sentence structure and word choice for the intended audience. The memo reads like a memo.
Grammar and spelling: The memo is free from errors in grammar, spelling and mechanics. Memo is proofread.
Points earned: ______
______
V. Overall (30 points)
Reasoning: The memo makes sense. Reasoning is sound. The logic is clear. Thoughts are well organized. Conclusions reached are valid.
Readability: The memo is interesting, engaging, informative and a pleasure to read. It provides valuable information to the reader.
Points earned: ______
TOTAL POINTS EARNED: ______GRADE: ______%
How to prepare for a debate
How To Do Just About Everything
User-Submitted Article by 02SmithA
http://www.ehow.com/how_4490531_prepare-debate.html
It's not just Presidential candidates that need to know how to debate
Chances are at some time in your life you have had a debate. It may have been at school or work or even at home. Were you prepared for the debate? Here are some steps to take to prepare yourself better for your next debate.
1. Step 1
The number one key to preparing for a debate is putting the time into researching your side of the argument. Having an opinion isn't enough to be effective in a debate. You need to be able to have strong supporting materials for your side of the debate.
2. Step 2
Make sure you include relevant facts that many others would not have already known. People want to hear facts that they didn't already know. The more related relevant facts you include the stronger your presentation becomes.
3. Step 3
Learn how to effectively communicate your positions. You may have a great position on a certain subject, but if you can't effectively communicate that to an audience it won't matter in a debate. Practice in front of others and even in front of a mirror. Make sure you look confident because no one will buy an argument from someone who isn't confident themselves.
4. Step 4
Train yourself to fully respect the other debater. Nothing turns someone off more than a debater who just won't allow the other person to get in a word. Even if you are completely convinced you are right, you must give the other person time to speak their mind as well.
5. Step 5
Prepare to have a rebuttal to the arguments that the other person will make. Many times you can know what they will say ahead of time and prepare yourself with facts that contradict their argument.
Nike Case
Jump Starting Corporate Responsibility
There was a time when Nike came under severe criticism for labor practices in the Asian factories with which it contracted to manufacture its products. Now, however, Nike is acknowledged as a leader in corporate responsibility initiatives. How did this transformation come about? How did Nike progress through the five stages of corporate responsibility?1
The Defensive Stage
In the 1990s, Nike was heavily criticized for alleged sweatshop conditions in some of the foreign-owned factories that manufactured its products. Critics charged that many workers were underage and that most were underpaid and subjected to poor working conditions. Nike was repeatedly ridiculed in the Doonesbury comic strip, and founder Phil Knight was taunted in an interview by documentary filmmaker Michael Moore in The Big One, an exposé of irresponsible (and sometimes unconscionable) shenanigans in corporate America. Some consumers boycotted Nike products, activists groups condemned the company’s labor policies, and students on a number of campuses staged demonstrations to protest Nike’s labor practices.
Nike’s initial reaction was defensive. On the one hand, explained top management, Nike couldn’t control the factories because it didn’t own them. At the same time, Nike spokespeople hastened to add, Nike managers were in the factories on a daily basis to ensure that owners were complying with Nike’s labor standards and abiding by its code of conduct, which set down rules for the fair treatment of workers. Company representatives also noted that Nike routinely recruited independent inspectors to check compliance with labor practices. They pointed out the various ways in which Nike improved the lives of the factory workers and helped the countries in which it did business. Besides, they explained, Nike products were manufactured under better factory conditions than competitors’ products, so why weren’t competitors being criticized?
The one thing that Nike did not address was the fact that there were problems in the factories.
The Compliant Stage
Before long, however, Phil Knight and other top executives recognized the inadequacy of their response. Nike acknowledged that there were unacceptable incidents in a number of factories and admitted that there was a good deal of room for improvement in working conditions. Some had employed underage workers, some were poorly ventilated, and workers in others were exposed to toxic chemicals. In a 1998 speech to the National Press Club, Knight clarified Nike’s obligation to workers at the factories with which it did business. Anybody, he declared, who makes a Nike product will be considered a Nike employee; Nike will treat them as if it owned the factories at which they work. He pledged to improve working conditions and described several new initiatives designed to carry out his pledge: