Intercultural Communication: The Hathaway Business, Case Study Example

Case Players

Charlie Dixon, the main person involved in the dilemma of the business case of Hathaway Company presented herein is facing the dilemma of having the need to handle the case of supposedly a fraudulent marketing and company vice president in the company. Relatively, the problem was supposed to be handled by the group of Dick Patterson, the American who works for the auditing company that is handling the financial report clarification of the Hathaway business operations and sales. In a specific course of definite misunderstanding of the matter though, Patterson and his people stumbled in an uncanny report in the financial efforts of the business. One of which is directed to a client which the company provides products to. The name of the client is addressed to Le Clerk Freres which is another business organization that appears to be a good client of Hathaway. However, upon investigation, it has been realized that even though the client is presented to have been receiving 60% of the output of the organization, it only contributes to at least 20% of the total sales of Hathaway. This report points back to the resulting facts during the investigation pointing out to Jean Duval, the marketing and company sales vice president who apparently owns 33% of the LeClerk shares as well as that of his wife have the same average owned share of 33% from the same company (Allen, et al, 23).

It has also been realized through investigation that even though there was at least an eight to ten week span for shipping products to other clients, LeClerk’s orders arrive within at least two to three weeks only (Allen, et al, 24). Obviously, if the case is to be seen one way from the version of the investigation, it is rather clear that Duval committed a crime against the primary policies of the company regarding auditing and financial reporting issues. However, as suggested by John Lancaster, a close and trusted colleague of Dixon, the stakes are high if Hathaway decides to fire Duval and file cases against him.

Key Issues Involved

What needs to be considered is the difference of the culture between the American and the French system of business management. Relatively, considerations over business morale and ethics go through different paths between the two countries hence implicating different results based from particularly different situations that involve business operations in the country. While the American culture hopes to establish a clear-cut definition of what a business partner or a shareholder [or even an authority in the business] owns so as to make sure of their integrity in the business, it could be analyzed that the business system of France takes a different path (Moran, et al, 28). Recognizing the fact that there are no legal options in the French law that recognizes extravagant expenditure of business shareholders or members [even authorities in position] to be an illegal fashion of business management (Allen, et al, 26).

Alternative Course of Action and Evaluation

Investigations should be pursued hence making a clear and well defined evidence that would make it easier for the administrators to proof or even to disprove the allegations being thrown at Duval. This will make the case of Hathaway against Duval stronger [if in case there would indeed be a need to pass on litigation cases against the said vice president. While Frank Miller, the general manager, thinks that there is no valid reason for Duval to do such a thing, investigations should be pursued to at least clear the name of Duval if he really is indeed innocent of the matter being accused of him.

Recommended Best Course of Action

While investigations would help, it is best to confront Duval himself once particular evidences have already been collected. Undeniably, it could be observed that it is through this quest that the indicative definition of developmental investigation could be tied up with the results of the confrontation hence noting whether or not Duval is indeed guilty of the 30% loss of sales contribution that the company gets from the released orders to LeClarc Company. It should be noted too that during the confrontation, validated evidences and documents should be presented to Duval hence making the questioning more valid which would push Duval himself to speak out. Such procedures would make it easier for Hathaway to show Duval that they mean serious business in investigating the situation hence possibly pushing the accused to speak out for himself before anything larger shall come out of the said investigations.

References

Moran, Robert; Harris, Philip. ; Moran, Sarah. Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for the 21^st Century. Butterworth–Heinemann publications. 2007.

Allen,Julian and Parkhouse, Gerald. Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A Question of Ethics. Elsevier Inc. 2007.