Allocated Membership of a Group of between four and six Stakeholder Representatives Involved in The UK Manufacturing Operations: ARU, UK

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. Knowledge and understanding of the key issues of international business activity in the context of contemporary globalisation.
2. Knowledge and understanding of multinational enterprises’ responses to external influences.
3. Ability to critically assess the activities of multinational enterprises in terms of both business interests and wider socio-environmental impacts.

STAKEHOLDER NEGOTIATION TASK

You will be allocated membership of a group of between four and six stakeholder representatives involved in the UK manufacturing operations of the Japanese multinational corporation, Kojo Furoa.

Stakeholder Representatives:

4. Regional Division Manager (Company Executive)
5. Board Member (Shareholder Representative)
6. Labour Union Representative
7. Supplier Consortium Representative
8. Environmental Activist Collective Representative
9. Local Councillor (Local Government Representative)

Negotiation Agenda:

In response to a period of declining profitability, Kojo Furoa’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the corporation’s European HQ is seriously considering plans to cut costs by closing down the major UK plant, in order to offshore manufacturing in another country. The Regional Division Manager for Kojo Furoa’s UK operations has convened a meeting between representatives of several key stakeholder groups who are deeply concerned about the potential impact of such a decision on their interests. An independent professional mediator has been hired to chair the proceedings.

The goal of the discussion is to reach a negotiated resolution that is acceptable to ALL parties.

Individuals’ marks will be awarded according to:

• Knowledge and understanding of relevant module content.
  
• Knowledge and understanding of the task brief.
  
• Standard of representation.
  
• Critical engagement with other participants.
  

Task Schedule:

• Students are strongly advised to prepare notes in bullet point form and to bring a printed reference list of sources they intend to cite.
• Assessors will collect these notes and reference lists at the end of the task and will take them into consideration when assessing the standard of research that each participant has demonstrated.
• Each representative will be given 3 minutes to make opening remarks outlining their perspective, goal(s) and rationale.
• These opening remarks are important as they are the best opportunity to demonstrate: (1) command of the task brief and stakeholder perspective; (2) knowledge and understanding of stakeholder theory.
• Other representatives should listen carefully and take notes during each representative’s opening statement.

After opening remarks, participants will be collectively allocated 20 minutes to work towards a compromise resolution that is deemed acceptable to all representatives.