Case Study
OB1 Case Study on Ethical Dilemma (Batch 17)
You are the Divisional Sales Manager for a large hi-tech company in a very competitive industry. Your company sales volume is down for almost six months and your Director is putting pressure on you to increase the sales. You are in search for a topflight, experienced sales representative to add to your sales force, and you interviewed a prospective candidate.
From the moment he walked confidently into your office, you felt that this man is just the person you needed. He had an outstanding sales record and knew your industry thoroughly. Most importantly, he had the work experience as a top sales person for six successful years with your major competitor.
This candidate was head and shoulders above all other applicants you had interviewed, in every category. You have just about made up your mind to hire him (pending a few phone calls to check his references), when he smiled, reached into his brief case, and pulled out a CD, and held it up as if it were a priceless gem.
Still smiling, his voice oozing with self-assurance, he proceeded to explain that the disc contained a wealth of confidential information about your competitor (his current employer), including profiles of all their customers and cost data on a major defence contract bid, for which your company was also competing.
At the end of the interview session, he promised that, if you hired him, he would give you the CD and more of the same.
Your decision : Will you hire this person?
Give reasons for your
You are the Divisional Sales Manager for a large hi-tech company in a very competitive industry. Your company sales volume is down for almost six months and your Director is putting pressure on you to increase the sales. You are in search for a topflight, experienced sales representative to add to your sales force, and you interviewed a prospective candidate.
From the moment he walked confidently into your office, you felt that this man is just the person you needed. He had an outstanding sales record and knew your industry thoroughly. Most importantly, he had the work experience as a top sales person for six successful years with your major competitor.
This candidate was head and shoulders above all other applicants you had interviewed, in every category. You have just about made up your mind to hire him (pending a few phone calls to check his references), when he smiled, reached into his brief case, and pulled out a CD, and held it up as if it were a priceless gem.
Still smiling, his voice oozing with self-assurance, he proceeded to explain that the disc contained a wealth of confidential information about your competitor (his current employer), including profiles of all their customers and cost data on a major defence contract bid, for which your company was also competing.
At the end of the interview session, he promised that, if you hired him, he would give you the CD and more of the same.
Your decision : Will you hire this person?
Give reasons for your