BUSI6351 CASE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

For this assignment, you will analyze the issues and the stakeholders related to the U.S.’s Opioid Epidemic.Base your analysis on the supporting materials listed below and the case in your textbook:

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Case One. Profiting from Pain: and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic,

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BUSI6351 CASE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

Case Analyses for Exams

You are required to prepare one case analysis for the midterm exam (30 points) and one for the final exam (30 points).  Together, the Case Analyses for Exams are worth 60 points of your course grade.

Instructions

1. Read the assigned article and watch the supporting videos.
2. Prepare the four Tasks detailed below.
3. Your exam will require you to write two essays based on two of the three Tasks.
4. Your essays will be graded on accuracy and completeness.

Article (Case):

For this assignment, you will analyze the issues and the stakeholders related to the U.S.’s Opioid Epidemic.  Base your analysis on the supporting materials listed below and the case in your textbook:

Case One. Profiting from Pain: and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic,

1. 442-452

Supporting Videos:

1. Family behind Purdue Pharma engineered opioid crisis, Massachusetts AG says, CBS, Jan 24, 2019
2. NH officials question settlement agreement with Purdue Pharma, WMUR-TV, Oct 21, 2020
3. PBSNewsHour (2020).Conn. attorney general calls Purdue Pharma settlement ‘a mirage’, Oct. 22

TASKS 1-3

Task 1. Identify (i.e., “Name”) and Describe Key Issues.

You need to study the case and identify (i.e., ‘name’) and describe key issues. This is not the same as merely repeating the facts in case. Instead, use the facts to determine the key issues. Several related facts should will usually help you identify a key issue.  Most cases will have several issues.  Your task is to identify and describe these.

For example, a case may describe issues like training and describe how training was lacking, changed or inadequate.  The same case also may describe issues related to the relationships between managers and employees, or between the company and the community or activists (positive or negative).  The same case also may describe various operational issues such as waste being disposed of improperly, or violating company policies, or violating local, state, or Federal law, etc.  Therefore, such a case would include key issues such as:

Inadequate and Illegal Environmental Procedures

Inadequate Training

Strong Corporate Culture (or Toxic Corporate Culture)

Positive Community Relationships (or Conflicts with Community)

Legal Problems (or Problems with Government Oversight), etc.

To prepare for the midterm exam, you should study the case, and write a short paragraph for each issue you can name.  For example, for the hypothetical case discussed above, an essay on your midterm might be like one of the following:

• Discuss the most important issues in this case (two or three) and explain why these are the most important issues.
• Discuss at least two secondary issues in this case (i.e., not the most important issues, but contributing) and explain why these are secondary issues.
• Discuss how the company’s Environmental Procedures contributed to the outcomes in the case.
• Discuss how the company’s Training contributed to the outcomes in the case.
• Discuss how the company’s Corporate Culture contributed to the outcomes in the case.
• Discuss how the company’s Environmental Procedures contributed to the outcomes in the case.
• Discuss Community Relationships in the case.
• Discuss Government Relationships in the case.

Task 2. Identifying and describing stakeholder groups (i.e., their “stakes”).

You need to study the case and identify stakeholder groups in the case. To identify stakeholder groups, do not simply a list of every individual stakeholder mentioned in the case, but determine the groups.  For example, if several government agencies are involved in oversight of the company, you should combine this into one stakeholder group such as Governmental Agencies. Then you should support this with a description of the relevant facts you identified in the case.

Most cases have similar stakeholder groups.  However, the details will vary.  For example, governmental agencies in one case may be the Food and Drug administration, and in another case, may be the Internal Revenue Service and the Interstate Commerce Commission. In addition, some agencies may be key to the case and others of secondary importance.  You should note this in your paragraph.

To prepare for the midterm exam, you should study the case, and write a short paragraph discussing each stakeholder group and their ‘stakes’.  For example, for the hypothetical case discussed above, an essay on your midterm might be like one of the following:

• Discuss at least two stakeholder groups that are negatively affected by corporate behavior in this case.
• Discuss at least two stakeholder groups that are positively affected by corporate behavior in this case. Which stakeholders groups have common interests?  How likely are they to form a coalition?  Explain.
• Discuss the interests (i.e., the ‘stakes’) of the local community and the broader society in this case.
• Discuss the interests (i.e., the ‘stakes’) of the local government and non-governmental organizations (e.g., activists, unions, trade associations, etc.) in this case.
• Which two stakeholder groups have the most at stake in this case? Explain.

Task 3. Identifying and describing the power of each stakeholder groups.

You need to study the case and identify the types of power of the key stakeholder groups in the case.  Specifically, identify voting power, economic power, political power, legal power, and informational power for each stakeholder group.

Most stakeholder groups have at least two or more types of power, and their power can be significant (i.e., strong), or insignificant (i.e., weak).  For example, in theory workers can quit or go on strike (i.e., economic power), but if they do not have access to other jobs, or weak or no union representation, then they have only weak economic power.  Similarly, employees are members of the community and have voting power, and may be members of activists groups with informational power, etc.  The details will vary in each case.

To prepare for the midterm exam, you should study the case, and write a short paragraph discussing the power of each key stakeholder group.  For example, for the hypothetical case discussed above, an essay on your midterm might be like one of the following:

• Discuss at least two examples of informational power stakeholders in this case may be able to apply. Were they able to exercise their power to influence changes in corporate behavior in this case? Explain.
• Discuss at least two examples of political power stakeholders in this case may be able to apply. Were they able to exercise their power to influence changes in corporate behavior in this case? Explain.
• Discuss at least two examples of economic power stakeholders in this case may be able to apply. Were they able to exercise their power to influence changes in corporate behavior in this case? Explain.
• Discuss at least two examples of legal power stakeholders in this case may be able to apply. Were they able to exercise their power to influence changes in corporate behavior in this case? Explain.
• Discuss at least two examples of voting power stakeholders in this case may be able to apply. Were they able to exercise their power to influence changes in corporate behavior in this case?). Explain.
• Discuss the power of the various levels of government discussed in the case.
• Discuss the power of the local community in the case.