We googled you

11/24/2019
Case Analysis
  

  I. Situation Analysis

Fred, CEO of Hathaway Jones, an American luxury apparel retailer, Westen wants to revamp
his company's image and improve falling sales. He plans to elbow in on China's fast-growing
luxury goods market, which is growing by 70% a year. His friend, John Brewster,
recommended her daughter to take care of the company's store in Shanghai. Fred is impressed
by Mimi's credentials, and the interview goes off well. But Virginia, the vice president of
H.R., reveals past information about Mimi's involvement in protests in China which can
affect the company's performance in China. It reveals that when Mimi was fresh out of
college, she had participated in nonviolent but vocal demonstrations including one in front of
China's San Francisco consulate against the World Trade Organization. As Virginia urges
Fred to practice caution, he ponders hiring practices in the digital age. He knows that nothing
is a secret anymore. If he hires Mimi, and her history becomes widely known, his company's
expansion overseas could face a setback. But stars like Mimi don't walk in the door every
day. 
 
 

 II. Problem statement

Should Fred hire Mimi Brewster despite her online history, which may/may not have serious
repercussions?

III. Alternate solutions

The alternatives that Fred can take to tackle the situation are listed below:

1. Conducting a second interview process between the CEO Fred and Mimi Brewster 
2. Offer Mimi some similar position or any other position inside the Hathaway Jones in
the U.S. market
3. Appoint Mimi on the demand that Mimi should improve her relations with the China
market.
4. Do not take Mimi.
IV. Criteria for Evaluation:
1. Business Condition
2. Value proposition of the candidate
3. Chinese government stance
4. Internet reputation
5. Relationship with Mimi's father.

  V. Evaluation of Alternate Solutions:

1. Conducting the second interview with Mimi and confronting her: Having another
round of interviews will clear air of any miscommunication they had in the previous
meeting. Facing Mimi regarding her role in protests would help Fred to make an
informed decision. Besides that, it would be fair for Mimi to tell her side of the story.
Since she is a promising candidate with desired qualities, letting her go without
confrontation would be a loss for the Hathaway Jones. However, disclosing the
information of her past and not hiring may provoke Mimi to use it against them.

2. Offering Mimi a similar position in the U.S. market: Fred can hire Mimi for the
U.S. market as she is a suitable candidate, given her credentials. Fred could hire Mimi
on one condition. Rather than sending her to China, she could work on the project
from the U.S. She would still be handling the expansion plans and providing her
insights. 

3. Hire Mimi for China's expansion plan: Mimi is undoubtedly an able candidate for
the job as described by recommendation letters. Hiring and placing her in china will
help in the expansion because she was brought in China and is quite knowledgeable of
the Chinese culture and history. Also, her excellent credentials in fashion make her a
potential employee. But because of her past, it might prove detrimental. Chinese
government is a communist one, is infamous for its treatment of people who have
raised their voice against them. Also, being a patriarchal society, they don't like
women being vested with much power. So, when hiring her for china, she should be
advised to improve her public image by writing positive about China, mentioning how
her opinion has changed over the past few years.
 4. Don't hire Mimi: Abandoning Mimi altogether from Hathaway Jones will be a
potential gain by competitors. If Fred doesn't hire Mimi, he can still go forward with
the plan of expansion by finding some other candidate for the job though it may be
challenging to find someone with both the right credentials and cultural fit for the job.
The Chinese government will not come into the picture. The person appointed in
place of her will have to satisfy the credentials for such a critical role. Fred's relation
with John will take a hit.
 

VI. Recommendation:
After evaluating the various options and factoring in the possible consequences, it is
suggested that Fred should hire Mimi, keep her in the U.S. and let her formulate a strategy for
the Chinese expansion plan. Since Hathaway being a well-established brand, Mimi will get
many opportunities to prove her.

VII. Implementation Plan:

Fred should plan a meeting with Mimi:
· Explain Mimi that some information has come up while performing her background check
without explicitly mentioning Google search.
· Let her know he is convinced that she is the right person for the job.
· Allow her to handle the operations from the U.S. rather than visiting China.
· Make her realize that Hathaway Jones being a big brand, several opportunities will come up
where she can apply her skills and knowledge and do well for the organization and herself.

VIII. Contingency plan:

The contingency plan could be to hire her for China's expansion plan as the Hathaway Jones
is dwindling, and they need an excellent employee to head their office in China. Mimi has
shown her incredible performance in the past. She is a Stanford MBA graduate and has been
described as creative, original, and opinionated. In Fred's word, People like her don't turn up
every day. She is further asked to improve her internet image.