Goedehoop: When Social Issues Become Strategic

Author :

Margaret Sutherland, Verity Hawarden

Product Type :

Case

Reference # :

9B08M067

Teaching Note :

8B08M67

Institute:

Ivey Publishing

Setting:

South Africa, Large

Year:

2007

Keywords:

Health; Cost/Benefit Analysis; Ethical Issues; Change Management; Leadership; Human Resources Management; Triple Bottom-line Reporting; Impact of HIV/AIDS on Business; Emerging Markets, General Management/Strategy, International, Mining

Summary/Abstract:

This case chronicles a change process to counteract the epidemic of HIV/AIDS on a coalmine in South Africa that impacts the sustainability of the organization. The case describes the business case for dealing with the problem and the sequence of events that were instituted. It illustrates the type of leadership activities needed to deal with a compelling environmental force impacting business. It shows how a wide range of stakeholders needs to be involved and systems and practices instituted for sustainable change to be implemented. It raises the question of the role of business in society. The case also provides insights into doing business in emerging economies. The challenge at the end of the case is how to roll out (replicate) the intervention into other divisions of a large multinational.