On September 26, 2017, the FBI announced the arrest of 10 men in connection with “fraud and corruption in college basketball.” The announcement shook the intercollegiate athletics world to its core. Three of ten individuals implicated in the investigation were employees or representatives of sportswear manufacturer, Adidas AG. This case delves thoroughly into the FBI’s investigation of the bribery and money laundering that took place over a two-year period and Adidas’s response. This case also offers an overview of the company’s history, highlights the history of endorsements, introduces another key player in the NCAA, and provides a framework for further analysis.
Case #19-10. (16 pp.)

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos sent his employees an ultimatum in early 2015 – embrace the self-management philosophy Holacracy or leave the company. Eighteen percent of the staff chose to leave rather than remain under the new system characterized by no job title, no managers, and complex rules governing employee interactions. Is this an experiment in organizational design worth sustaining? 12 pp. Case #17-13. (2017).

In July 2018, luxury goods retailer Burberry’s long-standing practice of destroying unsold goods to maintain brand value became an object of public attention and disapproval. News outlets blasted Burberry for burning $37 million of unsaleable products in the previous year. Burberry’s CEO, Marco Gobbetti, now must decide how to maintain exclusivity and brand value without burning unsold goods. 10 pp. Case #19-11. (2019)

On September 4, 2018, Nike, Inc. launched a new ad campaign featuring, Colin Kaepernick, a professional athlete with a highly polarizing image. Kaepernick, known for kneeling in protest during the national anthem at National Football League games, immediately drew criticism from the public. Over the next two days, Twitter ignited with calls for a boycott and images of people burning and destroying Nike products. Nike stock price began falling and consumer favorability, even among key demographics, continued eroding. How can Nike rein in the anger at their brand? Or, should they take advantage of it? 11 pp. Case #19-08. (2019)