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.)

On August 15, 2015, The New York Times published the results of an investigation, entitled “Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace.” The article denounced a brutal working culture at Amazon.com. Having consistently outperformed its competitors, Amazon is now recognized as the most valuable retailer in the United States, enjoying the biggest market capitalization in its industry. Against the backgrounds of Amazon’s impressive business expansion, this case examines the relationship between a growing social discontent toward Amazon and an aggressive corporate culture long favored by the company. 20 pp. (2015)