MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATION - Pearson Learning Solutions

Chapter 3 ● Communication Ethics 81interests or are some of them in conflict withone another? What do they want to hear fromMr. Martinez?4. As Bill Giffen examines Sears’ credit collectionpolicies and practices, what advice wouldyou offer? How can Martinez keep a sense ofenthusiasm and excitement in his companyand still encourage people to report anddisclose bad news?5. Even though the reaffirmation agreements areperfectly legal and enforceable, if properlyfiled with the courts, is it ethical to try toextract money from people who have legallydeclared bankruptcy? What ethical obligationsdo those people in bankruptcy have towardcompanies who lent them credit, such asSears?6. Has the reward structure at Sears somehowaffected the communication structure? Whatwould you change if you could adviseMr. Martinez on restructuring either of thosesystems?WRITING ASSIGNMENTPlease respond in writing to the issues presented inthis case by preparing two documents: a communicationstrategy memo and a professional businessletter. In preparing these documents, you mayassume the role of the Vice President for CorporateCommunication for Sears, Roebuck & Company.Your task is to provide advice to Mr. ArthurMartinez regarding the issues he and the companyare facing. Or, you may identify yourself as anexternal management consultant who has beenasked by the company to provide advice to Mr.Martinez.Either way, you must prepare a strategymemo addressed to Arthur Martinez, Chairmanand Chief Executive Officer of the company,that summarizes the details of the case, rankorders critical issues, discusses their implications(what they mean and why they matter),offers specific recommendations for action(assigning ownership and suspense datesfor each), and shows how to communicatethe solution to all who are affected by therecommendations.You must also prepare a professional businessletter for Mr. Martinez’s signature. Thatdocument should be addressed to Sears’ creditcustomers, explaining what happened and how thecompany intends to respond. If you have questionsabout either of these documents, pleaseconsult your instructor.SourcesCahill, Joseph B. “Sears’s Credit Business MayHave Helped Hide Larger Retailing Woes,”Wall Street Journal, July 6, 1999, pp. A1, A8.Culp, E. Ronald. Personal communication,November 1999–January 2000.“Final Accord in G.E. Debt Collection,” New YorkTimes, January 23, 1999, p. B1.McCormick, John. “The Sorry Side of Sears,”Newsweek, February 22, 1999.“Sears to Pay Fine of $60 Million in BankruptcyFraud Lawsuit,” New York Times, February10, 1999, p. C1.Sparks, Debra. “Got an AT&T Credit Card? Don’tGo Bankrupt,” BusinessWeek, September 15,1997.Weimer, De’Ann. “Is Sears Putting the Comebackon Its Card?” BusinessWeek, November 10,1997.This case was prepared from personal interviews and public sources by James S. O’Rourke, Concurrent Professorof Management, as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of anadministrative situation.000200010270582216Copyright © 2000. Revised: 2005. Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication, Mendoza College ofBusiness, University of Notre Dame. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without permission.Management Communication: A Case-Analysis Approach, Fourth Edition, by James S. O'Rourke, IV. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.