Homework #7 Sara Lee Corporation and the Listeriosis Scare of 1998

1. I would recommend Steve McMillian to immediately stop selling products that came from this plant until the problem was solved. No matter how much he loses, the main point is that people believe that it is their fault people are suffering and dying, as a result he is losing his customers. He also needs to apologize for such case even if it is not clear about Sara Lee Corporation’s guiltiness, but he should at least show that he is sorry people are ill and that he really hopes it is not his fault, so that people could trust him and continue buying the corporation’s products without any fear. Even if the corporation can go bankruptcy taking such decisions, but people would continue believing them and by the time the company recovers, this corporation again would have many customers and would be able to supplement loses. Steve McMillian should show that he cares about social welfare.

2. Sara Lee shouldn’t have waited for confirmation that the listeria bacteria originated at the Bil Mar Plant before acting. While they are thinking of what decision to take or waiting for confirmation other people are suffering and dying. If later confirmation proves the guiltiness of this corporation, they would have no chances to recover and prove people that further products would be safe. People will not risk by their own lives. In addition, it is understandable that this corporation is guilty because listeria bacteria couldn’t come from any other place. Every person who was suffering had eaten sandwiches with meat which was supplied by Bil Mar Foods plant. It becomes obvious that they are guilty; therefore they should have acted immediately.

3. Any company that is producing something for people must care about the social welfare; therefore it takes all the responsibility for the producing product. Sara Lee is responsible for people’s lives because they are suffering as a result of consuming their products. Now, they need not only to apologize, but also somehow to compensate. First of all, Sara Lee needs to show that they are very sorry for this event. Secondly, they should show that each customer is important for them, that everything what they are doing is only for the customers. Thirdly, they should explain why it happened, what are the reasons of listeria bacteria appeared, and why they couldn’t keep an eye to this occasion and why they allowed it to happen. They should return money to each poisoned person who have eaten their product and also give money for the recovery. They should also say some warm words for woman who have died, and provide any service her husband asks for. Finally, they should promise that they will look carefully after their products and produce only healthy one. And they can conclude by saying that they would be happy to provide people with their products again, if only people would not be against.

4. The recall should be communicated to the people for whom Sara Lee Corporation’s products were delivered, for those who made sandwiches and sold them. Sara Lee Corporation should first apologize for bringing such nuisances and explain the reasons. They also should return them money as it is their own fault. Sara Lee should also try to convince that next products would be healthy and they are doing their best in order to achieve it. They can conclude by saying that they would be happy to have a deal with them again.

5. In order to persuade people that the other products are safe Sara Lee should just prove it. They can make an examination and testing for bacteria throughout the Bil Mart Plant again and to ask Dr. Dunne to declare about the results by himself, because people would believe him more. They can even provide a video of testing. After that, they should convince people that social welfare is in their interest and every customer is very essential for them, so that they would do everything what is necessary for the society. They should show one more again that they are very sorry for what happened. And if people would have some comments or complaints on their products Sara Lee Corporation is just happy to hear them to fix them. Also, they would be happy to hear people’s suggestion or recommendations concerning products.

Student’s name: Tokanova Botakoz

Student’s ID: 20112331