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Case Summary

Based on case, Footwear is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of

footwear. It have more than eighty-three companies in seventy countries andhead oce acts as a service center also got staed with specialists drawn from

all over the world. Besides re!uired standardi"ation in technology and design of

facilities, it also encourages a high degree of decentrali"ation and autonomy in

its operations. #hey use a concept of partnership at the local level has made the

company welcome internationally.

Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world. $lthough

that country is fertile %ut has a tropical monsoon climate and suer from theravages of periodic cyclones. In Bangladesh, have &' percent (oslem of

population and Islam was made in )*&&. Bangladesh also has had a tur%ulent

history in the twentieth century is include related with +akistan and India until

they got independence. Footwear Bangladesh %ecame active at ast Bengal in

the )*s. /ntil end of )*&&, the company in Bangladesh was perceived as

oering Footwear enormous potential for growth %oth through consumer

education and competitive pressure. #he managing 0irector of Footwear

Bangladesh was 1ohn Carlos it is one of only four foreigners working for the

company.

Started on 1une 22, )*&* the incident was happen when 1ohn Carlson was

shown a copy of (eillat in newspaper with title 3Footwear4s /npardona%le

$udacity3, that design on the insole of one model of sandal produced %y the

company include the $ra%ic spelling of the words 3$llah3 .#he Story highlighted

the fact when the design wan only the insole of the sandal and therefore, ne5t to

the %ottom of the foot, a sign of great disrespect to (oslems. Following of

investigation, the supervisor reported that the design had %een %ased on a set of

Chinese temple %ells that the designer had purchased in the local market.

Following the conservation Carlson was compared the design to the word

$llah, which he had arranged to have written in $ra%ic. $s the day progressed

the situation got worse. Carlson was shown a translation of a proclamation that

had %een circulated %y two youth groups calling for demonstrations against

Footwear. (ore than that, calls had %een made for charges to %e laid against

Carlson and four others under section 2*' of the criminal code.

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In addition, Carlson also received a copy of a statement that had %een 6led

%y a local lawyer, although no warrants were immediately forthcoming. 7astly,

his secretary informed him that the +rime (inister was %eing !uoted as calling

the sandals incident an 3unforgiva%le crime3.

+ro%lem Statement

3Based on case, we have detected that main or actual pro%lem that facing

Footwear International and Bangladesh are that of potential %oycott of the

product world over especially %y the (uslim community3. #he %oycott of the

product will aect the company4s sales, and the company will lose con6dence.

3.ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES

#he strategies availa%le for this case are as follows8

). 0o a press conference to e5plain the misunderstanding to the pu%lic.

2. 9old the footwear production.

. 9eld a meeting with stakeholders and government agencies to further e5plain

and the way forward to resolve the misinterpretation of the logo.

3.1 Do a press conference to explain the misunderstanding to the

public.

1ohn Carlson the (anaging 0irector of Footwear Bangladesh should act !uickly to

defuse a potentially e5plosive situation %y calling for a press conference to

e5plain the misunderstanding of insulting Islam %y including the name of $llah in

a design used on the insoles of sandals. Footwear should come out and talk to

the society through (edias. $s the company is operating glo%ally, the reputation

is at stakes. 1ohn Carlson and the management of Footwear must re:ect theirprofessionalism and portray it well to the pu%lic as the %usiness is a%out losing

Bangladesh people;s trust and con6dence. #he population of Bangladesh is &'eligion of maEority this (uslim Country. By

marketing this sandal with the calligraphy of 3$llah3 they have oended

the religious feelings of millions of (uslims. It is the solemn religious duty

and responsi%ility of every devout (uslim to protect the sanctity of 3$llah.3

#herefore, taking into consideration of the a%ove strategies, the %est

strategy is to hold a press conference to explain the

misunderstanding to the public.