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Many years ago, several reports surfaced stating that syringes and hypodermic needles had been found in Pepsi cans. It was a wicked decision The problem for Pepsi-Cola's executives-could needles have been put in Pepsi at the canning plants or were the reports a hoax? Information was unclear and fast-changing, time was running out and executives had to find a solution quickly. Clear evidence of danger means recalling the product. But, there was no such evidence. A recall would have been very costly and the company would have lost the trust of customers. Executives after carefully analysing the facts believed syringes could not go into unopened cans of Pepsi. Instead of going for a recall, executives went on a massive public relations and education campaign. Nationwide ad campaigns explained how implausible it was that syringes could have been put into Pepsi cans at the plants. They also assured consumers that there had been no injuries and not a single confirmed case of a needle found in an unopened can of Pepsi. By responding quickly and openly to public fears, Pepsi weathered the syringe-scare crisis with little damage. Pepsi managers made the right decision, believing, based on careful internal analysis, that needles could not possibly have been put into cans of Pepsi at the plants. However, it was a decision that could have backfired, if the company was unable to convince consumers that Pepsi products were truly safe.

Many years ago, when a person who owed money could be thrown into a jail, a merchant in London had the misfortune to owe a huge sum to a money-lender. The money-lender, who was old and ugly fancied the merchant's beautiful teenage daughter. He proposed a bargain. He said, he would cancel the merchant's debt, if he could have the girl instead. Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified at the proposal. So, the cunning money-lender proposed that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money-bag and then the girl would have to pick out one of the pebbles. If she chose the black pebble she would become his wife and her father's debt would be canceled. If she chose the white pebble she would stay with her father and the debt would be canceled. But, if she refused to pick out a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail and she would starve. Reluctantly, the merchant agreed. They were standing on a pebble-strewn path in the merchant's garden as they talked and the money-lender stopped down to pick the two pebbles. As he picked up the pebbles, the girl, sharp-eyed with fright, noticed that he picked up two black pebbles and put them into the money bag. He, then, asked the girl to pick out the pebble that was to decide the fate and that of her father. Question What would you have done if you had been the unfortunate girl?.

POOR SANJAY! One Monday morning, Sanjay Nagpal, a recent recruit from a reputed management institute in Manipal walked into the sales office at Chennai as a new sales trainee. Raghavan, the zonal sales manager for the large computer hardware firm was there to greet him. Raghavan's job consisted of overseeing the work of sales officers, field executives and trainee salesmen numbering over 50 of three areas namely Chennai, Bangalore, Trivandrum. The sales growth of computers, parts and other office equipment in his area was highly satisfactory, especially in recent years thanks to the developmental initiatives taken by respective State Governments in spreading computer education in offices, schools, colleges, banks and other institutions. Raghavan had collected several sales reports, catalogues and pamphlets describing in detail the types of office equipment sold by the company. After a pleasant chat about their backgrounds, Raghavan gave Sanjay the collected material and showed him to his assigned desk. Thereafter, Raghavan excused himself and did not return. Sanjay spent the whole day scanning the material and at 5.00 p.m. he picked up his things and went home. In the light of the importance of induction programmes, do you think Raghavan was right in leaving Sanjay on his own without offering any counselling or coaching? How would you make Sanjay feel at home if you were to step into the shoes of Raghavan?