Core Disciplines: Leadership/Organizational Behavior; Sustainability
DESCRIPTION: This short case is one of the eight in a series of cases written for the Next Great Companies in Michigan project, which profiles great places to work in Michigan. Cascade Engineering is a Michigan-based firm that develops and manufactures injection molded products for the automotive, solid waste and industrial markets. Its main product is trash containers. The company's leaders, however, proclaim that their priorities are #1 people, #2 planet, #3 profits. This case profiles Cascade's success as a steward of the environment, a generous employer, and a financially-sustainable organization that provides jobs across Michigan.
TEACHING POINTS: After discussing this case study, students will be able to: describe appropriate business terms and principles approriate to this case, apply critical concepts from earlier learning to define a solution to the case, successfully articulate data and information in support of the solution proposed, critically analyze and discuss other responses and solutions to the case, draw lessons from the case analysis, generalize the learnings of this case to other business challenges and decisions in organizations other than the one analyzed in this case study, demonstrate leadership and scholarship in analysis.
Secondary Tags: Culture; Manufacturing Sales Rank: #247