Unilever and Oxfam: Understanding the Impacts of Business on Poverty (A) Case Solution And Analysis, HBR Case Study Solution & Analysis of Harvard Case Studies

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Developing countries were viewed as an important part of Unilever's corporate strategy, with developing and emerging markets forecast to account for 90% of the inhabitants of the world by 2010. Unilever was aware that its future growth would depend upon its ability to address problems of the economic and social development in emergent countries, including poverty and had long been present in a number of these marketplaces. Oxfam, among the world's most prominent nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), was focused in its campaigning and other actions on the alleviation of poverty.

Therefore, despite the frequently adversarial relationship between corporations and NGOs, both organisations shared a common interest which formed the basis for their collaboration. The goal was to analyze the function of business in poverty reduction, especially by studying Unilever's operations in Indonesia. Case A describes how this cooperation came about and supplies background on Unilever, Unilever Indonesia (UI), and Oxfam, including its campaigns against the pharmaceutical and coffee industries. It also examines the function of NGOs, the challenge of tackling poverty in developing countries, the Millennium Development Goals, and the UN Global Compact. The case the problems inherent in understanding the role of MNCs in poverty alleviation in addition to forging successful collaboration between corporations and NGOs.

Unilever and Oxfam Understanding the Impacts of Business on Poverty (A) Case Study Solution

PUBLICATION DATE: September 18, 2008 PRODUCT #: INS023-PDF-ENG

This is just an excerpt. This case is about LEADERSHIP & MANAGING PEOPLE