Greed, discrimination and lack of respect for other cultures have been cited as the major obstacles related to applying the principles of the inclusive workplace to international collaborations. What did Bata International do to help them overcome those barriers?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

but pull from the text description of Bata’s efforts: Another example comes from Data International, a maker of shoes.3 When Data decided to expand its operations in Thailand, it worked with development experts from the Thai Business Initiative in Rural Development to set up small shoe factories in poor villages of the northeastern province of Buri Ram. The company provided the training in manufacturing and business skills, and the village cooperatives owned and managed the factories, investing the profits back into their communities. The company currently provides employment to almost 500 people in Buri Ram, and this investment has boosted the province’s economy and helped in the development of many villages in the area. These small rural factories turned out some of the highest-quality shoes of any Data factory in the world, with very healthy profits for the company (Schwartz & Gibb, 1999). Data currently implements the Rural Sales Program, the Aquarella Catalogue Sales Program, and the Data Children’s Program. Data partnered with CARE to start the Rural Sales Program (RSP) in 2005. The RSP provides employment opportunities to women living in poverty in Bangladesh and the company expects 10,000 participants in 2015. Currently implemented in Columbia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, the Aquarella Catalogue Sales Program seeks to secure financial independence for Latin American women through flexible work opportunities. The women entrepreneurs (called “promotores”) market the Data catalogue at homes and offices and there are 40,000 participants as of 2015. The Data Children’s Program (BCP) was launched in 2010 and matches Data employees with volunteer activities that serve disadvantaged children who live in the communities where Data does business. Program focus areas include education, health, sustainable living, and mentoring. The program currently has 3,000 volunteers.