Page 16 - CL Armchair Case

ORIGINS: The Trigger Idea

The company that Phissons is based on faced the dilemma

as portrayed in the armchair case study. Its chief executive’s

solution to the problem on whether to launch the product
or not was to call an extraordinary general meeting and

invite the press. At this meeting, knowing that to withdraw

the product would destroy the share price he nevertheless
stood up and stated that he had a family himself and could

not be responsible for the deaths of children and had

decided to withdraw the drug before its launch.

The next day the company’s share price rose dramatically

instead of falling. The press had reported the story in terms

of the company being one of the first ethical companies with

the result that investors wanted to associate with it through
share purchase.

This was my starting point and to a great extent explains
why and how I developed the armchair case on Phissons.

Everything else builds from this knowledge.

Turings is an adjunct which fits the theory of ethics and
finance and allows a juxtaposition on a number levels as

well as giving currency to the lectures.

Phissons is a case designed for class discussion and debate
rather than as an assessment vehicle. It lends itself to the

exploration of relationships in a discursive setting where the

lecturer influences the debate through judicious
interventions.