College of Business Administration

Chapter 4

1) What disadvantages would a company face if it were to go green? Can it be harmful for a company to be seen as "environmentally friendly"?

2) "Environmental costs at most companies are skyrocketing with little economic payback in sight." Can a company expect to survive, let alone profit and prosper under these conditions?

3) Do you know of any win-win situations that have gone sour?

4) The author states that in order for Texaco to go green, it would actually have to double its asset base on projects expected to provide little, if any, revenues. Can anyone argue convincingly that an investment of this magnitude would yield a positive financial return to shareholders?

5) What do you think should be the ideal skills of an environmental manager?

6) "We can prosper by leading the environmental revolution and producing for the world marketplace the new products and technologies that foster economic progress without environmental destruction." Al Gore
Do you agree with Al Gore's statement? Why or why not?

7) "For all environmental issues, shareholder value rather than compliance, emissions, or costs is the critical, unifying metric." Do you agree with this statement? Isn't this the exact opposite of what we have been discussing so far?

Chapter 5

8) "A strong global economy is sustainable only if it integrates economic, social, and environmental well-being." Richard A. Clarke Do you agree or disagree with this statement and why?

9) "Consumers think "green" only when buying a limited range of goods." Frances Cairncross
As a consumer, what is it that would help you make a decision on buying "green" products?

10) Smart believes that unless the company is capable of answering its environmental issues, it should liquidate its assets and go out of business. This idea goes against all the business beliefs that we have acquired so far.
What do you think the author is trying to convey by making such a profound statement?

11) Gray believes that the sooner we abandon win-win situations, the better for the business and the environment.
Is this true in all cases?

Chapter 6

12) Do environmental regulations erode competitiveness?

Managing for a Small Planet

13) How does a strategic manager weigh the environment in their decision-making?

14) How much consideration does the environment deserve in relation to the firm's other stakeholders?

15) In Chapter 4, Walley and Whitehead state "In a world where you cannot do everything, only a value-based approach allows informed trade-offs between costs and benefits." Which values will guide strategic managers on a clearer path toward making successful economic decisions within the limits of the Earth?

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