The Problem: The Case of the Las Vegas Trip While you have been juggling new products and watching the excitement in other parts of the company, you have been approached by a large vendor who sells equipment which you need. The vendor has agreed to give G-BioSport approximately $5,000 worth of equipment to try out. In addition the vendor wants to fly the Vice President of Operations and Research and two of the top team members to Las Vegas to demonstrate the equipment at a trade show. The vendor will pay for airplane tickets, hotel accommodations and get members of the Operations and Research Team passes into the trade show. You know that the vendor has a good reputation in the community but the equipment is a bit pricey. The protocols from accounting require that you put all purchases out for competitive bid. You also know that the subtly spoken expectation is that this vendor will have a preferred status when the bid for equipment is put out, which is expected in the next six months.

1. Be Responsible: Choose an Option Select one option to implement within your Division:

Accept $5,000 worth of equipment to test and accept the trip to Las Vegas, all expenses paid for you and two employees.

Agree to test $5,000 worth of equipment but pay your own way to Las Vegas with two other employees.

Test the equipment, offer the opportunity to other vendors, and do not go to Las Vegas.

Test the equipment, offer the opportunity to other vendors, and go to Las Vegas.

Reject the opportunity to test the equipment and do not go to Las Vegas.

2. Explain Your Decision

Using the guidelines for how to write a memo, write a memo to be shared with the rest of the leadership team which explains your decision.