Down On The Farm

Abstract

The Craddock family are longtime and influential members of their community in eastern North Carolina. The family has been engaged in farming for over two centuries and has expanded into land development, trucking, and, most recently, into international sales of used cars. These businesses are owned and managed by the three Craddock brothers. 

This case describes the family structure and presents three major problems currently facing them: succession planning, farming problems, and globalization. There is no succession plan in place, other than that the last living brother will be bought out by the other families. The farming operation is seasonal and farming over 5,000 acres requires the use of seasonal migrant workers, most of whom are immigrants. Many potential legal and ethical problems are associated with hiring, housing, and obtaining appropriate documentation for these workers. A new venture into global sales provides both opportunities and risks as the brothers decide whether they should continue to expand this and other global operations.

This case is intended for upper-level undergraduate business classes. It is particularly well suited for a course focusing on Entrepreneurship or Family-Owned Businesses. Students are presented with three very different problems, each of which has legal, practical, and ethical implications. Students are provided with information about Ethical Decision Making Theories in an Appendix and are asked to apply these theories.

The three different problem areas are succession planning, employment of migrant workers, and entry into the global marketplace. The instructor can assign all three problems or only a portion of them.