Purpose - To discuss the limits to which the chief executive officer (CEO) of a manufacturing company should go in its efforts to prevent the counterfeiting of the company's products. Design/methodology/approach - A fictional case study is presented depicting the efforts made by the CEO of a sports clothing manufacturer and retailer to prevent fake versions of the company's products from being sold following his almost-fatal experience with one such counterfeit product. Describes the lengths to which the CEO went in his efforts to tackle the counterfeiting, including the introduction of anti-counterfeiting measures, in the form of special fake-proof designs for the clothing, and the employment of ever-increasing amounts of expensive and time-consuming litigation. Explains how the CEO finally reached the point where he started to question his own motives and wondered whether there might be a limit to the extent to which he should pursue his quest against the counterfeiters. Illustrates the issues involved by means of commentaries and advice from three experts. Findings - Giorgio Brandazza (Bocconi School of Management, Milan) expressed shock that the CEO was driven by personal motivations when the problem was chiefly one of business, while J. Merrick Taggart (Victorinox Swiss Army North America) advised that the CEO should press on with his attack but use a more targeted and less 'scattershot' approach, while relying more on his management team. Concludes with advice from Candace S. Cummings (VF Corporation) to the effect that the CEO needs to professionalize his anti-counterfeiting programme and employ an outside investigator and legal team with sufficient depth of experience in these matters. Originality/value - Offers valuable advice to managers not to let their emotions and personal zeal get in the way of good judgement when dealing with the vexing issue of prodyct counterfeiting.
Can knockoffs knock out your business? (practical limits to efforts expended to prevent product counterfeiting)
BRANDAZZA, GIORGIO;
2008
Abstract
Purpose - To discuss the limits to which the chief executive officer (CEO) of a manufacturing company should go in its efforts to prevent the counterfeiting of the company's products. Design/methodology/approach - A fictional case study is presented depicting the efforts made by the CEO of a sports clothing manufacturer and retailer to prevent fake versions of the company's products from being sold following his almost-fatal experience with one such counterfeit product. Describes the lengths to which the CEO went in his efforts to tackle the counterfeiting, including the introduction of anti-counterfeiting measures, in the form of special fake-proof designs for the clothing, and the employment of ever-increasing amounts of expensive and time-consuming litigation. Explains how the CEO finally reached the point where he started to question his own motives and wondered whether there might be a limit to the extent to which he should pursue his quest against the counterfeiters. Illustrates the issues involved by means of commentaries and advice from three experts. Findings - Giorgio Brandazza (Bocconi School of Management, Milan) expressed shock that the CEO was driven by personal motivations when the problem was chiefly one of business, while J. Merrick Taggart (Victorinox Swiss Army North America) advised that the CEO should press on with his attack but use a more targeted and less 'scattershot' approach, while relying more on his management team. Concludes with advice from Candace S. Cummings (VF Corporation) to the effect that the CEO needs to professionalize his anti-counterfeiting programme and employ an outside investigator and legal team with sufficient depth of experience in these matters. Originality/value - Offers valuable advice to managers not to let their emotions and personal zeal get in the way of good judgement when dealing with the vexing issue of prodyct counterfeiting.
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