Components

Part A
Part B

Paula Deen Ventures: Business Partnerships Imperiled Over a Choice of Words

Brinkley, C., Kellner, J., Zicarelli, J., O’Rourke, J. S. (editor)
January 26, 2018
SKU:
BUS-004060
Region: 
North America
Topic: 
Strategy & General Management, Human Resources & Organizational Behavior
Length: 
17 pages
Keywords: 
corporate culture, crisis management, employee relations, Food and Beverage, reputation management, workplace culture
Copyrighted by: 
Notre Dame
Student Price: 
$4.00 (€3.75)
Average rating: 
0

In 2012, a former employee filed a lawsuit against Deen and her brother for racial discrimination. Deen later confessed to using racial slurs in a deposition transcript that was leaked in 2013. Deen issued a public apology. But several companies, including the Food Network, elected to end their partnership with Deen. Can Paula Deen recover?

Learning Outcomes: 
  1. To encourage discussion regarding the responsibility of corporations when profits increase due to tragic events.
  2. To provide an example of how a brand can become associated with tragedy through no actions of the brand’s parent company.
  3. To demonstrate consumer ability to influence a brand’s image through social media use.
  4. To highlight the dangers of remaining silent when a corporation is swept into the spotlight.