Two senior vice presidents, Robert Donner and Jeanette Falcon, are in disagreement over which candidate to send to Saudi Arabia to negotiate the sale of two major computer installations worth around $35 million. Robert Donner holds the position of VP of International Sales, while Jeanette Falcon is the VP of Personnel. Colorado Computing Company (CCC) has a strong product and is highly regarded in the region. They believe that with successful negotiations, they can secure a profitable sale. The two potential candidates for the assignment are Jane Adams and Bill Smith.
Jane requested senior management to send her to Saudi Arabia as soon as she learned about the potential sale. With an MBA in international business and six years of experience with CCC, she has successfully negotiated two major sales to companies in Norway and Sweden. Bill Smith, who has been in CCC’s marketing/sales department for five years, is highly regarded and possesses a comprehensive knowledge of the product line, similar to Jane. However, his international experience is limited to assisting in the negotiation of a significant deal during a trip to Japan two years ago with a senior executive.
Bill’s assistance is deemed crucial for the sale, and he is willing to go to Saudi Arabia. However, he won’t be upset if he is not sent. The two vice presidents are currently unsure about who should represent CCC. They both acknowledge that Jane has the most experience and could be sent as the chief negotiator in most other parts of the world. Despite being a team player, both VPs agree that Jane might interpret her exclusion as a lack of confidence from management. The positions of the two VPs are:
Robert Donner believes that the position must be given to Bill Smith. While Jane may be more qualified in international business, Robert feels that her gender could potentially impact the negotiations. This negotiation is the biggest international sale we have ever engaged in, and we are currently leading the pack according to our sources. We are confident that our competent and professional presentation will secure us the contract. Bill, although lacking Jane’s experience, will deliver a professional and competent presentation and effectively secure a signed contract.
I believe that having Jane attend negotiations may not leave a favorable impression on our Arab counterparts. Although we acknowledge her exceptional work, her gender may cause uncertainty about her level of influence with the Saudis. Therefore, I recommend sending Bill to Saudi Arabia instead and considering Jane for negotiations in countries where businesswomen are better received. Jeanette Falcon disagrees and believes that Jane Adams, the most capable person, should be given the position.
Although women in Saudi Arabia may face inequality, this primarily affects local women and not foreign workers in the country. When a woman is employed abroad, she is initially treated as a colleague in a professional setting and then acknowledged as a woman. I have confidence that Saudi government officials are sufficiently professional to avoid discriminating against Jane. Numerous studies have illustrated that women often possess advantages over men in certain scenarios: Women tend to display greater motivation, and they are more adept at building consensus within groups. The fact that a woman is representing a company on an international assignment will likely impress many, as companies would not take the risk of sending a woman unless she was highly competent. Given their disagreement, Jeanette and Bill have sought your input as the president of CCC to make the final decision.
