Rohner Textil Ag (E)

19 Pages Posted: 21 Oct 2008

See all articles by Patricia H. Werhane

Patricia H. Werhane

University of Virginia - Darden School of Business

Matthew M. Mehalik

University of Virginia - School of Engineering & Applied Science

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Abstract

This series of cases (see also the A [UVA-E-0107], B [UVA-E-0108], C [UVA-E-0109], and D [UVA-E-0110] cases) takes students through five design-and-manufacturing decisions confronting Albin Kalin, managing director of Rohner Textil AG, a textiles manufacturer in northeastern Switzerland. Faced with community pressure to use quieter machinery and challenged by increasingly stricter environmental regulations, Kalin has committed himself to improving the ecological profile of the mill. He has adopted a set of rule-based design imperatives proposed by William McDonough based on McDonough's concept "waste equals food." Given these strict environmental parameters, Kalin attempts to design and manufacture a compostable fabric for DesignTex, a division of the U.S. company Steelcase. The E case discusses Kalin's efforts to account for Rohner's environmental costs in operations, product design, R&D, and risk projects.

Keywords: environmental issues, social responsibility, international, Alternative Business Issue or Setting, diverse protagonist, gender (female protagonist), nationality, environmental, diversity issues

Suggested Citation

Werhane, Patricia H. and Mehalik, Matthew M., Rohner Textil Ag (E). Darden Case No. UVA-E-0147, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1277695 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1277695

Patricia H. Werhane (Contact Author)

University of Virginia - Darden School of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 6550
Charlottesville, VA 22906-6550
United States
434-924-4840 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty/werhane.htm

Matthew M. Mehalik

University of Virginia - School of Engineering & Applied Science

Box 400246
Charlottesville, VA 22904-0246
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
32
Abstract Views
457
PlumX Metrics