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Managers reward loyal customers with discounts. But, first the customer must give the company his or her personal information (such as name, address, telephone number, driver's license number, and email address). Then, the customer gets a card or number. Each time the customer buys something, he or she shows the card or number. The company knows what customers buy, how often they buy, and how much they spend. One of the first and most successful loyalty programs is American Airlines' AAdvantage frequent flyer program , established in 1981. But a study by eMarketer says that many users report being wary of certain "creepy" behaviors. See the leading "creepy/weird" ways loyalty programs use personal information in the table below. Do you use loyalty cards or numbers when you shop? Why? What are the benefits of using loyalty cards or numbers when shopping? Are you concerned about your privacy? How can loyalty program managers keep consumer privacy in mind when targeting offers to customers?

Leaders have a responsibility to set an example in personal conduct for their followers. So, evidence of a leader's extra marital affair can lead to organizational conflict. Outcomes include complaints of favoritism by workers outside of the relationship, claims of sexual harassment, and decreased productivity of those involved in the office romance. Two recent investigations which led to proof of adultery and then loss of jobs headlined the news. The leader of the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ), Director David Petraeus resigned after an FBI inquiry into the use of one of his personal email accounts found that he was engaging in an extra marital affair. Actually, the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) was investigating a harassment complaint against Paula Broadwell by another woman. Broadwell is Petraeus' biographer, and the email exchanges revealed that Patraeus and Broadwell were having an affair. General Patraeus resigned and wrote the following to his employees. "Yesterday afternoon, I went to the White House and asked the President to be allowed, for personal reasons, to resign from my position as D/CIA. After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation." The other affair was at Lockheed Martin , the Pentagon's largest supplier. An internal whistleblower at Lockheed made the allegation. The investigation found that Christopher Kubasik, the President and future CEO had a close personal relationship with a subordinate employee, which is a violation Lockheed's code of ethics and business conduct. The subordinate employee has left the company. Kubasik said in a statement , "I regret that my conduct in this matter did not meet the standards to which I have always held myself." Both men knew of their organizations' strict relationship policies. What does it mean to adhere to a code of duty, integrity, and honor? If you were the manager, what would you do if you found out about an office romance?

More and more companies are including sustainability in their visions of the future. Also, a company strategy may include a statement on corporate social responsibility (CSR)/sustainability. Many companies desire to invest in communities, care for the environment, and build a better society. This might be accomplished through actual business practices or through activities such as charitable donations or employees volunteering for charitable events. The annual conference for Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is meeting in New York this week. BSR has "more than 250 member companies and develops sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. With six offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR uses its expertise in the environment, human rights, economic development, and governance and accountability to guide global companies toward creating a just and sustainable world." Should the company care? Do we expect more of companies than maximizing profits? Should managers make decisions based on the impact on people and the planet or on profit?

An employee resigned at Goldman Sachs in a very public way. In March, he sent a letter to the New York Times calling the firm "toxic" and disrespectful of its clients . MWW used the open resignation letter in a survey to explore the connections between corporate reputation and corporate culture. The study found that three out of four business leaders believe corporate reputation is substantially driven by internal corporate culture, yet only 5 percent think their organization’s culture is strong enough to preclude reputational crisis. (Read the full report .) Listed below are some of the findings of surveyed business leaders' reactions to the scathing open resignation letter. 77% believed the letter had a negative impact on Goldman Sachs’ reputation Only 3% strongly believed that this was an isolated incident of a single disgruntled employee and not representative of the culture at Goldman Sachs 66% expect to see more of these situations with other companies in the future “Nearly every week a major company is in the news with a culture related crisis, and this study demonstrates a growing acknowledgement of the connection between internal culture and external reputation,” said Carreen Winters, executive vice president, reputation management of MWW Group. “Yet all too often, reputation management programs focus exclusively or predominantly on engaging with external stakeholders. Positive, productive cultures don’t just happen; they are cultivated and nurtured over time. Communications can be a powerful and effective tool for connecting the dots between internal and external stakeholders, and for creating the kind of culture that serves as the foundation of a bulletproof reputation.” What is reputation management? How should managers incllude employees in reputation management programs?

Choosing which events to sponsor is a strategic decision by managers. Requests from nonprofit organizations are numerous, and many are quite emotional. But, by focusing on strategy, managers can choose those with the best fit for the business. One way to keep strategic focus when considering which events to sponsor is to use some strategic questions. A set of questions for managers to consider is found in Gina F. Rubel , Esq.'s book Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers . The questions are listed below. Your Business The Event / Sponsorship Opportunity What are your core business goals? What are the event's business goals? What are your marketing objectives? Does this opportunity meet your marketing objectives? Who is your target audience? Does this event reach your target audience? What is your budget? Does the cost of this opportunity fit within your budget? How do you measure the success for your marketing efforts? Does this event / sponsorship provide measurable opportunities? Do you track your opportunity costs? What are the opportunity costs if you do not participate? Who is your competition? Will your competition have a significant presence at the event? Note : You may want to participate because there is no significant competitive presence or the opposite might hold true. If there is alignment of the answers for your business and the event/sponsorship opportunity , the business will want to take advantage of the sponsoring the event. At this time, what nonprofits do you support? How could you use these questions to determine your charitable gifts?

Socially conscious consumers prefer to work for companies that have implemented programs to give back to society according to Nielsen's 2012 Global Corporate Citizenship Survey . Choosing an effective cause requires strategic prioritization. Managers need to identify the most relevant cause to their business. Then, the cause program should be implemented. The global, socially conscious consumer is described by Nielsen as young, green, and willing to pay more for socially responsible products/services. Respondents were given a list of 18 causes, as seen below. Sixty-six (66) percent of socially conscious consumers identified environmental sustainability as a cause companies should support. Do you agree? Which of the causes listed is most important to you? How can managers let potential employees know about their social responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) attempts to align corporate goals, such as profits, revenue, and growth with the social needs of the community. Choosing the social need is the key. The company's assets must intersect with the greater community's needs, while resulting in a sustainable program. In other words, the company must make a profit. The company inspires sales while it makes a difference. An example is Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill's "Food With Integrity" movement , which educates consumers about Chipotle's use of local and sustainable farm suppliers. "We have always understood the importance of serving food that is raised right. We produced this film to help illustrate the choices people face in deciding what to eat, and hope that it will encourage people to choose food that is raised with respect for the land, the animals and the farmers that produce it," said Steve Ells, founder, chair and chief executive of Chipotle. How does Chipotle's commercial engage consumers to share the message?

Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged laws that discriminated against African Americans. He risked imprisonment and his life for his values. One of King's main values was courage, the willingness to face difficulty whatever the risk. Courage is a value which is important to a manager's success. Having courage will enhance your success as an employee and as a manager. While having courage will not automatically make one successful, exercising and applying it on a daily basis will certainly increase the likelihood of succeeding. Asking questions about existing practices at work or suggesting new products promotes a better way. It takes courage to do so but it is a way of showing your values, like King. In this video , corporate managers talk about the benefits of volunteering and service . What are corporations and employees risking? What else can managers learn from Martin Luther King, Jr.?