Fermer
Loading
Fermer

Fermer
You consult a document to analyse its content and determine whether it is useful for your teaching purposes. You order a document to use it in class. Note that the use of certain cases is subject to charges. These cases are easily identified by our business partners’ logos. When you want to use one of these cases in an educational context, you are redirected to the trading partner with which you will carry out the transaction.

Human Rights Watch: The Burma Situation (A and B)
Case 9 00 2017 002A-B
Case published in the International Journal of Case Studies in Management, Vol. 15, No. 3
Languages : 
  • English
Keywords: 
  • Ethics,
  • NGOs,
  • Technology,
  • Human rights,
  • Global governance
Year of production : 
2017
Registration date : 
2017-06-28
Teaching notes included : 
Yes
Case document count : 
2
Abstract

This two-part case deals with the events surrounding the monitoring by Human Rights Watch (HRW) of human rights violations targeting Rohingya Muslims in Burma in October 2012. The case focuses on HRW’s decision to publish a report of the situation and the impact of that report in Burma and abroad. While most human rights violation investigations are ‘business as usual’ for HRW, the situation presented in this case was different: the primary material for the investigation was satellite imagery, not the eyewitness reports typically used by HRW.

The case is designed to stimulate discussion of value creation by NGOs, the effect of technological development on NGO operations, and the development of new capabilities by NGOs. It also introduces students to human rights issues, a topic rarely discussed in business schools. Part A provides background to address questions concerning (1) whether or not HRW should report the violations and (2) how satellite imagery can provide sufficient evidence to raise awareness of a situation. Part B covers the impact of the report on the situation by looking at the response from the media, the United Nations, the United States, and the Government of Burma. The case also sheds light on the challenges faced by HRW in the fulfillment of its mission.

Primary domain : 
International business
Secondary domain : 
Management  - Strategy
Sectors : 
  • Other
Source : 
HEC Montréal
Type : 
Traditional case (Descriptive or analytical case)
Type of data used in the production of the case : 
Factual data that is public and free of potentially litigious content
Event location : 
Burma
Year of start of the event : 
2012
Year the event ended : 
2012
Business size : 
Medium-sized enterprise
Main themes covered

Ethics, NGOs, Technology, Human rights, Global governance

Teaching objectives

The case covers issues of value creation by NGOs and issues of ethics and global governance beyond NGOs. The case can be used to cover one or more of the following learning objectives:

  1. Introduce business students to social issues in an international context;
  2. Analyze value creation by NGOs;
  3. Discuss capability development and distinctive competencies of NGOs;
  4. Discuss research principles and their application to organizations.
Concepts and theories related to the case

Value creation by NGOs