Ecolab, Inc.

By: Ashish Nanda

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Synopsis: Addresses the importance of protecting against and managing employee defections. The (A) case, distributed in advance of the class, describes Ecolab's solid position in the institutional cleaning business. Faint rumblings of internal dissension at the end of the case are qualified by a five-minute video that emphasizes the loyalty and esprit-de-corps that pervade the company generally. The (B) case comes as a shock in the wake of the (A) case and video. Several of Ecolab's trusted senior executives have approached its principal competitor, Diversey, with a proposal to switch loyalties in return for monetary rewards. The (C) case shifts the perspective to Ecolab president Al Schuman, who is wondering how to react to the defections. Discussion of proposed action plans is followed by distributing the (D) case, which describes how Ecolab responded to the challenge. A two-minute video excerpt from Schuman's field visit highlights his personal response to the challenge. The (E) case recounts other instances of poaching by rival firms and defections by key employees, and the (F) case discusses the legal standing of noncompete agreements. A condensed version of earlier cases.