Vodafone Egypt and the Arab Spring: When Government and Business Collide (pdf abstract)

Purchase the full report on GlobaLens (Case study #1-429-417) – published 02/2015, 12 pages

By: Andrew Hoffman

Description: This case centers around Vodafone Egypt and its role in the political instability of Egypt in 2011. The then-president of Egypt asked telecommunication providers to terminate operations to help mitigate the abilities of citizens to rally rapport with the global media and organize local demonstrations. The core dilemma surrounds the idea of how much influence corporations should have on public policy and what a corporation’s role is in relation to politics and/or the government, specifically in areas with political instability and conflict.

Teaching Note: Available to Registered Educators. Please login to view it.

Teaching Points: After reading and discussing this case, students should be able to:

  • Identify how corporate strategy intersects with human rights
  • Explain the interconnected relationship among social media, corporations, and politics.
  • Describe the role of corporate social responsibility in a politically unstable setting
  • Identify complications that impact the bottom line and business strategy of a multinational corporation operating in crisis situation.