Case Study

Hickling Associates Ltd.*

by Steven L. McShane University of Western Australia Perth, Australia

* Copyright © 1985 Steven L. McShane. All names and locations have been changed. Any similarity with current names and places is purely coincidental.

This case may be used by current adopters of: S. L. McShane & M. A. von Glinow, Organizational Behavior, 3rd ed. (Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2005); S. L. McShane Canadian Organizational Behaviour, 5th ed. (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2004); S. L. McShane & T. Travaglione, Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim, 1st ed. (Sydney: McGraw-Hill Australia, 2003)

Hickling Associates Ltd.

Hickling Associates Ltd.∗

By Steven L. McShane, The University of Western Australia Introduction

For almost seven years prior to June 1983, Tony Azzara had been employed by Pisces Exporters Ltd. The company, located in Vancouver, was a subsidiary of a U.S. food products conglomerate headquartered in Los Angeles. Pisces was one of the largest exporters for fresh and frozen seafood on Canada's west coast, and had generated revenues between $40 million and $60 million annually, depending on the quality of the fishing season and market demand. The company's major markets were primarily in Europe as well as several areas of Asia and Japan. Pisces also traded other food products, which, over the years, overtook seafood as the main revenue producer for the firm. At the age of 27, Tony Azzara began his career with Pisces as a salesperson, where he learned the complexities of exporting both fresh and frozen sea products to various countries. Within two and a half years he was promoted to the position of sales manager responsible for all seafood exports to Europe. This was an exciting job and a respected position. He was given a comfortable office and a very acceptable compensation package. There was an annual bonus based on group sales, which was as high as 100 percent of Tony's base salary in the best years. Even in the poorest years,...