Mattel Case Study Answers

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1) What went wrong with Mattel’s recall strategy?

There were several causes for Mattel’s toy recall. But the primary causes are problems in manufacturing, design and usage.

Manufacturing Problems: One primary problem is the use of excessive lead paint in toys. Lead was commonly used in paint. However, it is a neurotoxin and is harmful to developing brains in children. Repeated exposure can cause serious brain damage.

Design problems: A second cause for recall was defect in product design. That was the result of increasing use of small powerful magnets in children’s toys. If the designs of these toys were deficient and did not adequately encase the magnets, they could become dislodged and swallowed by the children. When a child ingested more than one magnet, the ingested magnet could be bind together across intestinal folds, eventually perforating the intestine and causing serious injury or death.

Product misuse: Some recalls were due to the potential for misuse. Some features of the toys generally were not a cause for concern if children used the toy in intended way, but children often found creative ways to play that were not anticipated by designers. So, if potential danger was brought to the company’s attention, the toy might be subject to recall

2) Who are Mattel’s stakeholders? Who did Mattel cater to in the recall?

1. Parents and Children

2. Toy Company and Partners

3. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Toy companies, such as Mattel, Inc., need to recognize that children have the right to be safe from injury when they play with toys and parents have the first duty to assure their safety, but most parents are not capable of judging the safety or danger of a toy designed for their child.

Mattel did not act in a socially responsible and ethical manner with regards to safety. Mattel had required vendors to purchase paint from a list of certified suppliers or test the paint that they used to ensure compliance with the standards....