The Millars Bank case document summarizes an ethical issue facing Millars Bank regarding assigning a female loan officer, Mrs. Marsh, to their office in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Mrs. Marsh is well qualified and experienced working in the Middle East, but the local manager, Mr. Smothers, refuses to allow her to work due to local customs. The document outlines the characters involved, exhibits provided, existing issues, proposed solutions, and recommends a trial period for Mrs. Marsh as the approved solution.

1. Millars Bank Case
Analysis
Consultants:
Floriane Porcher
Salomé Partouche
Mathilde Moreau

2. Summary
 Overview
 Characters
 Exhibits
 Existing Situation
 Statement of Problems
 Solutions
 Our recommendations

3. Overview
 Date : 1994
 In the United Arab Emirates, a highly
conservative Muslim region.
 Millars Bank, an international bank which
has to manage intercultural differences
and an ethical issue (women at work).

4. Characters
T. R. DUNCAN
Vice-president of
International
Millars Bank
John Phillips
Manager of Millars
Bank in Cairo
P. D. SMOTHERS
Manager of Millars
Bank in Abu Dhabi
J. L. MARSH
Loan officer in Abu
Dhabi

5. Mrs. MARSH’s international experiences

6. Exhibits
 Exhibit 1: Fax from W. T. R. DUNCAN to P. D.
SMOTHERS
 Exhibit 2: Text of series of faxes between W.
T. R. DUNCAN and P. D. SMOTHERS
 Exhibit 3: Mrs Marsh’s CV
 Exhibit 4: Letter from J. L. MARSH to P. D.
SMOTHERS

7. Existing situation
Strengths Weaknesses
- Graduated from London School
of economics
- 12 years of experience within
Millars Bank
- Speaks both arabic and french
fluently
- Knows the customs, the
religion, the history and the
business of the region
- Has already worked in the
Middle East (Beirut and Cairo)
and already been involved with
Saudi clients.
- Works efficiently
- Female gender in a muslim
country
Mrs. MARSH

8. Existing situation
Strengths Weaknesses
Management Stubbornness of
Mr Smothers
Internal
Communication
Straight forward Lack of
communication
between Mr
Smothers and Mr
Duncan
Location A lot of investors
Dynamism of Abu
Dabi
Intercultural
differences
(Clients are not
used to working
with women)
High competition
(12 foreigns – 12
locals)

9. Statement of Problems
 Does Millars bank have to conform with
Abu Dhabi’s customs in terms of women
positions in companies?
 Can her skills and experience in Arabic
countries make up for her gender?
 How can Millars Bank respect his ethics
regarding women’s work in a conservative
Muslim country?

10. Solution 1
 Status quo – We change nothing
+ -
- Compliance with Mr
Duncan’s decision
- She might increase loan
operations the same
way she did in Cairo
(+30%)
- Internal conflicts
between Mr Smothers
and Mrs Marsh
- Possible loss of clients
- Mr Smothers won’t let
her work and Mrs Marsh
may want to leave the
company for good

11. Solution 2
 Introduce Mr Smothers to Mr Phillips.
+ -
- Can change the mind of
Mr Smothers and offer a
chance for Mrs Marsh to
start working
- Can lead to a better
internal communication
- The dissucion can lead to
a conflict within the
company because Mr
Smothers’stubborness
- May not work because
Cairo and Abu Dhabi are
not completely similar

12. Solution 3
 Hire a male assistant to acustom the
clients
+ -
- Clients have time to get
used to having a woman
as a loan officer
- Opportunity for Mrs
Marsh to keep her job
- Cost of hiring the
assistant
- Mrs Marsh may feel
frustrated
- Assistant does not have
a real legitimacy

13. Solution 4
 Let Mrs. Marsh start a trial period.
+ -
- Mrs Marsh would be glad
- Time to prove herself
- Ninety days (fewer risk)
- Risk of losing clients
- Therefore she may not
keep the job

14. Solution 5
 Let Mrs. Marsh only take care of foreign
clients
+ -
- Eradicates all cultural
issues
- She can start working
immediatly
- She can’t use her added
values
- It’s not her real
aspiration
- Cost of hiring someone
to look after arabic
clients

15. Solution 6
 Move Mrs. Marsh to another Arabic
country
+ -
- Mr Smothers is satisfied
- Company matches the
country’s costums
- No loss of clients
- Risk of losing Mrs Marsh
for good
- Loss of a highly
competent employee for
this strategic area
- Hiring process: time and
cost consuming
- Mr Duncan would be
upset

16. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
NOW ON TO THE DEBATE!

17. OUR RECOMMENDATION
TRIAL PERIOD AS THE
APPROVED SOLUTION