Read the following case study and then answer the question whichfollows: CUTCO Corporation, the largest manufacturer and

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Read the following case study and then answer the question whichfollows:

CUTCO Corporation, the largest manufacturer and marketer ofhigh-quality kitchen cutlery and accessories in the United Statesand Canada, celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2009. Over 100kitchen cutlery products are sold under the CUTCO name as well as avariety of kitchen gadgets, utensils, and flatware. The companyalso carries a line of cookware, sporting/pocket knives, and gardentools.

Boasting over 15 million satisfied customers and annual sales ofover $200 million, CUTCO's commitment to quality and innovation isevident throughout the manufacture and marketing of companyproducts. CUTCO stands behind each and every product with a FOREVERsatisfaction guarantee. The guarantee has four components:

1. FOREVER Performance Guarantee

2. FOREVER Sharpness Guarantee

3. FOREVER Replace Service Agreement for Misuse or Abuse

4. 15-Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee

The company's FOREVER guarantee ensures that CUTCO cutlery staysin the family for generations to come. Given this backdrop of thecompany's high-quality product offering in difficult economictimes, the company initiated a "going green" effort in 2008.

Everyone, from individual consumers to corporate decisionmakers, is talking about sustainability, going green, and reducingthe carbon footprint. However, some companies' efforts are more"greenwashing" than truly intended for the well-being of theenvironment. Greenwashing is what companies do (e.g., promotionalefforts) to make themselves look more environmentally friendly thanthey really are.

For the CUTCO Corporation, however, the plan is not for a"go-green project" or to engage in "greenwashing." Rather, thecompany is instilling "going green" initiatives that, like theproduct's FOREVER guarantee, stay with the company forever. In2008, CUTCO Corporation's marketing coordinator, Pam Bailey, wasgiven the opportunity to create and coordinate a companywide "GoingGreen" effort. The focus initially was the "low hanging fruit"(things that were easy to do). One year later, Bailey, the GreenTeam, and CUTCO Corporation had accomplished the following:

1. Implemented computer power management--estimated savings of$41,000 annually.

2. Turned off center row lighting on one floor of administrationbuilding--estimated savings of $7,500 annually.

3. Created a recycling program to collect plastic, glass,aluminum, and tin cans as well as reuse or recycling of Cutcoproduct components--all resulting in a 26 percent decrease in trashfrom all CUTCO facilities

. 4. Set company printers to automatically duplex; departmentsswitched to two-sided reports--paper use decreased by 27percent.

5. Printed company newsletter on 50-percent recycled paper

6. Encouraged its 75 employees to bring their own reusableplates, cups, and utensils to the Christmas lunch--resulting inonly two bags of garbage from the party.

CUTCO Corporation's "Going Green. Going Forward" effort is partand parcel of the company's internal processes, and the companyplans to continually work toward going green. It is not holdingitself up as a company that has "gone green," nor is it touting itsinitiatives externally. Rather, like the CUTCO product, the resultswill speak for themselves.

QUESTION : The Cutco case deals with the marketing environmentsurrounding green initiatives and the skills marketers need intoday's changing workplace. You will assume the role of a newmarketing manager at a local light bulb manufacturing company. Yourboss has read a story about the green initiatives at Cutco andwants you to prepare an executive memo on some initiatives thatcould be considered for your company. Your memo should address thefollowing questions:

1. What are true green initiatives versus "greenwashing"ideas?

2. What are the ethical and societal issues involved in greeninitiatives?

3. How have other organizations approached the issue of greeninitiatives?

Develop a response that includes examples and evidence tosupport your ideas, and which clearly communicates the requiredmessage to your audience. Organize your response in a clear andlogical manner as appropriate for the genre of writing. Usewell-structured sentences, audience-appropriate language, andcorrect conventions of standard American English.