Western Agencies Ltd. by Steven L. McShane University of Western
Australia Perth, Australia
Copyright © 1991 Steven L. McShane. This case is based on actual events described in a Canadian court case. Only the dates and names of the main parties have been changed.
This case may be used by current adopters of: S. L. McShane
Canadian Organizational Behaviour, 5th ed. (Toronto: McGraw-
Hill Ryerson, 2004); S. L. McShane & M. A. von Glinow,
Organizational Behavior, 3rd ed. (Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2005); S.
L. McShane & T. Travaglione, Organisational Behaviour on the
Pacific Rim, 1st ed. (Sydney: McGraw-Hill Australia, 2003)
Western Agencies Ltd.
By Steven L. McShane, The University of Western Australia
Western Agencies Ltd. is a …show more content…

At least one retailer later stated that Arthurs serviced his account well. Moreover, the salesperson assigned this territory added only a couple new accounts over the next two years.
In early 1990, the vice-president of marketing for Fields Stores called Jackson to say that
Arthurs was not providing satisfactory service and that action should be taken if Western wanted to keep the Fields account. Arthurs had handled the Fields account for four or five years and there had been no problems until a new Fields buyer arrived. The new buyer complained that Arthurs was not providing sufficient promotional advice and assistance.
She also expected Arthurs to take inventory counts, a practice that Arthurs resented and did not feel was properly part of his job. This was not the only retailer who expected
Arthurs to count inventory, but Arthurs let them as well as Jackson know that he was an account builder, not an inventory stock counter. Eventually, the Fields buyer did not want to deal with Arthurs at all. In March 1990, matters were brought to a head when the
Fields buyer and Arthurs had a major disagreement and Arthurs was not allowed back
Copyright © 2004 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited Page 3
Western Agencies Ltd. into any Fields stores. At this point, Jackson personally took over the Fields account and sales volume doubled within a few months.
A few months later, Western Agencies suffered several