🏛️Case Study Girl Scout Cookies

Answer the following essay question with regard to the Case in this week's Module.

• Cases are short and intended to highlight a few key concepts from our Module.
• Your answer may be brief, a few sentences to a short paragraph.
• Your answer is graded, but answers may vary, use your own words, no need to revert back to the case.
• Once you submit your answer you can see a note outlining a general answer or a few takeaways.
• There is only 1 question.

Girl Scout Cookies build girls of courage, confidence, and character…Let’s take a look.

Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, and Do-di-dos…just reading the names probably makes your mouth water for Girl Scout Cookies.  Once a year, girls of all ages fan out across the country selling tasty boxes of cookies to neighbors and friends in an effort to raise money for their Girl Scout troops.   Local Girl Scout councils set the price per box for the cookies, which ranges from $3.50 to $4.00.  About 70% of the proceeds stay in the local Girl Scout council and with troops to provide a portion of the resources needed to support Girl Scouting in that area.  The remainder goes to the baker to pay for the cookies.  Nationwide an average of 10-20% of the purchase price goes to the individual troop selling the cookies to fund their activities.  None of the money goes to the national Girl Scouts organization or to any other group, unless the local troop decides to spend it in that manner.  Demand for Girl Scout cookies tends to be high, with many customers eagerly anticipating the annual sale.  Nevertheless, not everyone believes that Girl Scout cookie selling is a net positive business experience for the girls who participate.  Some of the key pros and cons:

In favor of Girl Scout cookie sales: 

• The program is designed to help girls learn five critically important skills that could help them become better entrepreneurs at the appropriate time.  The five skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics
• Most troops encourage the girls themselves to do everything possible to run the sales to maximize hands-on experience and learning.
• The experience helps them learn the fundamentals of the retail sales process.
• Many local Girl Scout councils choose to collect donations of cookies for military personnel serving overseas, learning firsthand the potential power of socially responsible business. 

 Against Girl Scout cookie sales:

• Positioning young girls as cookie hucksters, exploiting family and friends for profits, does not showcase either them or business in a positive light. 
• Girl Scouts have been spotted engaging in somewhat shady sales tactics (e.g. “Buy one box for $4, or take today’s special, which is five boxes for $20”), encouraged by adult leaders.
• Since childhood obesity remains a significant long-term threat to the health of America’s youth, does selling caloric treats continue to make sense as a fundraiser? 

Overall, do you think the Girl Scout cookie program is positive or negative for the girls? (As you answer the question, try to leave aside your feelings about the cookies themselves, which almost everyone seems to love.)