Using Your Manager Skills - Research Paper Example

Most companies are using sustainability as a key component in their business strategies. Consumers have also increased their demand for companies to be attentive to their environment of operation. The price of petroleum-based packaging plastics has continued to rise leading to a decline of its competitive advantage over biodegradable packaging material. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) foresees a continued increase in the prices of the plastics in the coming year (Pekhtasheva, & Neverov, 2012).

This will boost the marketability of the biodegradable material. Simply Green Products Company has capitalized this market trend and established product chain of biodegradable packing materials. Valued at $10 million, the company produces packing material for pears, apples and peaches that orchards use in the Shenandoah Valley. For its marketing, Simply Green Products has adopted the name SafePack to imply the biodegradability of the material. The eco-friendly agricultural that is emphasized by lobby groups has contributed to the market advantage of SafePack over the non-biodegradable packing material.

However, there have been recent internet campaigns that argued that SafePack is not biodegradable. The environmental group, SafePack Materials Pollute, which is behind the campaign, argues that SafePack materials cause environment pollution due to seepage into surface waters. The group campaign is done on the internet where fruit producers are discouraged from buying SafePack materials. The issues raised by the group touch on the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA). It is necessary to assess the environmental concerns raised by the environmental group against the relevant laws so that the company can devise strategies to safeguard its market.

The claims made by the lobby are critical to the reputation of Simply Green Products. However, for such claims to be considered valid under the law, they