China’s agricultural sector is undergoing rapid transformation, but with growth come serious problems such as labor shortages, soil compacted by machinery, and chemicals (pesticides) that pollute the earth. In parallel, therefore, a major technological transformation is underway.

In this role-play simulation, a team of up to nine participants act as the board of directors of a privately-owned fishing company. The board has to make decisions about (1) a management proposal to acquire processing facilities in a foreign country, (2) an adjustment to the CEO’s remuneration package requested by the CEO following the significant depreciation of local currency.

The case tracks Singapore-based Olam's development, from exporting cotton products from Nigeria mainly to India in 1989 to becoming a leading global agribusiness supply chain manager in 2010, spanning 20 agricultural products, 60 countries and over 10,000 customers. It ends by considering the acquisition of plantations and farms.