Robert is a senior product designer working for Lightfoot Ltd; a small company with an established reputation and a long history of designing and producing high-end bicycles using carbon fibre composite materials.
Ed is a sales rep for Greenway, a start-up company which promotes the use of recycled carbon fibre materials, produced from waste generated by old aircraft parts. Though some other companies already use recycled products, early signs suggest that Greenway's products will cost less to produce.
Robert is very interested in the Greenway's products for the new range of bicycles, both because of a current shortage of raw materials and because Lightfoot Ltd (and Robert himself) would be viewed positively by the industry for taking an environmental initiative.
Greenway's products are still in the final stage of testing. However, the probability of failure is low - and even if this does occur Ed is confident that corrections can be made to enable production within the month.
Ed has approached Robert to endorse the new Greenway recycled product in an advertising campaign in the next edition of 'Bicycles Monthly'. In return for the endorsement Ed has offered Robert an all expenses trip to attend the 2014 ‘Go Carbon Fibre’ conference to be held in London. Ed is insisting that in order to meet advertising deadlines Robert's endorsement must be given before final testing is complete.
Should Robert accept Ed's offer and endorse Greenway's product?
It is proposed that Robert agrees to endorse the product.