Two brothers, one mill

The case (fictional)

A family-owned textile exporter in Faisalabad employs about 900 people. Last year the founder, Mr Rasheed, now 68, stepped back after heart surgery and divided control between his sons: Usman, the elder, runs production, and Faisal, who has a business degree from abroad, runs sales and finance. They hired three professional managers from multinational companies.

Since then a large European order was delayed because production and sales had promised the buyer different dates. The professional managers complain that decisions agreed in meetings are reversed after the brothers talk at home, and that staff still go to the founder's house for approval. Usman's long-serving supervisors resist a new planning software system; Faisal calls them "old-fashioned", and they call his managers "the foreigners". Two of the professional managers have said they may resign.

A buyer's audit has also flagged breaches of overtime limits on the production floor.

Mr Rasheed says his priority is to "keep the family together". Both brothers say they want the business to survive for their children.