Case 9.5: Swedish Daddies

Next, read and reflect upon the following in preparation for composing a case analysis:

Should the United States require companies to provide paid maternity leave? Should it assist them in doing so? What about paternity leave? If so, should there be an equivalent benefit for men and women who are career oriented and do not have children?
Should special organizational arrangements be made for workers who wish to combine career and child rearing? If so, identify the steps that companies can take to accommodate parental needs more effectively.
Does a firm have an obligation to give employees the flexibility to work out the particular balance of career and family that is right for them? Or does this go beyond the social responsibilities of business?
Can paid maternity leave make sense from a business point of view?