American University Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal Case Study

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Read the Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal case that begins on page 384 of your Business, Government, and Society textbook. In lieu of answering the questions that follow the case, you will respond to the prompt below;

Consider the concerns as described in this case and prepare a memorandum that addresses the concerns described below. Your memo should be completed in narrative form (you may use headings if you choose to do so for organizational purposes, but do not list your responses in bullet form). Maximum page length: 10 pages (double spaced).

Identify all of the potential ethical issues you see (if any). Describe and analyze the implications of each issue, including who or what were affected by the company’s response. In identifying issues and addressing their implications, your discussion should be as comprehensive as possible—you should consider any economic, social, or ecological implications.

Additionally, your analysis should thoroughly identify and discuss at least two potential courses of action that the company could have taken with respect to each issue you have discussed. Clearly demonstrate your reasoning process—identify and explain any ethical principles or arguments you are relying on; do not simply state unsupported conclusions.

If you choose to apply any approaches to ethical reasoning that you learned about in this course, clearly state what they are and how you are applying them to this case. Of the possible solutions you identified, which would you recommend that the company should have adopted as a resolution? Again, fully explain and justify your recommendations. Finally, explain how you would implement each solution you have recommended.

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Read the Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal case that begins on page 384 of your Business, Government, and Society textbook. In lieu of answering the questions that follow the case, you will respond to the prompt below; Consider the concerns as described in this case and prepare a memorandum that addresses the concerns described below. Your memo should be completed in narrative form (you may use headings if you choose to do so for organizational purposes, but do not list your responses in bullet form). Maximum page length: 10 pages (double spaced). Identify all of the potential ethical issues you see (if any). Describe and analyze the implications of each issue, including who or what were affected by the company’s response. In identifying issues and addressing their implications, your discussion should be as comprehensive as possible—you should consider any economic, social, or ecological implications. Additionally, your analysis should thoroughly identify and discuss at least two potential courses of action that the company could have taken with respect to each issue you have discussed. Clearly demonstrate your reasoning process—identify and explain any ethical principles or arguments you are relying on; do not simply state unsupported conclusions. If you choose to apply any approaches to ethical reasoning that you learned about in this course, clearly state what they are and how you are applying them to this case. Of the possible solutions you identified, which would you recommend that the company should have adopted as a resolution? Again, fully explain and justify your recommendations. Finally, explain how you would implement each solution you have recommended.
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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal Case Memo
TO: All Persons
FROM: Regina Whites, Chief Executive Officer
DATE: September 24, 2019
RE: Concerns and recommendations on Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal incident
December 3, 1984, was a tragic day for Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal India.
The causes of the accident.
Initially, various stakeholders were unable to establish what had triggered the severe incident at
the Bhopal plant. From the initial findings, it was believed that the procedure that R.Khan an
operator who had been ordered to unclog four filter valves used was improper.
Several months after the incident investigations carried out by U.S based Carbide being allowed
to access to the plant by the Indian government revealed that the leak was caused by sabotage of
a disgruntled employee.
The concerns.
The accident was surrounded by several unusual circumstances which would raise concerns over
the role which the company played to aggravate the matter.
i). The failure of the company to conduct routine plant maintenance.
From the recount, it was evident that the accident's severity was aggravated by the failure of the
sequence of safety procedures and devices.
Ideally, it was unethical for Carbide to contemplate the stoppage of routine maintenance of the
plant as a cost-cutting measure despite being aware of the hazardous status of the chemical they
stored.
ii). Failure by Bhopal plant to take precautionary measures
Another potential issue that exists is the failure by Carbide to take preventive measures to avert
the probable effects of the release of the gas to the environment.
iii) Laxity by law enforcement agencies.
The existence of negligence incidences at Carbide, which caused the gas leakage accident would
have been contributed by the laxity of law enforcement agencies.
iv) Carbide’s moral responsibility

As the parent company of Bhopal plant Union Carbide had moral accountability to the residents
of Bhopal hence would be expected to compensate them without coercion.
Government’s role in the matter
The Indian government had played a significant role in aggravating the issue. Firstly the
government banned the importation of pesticide manufacturing chemicals, making it necessary
for companies to begin manufacturing them locally.

Recommendable courses of action
Carbide should have avoided the inclusion of reducing maintenance cost in its cost-cutting
mechanisms. Its decisions were unethical based on the utilitarian theory of ethics.


Running head: CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS MEMO

Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal Case Memo
Student’s Name
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CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS MEMO
Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal Case Memo
TO: All Persons
FROM: Regina Whites, Chief Executive Officer
DATE: September 24, 2019
RE: Concerns and recommendations on Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal incident

December 3, 1984, was a tragic day for Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bho...


Anonymous
Very useful material for studying!

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