Access over 20 million homework & study documents

MGT 216 Week 3 Learning Team Assignment The Ford Pinto Case Study

Content type
User Generated
Type
Homework
Rating
Showing Page:
1/6
Ford Pinto Case Dilemma
Business is business always aiming to maintain competitiveness and profitability as
indicators of success. However business people should never forget their social responsibilities
which are significantly important in maintaining the business ethics. In the case, alternative
solutions to improve the car safety have been identified but because of limited time, competition
became the top priority leaving behind the public safety by moving on with the plans of marketing
the car with unsafe spare part (De George, 2006, p. 298). The company waddled in unethical
decision blinded with the cost-benefit analysis which compared the value of life to economic costs.
Such unethical inhumane decision suggests complete ignorance and negligence of the rights of
others.
If I were involved in the ethical dilemma such as that of the Pinto Case, I would prefer to
choose whatever I believe is the most ethical decision. I would take the courage to remind the
management of the possible trouble waiting ahead if marketing of the unsafe car is pushed through.
I would remind the management that adding few dollars will not significantly affect the
competitiveness in the market in the long run. The car may have an added cost more than the
targeted price but once the consumers prove the good quality and high safety of the car the good
reputation of the company will help in gaining back the added amount invested in the car to
improve its safety. If that is not convincing to the management, then I would suggest informing or
warning the public on the risk carried by the Pinto car. The company with passion to stay on top of
the competition however will surely decline such suggestion.
If I will no see no any success on convincing the people involved in the company to make
ethical decision on marketing the Pinto Car, I would not hesitate to take courage to blow the
whistle. The public safety is at stake so standing on ones obligation by refusing to cooperate with

Sign up to view the full document!

lock_open Sign Up
Showing Page:
2/6
the future marketing plans of the company and leaking the information to the public are among the
suggested way of blowing the whistle (Nadler & Schulman, 2006) that I will decide to do on the
next step. Whistle-blowing in such case I believe is justifiable where the whistle-blower deserves to
gain protection from the government (De George, 2006, p.304).
However I have to be prepared for worst of the worst as I can be fired instantly. Ford
Company may have been blinded by the idea that “Safety doesn’t sell” but intentional ignorance
and negligence of the value of human life in exchange to business competitiveness and profitability
will never cost a cent in the lights of ethics.
The Ford Motor Company encountered many external social pressures, which influenced
their decision in the Ford Pinto case. These social pressures include: increased risk of litigation and
lawsuits, reduction in sales, and the chance of Ford’s reputation being destroyed. The Ford
Corporation knew that the Pinto was dangerous. If the corporation continued to manufacture the
vehicle there was a risk of multiple lawsuits and litigation evolving. The corporation did a cost-
benefit analysis to determine how many people were likely to be killed, and how this would affect
the corporation monetarily. The cost-benefit analysis would estimate the cost the company would be
assessed with if a certain percentage of the deceased persons’ families successfully sued the
company (DeGeorge, 2006, pp. 298-299). The corporation chose to cut their losses and stop
manufacturing the Pinto. Even if the problem was corrected, the dangers of the Ford Pinto had
already come to surface, which had destroyed the reputation of the product and led to a reduction in
sales. The general public would not invest money into a product that once had a high risk of danger
even if a total renovation was made and all risk factors were eliminated. Ford Motor Company
would have better luck at cutting their losses and investing their money into a safer product.
Viewing this case with a period eye, the decisions that would be made today, are not the
same decisions that were made in 1971. In 1971, unlike today, there was not a true sense of ethical

Sign up to view the full document!

lock_open Sign Up
Showing Page:
3/6

Sign up to view the full document!

lock_open Sign Up
End of Preview - Want to read all 6 pages?
Access Now
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Ford Pinto Case Dilemma Business is business always aiming to maintain competitiveness and profitability as indicators of success. However business people should never forget their social responsibilities which are significantly important in maintaining the business ethics. In the case, alternative solutions to improve the car safety have been identified but because of limited time, competition became the top priority leaving behind the public safety by moving on with the plans of marketing the car with unsafe spare part (De George, 2006, p. 298). The company waddled in unethical decision blinded with the cost-benefit analysis which compared the value of life to economic costs. Such unethical inhumane decision suggests complete ignorance and negligence of the rights of others. If I were involved in the ethical dilemma such as that of the Pinto Case, I would prefer to choose whatever I believe is the most ethical decision. I would take the courage to remind the management of the possible trouble waiting ahead if marketing of the unsafe car is pushed through. I would remind the management that adding few dollars will not significantly affect the competitiveness in the market in the long run. The car may have an added cost more than the targeted price but once the consumers prove the good quality and high safety of the car the good reputation of the company will help in gaining back the added amount invested in the car to improve its safety. If that is not convincing to the ma ...
Purchase document to see full attachment
User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.

Anonymous
Great! Studypool always delivers quality work.

Studypool
4.7
Trustpilot
4.5
Sitejabber
4.4