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Case 3-9 Questions:
1. Characterize the values illustrated by management at Union Carbide in the way it handled
the Bhopal disaster.
The way UC handled this tragedy in India is obviously unethical as it took them almost
twenty years to try to legitimately resolve this devastation. The UC management was
careless and even took shortcuts to avoid their responsibilities for India victims. What’s
more, they had double standards for the U.S. factory and India factory. The management
set very inadequate safety facilities and backward production control systems in Indian
factory. All of these showed that UC management was careless and unethical in India plant.
2. Identify the ethical issues that arise from the facts of the case. How do you assess
stakeholder responsibilities?
First of all, the poor quality of the facility and lack of instruments caused the gas leak. For
example, the main safety systems were unable to cope with the situation and the water
spray did not work properly. Second, the location of the plant is very close to residence
housing, which will cause the people who live nearby suffer severe pollution of air, water
and even land. Third, the workers were not trained well before getting in the real working
process. It showed the lack of competent workers and the training of UC plant in India did
not meet the standards. So I think the stakeholders should take most of the responsibilities
of this tragedy. Because every detail showed the management was ignorant and careless in
the whole process. The Bhopal Gas Leak incident shows the necessity of ethical concepts
in every engineering design.
