Union Carbide. Ethics of Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Engineering Essay

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Ethics of Bhopal Gas Tragedy
Introduction
Ethics is a field of study that deals with the rationale of decision-making. In some instances, a person or an organization can make right or wrong decisions in a bid to better their lives and those of others. In pursuit of success, an organization’s management may make decisions with drastic impacts on society. For instance, a company can establish an industry whose activities jeopardize the health of people living within the company’s premises. While building a factory in a particular area creates numerous job opportunities for the people, it is important to consider various factors to ensure that the wellbeing of the people living in that region is not affected negatively. Some managers may contend that it is ethical to create jobs for individuals residing in a given region, especially in developing countries where job scarcity is a huge problem. However, the overall good of such an industry must be assessed because the primary goal of most companies is to maximize profits, and in most cases, they tend to forget the welfare of its employees and society at large. Business ethics are of utmost importance because decisions made in companies can directly or indirectly impact employees, society as well as the organization itself. Businesses encounter various ethical issues such as conflict of interest, corporate social responsibility, and ethical environmental practices, among others.
Concerning business ethics, the current paper will describe the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, which is considered one of the deadliest industrial accidents of the 20th century (Chouhan 206). Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) is a chemical factory with its headquarters located in the United States of America. The company decided to establish an industry in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, India. On 3rd December 1984, a major mishap occurred when a poisonous gas leaked from the factory into the surrounding atmosphere, killing thousands of people and leaving others with serious injuries (Broughton 6). Official records indicate that more than 3000 people died due to this tragedy, and further 200,000 sustained severe injuries, some amounting to disabilities (Broughton 6). It is established that more than 40 tons of a gas known as methyl-isocyanate (MIC) and other chemicals leaked into the atmosphere (Broughton 6). From a personal point of view, it was not ethical for Union Carbide Corporation to establish a chemical factory in Bhopal.
UCC Established the Factory Solely for Maximization of Profits
Union Carbide primarily established Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) to reduce the cost of production of MIC, which was expected to bolster their profits (Broughton 6). Production in India was considered ideal because the cost of labor is lower than in the United States. Thus, Union Carbide did not set up the factory in India with the aim of upgrading the lives of the people living in Bhopal (Chouhan 207). It is not morally right to construct a chemical plant to manufacture gases that jeopardize the welfare of the people and the environment. Since the main goal for establishing the Bhopal factory was to maximize profits, the top management neglected other crucial factors ...