Introduction and Situational Analysis
The Ford Pinto is a subcompact car that was released in the 1970s by the Ford Motor Company. During the late 1960s, foreign countries were slowly dominating the U.S. industry, especially in the subcompact auto market (Shaw & Barry, 2001). To keep up, Ford Motor Company decided to produce the Pinto. Ford was also faced with growing competition from another automotive company, Volkswagen (Dowie). Originally the manufacturing was supposed to be three and a half years but it was shortened to two. Because of the compressed schedule, many safety standards were not met. During a crash tests a rear end collision would cause the gas tank to rupture which could lead to dangerous, even flammable leaks. Once this defect …show more content…
Notably, there are two clashing cultural ideas involved: The mindset that holds profit gain as a priority and the other that recognizes human life is more valuable than financial gain. Individually we respect and value our life therefore we respect the lives of others but the corporate mindset that believes money and progress is more so may sometimes but money over life such as the Ford Pinto Case. Although our society agues taking lives for financial gain is illegal and wrong, we comply simply because these corporations are usually our primary providers. Ford knew how dangerous the Pinto was but turned a blind eye towards. Such incidents are quite common since human instinct promotes us to provide for ourselves rather to act for the “greater good”. On the other hand this case could be argued to be for the greater good as it maximized Ford 's profits by providing affordable cars for the public. Both parties may have benefited but the duty of the provider is to act according to the well-being of the consumer but Ford failed as they tried to hide the Pinto crash test results from the public (Halpern, 1982). It is an obligation to be socially responsible in our work lives especially because others are affected by the decisions we make, ethical or not. The most famous incident involving the Pinto was three teenage girls collided with another car which killed them all (Bennet, 1990). Despite the fact that Ford reimbursed the victims families, that compensation does not mean their morals are set straight. Ford 's character could then be perceived as greedy and unsympathetic by putting profits before human lives. Ford could have avoided the backlash only if they had gone with the original, safer patent they had on the Pinto which would have saved them compensation money and prevent many
The Ford Pinto is a subcompact car that was released in the 1970s by the Ford Motor Company. During the late 1960s, foreign countries were slowly dominating the U.S. industry, especially in the subcompact auto market (Shaw & Barry, 2001). To keep up, Ford Motor Company decided to produce the Pinto. Ford was also faced with growing competition from another automotive company, Volkswagen (Dowie). Originally the manufacturing was supposed to be three and a half years but it was shortened to two. Because of the compressed schedule, many safety standards were not met. During a crash tests a rear end collision would cause the gas tank to rupture which could lead to dangerous, even flammable leaks. Once this defect …show more content…
Notably, there are two clashing cultural ideas involved: The mindset that holds profit gain as a priority and the other that recognizes human life is more valuable than financial gain. Individually we respect and value our life therefore we respect the lives of others but the corporate mindset that believes money and progress is more so may sometimes but money over life such as the Ford Pinto Case. Although our society agues taking lives for financial gain is illegal and wrong, we comply simply because these corporations are usually our primary providers. Ford knew how dangerous the Pinto was but turned a blind eye towards. Such incidents are quite common since human instinct promotes us to provide for ourselves rather to act for the “greater good”. On the other hand this case could be argued to be for the greater good as it maximized Ford 's profits by providing affordable cars for the public. Both parties may have benefited but the duty of the provider is to act according to the well-being of the consumer but Ford failed as they tried to hide the Pinto crash test results from the public (Halpern, 1982). It is an obligation to be socially responsible in our work lives especially because others are affected by the decisions we make, ethical or not. The most famous incident involving the Pinto was three teenage girls collided with another car which killed them all (Bennet, 1990). Despite the fact that Ford reimbursed the victims families, that compensation does not mean their morals are set straight. Ford 's character could then be perceived as greedy and unsympathetic by putting profits before human lives. Ford could have avoided the backlash only if they had gone with the original, safer patent they had on the Pinto which would have saved them compensation money and prevent many