The case is about Mercury Energy, one of the four power companies in New Zealand and Folole Muliaga, a mother of four. She died two hours after the power in her home was cut off due to an overdue power bill of US$168.40. The power was supporting her oxygen supply machine. She was being treated for cardiomyopathy where she had been admitted at a hospital for a month. During the day of power disconnection, a contractor went ahead with the disconnection despite seeing the woman with oxygen tubes in her nose. One of her children tried to plead with the contractor in vain. The power contractor just said “I am here just to do my job” and left.
While in the hospital, her husband had called the power company to inform them of her condition and make …show more content…
Mercury Company gave strict instruction to be followed by the contractor. However, the way the case came out showed that the company was not working from an ethical point of view. It seemed that the company was just interested on the profit-making aspect of it. The strictness on the way they handle customers was too general to identify special cases such as the Muliaga’s scenario. The company should have come up with ways to handle the customer in a humane manner. The strictness and the rules and regulations governing the company were mostly internally derived; therefore, the company had the capacity to avoid such rare eventualities without recording any significant …show more content…
Profit-making organization should not just focus on profit making activities but should also show social responsibility. The management should consider the fact that customers are not financially equals. Companies dealing with basic needs should ensure that they are working within both the law and ethics. They should prioritize the lives of their customers first before considering the profit-making aspect of their business. Such companies will gain a good reputation leading to increased business volumes. The tragic incident brought to light the challenges that ordinary people are facing in the hands of profit-making
While in the hospital, her husband had called the power company to inform them of her condition and make …show more content…
Mercury Company gave strict instruction to be followed by the contractor. However, the way the case came out showed that the company was not working from an ethical point of view. It seemed that the company was just interested on the profit-making aspect of it. The strictness on the way they handle customers was too general to identify special cases such as the Muliaga’s scenario. The company should have come up with ways to handle the customer in a humane manner. The strictness and the rules and regulations governing the company were mostly internally derived; therefore, the company had the capacity to avoid such rare eventualities without recording any significant …show more content…
Profit-making organization should not just focus on profit making activities but should also show social responsibility. The management should consider the fact that customers are not financially equals. Companies dealing with basic needs should ensure that they are working within both the law and ethics. They should prioritize the lives of their customers first before considering the profit-making aspect of their business. Such companies will gain a good reputation leading to increased business volumes. The tragic incident brought to light the challenges that ordinary people are facing in the hands of profit-making