Introduction
This case study aims to describe and investigate the Ford Motor Company’s handling of the Ford Pinto during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Considering a more specific issue, this paper will analyze the company’s decision to sell an imperfect car model. Therefore, it is worth exploring the question of ethics in this scandalous situation, especially given that the existing malfunction in the model led to catastrophic consequences. The study examines the facts of the situation, considers them from the point of view of ethical issues, and analyzes the degree of impact on the affected parties.
Ford Pinto Ethical Issues Analysis
The appropriate literature related to the topic was analyzed to comprehensively discuss this issue. Thus, Veetikazhi et al. (2022) offer an overview of unethical organizational conduct. Furthermore, they describe the situation with Ford Pinto as a manifestation of the “destructive influence of exclusionary business framing” (Veetikazhi et al., 2022, p. 13). In addition, Kump and Scholz (2022) argue that order and established routines help to predict unethical situations. The article emphasizes that in the case of Pinto, people with high ethical standards can make mistakes.
Finally, another article was considered to understand the norms and rules of ethical engineering and connect these points with this case study. Therefore, Longo et al. (2020) provide a generalized understanding of engineering ethics and give insight into human-centric perspectives in a responsible business (Longo et al., 2020). The above sources demonstrate the importance of following ethical obligations and taking responsibility, using the example of the Ford Pinto case.
This case study was conducted using the qualitative research methodology, analyzing relevant articles directly or indirectly related to the Ford Pinto case. After reviewing the information in the selected sources, it was possible to collect enough information to highlight the main findings. This approach aims to understand the basic facts, root causes, and consequences of Ford Motor Company’s mistake. Moreover, the main goal of the chosen methodology is to gain insights into ethical engineering to highlight perspectives for the future, relying on extensive sources.
The Ford Pinto was introduced in 1970, having an imperfection in the functional design, which led to fires in rear-end collisions. Subsequently, it was proven that the responsible parties were aware of the malfunction but were reluctant to make changes due to the low cost of the model (Kump & Scholz, 2022). This case raises ethical concerns about taking responsibility for decisions made.
In addition, it introduces the question of prioritizing human lives over money or the fear of admitting a mistake. The affected parties are primarily the owners of the model who were injured or died as a result of the malfunction. Moreover, Ford employees were also negatively affected by the situation, as they faced a dilemma regarding reporting.
Conclusion
The Ford Pinto case exemplifies the moral and ethical problems of corporations facing predicaments. Although the priority of human life is evident, money, dread of acknowledging an error, and loss of authority can lead to immoral decisions. The study emphasizes the importance of ethics in decision-making, particularly in the design of cars, which is directly related to people’s safety, health, and life. Furthermore, the scandalous situation highlights the need to establish a straightforward organizational routine and increase ethical awareness among corporate employees. This case study’s findings correspond with the information analyzed in the selected sources and provide insight into the importance of value orientation in the company’s activities and the human-centric perspective in the car production process.
References
Kump, B., & Scholz, M. (2022). Organizational routines as a source of ethical blindness. Organization Theory, 3(1). Web.
Longo, F., Padovano, A., & Umbrello, S. (2020). Value-oriented and ethical technology engineering in industry 5.0: A human-centric perspective for the design of the factory of the future. Applied Sciences, 10(12). Web.
Veetikazhi, R., Kamalanabhan, T. J., Malhotra, P., Arora, R., & Mueller, A. (2022). Unethical employee behavior: A review and typology. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(10), 1976-2018. Web.