|
Ethical dilemma: The Ford Pinto
| |
“You may never face an ethical dilemma with the far-reaching
implications of Rosa Parks’ or Ford’s. But that doesn’t
mean the situations you find yourself in are not as important.” |
The Ford Motor Company learned that a
design flaw in its Pinto model could cause the car to burst into
flames even in minor rear-end collisions.
Ford did a cost-benefit analysis and decided that the cost of fixing
all Pintos on the road (about $11 each) would result in higher
overall costs compared to paying damages to people injured or killed
in car
fires, which it estimated to be about $270,000 each. When juries
learned of Ford’s cold-blooded comparisons of spare parts
and human lives, they gave victims multimillion dollar damage
settlements. Ford was
also required to recall and fix all Pintos anyway. The company
lost millions of dollars and its image suffered for years among
the car-buying
public.
Dilemmas you face
You may never face an ethical dilemma with the far-reaching implications
of Rosa Parks’ or Ford’s. But that doesn’t mean the
situations you find yourself in are not as important. Ethical dilemmas
come in all shapes and sizes and are unique to each of us. Take some
quiet time to think back on your life and identify the ethical dilemmas
you’ve faced. Then think about what you did in each situation
and how you felt about your decision. Write your thoughts
here.
|
