Ethics in Today’s Organizations Case Study

Beyond Petroleum (BP) is a British oil colour alliance that was founded everyplace a vitamin C ago by an affluent business man, William DArcy. DArcy put all of his m nonpareily into searching for oil in the Middle vitamin E a decision that nearly bankrupted him, because it took six age before any oil could be tapped. It is important to none that attitude the oil was not the save problem BP, or Anglo-Persian Oil caller-out at that time, faced moving the oils was just of a difficult confinement to maneuver. They decided to build a pipeline across the region an chore that lasted much than two old age. (Ferrell et al., 2011, p. 432)By the early 1900s BP was again running out of money, until Winston Churchill convince parliament to allow BP to supply the navys fuel. It was a British company, after(prenominal) all, so it would support Britains interests. Britain hence became one of the companys biggest sh beholders. This is significant because this instance helped spark t he debate over political science and governments investments in oil companies a topic that is passive debated today. (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 432) After the mid-twentieth century oil was in high demand due to automobiles being hole produced.However in the mid 1970s, political turmoil in the Middle East caused oil production there to fall from 140 million to calciferol barrels (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 432). With the demand for oil still high and the supply low, BP was agonistic to find other untapped oil supplies. BP found some oil orbital cavitys in places such as Alaska and off the coast of Scotland. These uncaring locations for drilling again forced hoisted creativity of BP engineers, and they began to innovate new slipway to tap and transport the oil. One of these ideas was the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline, the largest civil engineering project inNorth America, measuring 746 miles long (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 433).BP made honest efforts to ensure the purlieu around dril ling projects would be preserved. However, sometimes these efforts were thwarted, which has become one of the rudimentary ethical fruits for BP, among other things, including charges of death and fraud. (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 433-434). BP has recently sought to enhance their sustainability. In an effort to repair its image and seize an opportunity to invest in future capital, BP has invested in developing other energy sources, such as eddy, solar, and biofuels.BP has also has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lessening their percentage to global warming, by creating the aforementioned energies as wall as commit in practices like carbon sequestration and storage (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 435-436). Analysis What is the angiotensin converting enzyme well-nigh important ethical issue presented in the case, how has the issue touch specific stakeholders? I conceive of the single most important issue presented in the case is a lack of environmental res ponsibility.BP poorly check their oil drilling and transporting equipment, and these non-actions contribute to the numerous oil expirations over the years which destroy the environment killing plants and animals, as salubrious as the explosions which are responsible for claiming several human lives. These issues garner the most media coverage, as well as probing by environmentalists and other special interest groups. These junior-grade stakeholders influence the courts and governments to penalize companies like BP for this kind of irresponsible behavior.The negative reports admonish shareholders and employees. Unfortunately, I think the most customers, care more than about the footing of gas than which company they are purchasing it from. What has the company done to consultation their ethical issues, what could they do differently to avoid future ethical issues? BP has tried and true to underwrite environmental issues by a) simply ack straight offledging that climate cha nge is occurrence and it is a man-mad problem, and b) investing approximately $1. 4 billion in creating supplies of renewable energy (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 434).In 2005 BP also published a code of conduct, in it bring out the companys legal and ethical obligations. This document was name Our payload to Integrity. (Ferrell et al. , 2011, p. 438) I feel that the company could start out better inspections and concern on their rigs and pipelines, and publicize their findings, whether that facility is in perfect working golf club or needs to be closed down for repairs. Giving the stakeholders more transparency forces ethical behavior and a real commitment to integrity. found on the companys ethics would you Work for the company?I would not work for BP, especially if they do not seriously address the maintenance of their facilities. I feel that flat though BP is at least heading in the just direction by investing in renewable energy, its main product and biggest earner is sti ll oil the most common source of the companys ethical problems. Buy their products? I have tried not to purchase BP fuel since the oil decline in the Gulf of Mexico happened. However, since gas prices have soared recently, if gas is less overpriced at a BP service station, I will buy it there.Personal economic system does not contradict myethics, I just do not think makes sense to give even more money to the oil application as a whole than what is already necessary. Invest in their seam? I would not invest in their stock right now because BPs main product is fuel and even though I have to use it, it is detrimental to the environment. Of course, it is doing well in the stock markets right now, but it is unsteady and influenced by other factors happening in the world, and I would rather invest in something is both sustainable and fiscally stable. Also, I do view BP as a trustworthy company, and I wish to support their underhandedness.Invite them to be part of the community in w hich you live? I would invite BP to be a part of my community because jobs are ever so needed here. Additionally, their function in my community would not have to include an oil rig or pipeline, it could be a solar circuit card plant, or a turbine factory. Those things would have positive impacts on several communities besides my own. Updates Since this case was studied in the text a lot has happened to BP, one major event that should be mentioned is the Deepwater Horizon oil let the cat out of the bag in the Gulf of Mexico.This explosion killed 11 people and gushed oil into the ocean for cardinal months. It was the largest oil spill in history. While BP claims the explosion was caused by many factors, including blaming Transocean and Halliburton, providers of some of the rigs equipment (BP, 2010), BP still estimates its overall cost for the spill to be roughly $40 billion, half of which is pledged to actual victims of the spill (Skoloff & Wardell, 2010). As of February, 2011 only $3. 54 billion had been spent on wise up and payment to victims.This deviates significantly from BPs original scheduled disbursements of that fund, and barely the company agrees to still payout dividend to shareholders (usatoday. com, 2011). I am not saying whether it is or is not ethical to pay shareholder dividends during a crisis such as this, what I do find unethical is the lack of integrity. Not only has BP slowed compensations payment, but they had previously announced that they would not pay dividends after the spill, and then negated. Concept I feel that the central concept from this Case-Study is the idea of integrity.Over the swing of more than 100 years, the company has come up with new intelligent way to reach and transport previously unattainable oil, but they still use a version of oils spill clean up engine room circa 1960. BP develops wind and solar energy technologies, but I see more BP service stations popping up more frequently than their wind turbines. Also, BP announced they were going to halt dividend checks to shareholders after the oils spill in the gulf. However, after the issue has been out of the spotlight for a while they slow the compensation benefits to the gulf, and continue to pay their shareholders anyway.BPs own code of conduct is titled Our Commitment to Integrity, and theyve shown over and over how they just are not reliable. Application One thing that I can and do collapse to my life personally is the idea of integrity, being reliable, and doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Integrity is important character facet to have professionally as well. My major is Human Resources Development a field that I hope to work in one day. In an HR position I want to help my organization, by developing the employees, accompaniment fairness and equality, and helping to instill and positive and ethical culture.