Question

Scenario
It is 2020, and General Foryota Company opens a plant in which to build a new mass-produced hover-craft. This hover-craft will work using E-85 Ethanol, will travel up to 200 mph, and will reduce pollution worldwide at a rate of 10 percent per year. It is likely that when all automobiles in the industrial world have been changed over to hovercrafts, emission of greenhouse gasses may be so reduced that global warming may end and air quality will become completely refreshed.

However, the downside is that during the transition time, GFC's Hover-Vee (only available in red or black), will most likely put all transportation as we know it in major dissaray. Roadways will no longer be necessary, but new methods of controlling traffic will be required. Further, while the old version of cars are still being used, Hover-vee's will cause accidents, parking issues, and most likely class envy and warfare. The sticker price on the first two models will be about four times that of the average SUV (to about $200,000.) Even so, GFC's marketing futurists have let them know that they will be able to pre-sell their first three years of expected production, with a potential waiting list which will take between 15 and 20 years to fill.

The Chief Engineer (CE) of GFC commissions a study on potential liabilities for the Hover-vees. The preliminary result is that Hover-vees will likely kill or maim humans at an increased rate of double to triple over automobile travel because of collisions and crashes at high speeds -- projected annual death rates of 100,000 to 200,000. However, global warming will end, and the environment will flourish.

The U. S. Government gets wind of the plans. Congress begins to discuss the rules on who can own and operate Hover-vees. GFC's stock skyrockets. The Chief Engineer takes the results of the study to the Chief Legal Counsel (CLC), and together they agree to bury the study, going forward with the production plans. The Chief Project Manager (CPM), who has read the study and agreed to bury it, goes ahead and plans out the project for the company, with target dates and production deadlines.

Our class is a team of young lawyers, project managers, engineers, and congressional aides who are all part of the process of helping get this project off the ground. In fact, according to the first letter of your last name, you are the following team:

• A-G: Attorney on the GFC team
• H-N: Project Manager on the GFC team
• 0-S: Engineer on the GFC team
• T-Z: Congressional Aide

Somebody sent a secret copy of the report to you at your home address. It has no information in it at all, except for the report showing the proof of the increase in accidents and deaths. The report shows, on its face, that the CE, CLC, CPM, and your Congressional Representative have seen copies of this report. On the front there are these words typed in red: They knew — they buried this. Please save the world!

Each of you feel a very loyal tie to your boss and your company/country. You all have mortgages, and families to feed. It is likely if you blow the whistle on this report, you will lose your job and your livelihood. You're not even sure who wrote the study in your envelope or who actually sent it to you.

Upon studying the issue, you determine the source of the message that set you on the trail! The Source is Trace Velvet, a worker on the project that was fired for gross incompetence. As near as you can tell, the firing was deserved. This could be an act of revenge, or a demonstration of said incompetence. But you have no evidence that the information you have received was false. It may well point out a real problem. How does this change your responses?

Answer 1

The case presents a dillemma which a team leader(You) faces while taking appropriate administrative action while going through the pros and cons of a business plan.

The course of action which You will take will directly affect the lives of many at large.

A thorough analysi of the case with the best suitable action is presented below;

Crux of the case:-

General Foryota company intends to build a new mass produced hovercraft which will consume E85 Ethanol,Travel with a speed upto 200mph,Will reduce pollution with low emission which would result in reduction of global warming and a cleaner environment but it also possess a big threat to the lives of humans as per the investigation carried out by professionals which is secretly kept hidden under undue influence or any sort of nepotism.

The issues with the case if the plan would get green signal to implement are:-

i.It would put all transportation in disaaray due to parking problems and size of the vehicle.

ii.Roadways will no longer be used by this newly sought hovercraft vehicle.

iii.New methods of traffic control will have to be devised.

iv.The price of the new vehicle would be costly as it would cost around 4 times higher than that of an average SUV

v.It would take 15-20 years of sales to achieve the breakeven point for the company to achieve its profit.

The big blunders and errors committed in getting this wrong project getting approved are as follows:-

i.Chief engineer and chief legal counsel decide to bury the preliminary investigation report bury and getting the plan approved despite overlooking the fact that the report clearly ststes the grave consequences of the hovercraft's threat and danger to result in death of around 100,000-200,000 annual rate.

ii. A secret but bonafide secret copy reveals that the Investiagtion report have been seen by The chief engineer ,chief legal counsel and the chief project manager.

My Response in such a scenario would be as follows:-

i.I would act on ethical grounds and in a way never compromise the lives of others for my own prsonal gain and benefit.

ii.Since I have found no report which proves the investiagtion report findings false i would try to get the secret copy sent to me by The whistleblower Trace Velvet be well authenticated and drafted so that it can be used as a suitable evidence in the court of law

iii.I would get the Human right commission and Non governmental organistaion be involved in the study of the investigation report and would simultaneously get the gross misconducts of the culprits be presented in the eyes of Media and would sought legal help to let the judiciary intervene in the case and get the plan be put down so that lives of people at large could be saved as I would never put others life at risk for my personal well being.and will never act in violation of my conscience.