Blitz Ethical Issues

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A recent products liability case involved gas can use. There isn’t one single case being discussed, but several cases, all with the same defendant. This paper will explore the facts of the case and whether the final judgments should’ve been upheld. Also, this paper will discuss the ethical considerations in these cases. Blitz, USA was the number one gas can manufacturer in the U.S., headquartered in Oklahoma and controlling 75% of the gas can market (The tort bar burns on; A case study in modern robbery: Targeting the red plastic gas can, 2012). In 2012, Blitz filed for bankruptcy protection from lawsuits, putting 117 employees out of jobs. Blitz asserts that the bankruptcy was forced by a slew of lawsuits claiming that the Blitz gas cans exploded, causing injury and death, in some cases. Blitz was unable to combat all the claims, even with insurance. The cause of action in the lawsuits was that the Blitz plastic gas cans were …show more content…

If Blitz had acted ethically and kept the arrestors in its products, even though this would increase its costs, it would not have had such large legal or insurance costs and may still be in business today. Other corporations would be wise to consider these implications when making cost savings decisions. Blitz should have considered the impacts on society before initiating such a potentially dangerous cost savings measure. The likely impact to other corporations, specifically gas can manufacturers, is going to be more intense oversight as to how the gas cans are manufactured. Blitz could have avoided the cases of negligence by behaving in an ethical manner. In the other cases in which the gas cans exploded during normal uses, Blitz could have avoided future lawsuits by suspending its sales temporarily and issuing a recall, and redesigning the cans to be safer. This would have been ethical and sound business practice that would have allowed Blitz to continue its

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