| After recording great profits, well over nine billion | | | | extremely risky (Pollit and Jones, 2006, p. 60). This |
| dollars in the year 1984, the Union Carbide Corporation | | | | would have ensured that the employee was taken |
| had every reason to seek further expansion. The | | | | care of, thus avoiding the unfortunate situation. |
| Union Carbide Corporation, an American corporation, | | | | The Importance of Planning in Corporate Response to |
| had in excess of fourteen plants in India. It was an | | | | Disaster |
| international corporation ranked as one of the most | | | | The importance of Safety and Health Management |
| profitable corporations in the industrial sector in the | | | | Systems is that they clearly identify the safety |
| United States. In establishing itself in the city of Bhopal, | | | | procedures in case of emergencies. As it were, the |
| India, this corporation had the aim of supporting the | | | | parent company in the U.S was unaware of the |
| locals, through corporate social responsibility. However, | | | | situation twelve hours after it happened. If there was a |
| this aim was never to be realized. In the year 1984, a | | | | proper system in place, most of the deaths would |
| disaster that claimed several thousands of lives | | | | have been prevented (Browning, 1993). |
| occurred. It was considered by many as one of the | | | | The Implication of Union Carbide Establishment in |
| worst incidences of its nature to have occurred | | | | Malaysia |
| across the world. This study is aimed at establishing | | | | In allowing the Union Carbide Corporation to establish |
| the motives of Union Carbide Corporation in | | | | itself in Malaysia, the government failed to consider the |
| establishing itself in India, as well as the measures it | | | | possibility of a recurrence of the tragedy. It also means |
| could have taken to prevent the disaster that took | | | | that most governments in the developing nations place |
| place in 1984. It will also assess the implications of | | | | greater supremacy on investment, even where the |
| setting up plants in Malaysia, as well as whether the | | | | countries do not have technical know how in either |
| union has made any steps in avoiding similar | | | | evaluating the impact of those investments on the |
| occurrences in the future. | | | | people (Strohm, 2002, p. 92). |
| Union Carbide in India | | | | Did Union Carbide learn from its experience in Bhogal? |
| The Union Carbide Corporation was very profitable | | | | There were several lessons that Union Carbide learnt |
| around the time that this major tragedy occurred. The | | | | from its experience in Bhogal. After the incidence, the |
| aim of its establishment in India was to not only expand | | | | company suffered massive losses of property and |
| its profit base, but also to aid in technology transfer | | | | profits. The were several changes that were made, |
| (Browning, 1993). The arrangement was that Indians | | | | including setting up of facilities to help the victims, as |
| would be properly trained in the operations of the | | | | well as media campaigns, all aimed at informing the |
| corporations in order to ensure a smooth transfer of | | | | people about the humanitarian initiative of the company. |
| technology (Browning, 1993). | | | | This shows that the company learnt some important |
| Union Carbide Corporation's Disaster Preparedness | | | | lessons from its experience in Bhogal. They had to |
| In India, there are certain guidelines, which apply to all of | | | | learn the lesson to safeguard their reputation. After all |
| the corporations dealing with anything potentially | | | | corporate reputation means a lot than their brand |
| harmful to the environment. At the same time, every | | | | reputation (Fombrun, 2002, p. 53). |
| corporation is has its own Safety Management | | | | Conclusion |
| Systems, which clearly stipulate the ways in which | | | | Although a lot has been said regarding the company, it |
| disasters such as this one could be avoided. If these | | | | is important that the role of governments in the |
| guidelines were followed, it would have been easier for | | | | regulation and protection of their people be more |
| the company to deal with this crisis (Freeman, 1996, p. | | | | proactive. This is because; it was evident that the |
| 28). At the same time, the tragedy was allegedly | | | | government of India failed its people by licensing a |
| triggered by an angry employee, who decided to mix | | | | corporation that was potentially harmful to its people. |
| the toxic methyl isocyanides with water, which | | | | The fact of establishment in Malaysia should also be |
| triggered the reaction. The corporation also should | | | | thoroughly scrutinized to ensure that there is no |
| have set in place, modes of conflict resolution, | | | | possible recurrence of the Bhopal incidence. |
| considering that the nature of operation was | | | | |