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On analyzing the case Halting a Dangerous Project, it is necessary to pay a particular attention to the historical background, in which the decision to halt the production was taken and reasons why Sam took the decision. At the same time, it is important to consider whether Sam had the right to take such a decision. Moreover, while assessing the decision taken by Sam it is important to take into account ethical considerations, which apparently played the important part in the decision making process. Therefore, the case Halting a Dangerous Project involves ethical considerations and needs the justification of actions of Sam along with the assessment of his adequate use of power concerning the decision he took.
First of all, Sam took the decision on the ground of the dangerous nature of the product. What is meant here is the fact that the product manufactured and sold in Eastern European country could be dangerous and used for military purposes. Hence, Sam was right, when he was very careful in taking the decision on the development of production in the Eastern European country. In fact, he should consider carefully effects of the development of production in any country of the world because he was ethically responsible for outcomes of the production. If the production could have dangerous effects and lead to deaths or injuries of people, than Sam could take the decision to halt the production, unless the national safety of his country was at stake.
Furthermore, taking into consideration the historical background, in which the decision was taken, the halting of production proves to be the right step taken by Sam. To put it more precisely, when Sam took the decision, the Cold War persisted. The Cold War increased possible risks of selling the product to third parties, including terrorist organizations and totalitarian states. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the fact that Eastern European states were under the control of the USSR and they belonged to the Soviet Bloc. Therefore, the production launched in the Eastern European country increased the risk of misuse of the technology, including the unauthorized use of technology by other states belonging to the Soviet Bloc. In such a way, if he failed to halt the production, Sam opened the way to the technology to the enemy of the US and the rest of the democratic world. In other words, the Eastern European country did not guarantee the proper use of technology and the full protection of intellectual property rights. Therefore, the technology could become available to any country or organization without the content of the owner of intellectual property rights.
On the other hand, Sam took the decision without consulting the upper management. In fact, he did not have the authority to take such decisions on his own. Instead, he should take the decision along with the upper management of the company because, otherwise, he would misuse his power. In fact, the production in Easter European country opened great prospects for the company to enter new markets of the Soviet Bloc, whereas the decision taken by Sam ruined these prospects.
Nevertheless, the decision taken by Sam was ethically justified and correct. He put safety concerns above material concerns. To put it more precisely, his decision was determined by safety concerns, even if it caused financial losses to his company.

 

 

 

 
Works Cited:
Harris, C. E. et al. Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases. New York: Random House, 2008.



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