Fololio Mulagia Essay

In may of 2011 a Samoan schoolteacher by the name of Folole Muliaga was sent home from a New Zealand hospital suffering from a terminal illness called cardiomyopathy. Because, doctors believed she did non view as much longer to live she was sent home with two atomic number 8 tanks to booster aid her with her illness. McNaughton (2006) states that on May 29 a contractor for Vircom EMS was sent by quicksilver Energy to the Muliagas home to disconnect the electricity supply. Mrs. Muliaga pleaded with the contractor to keep the electricity because of her wellness condition scarcely he disagreed.A hardly a(prenominal) short hours later Mrs.Muliaga would perish. Prior to the Muliagas electricity being disconnected, the family had an outstanding balance of $168. 00, and could not break to pay the bill. The case of Folole Muliaga would later be broadcast around the world capturing the attention of many government officials. This paper will cover many aspects including but not limit ed to the consequences and outcomes of the scenario, the illegal and unethical aspects of the Mercury Company, was the role of the coroner and police department justifiable, and lastly, what reforms and guidelines were put in place as a impression of the devastating tragedy?Evaluate Ethical Behavior The Historical Case of Folole Muliaga Folole Muliaga, a 44 year old terminally ill mother of four suffering from cardiomyopathy perished afterward not being able to pay a $168. 00 electricity bill. As a result of Mrs. Muliaga sickness she was unable to push her teaching career which brought in the majority of the household income. Johnston (2007) states that Mercury Energy was unaware that disconnecting role to a South Auckland home could hurl potentially solemn consequences. The resulted consequence was too harsh to disconnect the electricity given that Mrs.Muliaga was just released from the hospital days earlier. The major price Mrs. Muliaga paid was dying 3 hours after the elec tricity was disconnected from her home. The family of Mrs. Muliaga would later dispute that the bill was not overdue, and that it was actually due days later. Bennett (2007) states that Fololes husband actually made a uncomplete payment on May 17 and would make another payment a few days later. The Mercury Energy contractor who disconnected the power says he was unaware that Mrs. Muliaga depended on oxygen tanks to live.Whats disturbing is that the Muliaga family states that when the ontractor arrived, Mrs. Muliaga invites him in and thourgly explains to him her health circumstances. She begins to plead with him not to disconnect the electricity, but he is not being attentive to her needs. He states he is simply doing his job, and that she must contact Mercury Energy to bewilder the electricity restored. Although health professionals who treated the victim said her health problems had tremendously worsened over the past few months, does not make it morally nor ethically factual f or the company to not hear the concerns of its customers.After the calamity went ational the general manager for Mercury Energy stated that he was sure the company was not at fault for Mrs. Muliagas death. Cleve (2007) He contended Im confident that the processes we have put, the communications we had with the customer, were very clear about the circumstances that would happen. The general managers arrogance toward Muliagas death clearly shows his wishing of concern and unethical doings. His thoughts are that the company done nothing immorally or illegally wrong. In the case of Folole Muliaga there was almost a political campaign by media, pressuring Mercury to change how they conduct business with customers who ave severe medical conditions.A companys culture is the biggest element of how it handles difficult situations. Companies no thing how large or small should have a value statement that aids them on what is considered ethical behavior. The actions of Mercury Energy were illegal in the eyeball of many consumers and shareholders around the world. Its very bothersome and also reality that individuals who occupy senior level managenet roles does not uphold the standards and intergrity when it comes to satisfying the needs of customers.Meredith (2007) says the behavior of Mercury Energy top xecutives serves to do no more than confirm just about every negative stereotype there is about impersonal, arrogant, and avaricious corporates. What makes Fololes story so alarming is that Mercury Energy is a state owned enterprise, which means the taxpayers solely, owns the company. Research states that Jones (1991) a moral issue is bounty when a persons actions, when freely performed, may harm or benefit others. Its imperative to know that many judgments are moral decisions because they have a moral component, such as the case of Folole Muliaga. The actions that took place in Mrs.Muliagas home was horribly illegal and unethical, because the situation was not in vestigated thourghly. If the contractor would have taken five minutes to contact someone about Mrs. Muliagas severe health condition her life probably could have been prolonged. The contractors irrational behavior to further assist the family is what makes this situation so demoralizing. A few weeks after Fololes Muliagas death, constabulary announced that there was no evidence that did not point to Mercury Energy nor the contractors that they were at fault for Mrs. Muliagas death.After Fololes death the family expressed that the Police department showed lack of Cultural Awareness and had institutionalized racism. Bridgeman (2010) Coroner Gordon Matenga concluded that Mrs. Muliaga died of natural causes but, an arrhythmia caused by morbid obesity and that the cessation of oxygen therapy and stress arising from the fact of the disconnection (as opposed to the way in which the power was disconnected) have contributed to her death. To agree with the coroners report individuals would r eally have to reexamine Fololes case. Certainly, the victim had health issues that contributed to her death.But, the question we must ask ourselves is that if Mrs. Muliagas electricity was never turned off would she have still perished a few hours later. Many of us would answer the question by saying no, she would still be alive. In many of our thoughts and private beliefs we would say that Mercury Energy is responsible for her death. Summary The Fololes Muliagas story should have been an eye opener for all major corporations. Many companies today do not follow Corporate Social Responsibility. Many top managers and executives are simply in the business to make a large profit off of its shareholders and onsumers.Organizations have to reexamine the culture, morals, and values of why they are in business. Meredith (2007) In the case of Mercury Energy, those needs should have been understood to include the cultural and economic issues of a Samoan family struggling to make a go of their lives in New Zealand and to have been deserving of care and respect in addressing what turned out to be the life threatening issue of the discontinuation of their electricity supply. A variety of theoretical perspectives have been established to support researchers and most mportantly managers on social issues.These concepts would help organizations to understand the importance of having values and morals when it comes to dealing with the public. The social life cycle theory was used to analyze the Mercury Energy case. Ackerman (1975) found that, in general, the responsiveness of business organizations to social issues progresses through a three-phase trajectory policy, learning, and commitment. Most of us who are familiar with the Muliaga case would say that the company was in vindication about the Muliaga issue.