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  • June 1995 (Revised September 1996)
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Union Carbide's Bhopal Plant (A)

By: Debora L. Spar
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:20
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Abstract

In December 1984, a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, sprung a leak, releasing thousands of gallons of highly toxic gas into the atmosphere. By the time the leak was sealed, over 2,000 people had died. In a series of three excerpts from published accounts, the case covers the events that led up to the tragedy and the aftermath--financial, legal, and emotional--for Union Carbide's management. The case is designed to allow students to explore the complex set of responsibilities that surround foreign direct investment. It enables them to discuss the extent to which Union Carbide's U.S.-based management was responsible for actions undertaken by Indians in India, and then to think of this responsibility in terms of its various components--financial, commercial, and moral.

Keywords

Ethics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Chemicals; Foreign Direct Investment; Chemical Industry; United States; India

Citation

Spar, Debora L., Suzanne Hull, and Julia Kou. "Union Carbide's Bhopal Plant (A)." Harvard Business School Case 795-070, June 1995. (Revised September 1996.)
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About The Author

Debora L. Spar

General Management
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More from the Author
  • 'Care in Every Drop': Ayala Corporation and Manila Water (A) and (B) By: Debora L. Spar and Sarah Sasso
  • Northvolt: Building Batteries to Fight Climate Change (B) By: George Serafeim, Debora L. Spar, Peter Tufano, Hugo Etchegoyhen and Emilie Billaud
  • Priceless: How to Create, Trade, and Protect What Matters Most By: Debora L. Spar
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