Ethical Dilemma
For the sake of efficiency and lower costs, Premium Standard Farms of Princeton, Missouri, has turned pig production into a standardized product focused process. Slaughterhouses have done this for a hundred years—but after the animal was dead. Doing it while the animal is alive is a relatively recent innovation. Here is how it works.
Impregnated female sows wait for 40 days in metal stalls so small that they cannot turn around. After an ultrasound test, they wait 67 days in a similar stall until they give birth. Two weeks after delivering 10 or 11 piglets, the sows are moved back to breeding rooms for another cycle. After 3 years, the sow is slaughtered. Animal-welfare advocates say such confinement drives pigs crazy. Premium standard replies that its hogs are in fact comfortable, arguing that only 1% die before Premium Standard wants them to and that their system helps reduce the cost of pore products.
Discuss the productivity and ethical Implications of this industry and these two divergent opinions
Summary:
To improve efficiency and incur low costs, PS farms has standardized the pig production into a product-oriented process. They have done this for many years when the animal is dead but not when it is alive.
PS farm says that the hogs are comfortable and only 1% hogs die before they want them to. They also claim that their system is helping in reducing the cost of pork products.
To determine: The productivity and ethical implication of the industry and these two divergent opinions.
Explanation of Solution
Productivity and ethical implication of the industry and these two divergent opinions:
The productivity by the new method has increased the benefits of the industry. The industry also gives lots of job opportunities through its business. Many families and their livelihood are dependent on this business. Hence, from the productivity point of view, this business is essential.
From the ethical point of view, the animals are undergoing tremendous amount of pain in the light. Nobody, can have an idea on the pain they undergo behind closed doors. But, the statistics that only 1% of animals die before they need to supports the claim of PS farm that their practice is not affecting the animals.
Hence, there is fine line between being ethical and unethical when it comes to different practices. Hence, the line must be observed such that one opinion does not fall over the other.
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Chapter 7 Solutions
Principles of Operations Management: Sustainability and Supply Chain Management (10th Edition)
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