Question

​Maxwell Lights Inc., a fireworks company, has workers operating under dangerous working conditions. Last year, one of its workers died on the job. Nevertheless, the company took a long time to acknowledge its responsibility for the accident. The worker's family was compensated only after several months. Moreover, the money received by the worker's family was only half of what they should have actually been paid. Which of the following social responsiveness strategies is the company using?

A)Accommodative
B)Proactive
C)Reactive
D)Defensive

Answer 1

Maxwell Lights Inc. is employing a Defensive social responsiveness strategy, marked by a minimal legal response to the workplace accident, similar to situations in historical incidents like the Firestone/Ford tire controversy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the described conduct of Maxwell Lights Inc., the social responsiveness strategy the company is using appears to be D) Defensive. This strategy involves a company doing the minimum required legally, often reluctantly acknowledging its responsibilities and responding to problems only after they have occurred. The company's delayed acknowledgment of the accident and paying only half of the rightful compensation can be seen as an attempt to protect the company rather than a proactive effort to address the working conditions or to take full responsibility for the incident.

Recent legislation allows employees to lodge confidential complaints against their employers about work hazards or illnesses, leading to necessary corrections or fines for the company. Cutting costs in manufacturing that endangers employees, as seen in the Firestone/Ford tire controversy, can ultimately damage long-term profits and reputation.