Evaluating Responses To The Germano Mine Disaster In Brazil: An Essay.

Sometimes global business can result in significant disasters for the people of the host country. One such disaster occurred at the Germano mine in the Bento Rodriguez region of Brazil. The mine is owned by Samarco Mineração SA, a joint venture between Vale, a Brazilian based multi-national company and BHP Billiton, an Anglo-Australian multi-national company. How these companies responded to communications leading up to and after the disaster raises questions about their ability to act and communicate ethically in an intercultural and intracultural setting.

Kale (2015) suggests that we can appeal to the human spirit to guide us in our ethical intercultural communication.  He suggests four principles for a code of ethical intercultural communication. These principles can also be used as a basis for any interaction, not just communication, as they reflect elements of various ethical theories.

Prepare a report that evaluates the responses of the owners of the Germano mine and the Brazilian government agencies to the tailing dam disaster that occurred in the Bento Rodriguez district. To start your research, use the search topic ‘Bento Rodriguez Dam Disaster’.

A number of ethical issues have been raised due to increasing possibilities associated with global development of Internet. We are living in a globalized, unbalanced and risky world.  There are ethical issues associated with the cultural differences. The interaction among people with a different cultural background is rising which is increasing the conflict. The report addresses the ethics in intercultural communication on the Germano mine in the Bento Rodriguez region of Brazil.  It is important to communicate the aftermath of disaster carefully in case of intercultural and intra-cultural setting. It has become important for a business organization to talk in an ethical way to deal with the situation (Chan, Fung & Yau, 2009).

The collapse of mining dam in Brazilian State of Minas Gerais is considered as one of the biggest environmental disaster. The flooded mining has shocked the population.  The dam was operated under a joint venture between mining giant BHP Billiton & Vale. Negligence is considered to be the major reason behind the issue.  In such a situation it is important to communicate effectively with the stakeholders.  In order to understand the ethical issues related to the situation it is relevant to understand the situation in order to draw perception.

David kale universal ethical code states that the ethical communicator address people belonging to difference culture with the same respect that they would like to receive them.  This rule applies to all people.  It is essential to interact with respect to all diverse human being.  Communicating with the people of different ethical group requires communicator to develop a common ground.  There is a difference in cultural beliefs and differences that need to be necessary for managing the communication.  It is valuable to understand the cultural difference to establish a meaningful connection. The ethnocentric perspective is based on the different cultural group to justify discrimination and violent conflict (Griffin et al 2010).  Human beings are more likely to make meaningful dialogue regarding the dispute s that they face as global citizens in the twenty-first century. As a communicator an individual faces challenges of preparing themselves for the intercultural encounters. In order to communicate efficiently it is recommended to develop ability by communicating ethically through:

• Respecting the diverse  culture of other people
• By seeking the common ground within a diverse cultural background.
• By respecting the differences in the cultural background (Castellany, 2016).

Bruneau (2000) has boldly stated that mutual empathy is not considered prominence in the theoritization of intercultural communication.  There are three types of empathy that required to be discussed well in advance: interactive empathy, reflective empathy, and projective empathy. Peace can only be attained across culture if the communicator reciprocates empathetically by generating trust (Ferri, 2014).

The first principle given by David Kale has stated that the Ethical communicators should address people belonging to other culture with same respect.  This principle is based on verbal and psychological violence against another person any violence against an individual culture is unacceptable. People belonging to different cultural background deserve mutual respect. Hence it will be unethical to use abusive words as this will demean the cultural values (Asante, Miike & Yin, 2013).

The second principle is based on the ethical communicator’s duties to describe the world as they perceive it.  The truth does vary from culture to culture. Reality is something different in terms of objectivity. Reality is constructed by the culture in which an individual live.  The communicator need not to mislead the people by damaging ethical values. It is only through people of different culture that the world is able to build trust. The trust is only possible if the communication between the cultures takes place in a systematic way (Austin & Jin, 2015).

Kale’s Four Principles of Ethical Intercultural Communication

Principle 3 states that the ethical communicator should encourage people of different cultures to express the uniqueness. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has stated that everyone has an equal right to speak up for their rights.  This has affected human behavior on a long run.  This is only achievable if an individual is able to retain principles in common while retaining the uniqueness.  One should focus on commonalities among the culture in order to appreciate the cultural differences (Jensen, 2013).

Principle 4 states that ethical communicator strive for Identification with people of other culture In Identifying people.  It can be done by retaining the uniqueness of culture. The principle suggests the ethical communicators encourage people of different culture to understand each other.  They are doing this by emphasizing the commonalities among the cultural beliefs and values.

Response 1

A top federal prosecutor has stated that the Brazilian government expected the companies to pay for the rescue and the cleanup efforts.  The government has asked for compensation to those who were displaced (Phillips, 2015).

Another initiative taken by the government is in the form of developing a task force with Minas Gerais.  They further asked the prosecutor to check regarding the environmental licensing.  Vale and BHP were responsible for the act. It was due to their carelessness that the act actually happened (Phillips, 2015).

Infected waste from tailing ponds and the mineral waste from reservoirs enclosed by the dams was flowing through two states. The disaster has interrupted the water supply of hundreds of thousands of people. This has raised the questions in relation to the probable impact of the waste on resident’s health, agriculture and the natural balance of the state (Brazil dam burst: President serves initial fines against mine owners after disaster zone flyover.2015).

The Brazilian government has further announced $ 3.4 million to the mines ministry for an audit of other dams.  The government further initiated that it is essential to balance the ecological environment by keeping a check on the other mines. There is a necessity to keep a check over the different activities related to the other mines in order to manage the operations. The government has made regulatory measures to initiate the work.

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that help in proceeding the best action that maximize the utility it defines as various ways in terms of well being or sentiments. Utility is sum of all pleasures one get from an activity. This theory considers the interest of every individual on equal parameter. The disaster at Bento Rodriguez region has questioned the integrity of international company (Ethical theories, 2012).  There has been a long history of dam failure that resulted in thousands of causalities. There has been certain speculation from Vale and BHP to take responsibility for the spill.  The operated mine was a limited liability company. At the end of the day BHP & Vale need to approach with humility. They need to accept the blame to understand the misdeed done by them. There are broader questions regarding the ethical practice. There should be certain level of voluntary flow in action by prevention of massive failure. There should be an ethical responsibility of a company to level the profits and to undertake sustainable operations by following ethical duties (Flammia, 2011).

First Principle

It is important for the company to take the responsibility for the failure. In the whole saga both the companies didn’t came forward to take the responsibility. It is important for an individual organization to ethically communicate for the misdeed. It is important from the point of view of the organization and the government official. In case of inter-cultural communication it s important to undertake the responsibility with utmost humility. This is important from the current alleged activities being carried in the organization. It has become valuable to understand the cultural difference to establish a meaningful connection. The current is based on the different cultural group to justify discrimination and violent conflict. Kale (2015) has clearly specified in his 4 principles about the ethical practices while communicating into other culture. It is necessary from the point of view of the universal theory of ethics which states the importance of utility while doing a job. The overall purpose of managing the ethical communication in inter-cultural organization is to manage the activities in an effective way. This also allow in portraying a positive image of the company (Dai & Chen, 2017). The disaster has caused a long term impact on the local people. It is though important to emphasize with the situation in order to support them. It is clear that both the companies haven’t validated the situation which has caused the level of insensitivity. Both universalism and cultural relativism are valued and neither of the theory provides sufficient support for the intercultural interactions.  Contextual relativism is one theory that is helping in reconciling the tensions between the universal approaches.  There is a complex situation in developing a sophisticated approach in terms of guidelines.  One way to deal with the ethical dilemma is to consider each case in a unique way. This approach is overall different from the cultural relativism. While considering the ethical issues it is necessary to respect the diversity.  The golden rule is to value each individual and their distinct attitude.  Ethical communicator need to address the issue with utmost respect (Crane & Matten, 2016). This theory applies to every individual. In order to communicate in a diverse environment it is necessary to strive for a common ground. In case of difference in cultural belief it is important for managing the differences.  As a human being it is important to manage the values and beliefs. They emphasize difference between cultural group and used as differences to justify discrimination in the activities. In such a situation it is important to communicate effectively with the stakeholders.  There is a difference in cultural beliefs and differences that need to be necessary for managing the communication.  This difference need to be managed in an effective way.

It is recommended that the intercultural ethical communication is of utmost importance for an organization in case of disaster. It is thereby necessary to understand the values and beliefs professed by the culture. It will allow them to work with more efficiency. The long term impact of gaining ethic and values is to understand the universal concept of ethical culture (Hartman, DesJardins, MacDonald & Hartman, 2014). It is thereby important in developing mutual values and beliefs. For attaining long term sustainability and for understanding the ethical environment it is important to develop effective ethical framework. This will allow the multinational company to develop an effective image. It is highly recommended to emphasize with the local I order to understand their pain.

Conclusion

 To conclude it is relevant to understand the importance of ethical communication. The report includes the necessity and responsibility of communicating with ethical values on case of inter-cultural communication. It is necessary to develop effective framework in order to communicate ethically in such a situation. The report firmly supports that Human beings are more likely to make meaningful dialogue regarding the dispute s that they face as global citizens in the twenty-first century. As a communicator an individual faces challenges of preparing themselves for the intercultural encounters. However it is necessary to meet the international standards in order to meet the differences. As a business professional it is important for an individual to behave ethically. This is important that one need to discuss the issues in an ethical way. The problems occurring in a global environment need to be addressed efficiently. This is the only way through which the whole world can operate together while respecting the diversity.

References

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