The Boeing 737 MAX case reminds me of a time during high school group project where we had to rush to finish it because of a tight deadline. To save time and be sure that we submitted it on time, we overlooked minor details in the rubric and didn’t include them in our final submission. While our project obviously wasn’t life-or-death like Boeing’s, the idea that we need to get it submitted fast over focusing on quality felt similar. This article made me reflect how easy it is to justify small oversights when the pressure to deliver is high. It’s a reminder that ethical decision-making starts with focusing on the small decisions and I’ll carry that with me into my professional life.

This article connects to Sandra Waddock’s “Ethical Role of the Manager.” Waddock stresses that ethical leadership requires integrating values into everyday decisions, not just addressing failures after they occur. The Boeing case exemplifies this, as managers failed to ensure saftey over competitive pressure and pressure from people higher up. Boeing’s reactive response to the crashes shows how misaligned their values are. Boeing only took correct steps to make their process and culture happen after a disaster had happened. Both texts highlight ethical cultures must be embedded in organizational practices to prevent harm.

The Boeing case also relates to recent scandals in the automotive industry, where companies like Volkswagen manipulated emissions test to meet regulations and advertise themselves as a green company. Like Boeing, these firms prioritized short-term gains over long-term reputations and trust. This comparison highlights a broader trend in high-stakes industries where competitive pressure can compromise ethics. This emphasizes the need for strong oversights of projects and a culture that encourages engineers to prioritize safety over profit.

Herkert, J. R., Borenstein, J., & Miller, K. W. (2020). The Boeing 737 MAX: Lessons for engineering ethics. Science and Engineering Ethics, 26(6), 2957–2974. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-020-00252-y