Case Scenario:
Imagine a local company produces and sells chainsaws that come with a 2-year warranty. There are metal parts on the production line that must be painted before the chainsaws are assembled. The currently used paint gun transfers only 75% of the paint to the product, with the remaining 25% lost as air emissions. This exceeds the level of air emissions allowed under government regulations. The plant has the option of:
1) Purchasing a new paint gun that costs five times more than the existing paint gun but has a paint transfer efficiency rate of up to 95%.
2) Using a different type of paint that produces negligible amounts of air emissions but is known to chip and flake after two or three years.
3) Making no changes to production but paying monthly fines related to the amount of air emissions.
What are the short-term costs and benefits of each option? Consider financial, ethical, practical, and legal perspectives. What is the best choice of the options? What if the product were a car rather than a chainsaw