Hello all,

Question

Having a strong ethical foundation for a successful business is essential. A business that neglects its ethical responsibility for profit can lead to overwhelming damages as well as loss of revenue. For example, in 2015 Volkswagen was involved in one of the largest motor vehicle scandals in the United States. Volkswagen knowingly install "Defeat Devices" to pass emissions test to sell their Diesel power vehicles in America. There was a high demand for the vehicles due a marketing campaign that celebrated it cars low emissions. Volkswagen installed software that would read when a vehicle was being tested and changed the performance so it could pass. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detected that 11 million cars in the US were fitted with these devices. Due to Volkswagen's unethical practices they were fined up to 18 billion dollars, and had to recall 12.6 million vehicles worldwide.

I believe that the company handled the situation in an irresponsible manner. Knowing the seriousness of their actions they could have prevented being part of a scandal that inconvenienced their customers, employees, and stakeholders. Not only could this have ruined Volkswagen's brand, it also cost them billions of dollars because they decided not to be honest and transparent. write a short response to this and add that i wrote about this same topic

Answer 1

Hello,

I completely agree with your assessment of Volkswagen's unethical practices and the severe repercussions that followed. Companies must prioritize integrity and transparency to maintain trust with their customers and stakeholders. The Volkswagen scandal serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting how the pursuit of profit at the expense of ethics can lead to significant long-term damage.

Interestingly, I wrote about this same topic in my recent analysis, emphasizing that businesses should adopt a robust ethical framework to guide their operations. It’s crucial for organizations to recognize that ethical lapses not only harm their reputation but can also lead to substantial financial losses—as seen in Volkswagen's case. Preventing such scandals requires a commitment to genuine corporate responsibility, which ultimately benefits both the company and its stakeholders.

Thank you for sharing your insights on this important issue!