Volkswagen Emissions Scandal
In 2014, a group of scientist from West Virginia discovered that Volkswagen had cheated on an emission test. It was later revealed by Volkswagen that this effected 11 million vehicles worldwide. The test made the emissions seem cleaner than they really were; when in reality, the emissions were up to 40 times higher than the legal limits. Volkswagen lied to their customers and the regulators involved. The numbers produced from the test were great, but the program cheated by putting on a performance during the test. Ethically, Volkswagen failed on many accounts. They lied and manipulated to increase profits. Consumers had no way of knowing this was happening and trusted the corporation. These corporations look to cheat the consumers based on their shear size and reach. They believe we are easy to take advantage of and they can get away with things that are ethically wrong. In the end, Volkswagen did the right thing by first giving compensation for lost value and later buying back or fixing the cars. Public image is key and even with all the power a corporation may have, a scandal can break a corporation.