Monthly Archives: September 2015

Volkswagen Scandal

Posted on September 29, 2015 | Leave a comment

How likely are you to buy from a brand again when their caught for fraud?

source: http://static1.uk.businessinsider.com/image/5608dda9bd86ef0e008bd56b-2478-1858/rtx1se94.jpg

Volkswagen, the world’s biggest automaker has recently been caught for fraud by selling cars with falsified emission data. In fact, the company found falsified pollution tests on 500,000 diesel engine vehicles, thus they pumped 40 times the allowed level of nitrogen oxides.

Coming from Japan, a highly polluted country, this kind of falsified released information infuriates me because this was done by the firm purely for selfish reasons to make their product sell more while hurting the environment. This kind of act shows the unethical decision this firm made in order to better benefit their company with an increase in revenue.

But Volkswagen was ultimately caught for their fraud, and they now face suspended sales and a 7.3 billion dollar fine to cover its costs as well as a possible 18 billion dollar penalty for breaching the emission limits.

Such acts do encourage customers to think twice about their purchases and can influence them to refrain from shopping Volkswagen vehicles knowing their past and the environmental cost they inflicted. This makes me question how many other automobile firms are close behind but just did a better job of concealing their emission data. What actions will the UK take to ensure their vehicles are not being cheated?

Sources:

http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-why-volkswagens-scandal-is-so-annoying-2015-9

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/sep/24/volkswagen-emission-scandal-how-it-affects-you

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-09-23/climate-politics-and-the-volkswagen-scandal

http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/28/news/companies/volkswagen-scandal-two-minutes/

The negative effects of fast food marketing to kids

http://news.yale.edu/sites/default/files/main-rudd.jpg

These days, firms are investing more into the advertising of un- nutritional foods that are being targeted towards children. American fast food restaurants spend $4.6 billion on advertising to children and as a result the number of meals for kids at fast food restaurants has increased by 45%.

Now children see an average of three advertisements regarding fast foods per day, thus it is clear this is directly affecting the foods that children consume.

The corporate executive of these fast food chains conduct their business based on their own desires; to help them gain profit in the long run. While the advertisements have a negative impact on the health of the society, if these firms were to cut down on the money that they invest in promoting their brand, it would result in less profit.

Thus I think that these firms are not socially responsible for triggering these negative messages towards children since they are using their own money to promote their business. The only social responsibility of these firms is their use of resources to increase its profits and as long as it engages in open competition without fraud, such advertisements should be permitted.

Sources:

Brands continue to target fast food marketing at kids

The facts on junk food marketing and kids