BUSI 561 WEEK 3 REPLIES KG

  CAN YOU DO THIS FOR ME PLEASE 2 REPLIES 450 WORDS EACH
Reply Prompt:
Reply to the threads of 2 classmates who offer views different than  yours. Identify the points of difference in your analyses and explain  how your application of the relevant law to the facts of this situation  led you to a different conclusion.

Each reply must be supported  by 3 scholarly sources other than the textbook/course materials. Each  source must be properly cited in current APA format.

Review the  Assignment Instructions for Discussion Board Forums, noting especially  requirements for word counts, scholarly sources, and biblical worldview  integration.

Submit your replies by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday.

REPLY 1
JESSICA STRADER
   DB Post 1  Collapse         
1. As  an employee or a manager in either the legal office or the engineering  department, how would you have prevented this incident?
Diesel  engines had a reputation of emitting many harmful pollutants into the  air which created problems for the environment and to the public. Since  it became such an issue, diesel vehicles were required to undergo  emissions tests to try and alleviate how many pollutants were released  into the air. When the test was done on Volkswagen diesels when the  scandal was found out, the results showed that their levels were 40%  over the United States threshold. As an employee in the engineering  department I would have first off researched the cheaper ignition switch  before I decided to use that one instead of one that was maybe more  expensive but would not have led to cheat on the emissions test. The  vehicle industry is one where costly mistakes are not welcomed and where  you must be extremely careful in every choice that you make. Secondly, I  would have cleared this choice with my manager instead of not telling  anyone and using it anyway. One person alone should not make the call on  using a cheaper part; especially when the risks did not seem to be  evaluated beforehand. The consequences of one person making an unethical  decision cost the company money, and its reputation. In the article “VW  faces long road in regaining trust: emissions scandal left 2,540  Arkansans eligible for buybacks” a buyer of Volkswagen cars said “The  thought of VW lowering their ethical standards to skew emissions tests  seemed unnecessary. The overall outcome has been devastating for their  brand image” (Cook, 2016). Recovering from a blow to brand image is a  long and tough road, especially in the vehicle industry. People that  were Volkswagen customers might be swayed to buy a different brand due  to the hit to the Volkswagen brand. 
As  a manger in the engineering department, I first would have been more  careful about who I had working under me. As a manger, you are  responsible for the choices that those under you make, and I would make  sure that I fully trust my team. I know that some people might seem  trustworthy and end up not being trustworthy, but especially in the  vehicle industry you must be super careful. Secondly, I would have a  system in place that would not allow people to just replace one part for  another. There should be some way to control that and make sure that  all decisions are ran by the manager before the final call is made. Due  to this decision being made to use a cheaper part, it ended up “wiping  out $16.9 billion of company’s market value” (Jung, Park & Bin,  2017). I would hope that Volkswagen fired the engineer that made the  decision and the managers that were in charge.
My  biblical worldview on this topic is centered around the verse “Whatever  you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving  thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17, New American  Standard Bible). Every choice that we make as Christian reflects  directly on others views of Christ, and it reflects on our character. We  should always make sure that our decisions are made in accordance with  God’s word. We should never cut corners because it might save money, or  because it might seem right to us. I try to keep the perspective of God  in everything I do, and I am so glad that He gave us a conscience in the  Holy Spirit to help keep us in check when we might not be totally sure  of something.
2. As  the CEO of the diesel division of Volkswagen, how would you have  responded when the situation became public? How would this response  prevent future incidents?
As  the CEO of the diesel division of Volkswagen, I would have been truly  disappointed that this situation ever happened. I first would have been  concerned with the people that were affected health wise from this  mistake. In the article “Public Health Impact and Economic Costs of  Volkswagen’s Lack of Compliance with the United States’ Emission  Standards” it addressed the possible health scenario: “We estimated that  across the different emission scenarios the total extra NOx emitted  over one year of operation by the 482,000 non-compliant cars would  result in 5 to 12 premature deaths using the EPA’s lower-mortality  assumption, 22 to 50 premature deaths using the EPA’s higher-mortality  assumption, 247 to 1061 episodes of respiratory symptoms, 3 to 14  hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory causes, and 3 to 13 emergency  visits for asthma” (Hou, Zhang, Luthin & Baccarelli, 2016). I would  not want anyone’s death or poor health due to this scandal to be on my  conscience. As CEO, I would have reached out to the people that were  affected by this scandal and tried to do my best to make it right;  weither it was helping to pay their medical bills or helping to make up  for the financial loss they might have encountered by having to be out  of work due to the mistake. Secondly, I would have responded by changing  the way that decisions were made on a managerial level by ensuring that  decisions as crucial as this one had to be brought to the managers in  charge. I would not allow any decisions to be made without several  managers approval. Being a CEO, there are many lives that are entrusted  to you and you must make sure that you are running a business that will  keep all your people safe, as well as the people that are affected by  your product. As CEO, you are responsible for the good and for the bad. I  would have taken it upon myself to make sure that problems like this  did not happen to the best of my ability. By taking ownership of this  problem and doing everything in my power to make sure it never happened  again, I would hope that I would be able to regain my consumers trust as  well as my team’s trust. This course of action would prevent future  incidents from happening because there would be a tight protocol in  place to catch products that should not be used in a vehicle, and that  no matter the price, life would be held in a higher regard than money.
My  biblical worldview on the choices of a CEO is found in the verse “A  good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than  silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1, New American Standard Bible). Money is  not everything; sure, it is nice, but I would rather have good things  attached to my name and be poor, than to have a bad name and be rich.  God blesses those who do things according to His word. He will take care  of you and bless you more than you could ever imagine. 
References:
Cook, M. (2016). VW faces long road in regaining trust: Emissions scandal left 2,540 Arkansans eligible for buybacks. Arkansas Business, 33(39), 19.
Hou,  L., Zhang, K., Luthin, M. A., & Baccarelli, A. A. (2016). Public  health impact and economic costs of Volkswagen’s lack of compliance with  the united states’ emission standards. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(9)
Jung, J. C., & “Alison” Park, S. B. (2017). Case study: Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal. Thunderbird International Business Review, 59(1), 127-137. doi:10.1002/tie.21876

REPLY 2

   Oliver Pottinger       
Discussion Board 1
BUSI 561 – Legal Issues in Business
Oliver A. Pottinger
Liberty University
Professor: Danette Kobolt 
Introduction to the topic: The overarching theme for week one  discussion board forum is centered on business ethics and social  responsibilities.  On 18 September 2015 Volkswagen received notification  of the violation to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean  Air Act. The offense charged Volkswagen with installing software with  the sole purpose of circumventing the legal emission standard  established by the federal government. 
The investigation discovered Volkswagen actioned concealment,  deniability, and plausibility before admitting the legal, ethical and  social irresponsibility exercise by the organization. According to the  textbook, “the social responsibility of business consists of the  expectations the community imposes on firms doing business within its  border” (Kubasek, Browne, Herron, Dhooge & Barkacs, 2016, Pg. 16).  The statement mentioned above highlights the social responsibility  between Volkswagen on the citizens of America.
Serving in the United States Army for over twenty years, a social  norm regarding morality is to hold the leaders of unit accountable for  their subordinates’ actions. The culpable positioned involved in the  Volkswagen emission scandal includes but not limited to Engineers,  lawyers, and the Chief Executive Officer. Engineers in Volkswagen  emission scandal were responsible for the software which circumvent the  government emission testing for approximately ten years. Volkswagen  Lawyers were responsible for ensuring the organization complies with the  emission regulation through shared knowledge of the government  requirement. The Chief Executive Officer is ultimately responsible for  the all the actions across all the domain of leadership under his or her  supervision. According to the textbook, “Each of the six functional  areas of business—management, production and transportation, marketing,  research and development, accounting and finance, and human resource  management—sits on a foundation of business law” (Kubasek, et al., 2016,  Pg. 3)
As an employee or a manager in either the legal office or the  engineering department, I would have executed my whistleblower  authority. According to the Institute of Public Enterprise,  “Whistle-blower protection mechanisms (WPMs) play a critically  significant role in combating corruption through ethics, corporate  governance, and statutes.” (Sharma, Kanojia, & Sachdeva, 2018 Pg.  1).”  Volkswagen Engineers cheating were predicated on the pressure  placed on the company to comply with the EPA regulation, competitors,  and stakeholders. The company had a small window to find technical  solutions to the emission problems with the fleet.
To prevent the incident from occurring in the first place, all  employee must understand the business procedures and policies that  govern the actions of all the employees. The communication culture must  be optimal across all the domains of leadership and extended to  subordinates. Systems must be aligned to stringent quality assurance and  control accompanied by an independent reviewing agency.  Institute  cross-training and job rotation to mitigate complacency and avoid  routines that encourages corruption within the workplace.  The human  resource department must screen prospective employees through a detailed  background check and thorough interview process to identify potential  employees with less than an optimal moral compass and a compromise  values and beliefs systems.  Additionally, establish a work environment  and culture that motivates employees to come forward and raised concerns  detrimental to the organization without fear.
As the CEO of the diesel division of Volkswagen, he should have  responded with honesty and transparency.  However, the step before the  response is to gather the facts of the situation.  This includes  developing a timeline and be contrite when you are in the wrong. It’s  equally important to separate facts from emotion a peak only what is  confirmed. Implement a review of all policies and procedure to identify  what are the causes of the issues.  Establish a crisis management team  that includes but not limited to the lawyers and public relations  personnel to guide perception. Integrate a holistic approach which  includes the organization ministry team.  The ministry team and the  company lawyers should have a symbiotic relationship.
The Chief Executive Officer response to prevent future incidents  should include but not limited to the institution of a modular  in-processing program to indoctrinates all employees on Business Laws  and a briefing from organization affiliated ministry team.  The training  must be adaptive to the challenging auto industry. According to the  Journal of Business Ethics, “training must become more specific to  tackle challenging questions regarding the gray areas of ethics and  compliance” (Hauser, 2018 pg. 1). The modular training must be holistic  and comprehensive. The training should include the policies and  procedures of the organization centered on business ethics, values and  belief provided by the lawyers and the ministry team. Serving in the  army for over twenty years I have seen the practices as mentioned above  mitigate the challenges and issues that arise from decisions not  consistent with strong core values. 
Inconclusion, the overarching topic of business ethics and social  responsibilities, is not exclusive to Volkswagen it’s inclusive to  routine task in our lives.  Leaders and subordinates alike must operate  in an environment that ethical and worthy of God praised. Actions  inconsistent with a holistic aperture will result in behavior  detrimental individually and collectively.  Volkswagen received  notification of the violation to the US Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA) Clean Air Act.  We as ordinary citizen receive the information  from our transcendent being.    Our actions at times attempt to  circumvent legal standard, but we are often short of the moral  standard.  According to 2 Corinthians “for such men are false apostles,  deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no  wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is  no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of  righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Corinthians  11:13-15 English Standard Version). The Engineer for Volkswagen was  jailed for his actions during the emission scandal.
  \ 
Reference:
Hauser, C. (2018).  Fighting against corruption: Does anti-corruption training make any      difference? Journal of Business Ethics, , 1-19.              doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1007/s10551-018-3808-3
 Kubasek, N. K., Browne, M. N., Herron, D. J., Dhooge, L. J., & Barkacs, L. L. (2016). Dynamic         business law: The essentials (3rd ed.). Penn Plaza, NY: McGrraw-Hill Education.
Lippe, P. (2015, October 13). Volkswagen: Where were the lawyers? Retrieved from    http://www.abajournal.com/legalrebels/article/volkswagen_where_were_the_lawyers/
Sharma, J. P.,  Kanojia, S., & Sachdeva, S. (2018). Comparison of whistle-blower  protection         mechanism of select countries. Indian Journal of  Corporate Governance, 11(1), 45-68.              doi:10.1177/0974686218769198
Volkswagen sued. (2016). Nature, 529(7584), 7. Retrieved from                                                     http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/apps/doc/A439532595/ITOF?u=vic_liberty   &sid=ITOF&xid=8f3a679a