Discussion Board Forum 2: The Engineers At Volkswagen Corporation

Discussion Board Forum 1: Reply 2

The engineers at Volkswagen (VW) Corporation were identified by Timothy S. Dunn as having primary culpability for the scandal regarding excessive diesel emissions, due to their design and implementation of a device to defeat testing standards (2017). This analysis agrees that the engineers have personal and professional responsibility in the matter. However, this analysis response identifies the management as having created a corporate environment that directed and or allowed this type of illegal and unethical behavior, while being in direct conflict with a Biblical worldview. Corporate Culture

It would be difficult to find that the engineers acted solely on their own initiative without corporate or management

Dunn. The leadership had responsibility, as well, and all involved violated Biblical worldview principles, as outlined in Mr. Dunn’s analysis. Additionally, this analysis response offers that the leaders may have created the illegal and unethical corporate culture by not following a Biblical worldview. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [a]life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45), provides leaders the perfect example of leadership. If the leaders of VW created a culture that served its employees and the greater public, they would not have designed an engine, nor software, that allows for unlawful emissions. “Do nothing [c]from [d]selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 42-4), is a principle that the VW corporation did not follow. As VW’s interests followed sales and profits, they revealed their focus was upon selfish desires.

Summary

Leadership in all professions has responsibility to serve all stakeholders, including employees and consumers. Mr. Dunn’s analysis provided supporting evidence that VW neither followed their own code of ethics or the law and followed a distorted worldview. Although, engineers had culpability, the climate created at VW, by the highest executives, according to evidence analyzed, was a causative and responsible factor in the actions