Volkswagen Emissions Scandal

Research Essay: Volkswagen Emissions Scandal
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Research Essay: Volkswagen Emissions Scandal
Introduction
Modern society has widely embraced the importance of communication. People have the urge to find out what is going on around the world, wherewith the influx of technology, people are able to obtain information and news on their mobile gadgets. Magazines and newspapers have actually transformed into e-papers and websites that offer news to the audience on their mobile phones. Communication from media and news outlets has played a major role in facilitating the empowerment of people by ensuring that nothing remains hidden (Castells, 2009). In fact, investigative journalism has proven to be highly effective in ensuring that issues and wrongdoings are extensively investigated and brought to light. An important role that communication has played in the provision of publicity for scandals. Companies, governments and members of the public have the tendency to engage in evil activities and hide them. However, communication through media outlets has helped in holding people accountable. In fact, the publicity in scandals helps keep parties involved on their toes in ensuring that they do the right thing (Castells, 2009). There has also been a tendency for unfair public criticism driven by biased opinions and hidden agendas that has followed media exposure of corporate scandals. Although the media has helped in enhancing effective communication, it is important to assess the ethical implications of the exposure especially from members of the public towards a company.
Companies have embraced the role and power of communication in unearthing wrongdoings where, which has raised the question of what is the implication of exposing a scandal to a company. A common scandal that was shed to light by communication initiatives from media outlets is the Volkswagen emission scandal. The scandal was highly sensitive since it exposed an ethical and accountability issue on Volkswagen's side (Jong & van der Linde, 2022; Clemente & Gabbioneta, 2017). Companies have been rushing to ensure that they embrace sustainability in all their operations as well as avoid any harsh and unwarranted criticism and backlash from the exposure media outlets do on scandals. In this aim, Volkswagen sought to get a step ahead when reacting to the scandal but did not embrace full liability. The role that communication platforms played in the Volkswagen scandal has helped illustrate how communication empowers. It also illustrates the impact of empowerment that the communication offers to members of the public to extensively assess and criticize a business. Therefore, the research paper seeks to question and analyze how communication platforms (newspapers and other forms of media) empowers people in scandals by sharing information but also leads to biased and unfounded public criticism using the Volkswagen emissions scandal, illustrating how Volkswagen was held liable but still suffered extensive impacts from media involvement in the scandal.
Research Question: How does the coverage of corporate scandals a...