Toyota Gas Pedals

In late 2009 Toyota became the subject of media and U.S. government scrutiny after multiple deaths and injuries were attributed to accidents resulting from the unintended and uncontrolled acceleration of its cars. Despite Toyota's voluntary recall of 4.2 million vehicles for floor mats that could jam the accelerator pedal and a later recall to increase the space between the gas pedal and the floor, the company insisted there was no underlying defect and defended itself against media reports and regulatory statements that said otherwise. As the crisis escalated, Toyota was further criticized for its unwillingness to share information from its data recorders about possible problems with electronic throttle controls and sticky accelerator pedals, as well as braking problems with the Prius. By the time Toyota Motor Company president Akio Toyoda apologized in his testimony to the U.S. Congress, Toyota's stock price had declined, in just over a month, by 20 percent--a $35 billion loss of market value.

Toyota gas pedals: is the public at risk? : hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, second session, February 24, 2010.

Congress is considering legislation to strengthen federal regulation of auto safety. Contents of this report: (1) Intro.: Nat. Highway Traffic Safety Admin. (NHTSA); (2) Fed. Oversight of Auto Safety: Sudden Acceleration Complaints; Audi Historical Precedents; Toyota-Related Complaints Since 2000; NHTSA Response to Toyota Complaints; (3) Toyota: Toyota Corp. Structure; Black Box Avail.; Recall Impact on Toyota Sales; Toyota Lobbying; (4) Policy Issues and the Congressional Response: Does NHTSA Have Enough Resources for Defects Investigation?; Is the Toyota Issue a Sign of Broader Problems Within the Auto Industry?; Are Electronics and Software Testing Stringent Enough?; Electronic Throttle Problems. Illustrations.

"An analytical approach to corporate reputations from its leading scholar. Public perception, especially in the time of social media, is a core determinant of any organization's success and longevity. It is also fickle: organizations can fall astray of public approval through crisis, mismanagement, or sudden shifts in the public sensibility. In Reputation Analytics, Daniel Diermeier offers the first scientific framework for understanding and managing the vagaries of corporate reputation and public opinion. Drawing on a political scientist's understanding of the formation and dynamics of public opinion, Diermeier infuses his approach with lessons from game theory, psychology, and text analytics to produce a rigorous, altogether original approach that will have immediate application in both scholarship and practice. A milestone work from one of social science's most eminent scholars, Reputation Analytics ushers a new and advanced understanding on a topic that has long eluded such treatment-and an essential work for readers across industry and academics"--

Corporate Social Irresponsibility focuses on ethical failures in order to relate corporate responsibility to business ethics, corporate governance, and organization effectiveness. The book advocates a strategic approach to CSR – ethical management cannot, and should not, be divorced from effective management. Corporate social responsibility has transitioned from oxymoron into a defining challenge of the twenty first century. Taking the recent financial crisis as a starting point, Alexander examines the underlying ethical and legal crises these events expose in the business world. The problems that have come to light go beyond issues of firm financial performance into the integrity of the manufacturing and marketing processes, and relations with consumers. As such, the book presents a model that resolves the apparent conflict between maximizing shareholder value, and meeting the interests of other firm stakeholders. Alexander presents a balanced view, contrasting her model with alternative approaches. The book also covers the impact of globalization on management, the ethics of outsourcing, the limits of regulation, as well as poverty alleviation and social entrepreneurship. Blending a comprehensive theoretical framework with a broad range of cases, this book covers the latest major changes in US legislation, as well as recent corporate scandals making it a valuable accompaniment to any course in CSR, business ethics, or business, government and society.