The Covid-19 Crisis as a Turning Point for Corporate Ethical Behavior? Corporations in General and the Case of Volkswagen

Essay from the year 2020 in the subject Business economics - Business Ethics, Corporate Ethics, grade: 1,3, University of applied sciences, Düsseldorf, course: Modul Business Ethics, language: English, abstract: The Scientific Essay analyses the question whether it is possible for companies to agree on ethical and economic goals and to establish a permanent ethical corporate strategy as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. For that key question, the Scientific Essay using three concepts of the module Business Ethics analyse and discuss the challenges and opportunities arising from the Covid-19 crisis in general and for Volkswagen. The concepts, which are initially defined and form the basis of the Scientific Essay, are: License to Operate, Triple Bottom Line, Corporate Responsibility. In the main part, the challenges and opportunities of the pandemic are presented based on the concepts. With reference to the title, it is particularly emphasized to what extent the Covid-19 crisis represents a turning point. Based on this chapter, the Volkswagen company is analysed. The contrast between the emission scandal and the new ethical orientation of VW is shown during the pandemic. Finally, the conclusion is drawn looking back at the entire Essay.