The Corporate Rewards Case: You are a new MBA employed by the American division of a large German company. You are one of the few employees who does not speak German fluently. Frankly, you have found it difficult to make friends with employees. Your boss is a middle-aged executive who worked in Berlin for the last twenty-five years. He is said to be uncomfortable about living and working in New York. Sometimes, his English is not so clear and he is known to dislike many American business practices. In Germany, he gained a reputation for being fiercely competitive and is known to be quite analytical in all business matters. The boss has assigned a task to you. The company has planned to order thirty Volkswagen automobiles as gifts for outstanding performers. In Germany, executives and other star performers receive such gifts. But Volkswagen's emissions scandal - frankly not a current issue -- and its poor relationship with the United Auto Workers (UAW) have led to concern on the part of top management about using Volkswagens for this purpose in the US. They have no problem using Volkswagens in Germany

Your task is to provide an analysis of the strongest ethical case for and against using Volkswagens as rewards for outstanding employees. You are not asked to recommend another automobile. You need to look at the facts about Volkswagen and its scandal. Also, what is their current relationship with the UAW? Would it be unethical to buy from a company with a poor ethical record? Would the purchase of VW's give your company a bad image dealing with unions and companies that employ many union members? This will take some serious thinking on your part. A Few Tips: Try to come up with at least three issues for and three issues against using VW's. Use facts not opinions. Are there any surveys on VW's image in the US, for example?