Antecedents of User Acceptance of Electronic Human Resource Management Systems (e-HRM) at SEAT

This research investigates factors that impact the use of electronic human resource management (e-HRM) systems at SEAT, a car manufacturing firm of the Volkswagen Group. This study builds on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology to analyze the relationships between user acceptance of e-HRM systems and its antecedent factors, namely performance expectations, ease of use, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The empirical study takes advantage of how employees at SEAT use a new e-HRM system implemented by the human resource department in the context of a business digitization strategy. One hundred and sixty-nine employees at SEAT were conveniently sampled to bring light to the most influential predictors of e-HRM user acceptance. Hierarchical multiple regression shows that performance expectations and ease of use have positive relationships towards acceptance of e-HRM technologies. In addition, this research provides some practical implications to guide HR professionals on the implementation of e-HRM systems.

Ferdinand Karl Piëch: A Psychobiography of a Ruthless Manager and Ingenious Engineer

The dark sides of personalities have gained importance during the past two decades. Psychobiography deals with the life of extraordinary individuals throughout the life span by applying selected theories to analyse specific life aspects. This study uses Theodore Millon’s (1990, 2011) personality theory to explore the life of Ferdinand Karl Piëch (1937–2019), an Austrian engineer and business executive who was the chairman of the executive board of the Volkswagen Group (1993–2002) and the chairman of the supervisory board from 2002 to 2015. Piëch was also known for having a complex and controversial personality. This study aims to explore the life and work of Ferdinand Karl Piëch through the lens of Millon’s personality theory. This study has four specific aims. Firstly, to provide an accurate and objective description of Piëch’s life history. Secondly, to formulate an accurate description of Piëch’s personality on the basis of existing biographical data. Thirdly, to interpret Piëch’s personality through the use of Millon’s theoretical framework and identify the personality prototypes that correspond with his personality characteristics. Fourthly, to contribute to expanding the field of “dark personality aspects” from a psychobiographical perspective, especially the personalities of extraordinary individuals. The findings suggest that although Piëch demonstrated the characteristics of three personality prototypes, the assertive-sadistic prototype is the best fit for his personality characteristics. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations for theory and practice are given.

Clean and Green – The Volkswagen Emissions Scandal: Failure of Corporate Governance?

In 2014, a scandal involving fraud and power shook the Volkswagen Group with far-reaching consequences that are yet to be fully revealed. This article examines the Volkswagen emissions scandal in terms of corporate governance failure. After a chronological review of the events that led to this extraordinarily damaging revelation, the main differences between the American and the German board system are described. Although Germany’s two-tier board is often considered superior to the American board system, weaknesses in the area of corporate ethics and culture that led to the crisis in the Volkswagen case are identified. The particular constellation within the Volkswagen group and its ownership structure reveals failures in management ethics that led to a certain kind of behaviour among employees that was not explicitly mandated by the management but was, nevertheless, in its interest in regard to achieving company goals.

The Volkswagen recovery: leaving scandal in the dust

Purpose Following the diesel emissions debacle of 2015, Volkswagen Group has rebounded significantly in terms of sales and market value. When examining Volkswagen’s dramatic recovery, it is clear to notice four distinct elements that helped to bring about this rapid turnaround. To push through the public relations nightmare and regain sales traction, Volkswagen embarked on a four-step process that centered on four key words: Replace, Restructure, Redevelop and Rebrand. The purpose of this study is to examine that process. Design/methodology/approach This study is a case study examining the performance of Volkswagen Group and their recovery from the 2015 diesel emissions scandal. To achieve their significant turnaround, the company sought to: replace the leadership, restructure the organization, redevelop the strategy and rebrand the product. This study examines those four steps in the recovery process as a model for other firms. Findings To try and achieve an unprecedented turnaround, the company sought to: replace the leadership, restructure the organization, redevelop the strategy and rebrand the product. These four strategic elements formed the basis of a newly focused company and continue to push the company forward and further away from the scandal. This four-step process of recovery provides an excellent case study for other firms who may find themselves in the midst of turmoil and crisis. Originality/value To push through the public relations nightmare and regain sales traction following their 2015 emissions testing scandal, Volkswagen embarked on a four-step process that centered on four key words: Replace, Restructure, Redevelop and Rebrand. These four strategic elements formed the basis of a newly focused company and continue to push the company forward and further away from the scandal. This four-step process of recovery provides an excellent case study for other firms who may find themselves in the midst of turmoil and crisis.

Corporate Communication

In September 2015, it appeared that the Volkswagen Group had circumvented the rules for testing diesel car exhaust gases. Although the organization presents itself as eco-friendly, it used a “default device” for diesel cars to produce less CO2 during test situations. Due to this kind of scandal, corporate communication is often associated with greenwashing and the manipulation of minds. Using the normative practice approach, the authors introduce some basic distinctions that may help to come to a better understanding of what the specific duty and responsibility of communication professionals is. They argue that corporate communication stands or falls with public trust. Building confidence and public legitimation is the main task of communication professionals. Although communication is about the construction of a communal world, that does not mean that framing and strategic reasoning are not important. In order to bring in a legitimate point of view, one has to present this point of view in an impactful way. Communication professionals have to balance between the interests of the organization and the requirements of public legitimation. They also have to make convincingly clear how their personal biography and the narrative of the organization are interrelated.

Ekološka osviještenost investitora i kupaca: slučaj Volkswagen grupe i afere Dieselgate

The Dieselgate affair is linked to the illegal activities of the Volkswagen Group, which involved the deception of car buyers and the concealment of the actual results of the level of harmful gases discharges in diesel cars using computer programs. Although the Volkswagen group has been using these illegal activities for a long time, they were only discovered in September 2015. Through selected statistical methods the paper examines the Dieselgate affair disclosure impact on the behaviour of the Volkswagen Group investors and customers. It is assumed that investors and customers possess ecological awareness and that the selected Volkswagen Group business performance indicators should have reflected that. The research demonstrated that the Dieselgate affair has had a major impact on the decline of the Volkswagen Group regular and privileged shares value. On the other hand, the Dieselgate affair did not have a significant negative impact on Volkswagen Group vehicles sales. Indeed, after a short adjustment period, the Volkswagen Group continued to increase vehicle sales even after the disclosure of the Dieselgate affair.