It’s common sense, stupid! Corporate crime and techniques of neutralization in the automobile industry

David Whyte

doi:10.1007/s10611-016-9616-8

Abstract

This paper evaluates the usefulness of ‘techniques of neutralization’ and ‘denial’ theory for understanding how corporations respond to accusations of wrong-doing and criminal behaviour. It does so with reference to three recent cases in the automobile industry that have each been the subject of extended public outrage and regulatory response (the case of the Fiat Chrysler exploding Jeeps, the Toyota recall following a series of ‘uncontrollable acceleration’ incidents and Volkswagen’s emissions fraud). The paper shows how in each of those systematic cases, corporate strategies were based upon the systematic deception of the public and systematic attempts to resist any recall to safeguard consumers. It then uses those cases as a focus of analysis for reframing ‘techniques of neutralization’ theory in a form that takes account of the immense social, economic and political power held by corporations and foregrounding the hegemonic role played by corporations in shaping ‘common sense’ understandings of the world.

Highlights

This paper evaluates the usefulness of ‘techniques of neutralization’ and ‘denial’ theory for understanding how corporations respond to accusations of wrong-doing and criminal behaviour
It does so with reference to three recent cases in the automobile industry that have each been the subject of extended public outrage and regulatory response
Number 1 automobile industry publication Car and Driver [26]: 1) pronounced that the regulatory response to the case represented a “good, old-fashioned government freakout” and number 2 publication Motor Trend railed in its editorial at the height of the crisis: “we’re all in way more danger of being killed by a drunk driver than a careering Toyota.” ([27]: 1) In this sense, the technical denial issued by Toyota was given both credibility and, crucially, was disseminated to key audiences by this section of the media

Summary

Introduction

This paper evaluates the usefulness of ‘techniques of neutralization’ and ‘denial’ theory for understanding how corporations respond to accusations of wrong-doing and criminal behaviour. The prosecution agreement included an admission which forced Toyota to accept that it “misled U.S consumers by concealing and making deceptive statements about two safety related issues affecting its vehicles, each of which caused a type of unintended acceleration.” NHTSA says Toyota knew about more fundamental accelerator problems in September 2009 but did not acknowledge the problem until January 2010.

Results

Conclusion