SUVs and the Greening of Ford

Abstract

The Ford Motor Company is a transnational automobile manufacturer and a contemporary cultural icon with immense and far-reaching effects on economy, ecology, and society. As it has been throughout its history, Ford today is often in the public spotlight. Its recent move toward more ecological and sustainable practices, one of the more remarkable developments in business management in decades, has begun to remake Ford’s image. As this cultural critique shows, however, the continued production of SUVs, a highly profitable but possibly anti-ecological pursuit, is not the only contradiction in Ford’s quest to reinvent itself as a green business leader. Its core belief (that the world can and should accommodate the desires of mobile consumers, most of whom are both auto enthusiasts and environmentalists) serves as a severely limiting condition. Ford’s innovations are noteworthy, but its approach falls short of what is needed from big business to help create a more ecological society.