After Dieselgate
There are corporate lies of the kind that brought on criminal charges yesterday against ex-Chair Martin Winterkorn of Volkswagen, and there are corporate lies that don't lead to prosecution but that cast doubt on the integrity of a company and its managers. Criminal lies are a matter for prosecutors and depend significantly on the political context; Škoda Auto also presumably participated in the "knowing deception of Volkswagen customers," but none of its managers have been charged in the CR. Škoda's management was changed, but did the corporate culture change with it? It's a crucial question as the CR grapples with slower economic growth and major upheaval in the automobile industry. Škoda's performance and output during the electrification of the industry will make or break many other companies and influence the future of millions of families. Can Czechs believe what Škoda is telling them about its plans? Or are we headed toward an "Electricgate?"
Glossary of difficult words
knowing - done in full awareness or consciousness;deception - the act of deliberately causing someone to believe something that it not true;
to grapple with - to struggle to deal with or overcome (a difficulty or challenge);
upheaval - a violent or sudden change or disruption to something;
to make or break - to be the factor that decides whether (someone or something) succeeds or fails.