Question 1
In "What Was Volkswagen Thinking?," Jerry Useem (2016) presents Diane Vaughan's theory of the normalization of deviance and includes a variety of corporate examples that demonstrate the effect of her theory.
In your response, briefly explain Vaughan's theory. Explain how this type of communication within one of the organizations (Ford Motor Company, NASA, B.F. Goodrich, and Volkswagen) altered the behavior of the employees.
Question 2
Andrew Fastow, the former chief financial officer (CFO) of Enron who was convicted of wire and securities fraud, explains that the culture of an organization starts with the behavior of the top executives. Employees do not follow empty rhetoric though: Employees imitate the behavior and decision-making processes of top management (Useem, 2016). Based on what you have learned in this unit, do you believe this is an accurate statement? How big of an effect can empty rhetoric have on organizational behavior?