Article on Ford Performance Critique - Research Paper Example

The company has failed to meet its goals which were to improve the mileage on sport-utility vehicles by the year 2005 to 25%. According to the views of Susan Cischke, although the company has failed to meet its commitments, its SUV (Sports-Utility Vehicle) mileage goals have been a blueprint demonstrating where the company wants to go and thus stated that she is confident that this time the company will be able to achieve the goal. However, Alan Mulley (Chief Executive Officer) stated that the company will try to focus on environmentally friendly issues. According to Friends of the Earth, which is an environmental group stated that the announcements that have been made by Ford Motors have been quite unimpressive since the stated target of 30% reduction meets the regulatory requirements  (Koenig, “Ford to Cut New-Car Greenhouse Emissions 30% by 2020 (Update4)”).

The article is quite relevant to the course since it tends to demonstrate how the company has recognized its responsibility towards the customers and the environment. It demonstrates the company’s conscientiousness towards societal objectives. The article has been successful at revealing the ethics as well as the corporate social responsibility related matters of Ford Motor Company (CSRwire, “Ford Commits to Major SUV Fuel Economy Gains”).

The most important point in the article that has been agreed with is the Vice President’s statement that stated, the difficulties Ford Motors might face while implementing the policies of greenhouse gas emissions, however, it is not an impossible task at all. The statement makes it evident that the company seems to perceive social responsibility as an opportunity to serve society and other participants rather than a damage control initiative. If the leader is of such views then the company as a whole can be prepared to work with the similar enthusiasm and mindset as that of the Vice President, Susan Chischke.

The point in the article holding the most disagreement is the company’s confidence to meet the goals of greenhouse gas emissions. The reason for the disagreement has been the fact that the company has rejected its goals that were based upon the improvements on the sports-utility vehicles in the year 2003 to 25% as targeted till 2005 (Koenig, “Ford to Cut New-Car Greenhouse Emissions 30% by 2020 (Update4)”). The statement of Susan Cischke seems to be contradictory by nature and thus it raises the issue of unreliability.

Three Questions Left Unanswered:
1. What is the impact of such an announcement of 30% greenhouse gas emission upon its competitors?
2. What are the reasons for the company’s reluctance to meet the demand of California?
3. What apart from setting the long-term targets of reducing the greenhouse gas emission by 30%, is the company initiating to reduce the greenhouse gas release? For instance, educating the employees, improving energy efficiency, and buying renewable energy.

The article is helpful to attract customers since it is a well-known fact that customers can also be attracted towards the company behind the products as well as the brands that they tend to buy. The most influential factors have been the extent of social responsibility through which the companies tend to treat their workers, invest money for the betterment of the society and the benefit of the usage of the product in the society and these are considered to be important in aspects of marketing as well as for the corporate agenda.

The article serves as the means of promotion through which other companies may as well be attracted towards implementing similar policies and marketing strategies and thus demonstrate their urge to be socially responsible. Furthermore, if Ford Motors is unable to meet its goal of a 30% decline in greenhouse gas release; other companies will get an opportunity to learn from the failure and thus will be able to implement other marketing strategies.

The companies will be able to generate sales if they are socially responsible since the customers prefer to buy the products and thus rate the products of the company that is perceived to have a good reputation.