Socially constructing an image in the automobile industry

Due to its large-scale, often unrecognized effects, corporate deviance in A merica is a societal concern that demands further attention. The present re search provides deeper insight into the area, with the hope of furthering o ur knowledge and ultimately reducing the problem. Among the measurements pr esented are: 1) the corporate image socially constructed by General Motors (GM); 2) the "safety'' of GM vehicles; and 3) GM's constructed safety-relat ed image compared against its actual performance. GM's image was measured t hrough a content analysis of Newsweek and Motor Trend magazines, while GM's safety-related performance was measured using various vehicle crash test d ata. Through advertising and marketing strategies, the auto industry has ap proached the general public with an alleged commitment to automotive safety . The present research tested those commitments, and although determination s of guilt are beyond the scope of the present research (for reasons discus sed in the text), several conclusions regarding involvement in corporate de viance are provided. Those conclusions are discussed in the context of how they relate to crime and the societal implications they present. Suggestion s for future research are presented.