Marketing Strategy Flaws for Toyota

Respond to the following in 1 to 2 brief paragraphs (cite any references used):

Public opinion changes somewhat quickly. I suppose I am a prime example. Until this module, I had completely forgotten about Toyota's recall. One would do well to remember, though, that if the public, at large, held a grudge, ford would no longer be in business. I wasn't around when this was a mainstream problem, but Ford sold the Pinto, knowing full well that it would explode and burn people to death. Car companies are bound to make mistakes. Cars have a large number of moving parts and an even larger number of electronic controls and safety features. The issue is the fact that companies cover up their mistakes at the cost of human lives. The smarter decision would be to initiate the recall or postpone the release of the product, as a preventative measure. Yes, the company would lose money, but if I heard that a company recalled a car at the first sign of trouble, or purposely didn't release it, finding a problem in the post production stage, I would go out of my way to buy that company's next car. Corporate responsibility has never taken a back seat to profit. In order for public opinion to change, for companies like Toyota, the company must convince people that it is taking more than the minimum necessary precautions, to prevent further issues. The public understands that mistakes happen and generally appreciates the knowledge that companies value human life. Essentially, it comes down to the old saying: actions speak louder than words. A company's actions after a mistake are akin to an apology. If Toyota simply did a press release to say sorry and carried on as normal, the company would lose respect; however, the company has changed a lot of internal controls and operating procedures. these kinds of actions tell the public that the company is serious about preventative precautions. Of course, other manufacturers kicked Toyota while it was down, but that is to be expected. As with the above Pinto example, I am sure that Chevy saw an increase in sales after the suit was filed against Ford.