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Steve Lynch
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Arrogance and Accords: The Inside Story of the Honda Scandal Hardcover – November 19, 1997

by Steve Lynch (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 77 ratings
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Between 1994 and 1997, 18 former executives of American Honda Motor Company were convicted on federal fraud and racketeering charges. This true-crime story reveals the underbelly of one of the world's most respected companies, detailing the key characters in this 15-year scandal and their shady deals, along with internal and FBI investigations. Examines how the corruption adversely affected Honda's sales efforts, and analyzes the corporate culture that allowed it to flourish for so long. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
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  1. Print length
    310 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pecos Pr
  4. Publication date
    November 19, 1997
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0965776611
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0965776615
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

For all of the things right about Honda in the 1970s and 80s, there was something terribly wrong inside the house of Honda. Evidence suggests that high-ranking U.S. executives were shaking down their own dealers for cash or, in some cases, were forcing dealers to make the executives literal partners in their franchises. In return, dealers were allotted more cars - there were never enough to go around - or better yet, additional dealerships. Former Honda marketing executive Steve Lynch covers it all, from a unique insider's perspective, in Arrogance and Accords: The Inside Story of the Honda Scandal. Commendably, Lynch handles the story with balance, never tearing into personalities for their transgressions, but simply reporting the story.

Arrogance and Accords is often fascinating, always compelling. It should be required reading in business-ethics courses. Maybe some of Honda's former executives could teach the classes as part of their work-release program. -- Ed Wallace - Car and Driver magazine, February 1998

Steve Lynch, a former Honda marketing exec and author of Arrogance and Accords: The Inside Story of the Honda Scandal, describes a scene in this book in such extraordinary detail that it stays with the reader throughout the 300-plus pages that chronicles the largest commercial corruption case in U.S.

Lynch tells the sordid tale with a perspective and authority that only he can provide - the Santa Paula dealership, for example. Lynch was there, and he confesses that "he was no choir boy." -- Michele Krebs - Autoweek magazine, February 16, 1998

About the Author

Steve Lynch grew up in the shadow of the Studebaker automobile factory in South Bend, Indiana, and attended Indiana University. Lynch spent 13 years in the world of Honda, rising from a Honda dealership showroom floor to the executive offices of American Honda Motor Company, where he was in charge of regional marketing. Lynch also worked for Honda's advertising agency. He lives in Dallas, Texas.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pecos Pr (November 19, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 310 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0965776611
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0965776615
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 77 ratings

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Steve Lynch

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
77 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

sleepyhead
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
Very interesting.
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Ken Zoskey
5.0 out of 5 stars Will Never look At A Honda Again, And Will Forever Loath Rick Hendrick
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
I loved the book though it made me angry. I and sure that the Honda Corporation isn't as corrupt as the individuals in this book were, and hopefully they (Honda) have established some morals as to how their executives conduct themselves. But, the damage has been done! This book made me angry at how greed runs so rampant in the auto industry. Angry how such a ruthless, vile human being could be held in so high regard by a sporting body. This book has made me decide to never look at a Honda automobile ever again, and I did own one. And every time I watch a NASCAR race and a Hendrick car is leading, I will always question the legality of that car! Thank you to Steve Lynch for writing a powerful book about how power and money can be so corruptive! I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of Honda cars, and for anyone who is a fan of any driver who works for Rick Hendrick. It will open your eyes!
3 people found this helpful
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Dennis birkhimer
4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT- ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF WHAT TRANSPIRED
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2019
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GREAT ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF WHAT TRANSPIRED
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James
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Accounting
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2018
Verified Purchase
The author's accounting of the events were fascinating, especially due to how unfamiliar I was with the state of American Honda throughout the 80s. I would quickly recommend to any car enthusiast.
My only gripes are that the author had a habit of being a bit repetitious, and had a long cast of those involved, sometimes adding more anecdotes are irrelevant information than was strictly necessary, but was overall appreciated.
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P. Gleszer
5.0 out of 5 stars Real Behind-The-Scenes Insight
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2010
Verified Purchase
This apparently out-of-print book exposes a side of Honda USA that is shockingly different from the image Honda has cultivated world-wide. It reads like a novel about the Mob, but is real stuff about the "good old boys" at the USA arm of Honda. Bribes, shakedowns, intrigue, threats, suicides all part of how the executives and managers in the automobile distribution chain made illegal millions extorted from dealers. After reading this book, I'll never look at an Accord with the warm feelings and regard I once had toward this flagship model -- nor the company behind it.
3 people found this helpful
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Corey1957
5.0 out of 5 stars This book brought me into the story and gave me a good understanding of some of the way these (still dealers) ...
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2018
Verified Purchase
I grew up in the car business during this time and only heard about this. This book brought me into the story and gave me a good understanding of some of the way these (still dealers) got their start in the business. And not in a good way.
One person found this helpful
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jennifer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great true story
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2016
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Great true story with a proper insight to the automobile industry
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Nell Maxwell
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2018
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A gift, o feed back
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Top reviews from other countries

AK
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of one of the largest corporate corruption scandals in the US
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
The book is a meticulously researched, well written account of the embezzlement and corruption activities taking place at American Honda from the mid 1970s to about 1995 and should as such be of interest both to people connected to / working in the automotive industry, as well as those interested in business ethics more generally.

Steve Lynch, a former Honda employee has written a very thorough account of the whole affair, going up to about 1997. Relying on his own first hand experience, witness accounts, ample documentation from the federal court case, etc. you really get a multilayered, rich account of what was going on during each period, at various levels of the organization.

Even though the book is quite content heavy, it is written in a very easy to digest style and often gives the appearance of being more of a fireside chat than a business tome - making it a pleasure to read.

You will find out everything from the structural weaknesses, which allowed the corruption to start, to accounts of the perpetrators (and perpetuators), the possibly willing blindness of the Japanese top executives, detachment of the HR department, collusion of the dealer body... In short you will find out, how in the words of the sales chief Billmyer (the originator of the schemes) 'you did not get paid millions at Honda but could still live like a millionnaire'.

In addition to the main topic, which is more from the area of business ethics, the book shares lots of operational practices from automotive retail of the 1970s and 1980s, which will be quite interesting for people working in the automotive business.

So if you are running a business or are in a managerial position in one, I can only recommend the book as both a reminder, how things can go horribly wrong, and as a tool for making one review the policies, which could well lead to such unanticipated - and from the company's long term point of view - unwanted behaviour.
One person found this helpful
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DH
5.0 out of 5 stars Ethics 101
Reviewed in India on September 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
Essential reading. Applicable across the world, across the consumer durable/FMCG industry. A lesson in greed and retribution. Thanks Amazon for the Kindle version!
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