Companies Image Give Person Olympic Scandal Good Giving

In the U.S., a company or organization's "image" (how the public sees and understands the company) is very important. While a good image can help the company "achieve its aims" (be successful), a bad image can mean the "collapse" (failure) of that organization. There are several ways that companies in the U.S. help "promote" (encourage the popularity or sale of something) a good image.

One way is to give money to "charity" (a system of giving money, food, or help to those who need it). Many big companies give millions of dollars a year to charities such as The Red Cross and The Salvation Army. Others create their own charitable organizations, build hospitals or found universities. For example, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, also established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 1997 and "donated" (to give something to someone, usually money) 350 million dollars in 2005 alone.

Companies also "sponsor" (finance; to support a person or organization, usually by giving money) famous events such as the Olympic Games to promote a positive corporate image. Coca-cola, Samsung, Visa and Kodak are a few of the top sponsors for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The Olympic Games are seen as an event that "unites" (joins together) the different cultures of the world in a peaceful way. As sponsors, companies can share this image.

A less "honorable" (respectable; honest and fair) way that companies change their negative image into a positive one is to fire an employee and use them as a "scapegoat" (a person who is made to take the blame for something someone else did). The fired person therefore takes much of the negative association with them and the company is no longer blamed for the illegal or dishonest acts.