Final answer:
The statement is false; a corporate culture that prioritizes profit over sustainability and human welfare often adopts practices that can lead to various forms of employee abuse, demonstrating a disregard for fair employment and humane working conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a corporate culture advocating profit over sustainability and human welfare cannot lead to employee abuse is false. When corporations prioritize profit maximization above all else, they often adopt practices that can exploit workers and potentially harm employee welfare. For instance, outsourcing labor to countries with minimal or non-existent labor laws can lead to situations where workers are subjected to dangerous working conditions reminiscent of 19th-century factories, which can be considered a form of employee abuse. Moreover, the adoption of a purely profit-driven corporate culture often results in a disregard for fair employment practices, leading to situations where employees are not treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
Some businesses and industrials adopted the principle of Welfare Capitalism, which suggested that the humane treatment of workers leads to increased productivity. While this emerged as a counterpoint to purely profit-driven motives, it was not universally adopted and many businesses continued practices that put profits before people. Significant historical examples, such as the Firestone/Ford tire controversy, illustrate how cost-cutting aimed at profit maximization can lead to severe consequences for public safety and employee welfare, ultimately harming long-term profits and corporate reputation. Therefore, a corporate culture that prioritizes profit over sustainability and human welfare can indeed lead to employee abuse.