This reading essay is a review of the following article:
Windsor, D. (2001). The future of corporate social responsibility. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 9 (3): 225-256.
Duane Windsor, via the aforementioned article regarding the future of social responsibility, purports “there are three emerging alternatives or competitors to responsibility: (1) an economic conception of responsibility; (2) global corporate citizenship; and (3) stakeholder management practices (pg. 225).” Windsor first provides a historical reflection of social responsibility beginning in the Progressive Era through the twentieth century and concludes with predictions for the future of corporate social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility,
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Carroll’s pyramid model inspired debate between “how people ought to behave and how people are likely to behave” and that “behavior may come to dominate theory by appeal to the desirability of material outcomes” (pg. 235). The historical reflection Windsor provided led him to his thesis of the three emerging alternative or competitors to responsibility. Economic conception of responsibility, emerging alternative #1, links wealth and social welfare. By definition, organizations that do not focus on financial profits are labeled “not-for-profit” organizations. Windsor’s second cited emerging alternatives to responsibility focuses on recent movement involving global corporate citizenship. He explains this alternative as a “marriage” of societal expectations of corporations to their community and management obligations to their firm. “The more powerful and wealth the firm, the greater that firm’s responsibilities to neighbors and the community must be” (pg. 242). Windsor’s third emerging alternative is regarding stakeholder management practices. Management psychologies vary widely amongst theorists yet revolve around prioritization of profits.
Corporate social responsibility seems to be a topic needing additional research and discussion. As a former law enforcement office, laws and regulation make sense to me. Since I was a young child, I thrived on structure and discipline. This has made things difficult for me at times as many
or so many years our society has been thinking of forming new creative and innovative businesses, which would be more environmental and customer friendly. Nowadays a large number of different companies follow the social, ethical, as well as moral consequences when it comes to their decision making. One of the relatively new concepts involving economic and social concerns is Corporate Social Responsibility. Many of us apply this approach not only at work, but also in everyday life without even recognizing.
In today’s modern business world, commerce implements operation, drive and manner notions with endorsement and adoption of corporate social responsibility as a matter of course (David Henderson 2004). The stakeholder groups, for instance, governments, communities, suppliers, employees, customers and stockholders persistently claim administrators to dedicate capitals to corporate social responsibility (McWilliams and Siegel 2001, 117). Despite the fact, strategic corporate social responsibility is far more selective on being a standing corporation rate citizen and also addressing the social issues that the corporate creates (Micheal E. Porter and
Corporate social responsibility has been one the key business buzz words of the 21st century. Consumers' discontent with the corporation has forced it to try and rectify its negative image by associating its name with good deeds. Social responsibility has become one of the corporation's most pressing issues, each company striving to outdo the next with its philanthropic image. People feel that the corporation has done great harm to both the environment and to society and that with all of its wealth and power, it should be leading the fight to save the Earth, to combat poverty and illness and etc. "Corporations are now expected to deliver the good, not just the goods; to pursue
Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2010) ‘Corporate social responsibility’, (3rd edition) Business Ethics. Oxford: Oxford university press, pp.51-60
In a recent article concerning corporate social responsibility, it reveals; “a survey conducted by and BEYOND Communications Inc. shows big changes in how CEOs reported on corporate social responsibilities.” (Go figure - corporate social responsibility, (2005). The point of view is changing within the corporation world. CEOs are now taking note that this needs to be incorporated into the corporate structure and is a significant strategic item.
A business is not one that lives in isolation; it can be an integral part in a community’s success or demise and has social responsibilities to; the community, stakeholders, and anyone who may be affected by a company’s actions. Corporate social responsibility is a term that is never used lightly and is a key role in the development of a successful and morally healthy business. “The objectives of a corporation are to outperform its competitors, presumably through preferred competitive strategies” (Joseph Heath 123). There are three main models by; Freeman, Friedman and Heath discussing corporate social responsibilities and all have distinct differences between their moral obligations, and the way they perceive business should be ran in a
Previous writing of corporate social responsibility, and it was cited to more often as a social responsibility(SR) than as (CSR) from several year. Perhaps this was because the age of the recent corporation’s prominence and dominance in the business sectors had not yet occurred or been note.The publication by Howard R. Bowen(1953) of his landmark book “Social Responsibilities of businessman” is debate to mark the beginning of the modern period of literature on this subject (Carroll, et al., (2008)).
Proponents of the broader view of corporate social responsibility stress that organizations are integrated with the rest of the society and have a moral obligation to their stakeholders which include employees, suppliers, customers, the community, and the society at large (Shaw, 2005). Besides, proponents of human rights
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is something that affects all companies and should be an active factor in the company’s decision making. It is something all corporations need to care about. CSR is when business’ or corporations take part in an initiative or campaign for a cause that will benefit society and/or in some way make the world a better place (Taylor, 2015). Initially, Corporate Social Responsibility started to take shape around the 1950’s, but some say that it dates all the way back to the 1800s, the idea of CSR was seen (Carroll, 2007). One may think that because it is dated so long ago, it doesn’t have an important impact today nevertheless, it is proven that Corporate Social Responsibility is a pathway for entities to self benefit as they are in the process of benefitting society.
In this global dispensation, corporate social responsibility has been a topical issue for companies in making an economic decision for the organization. Especially in the developing economies, there is no day that passes by without hearing the society or the media reporting of environmental pollution and unethical misconduct or corporate misbehaviour. This is because of the companies operating in the oil industry, chemical industry, tobacco industry and mining industry, for example, they directly or indirectly cause harm to the environment and endanger the lives of the inhabitant. These continual practices of corporations have led to institutional reforms and strong government regulations which to some extent poses disadvantages to corporations.
The extent to which a business should practice corporate social responsibility is a continuing debate in modern society. Only providing services or selling products no longer constitutes a successful company, as there are expectations for firms to behave in a manner that is consistent with public policy. This creates a philosophical dilemma for corporations who wish to maintain positive relations with society, but not impede on their internal operations. The question becomes if corporations today can engage in business strategies that are both ethical and profitable.
Corporations’ measured success by financial means only undermines the global impact companies can have on society. With the evolution of business into a global market, society requires corporations to emphasize social welfare beyond simple philanthropic contributions. A new initiative called Corporate Social Responsibility blends philanthropy, social initiatives, corporate responsibility, and corporate policy for the overall benefits to various facets of society, including but not limited to investors, employees, and local communities.
The purpose of this paper is to understand how a large progressive company operates in the corporate world as well as fulfills their corporate responsibility on a social level. While corporate responsibility is important, it is always viewed through the fiscal viability dimension of the maelstrom. The business case dominates the representation and operationalization of corporate responsibility. Due to the increased public sensitivity to corporate responsibility, the attitude has evolved from the unnecessary intrusion, through proactive operation focus, to compliance based; one residing within shareholder relations and legal. In this paper, I will continue to answer the question how a corporation respects the interests of its stakeholders and reflects those interests in its actions and accountability, as well as a summarization of their development towards corporate and social responsibility.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY By Lori S. Mohr-Corrigan, For The Paper Store - © October 1999 VISIT www.paperwriters.com/aftersale.htm -- for more information on using this paper properly! Because society is fundamentally based upon performance and profit, it is not unusual to find that it is necessary to impart a sense of corporate social responsibility with regard to contemporary commerce. The ethical approaches of purpose, principle and consequence are integral components of business social performance; itemizing these contributions finds one incorporating the interests of ethics and morality within the corporate structure, essential concepts that are often absent from a managerial standpoint. Chapters two and three of Beauchamp and
Archie Carroll defines corporate social responsibility (CSR) as “the social responsibility of business encompassing the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of these organizations at a given point in time.” (Crane, 5) Interesting enough, there has been an abrupt growth of firm’s engagement in CSR within all industries. This is the result of growing requests from the civil society demanding firms, of all sizes, to legitimize their practices. (Crane, 4)