Profit-Oriented or Socially Responsible? 2 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays a crucial role in organizations and societies. Traditionally, CSR is a management concept that has been implemented by most of the listed companies around the world. CSR is implemented by companies to be responsible for the company’s consequences on the environment and social welfare in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders (Unido, n.d). In the other words, CSR is a program that benefits both society and business that do not provide immediate financial benefit to the company but environmental change and positive social (Investopedia, …show more content…
From Milton Friedman’s view, maximizing profit is the only focus of any business corporation, so long as it does not violate the state’s laws and the fundamental rules of society. Most firms are disposed to agree the above statement, thinking that business as a whole should not perform social responsibility at a cost of shareholders ('Shareholder value or social responsibility?', 2007). However, the case of ‘Brent Spar’ revealed the failure of corporate social responsibilities, showed that complying with the legislative requirements is insufficient from the view of the …show more content…
Trying to ignore the social responsibilities might stain an organization’s image and reputation. Thus, performing social responsibility is not simply a choice; it is a need of any corporation. In the twenty-first century, businesses are in the bottlenecks where globalization, science and technology advancement and integrated knowledge are taking place in today’s society (Chan, n.d.). To gain a foothold in this economy, image and reputation play an important role to differentiate a company from one another. With good reputation, it helps firms to create competitive advantage in the business environment. Thus, instead of focus on short-term profit maximizing or costs saving, firms should be stakeholder-oriented. A firm which is stakeholder-oriented focuses on the need of their stakeholder such as employees, customers, society and others who have a direct economic link to the firm (Habil, n.d.). Businesses that are socially responsible will avoid actions that may cause detrimental to stakeholders. They have greater concern on stakeholder well –being. A firm that decided to ignore the social issues may results in a loss of strategic opportunities ('Shareholder value or social responsiblity?', 2007). Involved in CSR activities are proven to create good image and reputation for a company. In the long run, it helps a company to increase shareholders’ value and achieve sustainable business
In this paper, I am going to discuss and explain my opinions on why company Q is or is not socially responsible. Company Q recently closed a couple of stores in high crime areas. Company Q also started offering very limited health conscious and organic products. The local food bank has contacted Company Q requesting day old food for donations. Company Q has declined the donation request due to possible fraud by its employees and has started throwing the food away.
Additionally, there is growing public awareness and demand for social responsibility, sustainability, and transparency in business operations. Companies that prioritize social and environmental impact, ethical practices, and stakeholder engagement can gain a competitive advantage and enhance their reputation. All these factors contribute to an environment of constant change and uncertainty, which requires businesses to be agile, innovative, and adaptable. Companies must be willing to adopt new technologies and business models, embrace social and environmental values, and respond to shifting market
CSR is a concept of practice. The CSR information and documentation has also criticism in present year (AASB 2015). The studies has documented that a rise in the demand for the information related to CSR activities of the company. The studies have shown numerous methods for the discloser of CSR activities of the company (ACCC 2015).
Milton Friedman’s quote on “there is one and only one social responsibility of business---to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits” can actually be seen in different perspectives. Company can also be socially responsible by contributing towards the community through what they do best: excelling in economic terms (Brusseau, 2012). When corporations are making profits, most of it gets sent back into the economy and everyone benefits. Jobs are created, and those that already exist get some added security. More successful corporations mean the increase of the country’s economy, which in turn lead to a social benefit for the society that offers better living conditions.
Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals they are both essential ingredients for long-term success - Bill Ford. In recent years, customers and employees have demanded corporate social responsibility (CSR) ethics, inclusion and diversity, reflecting that businesses should do more than meet the basic requirements for ethical corporate activities. Modern businesses are increasingly employing these concepts to encourage change for good and make a significant contribution to the world as they begin to acknowledge their environmental and social impact.
Introduction Economic dogma states that the main objective of publicly traded firms is profit maximization. In modern times, most companies have been conducting business with that objective in mind. In the process of maximizing profits, irrefutable damage has been inflicted to the environment and also to human capital. Rimanoczy (2015) referring to the maximization of profits expressed, "Focusing on the bottom line as the ultimate priority has had an impact on rising unemployment, social crises, environmental challenges, health impacts, to name a few " (para. 4). Different scholars have proposed several methods to integrate the needs for profits with corporate social responsibility; in this context, John Elkington developed a new approach to measure corporate sustainability denominated the Triple Bottom Line.
Target Corporation needs to buy more local and diverse product from an environmentally friendly company and create a standard that adds value to the local communities and environment. In addition, Target Corporation should source products from diverse international community, minority organization, and women run organizations. Target Corporation must diversify its retail products to add more goods that are sporting, a bakery, and household's items as well educational services using partner organizations. Target Corporation needs to identify new third-party strategic alliances through which it delivers goods at the doorsteps, selecting with a non-perishable item and eventually perishable items depending on the locations. Target Corporation
Any firm’s objective is to obtain profits so that it could survive in the market as well as attain maximum shares in the long run. It is up to the firms to decide whether to obtain these profits ethically or by breaking the rules/immorally. As it is written by Friedman in one of his books that “every coin has two sides” (Friedman, 1962:22), which means that a firm could either cause any harm or would it cause any good to the economy while pertaining profits. Even the topic of the essay written by Friedman is trying to tell us that in a free economy all the firms should do is to follow their corporate social responsibility, and never give up to make profits, but is should do so by following the rules of the game or by acting ethically. Corporate Social Responsibility means that how a company addresses and manages its environmental, social, corporate governance and economic impacts and also how such impacts may affect the company’s stakeholders (Noked, 2013).
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) relates to the actions of an organization and the effects on the environment and social wellbeing. It is about the way that the company assesses its actions and takes responsibility for this. (Investopedia, n.d.) CSR is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental issues in their business operations and interactions with stakeholders . The company aims to achieve a balance of economic, environmental and social objectives, while also listening to the needs of stakeholders.
Defined this way, quite a few people are impacted by CSR. The breadth of stakeholders is vast—it includes the company’s shareholders, employees, customers and business partners. They will all be affected by corporate social responsibility defined as operational excellence” (p.1). Traditionally, competitive advantages, are ways for business to stand apart from other competitors. Successful businesses, must be able to deliver a product to a target audience.
Since our company established, our company business philosophy: customer-centric, integrity in business world, social responsibility. In order to make the company grow up faster, our company has introduced new decisions every year. Our main social stakeholders include: customer, employees, suppliers and communities. These stakeholders are directly affected by the operations of our company as well as the environment. 3.1 Customer
Corporate social responsibility means that businesses have wider responsibilities than simply to their shareholders – they also have responsibilities towards other stakeholders, as well as the environment. Scholars such as Robert Solomon believe that businesses should take on these responsibilities, as they have a duty to behave ethically. Solomon believed that a person should follow their own personal values and attempt to stay ethical no matter whether they are at home or at work. Others, such as Milton Friedman and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, argue against the idea of corporate social responsibility, believing that the only responsibility of a business is to increase its profits for its shareholders. Friedman went on to argue that for a business to take money from their profits to fund corporate social responsibility projects is equivalent to stealing money from shareholders and is therefore unethical.
Davis (as cited by Khalidah, Zulkufly, & Lau, 2014) defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as “… the firm’s consideration of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm. It is the firm’s obligation to evaluate in its decision-making processes the effects of its decisions on the external social system in a manner that will accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains, which the firm seeks. It means that social responsibility begins where the law ends. A firm is not being socially responsible if it merely complies with the minimum requirements of the law, because this is what any good citizen would do.” A firm will not survive without the support of both the stakeholders and shareholders, thus the CSR proposes the indication which stats that a firm can never exist In a vacuum (Khalidah et.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) relates to the actions of an organization and the effects on the environment and social wellbeing. It is about the way that the company assesses its actions and takes responsibility for this. (Investopedia, n.d.) CSR is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental issues in their business operations and interactions with stakeholders. The company aims to achieve a balance of economic, environmental and social objectives, while also listening to the needs of stakeholders.
Here you look on the difference between benefits and harms for the society and if the benefits are greater than the decision or an action is considered as ethical, if lower – unethical. Here it is important to identify the stakeholders and an effects on them from actions or decisions of a company. “You can think of a stakeholder as a person or organization that can affect or be affected by your organization. Stakeholders can come from inside or outside of the organization. Examples of stakeholders of a business include customers, employees, stockholders, suppliers, non-profit community organizations, government, and the local community among many others.”