There currently is an evolution-taking place; now the level of a business social responsibility has become increasingly integrated into modern business practices. This focus has seen both advantages and disadvantages to the business. However, to what extent has the use of the greater focus of a business social responsibility affected its competitive advantage in its marketplace.
CSR is described as; “the principle that companies can and should make a positive contribution to society, of managing the social, environmental and economic impacts of the company” (corporate watch). Therefore, CSR indicates the activities the business should partake in that is not indicated or stated in the law.
Adopting a degree of social responsibility has
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They’re no longer hidden from how their food is produced or how their iPods are made. And, because of things like social media, like-minded people more easily find each other, have their say and effect change. There’s a level of transparency that wasn’t there before.” (Wharton) Therefore, businesses have to adapt to what the consumer wants and a study by Landor found “77% of consumers say it is important for companies to be socially responsible”(Penn Schoen Berland, march 29 2010)
This is because of the easy access of information business can be easily damaged by their activities.
This information can, therefore, conclude that adopting a level of Social responsibility can help a business to attract consumers by differentiation from its competitors, a consequence of this can help to improve the business brand name and image.
These theories can be confirmed by authors such as Bansal and Roth (2000); that have suggested that competitiveness is ones of the key factors for adopting a CSR approach; this therefore indicating, the reason for adopting a socially responsible approach would be because of the returns to the business it gives. However Matthew Bishop, business editor of The Economist, said; “company social responsibility initiatives could diminish shareholder returns, district business leaders from their focus, and often allow companies to continue bad behaviour in the
Social responsibility makes a company more competitive and reduces the risk of sudden damage to the company’s reputation and sales.
Businesses, specifically larger corporations, play a major role in what occurs in society therefore, they are responsible to their stakeholders not only to pursue economic goals but the greater social good as well. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) means that a corporation should act in a way that enhances society and its inhabitants and be held accountable for any of its actions that affect people, their communities, and their environment. (Lawrence, 2010). Social responsibility is becoming the norm so much so that some businesses have incorporated it into their business model. There are three components of the bottom line of social
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.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a very controversial topic. A question that has been debated for the past few decades is; is it corporately viable to introduce social responsibility as a proposed addition to the work ethic of business organisations. As well as, if adopting the framework of corporate social responsibility would yield positive improvements for those organisations.
When an organization partakes in “proactive behavior…for the benefit of society,” it is deemed as socially responsible (P. 155). However, prior to labeling a organization as socially responsible, it is important that we first identify what specific elements of proactive behavior constitute a socially responsible business. To begin, for an organization to be considered socially responsible on the highest level, it must take a proactive approach to doing business. This is defined as “[taking a] approach to social responsibility in which an organization goes beyond industry norms to solve and prevent problems” (P.155). In addition, it is standard for a socially responsible organization to incorporate a larger scope of stakeholders, to include external stakeholders, in their business decisions to create positive externalities, and mitigate negative ones, to benefit society as a whole.
The expectation that businesses behave responsibly and positively contribute to society all while pursuing their economic goals is one that holds firm through all generations. Stakeholders, both market and nonmarket, expect businesses to be socially responsible. Many companies have responded to this by including this growing expectation as part of their overall business operations. There are companies in existence today whose sole purpose is to socially benefit society alongside businesses who simply combine social benefits with their economic goals as their company mission. These changes in societal expectations and thus company purpose we’ve seen in the business community over time often blurs the line of what it means to be socially
Every company has a responsibility to support the society it serves. This indicates that a company that wishes to truly thrive in a market should not just follow the business and consumer laws of the country but take an active interest in the community that it serves in each country. Today’s global market is led by companies that concern themselves with the sustainability of the company and its products, as well as the continual improvement of the
One of the main reasons corporations should be socially responsible is because consumers, one of the major shareholders, expect better business practices to the extent that they
In the broadest sense, CSR can be considered, “corporative initiative to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on the environment and impact on social welfare. The term generally applies to company efforts that go beyond what may be required by regulators or environmental protection groups” (Anonymous, 2014). Another interesting fact that Investopedia included in their definition, that “CSR may also be referred to as "corporate citizenship" and can involve incurring short-term costs that do not provide an immediate financial benefit to the company, but instead promote positive social and environmental change”(Anonymous, 2014). However you want to determine the definition of CSR for yourself, it is a step that many businesses have incorporated into their current vision statements, and it has almost become a necessity into today’s
Customers are the key to success in any industry so it is important for companies to adapt to the evolving mindset of their consumers which in this case is to take a strong position in social and ethical responsibility.
The benefit to business of good Corporate Social Responsibility is difficult to quantify as it varies depending on the nature of the enterprise. Some scholars believe that there is a business justification for CSR. That is, what is good for the environment and society will be good for company profitability. And studies have shown a slightly positive correlation between CSR and financial gain (Steiner and Steiner, 2006). However, as Freidmanism claims, the first responsibility of business is to make enough profit to cover the costs for the future. If this social responsibility is not met, no other responsibilities can be (Hargreaves, 2006). Therefore it is critical that CSR activities are included in strategy formulation and that the level of resources devoted to CSR is determined like any other strategy through cost/benefit analysis. Corporations will not throw money away they need to see it
The article “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility” by Michael E. Porter and Mark E. Kramer advocates that there is a link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and competitive advantage, and there is an opportunity for innovation that benefits both the company and society that can result in a win-win positive sum game. Ultimately if your firm does not integrate a CSR program into your business core your competitors will.
Is the deception of consumers worth making a profit? The Ford Pinto, popular car of the 1970s, made a profit off of a vehicle that endangered the lives of hundreds of people. In his essay “Pinto Madness” Mark Dowie, author and Pulitzer Prize nominee, exposed the unethical decisions made by Ford Motor Company. When it came to their customer’s safety and profit for the company, Ford made a decision that led to consequences their customers had to pay the price for. Should the business be held accountable for these actions? In his essay “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profit” Milton Friedman, powerful economist, discusses what a business should prioritize in the economic system. Friedman declares what a business is responsible for and the guidelines they must follow. Due to Friedman’s view, he would not have condoned the actions and decisions that the executives at Ford Motor Company took.
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
Snider, Hill and Martin. (2003) stated that “ CSR may be defined in general terms as "the obligation of the firm to use its resources in ways to benefit society, through committed participation as a member of society, taking into account the society at large and improving welfare of society at large independent of direct gains of the company" (as cited in Kok et al., 2001, p. 288). Since the growth of the corporations depend on the societal factors, corporations should be responsible for the society for the corporation’s own benefit in the long run. “The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) construct describes the relationship between business and the larger society” (Snider et al., 2003). According to The Wall Street Journal (2013),