What is social responsibility according to the classical view?
Management’s only social responsibility is to maximize profits (create a financial return) by operating the business in the best interests of the stockholders (owners of the corporation).
Expending the firm’s resources on doing “social good” unjustifiably increases costs that lower profits to the owners and raises prices to consumers.
What is social responsibility according to the socio-economic view?
Name some of the arguments for social responsibility
Name some of the arguments against social responsibility
Discuss economic social responsibility
Required by society
- Be profitable. Make sound strategic decisions. Provide adequate and attractive returns on investment.
Discuss legal social responsibility
Required by society
- Obey all laws and regulations. Fulfill all contractual obligations. Honor warranties and guarantees.
Discuss ethical social responsibility
Expected by society
Discuss philanthropic social responsibility
Desired and expected by society
What is social obligation?
The obligation of a business to meet its economic and legal responsibilities and nothing more.
What is social responsiveness?
When a firm engages in social actions in response to some popular social need.
Shortly define social responsibility
A business’s intention, beyond its legal and economic obligations, to do the right things and act in ways that are good for society.
It has been shown that social actions do not affect the long-term performance of a firm. Discuss.
Difficulties in defining and measuring “social responsibility” and “economic performance” raise issues of validity and causation in the studies.
Mutual funds using social screening in investment decisions slightly outperformed other mutual funds.
What is values-based management?
An approach to managing in which managers establish and uphold an organization’s shared values.
What are bottom line shared corporate values?
An organization’s values are reflected in the decisions and actions of its employees.
What are the purposes of shared values?
Give two different definitions of ethics
The established customs, morals, and fundamental human relationships that exist throughout the world.
Principles, values, and beliefs that define what is right and wrong behaviour.
What is ethical behaviour?
Behavior that is morally accepted as good or right.
Give some common examples of unethical behaviour
What is an ethical dilemma?
A situation in which a person must decide whether or not to do something that, although beneficial to oneself or the organization, may be considered unethical and perhaps illegal.
What is moral development?
A measure of independence from outside influences
Discuss the three levels of moral development
Preconventional:
Conventional:
Principled:
With what parts of an organisation does moral development interact?
What are values?
Basic convictions about what is right or wrong on a broad range of issues
What is ego strength?
A personality measure of the strength of a person’s convictions