Corporate Social Responsibility

It seems as if everything is on the way to becoming a large corporation. More small towns are getting Walmart Superstores, corporate dentist offices and chain restaurants. Although initially this may look like a good idea, it can be harmful to small businesses and keeping the money local. People tend to welcome corporations who give back to the community and make smart ethical choices that make people proud to conduct business with. On the other hand, companies that make decisions that are worse for the environment or community are shunned but still traded with.

“Doing good by doing well” is the mantra of corporate social responsibility, according to the textbook. Another article from Business News Daily suggests the most successful organizations are the ones that act for others and use a portion of profits to do good in the world.

With the emergence of social media, companies and corporations have strived to become more transparent with the public and converting practices that are frowned upon based on the public’s reaction. This has created an expectation among the public that companies and corporations will be upfront and honest automatically, and it sets the tone for more controversy when decisions are made behind closed doors. Regardless of whether the decisions were good, the public is inclined to believe they’re sneaky or unethical.

Overall, corporations have improved policies and procedures over the past few years to improve relations with the people and keep them engaged and excited about them. But there is more to do. Some organizations like Walmart continue to get lots of business despite not having the most ethical practices. However, the mission of the organization has always been to provide customers with everything they need at the most affordable price possible. Changing its labor standards could lead to a rise in costs.

References
Christians, C., Fackler, M., Richardson, K., Kreshel, P., & Woods, R. (2012). Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning (9th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Fallon, N. (2014, December 22). What is Corporate Social Responsibility? Retrieved March 27, 2015, from http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html