Business Have Social Responsibility Other Than Maximizing Profits Philosophy Essay

Business Have Social Responsibility Other Than Maximizing Profits Philosophy Essay Companies do not operate in vacuum, according to Times of Malta (2010), yet they are a necessary part of society in which they operate. As a result, like any other responsible social citizen, businesses also have certain social responsibilities to fulfill such as maximizing profit without which the very existence of the businesses would be in jeopardy. There is of course another very vital reason as to why businesses should be considerate about fulfilling their social responsibility. If they perform as socially responsible citizens they would gain social approval that would enhance their goodwill among prospective customers and this in its turn would increase their sales. Moreover, they would not attract governmental penalties that would be their business in any risk of shutting down. Any form of unethical social acts will make it that much more difficult for them to convince prospective customers and impact will be more severe and more damaging to their organization than one can ima gine and can jeopardize their business to close down. The added problem of penalties imposed by the government, which would make it even more difficult for them to survive. At this stage, the difference between charity and social responsibility must be clarified. For example donating funds to a hospital is sure a creditable act it cannot be called as fulfilling social responsibility as a business does not fulfill any responsibility by doing charity. It is not obliged to do an act of charity but it is obligated to the society to fulfill its social responsibility. Carrying this similarity a little further, if a businessman earns money through illegal means and uses that money to open and run a hospital that treats poor patients free of cost, still that businessman cannot be said to have carried out his social responsibility. A business is said to be socially responsible if it does not engage in any activity that might harm the society even if it increases profit in the short run. Soci al responsibility of businesses implies nonparticipation in cheating customers through false advertisements and eliminating dishonesty to society itself. Social responsibility also includes decent working conditions to employees and taking care of their health and welfare. Profit, not social responsibility, should be the sole motive of business Profit itself should be the main aim of businesses. It might apparently sound rather outrageous, especially if we view this statement from the perspective of distancing profit from ethics and morality. Society may tend to view profit by itself as something unethical and immoral and any attempt at making profit is looked upon as being manipulative to society Milton Friedman illustrates, The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits (Friedman 1970), tries to put things in proper perspective by discussing certain very basic and relevant issues in regards of businesses increasing profits as the initial goal. Before society look s into what is exactly meant by social responsibility of corporations one has to admit that corporations initial goal have a long prosperous future and are not expected to have similar social responsibilities that are not involved in the business aspect. At the most, one might admit that these businesses can have social responsibilities that would, quite obviously, be different from real social responsibilities of real persons that do not own businesses. Honoring social responsibility therefore falls on managers of those corporations as they are persons that implement and execute policies and activities. This brings us to another important aspect, that is, the relationships between managers and their stockholders, who are the real owners, of a corporation. Managers are responsible of any action on their part to fulfill so-called social responsibility. However, this does not mean that managers being individual citizens cannot do anything to fulfill what they might perceive as social responsibility. But they can do so with their own money and not with companys funds whose money and utilization has to be done according to the wishes and desires of their stockholders as they are working as a team for their business. Stockholders on the other hand can also with their own money engage in any form activity that they may believe to fit as fulfillment of social responsibility. Freidman also explains that That is why, in my book Capitalism and Freedom, I have called it a fundamentally subversive doctrine in a free society, and have said that in such a society, there is one and only one social responsibility of businessto use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.(Freidman, 1970) So, it is perhaps clear that the whole concept of corporate social responsibility is more of a controversial nature rather than hav ing a solid and logical base. But does that mean corporations should never engage in any activity other than profit maximization? The answer obviously cannot be in the No. According to Cosans in his scholarly article The Coperate Stake in Social Cohesion, a corporate has to operate within the legal and ethical norms of the society in which it operates and any violation of those norms would surely invite executive penalty and social censure and consequent loss of goodwill. Therefore, no corporation can take such a risk and can never engage in any activity that is either illegal or unethical (Cosans 2008). A corporation can surely set free the concepts of social responsibility if its investors decide so. A donation for a charitable purpose can be considered as an act of social responsibility, it can also be seen as an act that is motivated by genuine unselfishness to unwell and ill organizations less privileged individuals. Yet, it is perhaps needless to state that such attempts are t riggered purely by profit maximization motive and surely not social responsibility. As Freidman states if businesses to want to be socially responsible they must do it at their own expense The difficulty of exercising social responsibility illustrates, of course, the great virtue of private competitive enterpriseit forces people to be responsible for their own actions and makes it difficult for them to exploit other people for either selfish or unselfish purposes. They can do goodbut only at their own expense. (Friedman, 1970) So, however one may look at it, the main objective of corporations firmly remain maximization of profits. Corporations must fulfill their social responsibility John Steinbeck in his classic Grapes of Wrath had described profit making in such an controversial viewpoint that any one reading that text would instantly become a hater of large corporations. The setting is indeed overemotional where we find the bank on one side and the unfortunate starving farmers o n the other. The bank can be seen as such a monster that it cannot survive without making profit and it is prepared to oust people from their homes on to the roads where an uncertain future stares at them simply because it has to earn profit by some means or the other. The bank is owner of hundred thousand acres of land and is evicting small and marginal landowners from the only land they have simply because these poor farmers could not pay interest on small amounts borrowed from this bank (Steinbeck 1988). Steinbeck illustrates profit making in such harsh and dishonest ways in which the bank tries to make profit from the farmers who cannot afford to pay the bank. Just because they are poor quite obviously does not give them the right to usurp the money they had taken as loan. Steinbeck though very expressive in describing the sadness of these poor people is however silent on why should investors in these banks suffer due to the inefficiencies of these poor farmers. Though it did no t rain that year and farmers were unable to grow cotton for no fault of theirs but this definitely cannot be a justification for denying investors of the rightful due. The bank workers suggest the farmers to choose for social security measures and leave to West California, but the farmers remain stubborn on refusing to vacate the land Grampa had acquired after killing Indians and snakes. Steinbeck illustrates no remorse for the bank who had lent out money to these farmers and the employees of the bank and rather he remorses for the farmers. One might say, the author remains focused on describing in graphic detail the agonies and deprivations of these poor farmers and not understand the banks point of view as an organization and its duties. Even through the farmers harsh and immoral comments saying bring one war and once the cotton prices get high they would be able to repay all the money they owe to the bank (Steinbeck 1988). Possibly Steinbeck also realized the emptiness of the exp ression he had used to describe the vulnerability of the farmers and he tries to bring some balance through the driver who caustically remarks that such language might bring praise for the tenant man but would not be enough to earn three dollars per day the tractor driver is earning. The sorrow is sensitive by the unrealistic attempt by the tenant man to defend his dwelling from collapsing by lifting his rifle but not being sure who to aim at. It seems Steinbeck was also not sure who exactly to blame for this unpleasant situation and he chose the most convenient enemy the faceless profit eating monster called the bank. Such an outcome of profit making will only raise eyebrows rather than any serious thoughts (Steinbeck 1988). Moses Oketch however presents an highly balanced and reasonable view of why corporations should fulfill their social responsibility. While admitting that earning of profit is essential for the survival of a business and unless it survives it cannot perform any responsibility in terms of social or otherwise, Oketch speak out that for any business to prosper it needs to earn the trust of the community wherein it operates. This trust can only be earned if the corporation works towards social consistent that looks beyond the narrow imprison of shareholders to the wider ground of stakeholders. If it can execute unbiased and reasonable norms of corporate governance it would win unqualified support of its employees and who does not know that motivated and committed human resource is the greatest asset any corporation can ever possess. Oketch terms transparent and fair governance as one example of how corporations can fulfill their social responsibility. Zero tolerance of corrupt practices also would paint the organization in very favorable light in the eyes of society and it would consider the organization to be even more trustworthy. Other examples of social responsibility include engaging in partnership with governments and non-governmental or ganizations to undertake programs that might not have any direct bearing with its line of business but are burning social issues nonetheless like fight against HIV and AIDS. The main thrust of Oketchs argument is that a business must undertake socially cohesive measures as part of its social responsibility if it wants to survive and prosper (Oketch 2004). Conclusion If we keep the viewpoint of Steinbeck aside and look into the positions taken by Friedman and Oketch we find that there is hardly any difference between the two approaches. Both these authors endorse the primacy profit making and while Friedman does not elaborate more than mentioning that every business should operate within the legal and ethical framework of the society they are functioning in, Oketch goes on to detail the various steps a corporation should take to fulfill its social obligations and responsibilities. He further elaborates the extent of corporate attention from only shareholders to all stakeholders. But Friedman also hints at it when he mentions legal and ethical obligations. All the actions that corporations should initiate for social consistent have a single aim that of increasing mutual trust with society as a whole. Friedman termed it as goodwill and I guess was not very far off the mark. Therefore it can be concluded that if a corporation takes all necessary steps to make certain a steady long term profit, it is clear to carry out all those activities that are termed as corporate social responsibility not out of any social or ethical or even moral compulsion but out of pure and complete profit motive.

Immanuel Kant and the Ethics of Leadership Essay

In chapter three of The Ethics of Leadership, Joanne B. Ciulla, introduces the moral philosophy of Prussian philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who developed a set of ethics to guide our decisions and help us judge whether certain actions are morally correct. Kant’s moral theory does not look at all into consequences and has a very strict view of morality which can sometimes conflict between duty and self-interest. Ciulla mentions the story of David and Bathsheba in the Bible and asserts, â€Å"Leaders are often tempted to lie because they believe they either won’t get caught, or they can cover up their lies. † (Ciulla, 94) This assertion rings ever so true in light of the recent scandals involving the increase in U. S. politicians that have confessed to adultery. As marriage and family are often regarded as a basis of society, a story of adultery often shows the conflict between social pressure and individual struggle for happiness. Adultery is a very American topic. We have been redefining the parameters of its acceptability and taboo with each new generation since the Scarlet Letter. Why is American society becoming so obsessed with these types of scandals and what does it say about the morality of our society? Perhaps society is not solely obsessed with the adultery itself; maybe society is more obsessed with its leaders â€Å"fall from grace†. Sexual affairs have been a part of U. S. politics since Thomas Jefferson. However, politicians’ affairs were generally kept outside the purview of the public eye. Over the years we have began to see a change. Society is somehow fascinated with the whole idea of adultery and the entertainment industry celebrates it and portrays it mostly in a very romantic light. I am guilty of watching shows such as â€Å"The Good Wife†, a show about the wife and family of a politician involved in a sexual scandal or â€Å"Desperate Housewives† that romanticize and make adultery seem like the right thing to do if you need a little excitement in your life. Perhaps by watching TV shows like this, one is being conditioned to do what makes him or her happy or do whatever feels good or â€Å"right†. Oftentimes, whatever feels â€Å"right† is described as whatever comes easily or naturally for an individual. Our society seems obsessed with finding â€Å"happiness† which the Kantian philosophy totally opposes. According to Kantian philosophy, every one of us is a moral agent. We give the moral law to ourselves by asking ourselves if we are doing the right thing only for sake of doing the right thing. One may never find happiness, feel comfortable making the â€Å"right†, or morally correct decision under the Kantian philosophy. The morally valued thing in the universe is the rational human being that can give the law to himself or herself and our moral actions should be treating human beings as morally valuable. According to Kant, we should never treat a human being in such a way that we fail to respect the intrinsic human dignity of the human being. In essence, we should never treat anyone as a means to an end or treat a person against his or her dignity. Now let us return to the issue of the politician and his or her effectiveness as a leader. Is the morality of the message dependent upon the morality of the messenger? Although the morality of the message is NOT dependent upon the morality of the messenger, I think that the message has a far greater impact coming from someone who practices or lives it on a daily basis. Perhaps Americans are so fascinated with politicians’ and their adulterous scandals given that they presented a false image of themselves. It would be refreshing to have a politician simply be honest and say, â€Å"I’m not currently living up to this ideal, but I do value it†. Granted that could cost a politician the election but that would be the right thing to do according to Kant.

Pest Analysis Finland Tourism Industry

Self and Peer Evaluation, by 30 April 2013 In the evaluation you will have to think, evaluate and write about what you and your class mates have learned during the study unit and how you and they have taken part in the lectures and group assignments. This assignment is set to bring new insights to one’s own thinking and to support personal learning. The point in this task is to evoke critical thinking, practice selfreflective skills and connect one’s personal learning to previous experience. Self-reflection helps you in learning new skills for instance in these areas: ? aintaining an attitude that is both open-minded and sceptical; ? objectively gathering, evaluating, and synthesising information; ? forming reasonable judgments, and conclusions; ? developing a tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; ? exploring and evaluating alternative perspectives In particular, you should pay attention in your reflective evaluation on the following issues: ? Capture the point of th e study unit briefly in your own words. Begin the paper with a short summary of the study unit, about its objectives and contents and your personal goals when attending the study unit.What makes it interesting and relevant to tourism business and for my future expertise? ? Identify and present at least 1-3 new things you have learned during the study unit. Weigh their value for your work possibilities and your future studies (e. g. your Thesis). ? Identify and present 1-3 expertise areas in which you want to improve your skills. Evaluate them in the light of your work possibilities and your future studies. ? Comment on the group work, the workshops and the lecture sessions from the perspective of active participation of students, and the role of the teachers.Also, in the case of group work, you can comment on the amount of work and how it was divided within the group. ? You may also want to comment on some challenges you faced in completing the study unit. ? Also, add in a brief fee dback of the course (at least one + and one –). This evaluation paper should cover the issues captured above, and it should be at most 1 A4 pages long. It is not so much about the length but the analytical, selfreflective level of the text. Please upload the paper into the folder in Optima by 30 April 2013. Best regards, Paivi & Petra

No High Risk Marijuana - 2289 Words

Marijuana is a drug that is misinterpreted by the general public that it is harmful to human beings like all other drugs are capable of. The negative stigma of pot use has certainly made it seem like it’s worse, and since using the drug is still illegal, the fact that only people who are willing to break the law will smoke has inevitably made it associated with a â€Å"pothead† culture. These are just the preconceived notions we’ve been brought up in though. A world where instead of drinking cheap beer, a hopeful political candidate can roll a joint to seem like the â€Å"people’s choice† doesn’t have to seem crazy. This scenario would actually be the healthier choice. The difference between marijuana and other drugs is that marijuana is a plant†¦show more content†¦Alcohol and Tobacco is both legal and harmful to human beings but marijuana is illegal and is not harmful yet it is considered an illegal substance compared to legal sub stances that are harmful to the human body. Not only is marijuana known to be less harmful than other legal substances in the United States, it is even prescribed by medical doctors to people for medical use. The U.S Government Accountability Office(GAO), noted that people with Alzheimer’s, Aids, Nausea, Migraine, ADHD, etc.†¦ can use marijuana to help cope with their illnesses. Marijuana has many traits that can help these people fight off the disease. A preclinical study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that very small doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a chemical found in marijuana, can slow the production of beta-amyloid proteins, thought to be a hallmark characteristic and key contributor to the progression of Alzheimer’s. The study, published in 2014, is among others to support the effectiveness of THC in prohibiting the growth of toxic amyloid plagues. This plant is much more than a drug but a recipe to many medicines to help p eople with certain illnesses. For example, in glaucoma patients, it can reduce the dangerously high eye pressure that can lead to vision loss. In addition, pot can