Post-Project
Objective: Research the community-based small business social responsibility issues.
Introduction: Strategic corporate social responsibility involves social contributions that are directly aligned with a company’s overall business strategy. In other words, the company helps itself and society at the same time. This Lesson studies social responsibility issues as they apply to community-based small businesses. In this essay, you will explore the need for, and the impact of, ethical business practices and how ethical business practices are an advantage to a small business.
Deliverables
- Minimum 4 page paper
Activity Details
Step 1: A perpetual debate revolves around the roles and activities of business owners in contributing to the greater social good. Promoting the so-called proactive stance, some people argue that businesses should be socially responsible by seeking opportunities to benefit the society in which they are permitted to conduct their affairs. Others maintain that because businesses exist to make profits for owners, they have no further obligation to society than that (the defensive stance).
Identify a specific business that has been in the news lately.
Step 2: Read the following questions, and use what you have learned about the Social Responsibility Issues to summarize your responses in a 3-page paper (APA formatting required):
- For the business you identified, provide one example of how this business might choose to contribute to the greater social good, or how this business might choose to ignore contributing to the greater social good over making a profit.
- Discuss which side of this ongoing debate is easier to defend, and provide a thorough explanation to support your reasoning. Does this change for non-business organizations such as universities, government units, health care organizations, etc.?
- How might either side of this debate affect different stakeholders? Does this situation represent social responsibility or ethics or both?
- Should a code of ethics address social responsibility? Explain.
Step 3: Write a paper.
Possible References:
Corporate Social Responsibility, Lindgreen, Adam ; Swaen, Valerie; International Journal of Management Reviews, March, 2010, Vol.12, p.1(7)[Peer Reviewed Journal];
Corporate Social Responsibility, Mattera, Philip, Social Policy, Summer, 2010, Vol.40(2), p.35(1)[Peer Reviewed Journal]
Brooks, A.C. (2009). Social Entrepreneurship: A Modern Approach to Social Value Creation (1st ed., pp. 1-39). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
US Department of Commerce. Business Ethics, International Trade Organization, Chapter 2, pp. 21–40.