Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics in Barclays Bank - Capstone Project Example

The introductory chapter of this dissertation sets the context within which the research problem is to be viewed. Specifying the context of the study delimits the perspective that an issue may be viewed, and sets the focal point and the boundaries for the study. The background of the research problem shall be discussed, leading to a statement of the purpose and objectives of the study. From the objectives, the research questions are articulated, in order to lead to findings that would eventually support the conclusion.

Any assumptions made by the study are included, as well as the definitions of specific words and phrases relevant to their use in the dissertation. The significance of the study and its relevance to the industry and the broader social environment is thereafter discussed. 1.2 Background of the research problem The banking industry is a pillar of the nation’s economy and a vital determinant of the health and viability of business activity. Banks perform four critical functions: (1) their intermediation function, where the banks intermediate between economic units with excess and deficient financial resources; (2) they adapt and modify terms and risks to the market demand and supply, such as borrowing from short-term lenders and lending to long-term borrowers; (3) they manage money over geographic distances, which means accepting financial deposits and other liabilities in other regions; and (4) they evaluate risks in the projects and markets they invest in, as a result of which they act as processors of information on the profitability and risk involved in these potential investments (Cuesta-Gonzalez, Muñoz-Torres, and Fernandez-Izquierdo, 2006, p. 290). Important as banking institutions are, they are nevertheless dependent upon the very community and society in which they serve because while banks are necessary to promote the financial viability of its customers, the financial prosperity of the community is also a pre-requisite for banks to thrive and sustain their growth.

  Contributing to the benefit of the community therefore redounds to the future benefit of the banking institution, and should be regarded as a strategic goal for management to pursue. To provide context for the research into the nature of corporate social responsibility activities among banks, this study shall focus on an in-depth examination of the CSR programs and practices of Barclays Bank.  Barclays is a 400-year-old institution that is now one of London’s five largest banks in London, with international operations.