Green & Competitive Qs - Assignment Example

Green & Competitive Qs Several major corporations have recently launched major �green initiatives. What do you make of GEs Ecomagination� initiative? General Electric (GE) company is one of the American largest conglomerate corporations that operate under the five major segments namely; energy, industrial, technological infrastructure, consumer and finance segment. However, in 2000, the political economy research institute released some data that indicated that General Electrical Company as one of the fourth largest environment polluters in the United States.

Due to its bad reputation, the General electrical company had launched major green Ecomagination initiatives in order to cover its bad toxic image. The Ecomagination initiative is a program was launched in 2005 with an aimed of providing a long-term environmental solution for the sake of future generation. Through this initiative, the General Electrical Company emphasized on clean technology whereby, the company encouraged utilization of solar energy, fuel cells, low engine fuel consumption capacity, as well as application of clean technology to curb environmental pollution (Wittenberg, Russell, Lipsky & Enterprise Sustainability Action Team, 2009).

In 2008, the General electric company invested 1.4 billion dollars in clean technology as part of reinforcing its Ecomagination initiative. The company brought numerous products such as Engines that utilized biogas as well as halogen lamps. The establishment of those products into the market obtained a positive response from consumers. This initiative made the company to obtain twenty five billion dollars revenues. The General Electric Company has continued to invest heavily on clean technology and hard started adhering to strict environmental regulations despite the heavy cost involved in promoting an eco friendly environment (Porter, Michael and van, 1995).2. What do you make of BPs new green logo and Environment & Society initiative?

BP Company is a British Petroleum company with its headquarters in London; the company operates in Petroleum Industry. The company extract and process oil to produce a wide range of products such as motor fuel, petroleum natural gas to mention just but a few. However, the company had been receiving great criticism from members of the general public all over the word because of producing products that are not environmentally friendly leading to water and air pollution. For example in 1999, BP company was charged with one hundred and four claims of oil spills in Arctic Ocean in America, further the company was accused of environmental pollution as well as cases of violation of human right in Columbia which greatly tarnished the reputation of BP company.

In an effort to rebuild back its reputation, BP Company has made its new green logo as part of showing the public that they care about having a clean and safe environment that is free from pollution. As part of BP environmental preservation initiative the company had launched various society initiatives such Beyond the Petroleum initiative and Plug in the sun program. This program was aimed at investing in solar energy whereby, BP installed 200 solar panels in various petrol stations around the world as part of environmental preservation initiative (Sharon, 2002).3. Are these GE and BP initiatives strategic or (merely) PR exercises?

Comment in light of the Deepwater Horizon oil leak (2010). The deep water Horizon was reported to be one of the worst spill disasters in the U.S history where billion of barrel of oil spilled in the deep waters and making eleven workers lose their lives. It seems that BP was not prepared to deal with such disaster this consequently caused the company to incur heavy fines. Therefore, based on this disaster, the strategic initiative taken by the two companies was not a public relation exercise because the two companies could not enjoy having accidents because it means a loss to their business and economy (Gets, 2011).

ReferencesGets.S. (2011). Lessons in Crises communication: an Analysis of BP’S Response to the Gulf Oil Disaster Porter, Michael E. and van der Linde, Claas, (1995). Green and competitive: ending the Stalemate. Harvard Business Review; Sep/Oct95, Vol. 73 Issue 5, p120, 14p, 1c.Persistent URL:Sharon Beder. (2002). ‘Environmentalists Help Manage Corporate Reputation: Changing Perceptions not Behaviour’, Ecopolitics1 (4), pp.6072.Retrieved :< http://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/Reputation.html> Wirtenberg, J.

, Russell, W. G., Lipsky, D., & Enterprise Sustainability Action Team. (2009). The sustainable enterprise field book: When it all comes together. New York: AMACOM.