Corporate Social Responsibility Issues - Assignment Example

Corporate social responsibility Question Corporate social responsibility (CRS) is an initiative by the company to take up the responsibility of the society economically, either ethically or legally at a specific point in time. As per the expectation of the society, there are variations in social responsibility of the business both at the host and to the international market. For instance, when a company set up branches at the host business, it gets the opportunity to improve security in such regions thus ends up underpinning the crime on behalf of the local society. This is on the contrary to companies that trade at the local market characterized by limited revenue due to the rigidity in the economies of scale (Ferrell, Thorne and Ferrell 41). With respect to corporate social responsibility, a company that trade at the host business can easily assemble and converge religious and marriage principles. Therefore, such a business can identify ethical constrains of the business from different social backgrounds hence capable of surviving through economic morality. Whereas a business hosted locally may not experience returns brought by positive variations due to cultural norms that make such environment not much desirable to regional investments. Moreover, local engagement limits a business from enjoying positive impacts of trading across the boundaries such as protectorate to human rights, animals and the environment. The above are always significant after signing in some treaty such as the United Nations compact treaties confirms (Burke, Martin and Cooper 105). Question 2 After having recognized that issues of corporate social responsibility goes beyond the realization of the profit margin, it is, therefore, necessary to admit that it has a far reaching importance in nation building. As positively recognized by most executives and scholars, corporate social responsibility exceeds its usual cost of reward to benefit industrial sectors of the entire country. For instance, a country that is deeply engaged in corruptions does not succeed in its development agenda thus derails its economic growth leaving the society in harsh debt condition. Good corporate governance of a country enhances moral motives in a business environment because every business is striving towards building up its image for a long-term competitive return. Moreover, if such trend gets to the national level, then it creates a uniformed culture that is trading positively towards building a global economy. Consequently, when an organization becomes accountable, the notion often spread from one company to the other and subsequently across other countries hence improving the level of satisfaction to the society in a specific region (Crane; et al 325). According to Ferrell (119), since it is the responsibility of the state to ensure the best corporate governance at the national levels then efforts of various organizations must consider this first. Besides, it institutionalizes relative performance in the business and capital markets. Since this cannot take place in the absence of corporate governance, the government must come in and issue protection while giving the best way to the decision making process, which is detrimental to the regional society. Question 3 Factors influencing ethical decision Conflict of interest Conflict of interest as evidenced in ethical decision-making process constitutes an advancement by a person towards either individuals’, organizational interest or to side by a particular group. Having a personal interest is considered unethical and against the organizational norms because it deprives the potential to achieve the competitive edge of an organization. In essence, organizational leader should be responsible by carrying out his duties in such a way that it benefits the entire stakeholder. Whereas Personal interests derail morale of the employees thus leading to lower turnover as clarified by (Heller, Meaney and Murphy 95). Discrimination Workforce discrimination has since remained one of the unethical conduct in business. Discrimination entails impotent engagements such as conducting recruitments based on gender disparity, ethnicity or physical disability. A proper workforce sustains employee in an organization. A company should consider affirmative action through recruitment, training and promotion of loyal workers targeted to improve the organizational performance. Besides, equal employment opportunity through fairness in absence of discrimination is a subject to the success of the company. (Pride, Hughes and Kapoo 61). Lying According to Pride, Hughes and Kapoo (61); Ferrell 47, the act of honesty is also a vital element in an ethical decision making process. Lying may include passing unrealistic information jokingly without ill intention. However, some people engage in lying by passing a message of deceit meant for undue interest over the other. Unrealistic influence of aggression that aims at causing fracture within a company is also termed as a non-factual lie. Whichever the case, lying disrupts the synergistic bonding of an organization by creating mistrust among employees. Question 4 For an organization to sustain its reputation through corporate social responsibility then it must ensure the best carbon footprints to the environment and the stakeholders who also form part of the business. Korschun and Sen (42), points out that for a sustainable environmental protection, a business must adopt a triple bottom line approach of responding to environmental issues. In addition, many organizations actively engage in environmental by acknowledging stakeholders about the environmental concerns and their respective roles towards environmental sustainability. Conversely, the business can also focus on achievable measures by developing strategic management programs that foresee chances of risks event and identify possible alternatives to mitigate such occurrences. Other than environmental protection, the company can also give privileges to the stakeholders through the provision of risk management and strategic audits. Resulting from an increment in organizational risk of event faced by stakeholders. As such, the company should engage the stakeholders in the formulation of transparent control measures .for instance, an organization may implement the use of Home depot to enhance environmental sustainability by embracing activities such as environment friendly packaging or recycling or reuse of products where applicable. Such activity will ensure limited carbon emission into the atmosphere while driving in the knowledge of environmental sustainability to the society. (Idowu and Filho 396; Ferrell 454). Part II FIJI Water and Corporate Social Responsibility Question 1 Ethical and socially responsible marketing constitutes marketing that aims at conserving environmental damages caused by companies. Ethical and socially responsible marketing concept clarifies that marketing should not only be profit oriented, but must also consider social and ethical values of the society. Responsible marketing as often discussed in business is unique in the sense that, other than concentrating to improve the profit margins, it mainly engages on socially responsible conduct of the business. Moreover, it ultimately aims at improving responsible behavioral marketing. Based on the work of Pride and Ferrell (112), socially responsible marketing enumerate the organizational concern to the community, it gives an illusion how the organizational products are of value to the business partners. In addition, socially responsible marketers have been made to envision that their efforts are not inclined to generate revenue, but also to improve public image of the company (Pride and Ferrell 112). Charantimath (97), points out that marketers are concerned about CSR and sustainability because, in its absence, the company would lose its long-term relationship. Furthermore, without corporate social responsibility, the society would feel neglected or deceived by the company as less responsible and only concerned with generating revenues at its own interest. In addition, marketers should be highly concerned about sustainability because sustainability is detrimental to increasing both organizational long-term and short-term benefits while putting into consideration both economic and environmental benefits. Consequently, marketer should be concerned about sustainability since it helps in building the cooperate image of the company while making sure that customers are appreciated and are meant to understand that the company is working on their behalf. Question2 Corporate sustainable marketing is also one of the ways through, which marketers demonstrate the company has an obligation to pursue sustainable development of the society. By Fiji water, going carbon negative means it utilizes the best environmental attainable process in the production, packaging and distribution of its water. In accordance to Fiji’s case study, the company launched a campaign branded “carbon negative” intended to offset gas emissions into the environment. Besides, the aim of the campaign was producing products that are of sustainable impact to the environment. Such initiative was to be achieved through the production process that can account for carbon footprints in its entire lifecycle. A completely green process that targets renewable source of energy has successfully contained the production and sale of Fiji products. The company also strives to in sustainably reduce the amount of carbon emissions into atmosphere. Fiji carbon negative is an initiative that sensitizes the consumers to translate their good environmental intentions to the provision of the best information regarding the rate or of carbon emissions into the atmosphere (Sachs 43). In contrast to most of the products in the United States and parts of Europe, Fiji water has gained tremendous image of being the first water company that actively engages in reducing complete carbon emission into the atmosphere. Fiji product is unique in the sense that its production, marketing and distribution target on reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Besides, the production energy purely sourced on renewable source while its package underwent a tolerance sustainable carbon footprint by up to 20%. Conclusively, the production process considered a total reduction in waste throughout its production process (Mazzolini 215). Question3 Lane (170), illustrates that Green washing is a deceptive social marketing whereby an organization falsely claim to produce environmental sustainable products. Green washing that is also goes against the code of ethics and cooperate social responsibility is a general trend among most companies that have realized customers needs coincide to goods that do well to the planet. Companies that engage in green washing activity are mainly big corporations who feel that they might have lost their image from the society through negative contribution to the environment or food producers who brand their product natural in order to entice the buyers. Elements of green washing could easily be identified if the product advertised has no certified proof of being natural organic or if the message is unclear for instance, claiming to be 100% natural. Moreover, green washing can be identified on products if the display information is irrelevant or claims to be environmentally sustainable while it is clear that it had been banned elsewhere. Despite being involved in rigorous ethical promotions, Fiji water is perceived to have been involved in green washing. This can be easily identified in companies claim that its product comes from a virgin water source located away from metropolitan and industrial city thus making it pure. This is not guaranteed because toxicity does not only exist in an industrial city, and there are still chances of contamination through the involvement of employees who carry out the task of processing. Besides, their claim for carbon negative is not justified because the company had just bought the carbon-offset credits, which is only a permission to emit almost one tone of carbon into the environment, the situation in contrary to Fiji advert of carbon footprint sustainability. The company has since lost its reputation, but can still regain its image if it considers a corrective measure manufacturing the right product than reducing its sales price as a way of compensating its customers (Gerick 72). Question 4 Since every government must be concerned about its citizens, Fiji government is as well concerned about the negativity brought by the company to the members of the society. In a retaliatory effort, the state took part in controlling of resources because the state must serve at the interest of the society. In an equal measure, the state cannot be blamed for the deceitful acts and the negativities caused by Fiji water to members of the society. Moreover, Fiji government also actively participated in licensing and reducing taxation on bottled water as assign of showing fairness and neutrality to all companies of that nation. In order to sustain the image of the business, the government should consider supporting Fiji water to adopt new sources of fuel, eco-friendly and influence skills through marketing environmental packaging standards. When such skills are incorporated, then the company will divert its attention from negative publicity. Besides, the state may enhance its relationship with the Fijis’ executives through provision of funds to facilitate the reprisal from negative publicity thus reinstating it as a responsible business (Gleick para 7; World Bank 10). Works cited: Ferrell, OC; Thorne, Debbie and Ferrell, L. Social responsibility & business. Australia: South- Western Cengage Learning, 2011.print. Burke, Ronald; Martin, Graeme and Cooper, Cary. Corporate reputation: managing opportunities and threats. Farnham, Surrey: Gower; Burlington, VT: Ashgate Pub., 2011. Print. Pride, William; Hughes, Robert and Kapoor Jack. Foundations of Business. Cengage Learning, 2014. Print. Heller, Jan; Meaney, Mark and Murphy, Joseph. Succeeding in compliance: a guide to professional development. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers, 2001. Print. Korschun, Daniel and Sen, Sankar. Leveraging corporate responsibility: the stakeholder route to maximizing business and social value. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Print. Idowu, Samuel and Filho, Walter. Global Practices of Corporate Social Responsibility. Berlin: Springer Berlin, 2008. Print. Koslowski, Peter. Elements of a philosophy of management and organization. Berlin; Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag, 2010. Print Crane, Andrew et al. The Oxford handbook of corporate social responsibility. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print. Pride, William and Ferrell, O. Marketing: concepts and strategies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.2006. Print Charantimath, Poornima. Total quality management. Delhi: Pearson, 2011. Print. Sachs, Jonah. Winning the story wars: why those who tell--and live--the best stories will rule the future. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Review Press, [2012] .2012. Mazzolini, Elizabeth. Histories of the dustheap: waste, material cultures, social justice. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. 2012. Print. Lane, Eric. Clean tech intellectual property: eco-marks, green patents and green innovation. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print. Gerick, Peter. Bottled and sold: the story behind our obsession with bottled water. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2010. Print. Gleick, Peter .Fiji Water: When Environment, Politics, and Economics Collide Over Bottled Water. Huff post. The Green. November 29, 2010. World Bank. Pacific island economies: building a resilient economic base for the twenty-first century. Washington, DC: World Bank 1996. Print. Read More