Corporate Social Responsibility Essay -- Social Responsibility Essays

Business organizations regularly run into demands from various stakeholders groups when conducting day-to-day business. These demands are generated from employees, customers, suppliers, community groups, governments, and shareholders. Thus, according to Goodpaster, any person or group of people that can shape or can be shaped by attainment of the objectives by an organization is considered a stakeholder. Most business organizations recognize and understand their responsibilities to these groups and endeavor to honor and fulfill them. These responsibilities are often communicated to the public by a statement of principles or beliefs. For many business organizations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an essential and integral part of their business. Thus, this paper discusses the two CSR views: the classical view and the stakeholder view. Furthermore, I believe that the stakeholder view has brought ethical concerns to the forefront of businesses, and an argument shall be made that businesses would improve both socially and economically if CSR, guided by God’s love, was integrated into their strategic planning. The classical view of CSR is a prominent ideology which business organizations are seen merely as profit-driven organizations. Simply put, businesses work for the sole purpose of making a profit. Thus, this profit motive is the sufficient and unique social identifier that separates a business organization from other institutions in society. These business organizations have a limited, yet essential role in society. Social concerns are considered important, but businesses, in the classical view, are focused solely on the economic activities and are judged accordingly. By having a limited role in society (i.e.,... ...oncerns to the forefront of businesses. In this paper I have suggested that business can improve both socially and economically by incorporating and integrating a CSR program, guided by God’s love, into their strategic planning. Strategic planning of CSR creates a mutual beneficial relationship between a community and a business organization. The community wins by having a business that is sensitive to their needs and responsive to their concerns, and the business wins by developing competitive advantage in the market that leads to long-term profitability. A business needs to incorporate God’s love when developing CSR policies in order to maintain the trust and the integrity of the relationship with the community. With solid strategic planning coupled with CSR, businesses can set the direction that provides the greatest benefit to themselves and communities.