In a 5- to 7-page Microsoft Word document, present and analyze your top three to four social causes and
explain why your social cause or issue is a good match with your chosen corporation for creating a
corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign. You will want to be sure that you cover the following
items in your report:
� Evaluate how each of your top three to four social causes do or do not meet your company�s
mission, vision, and ethical framework, as well as, any on-going social responsibility efforts.
� Discuss how Stockholder Theory and Stakeholder Theory impacted your final selection (based upon
your Week 1 reading/lectures)
� Consider which personal ethical framework impacted your final selection and how it impacted your
selection(based upon your Week 2 reading/lectures)
� Discuss the internal and the external ethical impacts of your selection (based upon your Week 3
reading/lectures)
� Explain why the social cause you chose is a good fit with your corporation.
Be certain to provide appropriate citations from your reading/research. Also be sure to review the
expanded rubric for details on achieving full points.
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
Working toward Becoming a Socially Responsible Company Part II
Introduction
As established, General Motor’s Ltd remains one of the omnipresent entities in the U.S
that is overall to the economy of the nation. The company engages in corporate philanthropy for
a variety of reasons. In this case, it is essential to establish that corporate social responsibility
(CSR) infers to business practices that are directed towards developing initiatives that benefit a
society (Chernev& Blair, 2015). General Motor’s approach in developing its corporate social
responsibility is aimed at caring about the interests of stakeholders, an aspect that has seen the
entity make several efforts apart from making profits alone.
This paper seeks to establish General Motor’s corporate social responsibility and the
manner in which this relates to the company’s mission and vision. In addition to this, the paper
will evaluate how the stakeholder theory impacted the final selection of the company’s
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
involvement in CSR, and review the organizations personal ethical framework. Lastly, the paper
will discuss General Motor’s internal and external ethical impacts of the selected activities and
establish the rationale for the chosen causes being a good fit for the company.
General Motor’s Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is currently an increasing element within the
corporate world. The first impression that people have towards an organization is that several
businesses take advantage of their customers and the society, thus alluding to the perception that
businesses are only focused on making profits and care less about the environment, society, and
human rights (Chernev& Blair, 2015). However, companies that incorporate the element of CSR
are bound to boost their reputation in the market, an aspect that increases their brand awareness.
In this case, a company stands out as compared to others in the same market even when they
share some peculiar similarities such as product quality and price. As a result of this, the sales of
an organization increase since consumers choose an organization that is concerned with issues
that revolve around their lives.
Secondly, it is important to establish that the inclusion of CSR in an organization reduces
their operating costs. Some entities that are good in corporate citizenship derive their efforts
towards environmental issues. These companies aid in the protection of the environment by
reducing reuse and recycling within the environment (Habel, Schons, Alavi, & Wieseke, 2016).
The organizations additionally undertake measures that are aimed at educating employees to care
more about the environment, thus decreasing their operational costs over the long run since the
companies save energy, water and other overhead expenses. General Motor’s Corporate Social
Responsibility includes:
- Philanthropic Work
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
In consideration of General Motor’s mission statement that is aimed at directing the
company’s commitment towards delivering outstanding cars that give the buyers a positive
ownership experience, the company initiated a sports management strategy as an efficient
component in its CSR activities. General Motor’s vision is to be one of the global leaders in the
manufacturing of transport products and other related services (Habel, et.al.2016). The element
of sports management remains an integral aspect that incorporates social benefits to different
societies. The influence of sports in this contemporary culture continues to grow since it has the
capacity to mobilize and attract the society through its inbuilt values such as teamwork, the
adherence to rules, and respect for opponents.
On the other hand, sporting events also increase and improve the quality of life, thus
promoting peace within the society and bringing people from different cultural backgrounds
together. In this case, it is essential to ascertain that sports creates a social and economic bridge
between individuals within the society, thus integrating both the economical, physical and social
values while teaching the society life lessons (Habel, et.al.2016).It is however essential to
establish that General Motor’s sports management activities are not in compliance with the
organization’s mission, vision, and ethics policy that is enshrined on creating lifelong consumers
through continual improvements on its products.
- Environmental Programs:
Currently, several organizations are determined to focus on their own carbon emission
footprints and establish approaches of reducing these harmful emissions in the environment.
General Motor’s being a car manufacturing entity has developed effective approaches of
becoming sustainable within the environment by having minimum impact on the environment
(Hsieh, 2015). In achieving this element, the organization embarked on a mission of
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
manufacturing vehicles that use electricity rather than petrol. On the other hand, General Motor’s
is required by law to report on their emissions of gases, thus seeking to work towards developing
a low carbon society.
Additionally, the company also emphasizes on the need of a recycle based society, and a
society that harmonizes with nature. In order to achieve this, the company draws focus on how
its business functions impact the environment during the process of production and sales of its
products (Hsieh, 2015). This has seen the company clearly establish everything from the design
phase all through top the sales and recycle of its products when they are not useful. It is
consequently essential to establish that General Motor’s company environmental programs are in
adherence to its mission, vision and ethical policies that are aimed at directing the company’s
commitment towards delivering outstanding cars that give the buyers a positive ownership
experience.
- Human Rights
It is additionally essential to establish that globalization in the manufacturing industry has
placed organizations in a position of taking consideration of human rights. In consideration of
this, it is essential to ascertain that General Motor’s in its approach to assemble products
domestically for its manufacturing process from other oversees nations undertook measures
aimed at ensuring that lax safety conditions and child labor issues are addressed (Hsieh, 2015).
As a result of this, the company arrived at a conclusion of not purchasing its manufacturing
products from oversees manufacturers who employ children and also initiate unsafe working
conditions, an aspect that determines the company’s corporate social responsibility. This element
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
is in compliance with the company’s ethical policies but fails to align to the company’s mission
and vision.
Stockholder Theory Impact on the Selected Approaches
The stakeholder theory is primarily based on the ideology that beyond the stakeholders of
an organization, there are other agents who have an interest in the decisions and actions of an
organization (Mishra & Modi, 2016). Stakeholders are groups of individuals within an
organization who either benefit or are harmed by the decisions of an organization. Stakeholders
include employees, creditors, customers, the community and suppliers.
The theory therefore led to the selection of General Motor’s corporate social
responsibility activities. This is in consideration of the fact that companies are required to have a
corporate social responsibility that requires them to take consideration and interests on all the
individuals and parties that are affected by their actions (Mishra & Modi, 2016). In this case, the
management should not only consider the decisions of the stakeholders but everyone affected by
the organizations decisions. In contrast to the classical theory, the stakeholder view purports that
the goal of an organization is directed towards flourishing its functions and that of its principle
stakeholders.
Personal Ethical Frameworks That Impacted the Selection
It is important to detail that some of the key attributes defining the character and the turn
to values within an organization takes consideration of ethical frameworks. Ethics therefore
plays a significant role in reflecting what the company stands for as compared to what several
companies’ advocate for (Mishra & Modi, 2016). The development of social responsibility
programs in GM is primarily based on an ethical element that constitutes the company’s
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
objectives, values, and goals that are considered as just and morally sound in guiding the
functions of the company.
This element will be effective in cutting down on the company’s expenses that are
incurred on its public and legal relations, supplier and customer disappointments and stakeholder
rejections within the company (Zlatanović, 2015). The development of GM’s corporate social
responsibility has the capacity would enable the company to pursue strategies that would result
in its sustainability of ecological and social responsible practices. In this case, the selection of
General Motor’s CSR activities was initiated on a personalized ethical framework that included:
- Developing a society that is caring towards others and self.
- Initiating a sense of competency and control within the community.
- Developing a society that recognizes and accepts individuals from different cultures.
- Taking cognizance of basic human rights of others and self.
Social Cause Chosen as a Good Fit for General Motors
The social causes chosen for General Motor’s remain a good fit for the company since
they are developed to help the company bridge the gaps that stand within the society that may
hinder its attainment of competitive advantage. As a result of this, the company’s reputation is
increased through its CSR activities (Mishra & Modi, 2016). For General Motor’s, there is a
need to ensure that its CSR programs achieve its missions in order to run its business functions
ethically, an aspect that will result in the minimization of negative environmental impacts,
increase employees job satisfaction, and raise the public’s attention on some of the issues the
organization attempts to address.
Conclusion
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
As detailed in this paper, the element of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an
increasing element within the corporate world. The first impression that people have towards an
organization is that several businesses take advantage of their customers and the society, thus
alluding to the perception that businesses are only focused on making profits and care less about
the environment, society, and human rights.
References
Chernev, A., & Blair, S. (2015). Doing Well by Doing Good: The Benevolent Halo of Corporate
Social Responsibility. Journal Of Consumer Research, 41(6), 1412-1425.
WORKING TOWARD BECOMING A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY PART II
Habel, J., Schons, L. M., Alavi, S., & Wieseke, J. (2016). Warm Glow or Extra Charge? The
Ambivalent Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Activities on Customers’ Perceived
Price Fairness. Journal Of Marketing, 80(1), 84-105
