Question

Using your book please summarize the basic stances that an organization can take regarding social responsibility. Discuss three emerging ethical issues in organizations.

Answer 1

An organization may take 4 stances regarding social responsibility: obstructionist, defensive, accommodative and proactive.

- Obstructionist stance is an approach to social responsibility in which firms do as little as possible to solve social or environmental problems. When they cross the ethical or legal line that separates acceptable from unacceptable practices, their typical response is to deny or avoid accepting responsibility for their actions.

- Defensive stance is a social responsibility stance in which an organization does everything that is required of it legally, but nothing more. This approach is most consistent with the arguments used against social responsibility. Managers in organizations that take a defensive stance insist that their job is to generate profits. Firms that take this position are, however, unlikely to cover up wrongdoing, and will generally admit their mistakes and take appropriate actions.

- Accommodative Stance is an approach in which the Organization crosses the legal minimum required in commitment for the Social Responsibility. It is because of the priority the organization sets as important as Profit. But it will go beyond fulfilling the legal and ethical requirements.

- Proactive Stance is an approach in which the organization acts in advance of the future situation. They take the social responsibility as a priority in establishing the decisions. Companies can be either reactive or proactive. They consider themselves as citizens of the society and it is their responsibility to make a better place to live for the society.