Learning Journal: Chapter 9-Corporate Social Responsibility

Include in this learning journal the following:

An introduction paragraph describing at least three new things that you learned from the readings, in-class discussions, and any other assignments completed this week for this course. Also, describe how the new information you have gained will be useful to you now and in the future.

Respond to two of the four following discussion questions with at least a paragraph for each question.

1. Choose a company and analyze its CSR report. In doing so, think about what seem to be its reasons for being socially responsible. Is it pragmatic, ethical, strategic, or some combination? Can you identify its key stakeholders?
2. Using the same company as an example, think about the four types of corporate social responsibility. What is your assessment of how the company is doing?
3. Think about the television programs and films you’ve seen recently in which business’ social responsibility (or lack thereof) was portrayed in some way. How were business and businesspeople portrayed? Is there anything the business could or should do to improve its media image? Some businesses try to stay out of the limelight. Why might that be? What do you think of that strategy?
4. Think about industry‐disrupting companies such as Uber (disrupting the taxi industry) and Airbnb (disrupting the hotel industry). Research them if you don’t know much about them. What are the legal and ethical issues facing them? In what ways are they being responsible, irresponsible? How would you evaluate their corporate social responsibility?

Solution

The one most important thing which I learned from this chapter is that the inside ethical culture cannot be separated with the external social responsibility. The companies cannot advertise their corporate social responsibility without building an ethical culture within as well. Another important thing learned is that social responsibility is linked with power and advantages that one benefits from. One must be socially responsible in utilizing of these powers and benefits or else it can be taken back. I also learned that the importance of the social responsibility of a corporation become instantly relevant to them when they see their good citizen’s reputation at stake. Thus, fear of losing goodwill also force corporations to take it seriously.

Microsoft corporate social responsibility efforts are ranked by the Forbes as on number two. The company Microsoft is committed to providing education and considers it as a relevant human issue. The policy of Microsoft envisions improving the world by sharing their progress. The company has made corporate social responsibility as part of their vision and company policy. Thus, this can be termed as an ethical as well as strategic approach. The company is committed to doing well because it thinks it is the right way of doing it. From its mentioned policy, the employees, customers, community, and supplier can be identified as key stakeholders.

Looking at the social contributions of the company Microsoft, I can say that the company is fulfilling all four types of its social responsibilities. The company first needs to be profitable to be economically responsible; which is shown by its $22.3 billion operating income in 2017 (Microsoft). Then it needs to be legally responsible, which is also depicted by the role of Microsoft in the safe harbor agreement. Thirdly, it is also ethically responsible as it is committed to pay fair wages and be environmentally friendly; depicted from initiatives like low carbon-campus and Artificial Intelligence for Earth. Lastly, the company also donates millions of dollars to educate the society.

Q1. How can being environment-friendly be cost-effective for the company?

Q2. If a company is reaping profits and also taking care of the stakeholder’s concerns, but not donating or investing in non-profit activities, will it not be considered socially responsible?

Work Cited

Microsoft. “Environmental sustainability.” Microsoft. Microsoft, 1 January 2018. Web 26 February 2018. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-responsibility/environmental-sustainability.