ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
1. Do you think corporate social responsibility is important? Why or why not?
2. 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?
3. 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?
4. With reference to the CSR pyramid, what are the implications of stopping at a
particular pyramid level? For example, would it be all right if a company took its
sole responsibility to be financial responsibility to its shareholders? financial re-
sponsibility and legal responsibility? Do you agree that CSR is best represented
by a pyramid? Why or why not? Can you think of a better way to graphically
represent a company’s social responsibility?
5. 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 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?
6. Do you believe that employees are more attracted and committed to socially
responsible companies? Why or why not? Are you? Why or why not?
7. If you were running your own company, how would you communicate your CSR
strategy with employees, with external stakeholders, and why?
