Showing papers in "Business and Society Review in 2001"

Fad and Fashion in Shareholder Activism: The Landscape of Shareholder Resolutions, 1988–1998

Abstract: These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The publisher or original authors may retain copyright to the materials. Fad and fashion in shareholder activism: The landscape of shareholder resolutions, 1988-1998

The importance of stakeholders according to business leaders

Abstract: Debate has emerged regarding a shift of focus in the organisation's relationships with its various stakeholder groups. In the past the company was seen predominantly as an instrument of its owners. Most commentators now agree that business organisations have some role to play in society, however opinions vary greatly as to the nature of this responsibility. This paper focuses on the nature of the relationship between organisations and their stakeholders. It investigates how business leaders view their relationship with one particular stakeholder group, namely community. Importantly the attention is given, not only to the attributes of the stakeholder, but to the orientation of the organisation and its managers. Initially literature discussing the definition and typology of stakeholders is considered. Then there is an exploration of the concept of stakeholder orientation. Empirical work in the area is also examined. Subsequently details of the current investigation are presented. Finally several suggestions are made regarding the nature of the relationship between community and corporation.

Technology and Ethics: Privacy in the Workplace

Abstract: Privacy in the workplace is one of the more troubling personal and professional issues of our time. But privacy cannot be adequately addressed without considering a basic foundation of “ethics.” We cannot reach a meaningful normative conclusion about workplace privacy rights and obligations without a fundamental and common understanding of the ethical basis of justice and a thorough understanding of the individual and organizational concerns and motivations. In this article I discuss the status of privacy in the workplace from a technological as well as a legal perspective. What was once considered an inalienable right has now been reassessed as our society and the business world have grown ever more complex. Traditional ethical analysis offers some guidance on how to evaluate the balance between a worker’s right to privacy and an employer’s need for information with which to manage the workplace. But guidance is not the same as resolution: as concerns workplace privacy rights, there are many more questions than answers. I then address the vexing issues of privacy, drawing on ethical theory to advance a means by which to identify the appropriate ethical balance for workplace privacy. My focus is on employee privacy in particular, because this is a critical area where

From responsible management to responsible organizations; the democratic principle for managing organizational ethics

Abstract: An increasing number of organizations have adopted formal ethics programs. Almost all of these programs are institutionalized at a corporate level and based on communication with representatives and on hierarchical regulations. Sociotechnical theory suggests the use of a participative approach for managing ethics in an organization. In this approach, employees and other stakeholders are directly involved in setting the norms, or specifying the corporate norms in their own area of responsibility (the democratic principle). In this way, the internalization of organizational values is included in the process of organizing ethics.

The Aging Workforce: Implications for Ethical Practice

Abstract: For all the uncertainties facing business, one immutable fact is clear—the workforce is getting older. Census figures indicate that while the working population will grow by a miniscule 0.1 percent annually from now to 2004, the pool of workers aged 55–64 will grow by over 50 percent. Moreover, a larger and larger percentage of people over age 65 wants to continue working beyond their normal retirement age. The AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) estimates that 80 percent of Baby Boomers plan to continue working beyond their 65th birthday. This is a substantial number considering the proportion of the population aged 65 and older will almost double by 2030. An aging workforce has many implications, but companies need to be careful not to succumb to incorrect negative stereotyping. For example, an older workforce does not necessarily mean a less productive workforce. Several studies have shown that job performance does not generally decline with age. It is only in jobs that have considerable speed, strength, or attentional requirements that older people may be disadvantaged. When it comes to moral or ethical behavior, companies may actually be better off with an older workforce. This paper examines the effects of aging on the moral decision making of adults. It begins with a brief review of the current thinking on successful aging. This is followed by a discussion of two elements of moral decision making that do not decline with

Program‐Length Commercials and Host Selling by the WWF

Abstract: Whether for automobiles, universities, golf courses, or ski slopes, the basic raison d’etre for ratings systems is identical: to enable consumers to make more informed choices by attaching meaningful labels to competing offerings. For example, to help potential viewers make more informed decisions about which movies to watch, the Motion Picture Association of America adopted a voluntary ratings system that signals violent, sexual, or adult-oriented content. To help voters make informed decisions on election-day, a political action group may rate candidates based on their stated positions and voting records. Unfortunately, negative and unintended consequences may attend the use of any ratings system, such as the one now used in the United States to rate television programs. This age-based ratings system creates a forbidden fruit effect, which according to the theory of psychological reactance occurs when freedoms are restricted (i.e., people are motivated to assert their independence by performing forbidden acts). For example, violent television programming becomes more attractive to children when viewership is restricted, by advisories or ratings. Such behavior did not go unnoticed by the entertainment industry. The recent U.S. Federal Trade Commission report on violence in the media confirmed that Hollywood has targeted underaged youths for violent movies, music, and video games, even when such materials are labeled as adult-only fare.

Who Does “Spiritual” Modify? A Review of Ian I. Mitroff and Elizabeth Denton'sA Spiritual Audit of Corporate America

Abstract: Barbara’s performance at work was not up to snuff. What was to be done? A biblical response awaited the next morning, so Ian I. Mitroff and Elizabeth Denton inform us in A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America (Jossey-Bass, 1999), quoting a passage from William H. Nix’s Transforming Your Workplace for Christ. Barbara was not fired. Rather, her manager, taking Paul’s teachings as a model, warned, and sympathized with her. Working in a new part of the company today, Barbara is excelling. The ghost of Jacob Marley is sent to hover over Ebenezer Scrooge. His mission is to warn a former partner and friend that the main business of business is more than business. The mission of A Spiritual Audit of Corporate America is quite similar. The difference is only in the nature of the fictional person being warned—and instead of being authored by Dickens, the subject of the current warning is authored through the incorporation statutes of a state or nation. What afflicts Corporate America, like what afflicts the alcoholic, Mitroff and Denton believe, is a condition of spiritual impoverishment. Alcoholism was generally resistant to the treatment of psychologists, as the authors report in the name of Jung, because these experts, by refusing to see spirituality as a dimension of personal