Social Responsibility
[Author]
Ashford College
Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is the personal belief that we are accountable for what goes on in the environment that surrounds us. As a result, we take it upon ourselves to serve in a role, whether publicly or privately, as an agent of change. It also entails that our behaviors will serve to benefit society. To illustrate socially responsible behavior, think about everyday life. In a socially responsible environment we do things moderately, from eating, to drinking, to shopping, to working. All that we produce is balanced and reasonable. We treat others with respect, and help carry each other for the good of everyone. We respect all aspects of society, from the people, all the way to the atmosphere in which we coexist. In the textbook, social responsibility is defined as an “intention” to do well into others. (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, 2012). Still, there is another component to it. Social responsibility is a learned behavior. It is a product of good parenting, since we, as human creatures, are not born innately with feelings such as sympathy or empathy. Hence, for any of us to feel the calling of helping the community, it is clear that such behavior was bestowed upon us by parents or educators who were, themselves, socially responsible. (Borba, 2016)
Business organizations
Business organizations should be socially responsible. Best practices that enrich and add on to society ultimately help companies and organizations grow and survive more strongly in a competitive market, compared to businesses that keep a narrow focus on quick earnings and mass productions. Best practices include things such as fair labor regulations, transparency, fair pricing, high quality assurance, good customer service, and fair environmental practices, among many more. (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, 2012).
It is important to note that these best practices essentially solidify the company’s brand, increase its trust in the market among consumers, and make the organization grow stronger, in the process. For example, when a company has fair labor practices, the chances of imploding due to unhappy employees will be way lower than a company that has unfair labor practices. Also, there would be less conflict resolution to worry about, and more time to focus on production.
Another example is environmental practices. If an organization’s practices involve adding waste and pollution to the environment, then everyone loses. Citations, lawsuits, complains, and other policy issues will interfere with the goal of the organization, causing loses in money, product, and time. (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, 2012)
Value-based management
Value-based management is a best practice for management that attempts to build some equity between each individual that works for the organization and the organization itself. Values help to set standards. Without standards, goals are harder to meet. Additionally, goals cannot be established without a mission and a vision. Since everything is interconnected, then it is clear that a value-based management is not a “do-gooder” ploy, but a very goal-oriented way to establish successful practices. For example, if I am the owner of an ice cream company that is dairy-free, I need to ensure that everyone is in agreement with what I am proposing, which is to offer a better alternative to ice cream eaters. With that purpose, I set up my system of values, for instance, a) getting the best products, b) competitive prices, c) great customer experience. I then train my staff to abide by those standards, instilling the importance of value in their everyday work. Those standards of quality will eventually set my company at a higher level of desirability in the market because we will make our product all the more valuable to customers. This will help me sell more than my competitor.
The word “value” in Value-based management, arguably has two definitions. The first meaning of the word “value” refers to the worth of the product or service itself; the total value of what is being offered, be it monetary or sentimental. The amount of such value will ultimately depend on what is at stake in the process of creating the product or service.
The second meaning of the word “value” refers to the list of quality indicators that the organization brings to the table; the goal, purpose, mission, and vision of a group is greatly dependent on what values the groups stands by. The biggest benefit of this type of management is that, when you use a system of values to set up quality standards, you are, at the same time, assuring the public that what your business is offering is worth its price. (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, 2012).
Part B
To analyze the need to balance the interests of a variety of stakeholder groups, some of the questions that management should ask include:
1. What is their definition of the word “success”?
2. Is the profit more important that the voice/input of other stakeholders?
3. How do they define good management?
4. What role do they see themselves playing in our partnership?
Managers misusing discipline
The importance of discipline in the workplace is that, when rules are made, limits and boundaries are also established. As a result, everyone has the same knowledge of what is considered appropriate and not appropriate, respectful and disrespectful, and productive or not productive within the walls of the workplace. This helps everyone because it leaves little room for mistakes that make managers waste time and human resources, such as it is in the case of conflict resolution, mediation, problem solving, or fixing issues among employees. When rules are in place, everyone knows what is allowed and not allowed. However, managers are the first who need to lead by example and abide by the same rules and regulations that everyone else is supposed to comply with.
One of the ways in which manager may misuse discipline is when they use it as a device of fear. Scaring, or trying to scare, people by telling them that if they do not do something they will get written up. This form of misuse of discipline shows that the manager does not know how to operate in any other way but bullying or threatening people. This shows a degree of insecurity for the part of the management, not only with regards to the employee, but also with regards to his or her own managerial skills. To go to an adult and threaten that he or she will be “told on”, is in no way an effective way to earn respect. A much better way is to promote efforts and celebrate good work rather than looking for ways to intimidate others. Managers who trust their employees, and demonstrate it, often get respect and trust back, as well. It is no different than my professor trusting that I will do my work to the best of my abilities and, for that reason, there is no need to come after me threatening to take away a privilege or giving me a bad grade.
Another way of misusing discipline is when managers do not abide by it themselves. When management makes rules, is for everyone to follow equally. For example, if there is a policy in place that prohibits smoking in certain areas of the building, managers cannot go about smoking wherever they feel like just because they are managers. They should lead by example to foster in employees a desire to do the same thing. Whatever the rules are, managers should be the ones to enforce it first, show that they believe in abiding by the rules, and demonstrate that, in the end, rules are to a workplace what a constitution is to a country: it is a backbone of objectivity and impartiality that attempts to keep the group in place, in as fair a working environment as can possibly happen.
References
Borba, M. (2016) Unselfie: why empathetic kids succeed in our all-about-me world
New York: Touchstone
Gomez-Mejia, L. Balkin, D. (2012) Management
New Jersey: Pearson