Английский для социологов. Астафурова Т.Н. - 75 стр.

    UNIT 5. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS




      1. A NEW APPROACH TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

       What is the purpose of a business? Is it just to make as much
profit as possible for its shareholders? Or does a business have a wider
responsibility to help solve society’s problems? This is a very
controversial topic.
       Thirty or so years ago, discussions of social responsibility were
of three types. Firstly, there was a lot of talk about how business people
should behave in their work. Should they have the same ethical standards
— the same princi ples — as they had in their private life? A question
which was often discussed was: should an executive offer a bribe to
secure a contract when he knew that his competitors were likely to do
so? Secondly, people discussed the social responsibility of business
towards its employees. They were interested in how organisations could
improve the working conditions of their employees. Finally, social
responsibility included the idea that business people should contribute
to cultural activities. They should support activities like music festivals
and art exhibitions. Executives were also expected to serve on educational
committees, hospital boards, and so on. In other words, they had to
take an active part in the life of their community.
       These days, there is a new approach to social responsibility.
Many people say that a business should try to meet the needs and
interests of society. It has an obligation to help solve the problems of
society. Because of this new concept, society expects more from its
business organisations. For example, pressure is put on businesses to
provide a safer environment. A chemical company, therefore, is not
only expected to meet government standards regarding pollution, it
must take steps to reduce pollution to as low a level as possible — even
if this means reduced profits.
       These days, businesses are expected to show social responsibility
in all kinds of ways. They are urged to provide safer products; to
protect and respect the environment; to hire more people from minority
groups; to offer work opportunities to unemployed youngsters; to oppose

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