Recognizing Societal Issues: Modelling Ethics of Care
Introduction
Media plays an important role in bringing to light societal issues that are caused by companies to the public. In order to model the ethics of care, individuals and businesses have to put into consideration not just the financial aspect of their business but act socially responsible and prevent harm to the public. My paper will examine the effect media attention has on a firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) be it positive or negative. Also we will address the role media attention plays in institutional pressure and the strategic response organization give.
The Role of Media
Media has great influence on an organization’s behaviour and CSR because it serves as a source
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For example, it can affect competitors positively because they can leverage on the backlash the company is getting from the media to gain more market share, the consumers can use media to reach a greater audience to boycott the product and fight for their right to choose and the company can use the same medium to communicate their stands on their decision which could either be a retraction, an apology or defence or a stand. With the power the media holds, it is important that organizations communicate their CSR using the right words and appropriate channel of communication, new media e.g. Facebook, which promotes a direct interaction and participation along a wider audience and also build relationship between the organization and stakeholders compared to traditional media e.g. newspaper (Schultz, Castelló, & Morsing, …show more content…
Shim & Yang, (2016) confirms that reputation and crisis has as effect on the perception of corporate hypocrisy, meaning a bad reputation and a company in crisis can lead to stakeholder’s belief that the company is not what it claims to be. In this case once a company is perceived has being hypocritical, increasing its CSR may only backfire and result in more perception of hypocrisy. Zyglidopoulos et al (2012) says firm’s sensitivity to social issues is dependent on importance of the issue at that particular time, for example the media outrage will have more effect on firms that discriminate based on sexual orientation because its in the period of societal attention than racism because its believed to have been highly sensitized. So in communicating a company’s CSR it is important to portray sincerity and honesty rather than focus on recognition and awards (Shim & Yang, 2016). If companies can recognize the social issues they cause and embrace the ethics of care, because the neglect can increase the chance that corporate hypocrisy and bad reputation will not
In this paper, I am going to discuss and explain my opinions on why company Q is or is not socially responsible. Company Q recently closed a couple of stores in high crime areas. Company Q also started offering very limited health conscious and organic products. The local food bank has contacted Company Q requesting day old food for donations. Company Q has declined the donation request due to possible fraud by its employees and has started throwing the food away.
It is still under the debate within the company that whether the strong CSR communications should be made to the customers, and what impacts it will make on the company and its brands. In order to evaluate the business problem, both sides of the coin need to be looked at before the conclusion can be made. It is reasonable to argue that CSR marketing efforts will promote the company image and grow customer loyalty, as it aligns with the mission of the Dannon company: to bring health through food to as many people as possible. Nonetheless, as a for-profit company, Dannon will need to look at the economical impact of its CSR related decisions.
The APA established ethical standards for internal factors including competence, privacy/confidentiality, record keeping and fees, education and training, and assessments for the purpose of government and/or professional associations, employers and other funding bodies that require accurate and appropriate records to be kept of the contact that they have with clientele. The vital aspect of keeping records is an of immense importance to the professional world. Simply put, the mere reason is that professionals need means of accountability for the services that they provide to others. They need a method of showing accuracy, and up-to-date data on their services provided. The aforementioned data would in fact best be served and supported through records.
As a statutory adult social worker, I am responding to a service user’s self-referral regarding support for herself and husband, Ian, on hospital advice after Ian suffered a couple of falls. Jackie, 69, is a carer for Ian, 66, who has increasing needs due to dementia. My duty is to conduct a needs assessment for Ian and a carer assessment for Jackie to identify the impact upon their wellbeing, including the effect on relationships with others (Care Act, 2015: c23:p1:s1). The visit’s objective is to obtain better outcomes and maintain independence to enable Ian to remain at home for longer.
Ethics Statements I shall become closer with my family, by spending more time with them during the week and weekend. I shall study more this year and put more effort into my work and homework. I shall do this by taking more time out of the day to study, and getting my homework done on time. I shall do more for my community by recycling. I shall do this by recycling the cans in my house and making sure my parents do too as well.
The media affects the public 's opinion and shares
In the UK, policies for health, safety and security are not only give positive impact it also creates dilemma in relation to implement. Dilemma refers to a situation in which a difficult choice has to he made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. There are different types of dilemma in safety. This includes * Resource implications
Modern day businesses have to be socially responsible; actions are taken to satisfy customers who might have a cause that they care deeply. Social responsibility occurs when a person or a company acts in an ethical and sensitive way towards important social issues of the day such as economic, environmental, and cultural concerns. Many businesses have a section of their website or business literature dedicated to social responsibility. Companies proudly detail the steps they are taking to address concerns that people have with the environment and economic issues. Having companies act in a socially responsible way is necessary because their actions have a tremendous positive impact on society.
Ethical theories are ways of telling right from wrong and include guidelines of how to live and act in an ethical way. For example when faced with a difficult situation in your life, you can use ethical theories to assist you in making the right decision. One key theory is consequentialism, which says that an individual’s correct moral response is related to the outcome/ consequence of the act and not its intentions/ motives. Early writers on this theory were Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, a modern writer is Peter Singer. For example Brenda Grey has asked for the asthma specialist to visit her weekly, and to decide if this is necessary the professionals involved have to look at how it would affect her wellbeing.
Some researchers believe that practicing the principles of health care ethics is necessary today to ensuring optimal patient safety and care. As a health care worker your main job is to put the care in health care. Care is defined as the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something(Care, n.d). Health care workers must Make the care of your patients your first concern in order to perform their job currently and by caring for someone you have to do right, be fair, and cause no harm to them all of these are what we call ethics. I do agree that health care ethics is something that is important for patients safety.
Carol Gilligan focused on actual rather than the hypothetical situation of moral conflict and choices. It’s about what people see as moral problems or questions, and how moral language comes into play in shaping the choices people consider to make or the action they would actually take. Her care ethic is the premise that humans are fundamentally responsive beings and that human condition is concerned with connection with one another. She states.” that ethics of care directs our attention to the need for responsiveness in relationships to the costs of losing connection with oneself or with others.”
It is the firm’s obligation to evaluate in its decision-making processes the effects of its decisions on the external social system in a manner that will accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains, which the firm seeks. It means that social responsibility begins where the law ends. A firm is not being socially responsible if it merely complies with the minimum requirements of the law, because this is what any good citizen would do.” A firm will not survive without the support of both the stakeholders and shareholders, thus the CSR proposes the indication which states that a firm can never exist In a vacuum (Khalidah et. al.).
Trying to ignore the social responsibilities might stain an organization’s image and reputation. Thus, performing social responsibility is not simply a choice; it is a need of any corporation. In the twenty-first century, businesses are in the bottlenecks where globalization, science and technology advancement and integrated knowledge are taking place in today’s society (Chan, n.d.). To gain a foothold in this economy, image and reputation play an important role to differentiate a company from one another. With good reputation, it helps firms to create competitive advantage in the business environment.
Davis (as cited by Khalidah, Zulkufly, & Lau, 2014) defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as “… the firm’s consideration of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm. It is the firm’s obligation to evaluate in its decision-making processes the effects of its decisions on the external social system in a manner that will accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains, which the firm seeks. It means that social responsibility begins where the law ends. A firm is not being socially responsible if it merely complies with the minimum requirements of the law, because this is what any good citizen would do.” A firm will not survive without the support of both the stakeholders and shareholders, thus the CSR proposes the indication which stats that a firm can never exist In a vacuum (Khalidah et.
If a company undertakes CSR then it helps to build a positive image in the market and it ultimately leads in benefits earned by the company. CSR activities not only help the companies to grow, but also due to social welfare the most disadvantaged group of a society gets a fair share in the world