 | When Principles Pay: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Bottom Line Subjects: Social responsibility of business -- Economic aspects; Profit -- Moral and ethical aspects; Industrial management -- Social aspects; Social justice; Business ethics -- Case studies; Although even a cursory glance at a newspaper reveals some new incident of corporate malfeasance--predatory lending, shady deals between private defense contractors and the government, industrial pollution--Columbia Business School professor Heal argues that "there is a cost to anti-social corporate behavior." Heal points out that the most pernicious lenders have gone bankrupt; a defense contractor executive has been fired; and corporations can generate higher profits and more social good if they can align their interests with society The book presents case studies of corporations "doing well by doing good" (Toyota, British Petroleum, Starbucks) and surprisingly diverse and effective economic incentives for business people and organizations to act responsibly. Useful sections delineate the challenges--and rewards--of ethical outsourcing and clarify the important distinctions between genuine social responsibility and the public relations techniques that masquerade as philanthropy. Readers conversant in economics will find a wealth of fascinating analysis, whether or not they agree with the author's optimistic middle ground between unfettered capitalism and intrusive regulation. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved Born in Bangor, North Wales, Geoffrey Heal has lived on three continents and combines a life-long interest in nature with a fascination with the details of how societies work. He is Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility and professor of economics and finance of the Columbia Business School. His research and practical experiences range from technical aspects of financial markets to understanding the economic consequences of species extinction, and one of his main concerns is the effect that societies have on their natural resource bases. A past president of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists and a director of the union of Concerned Scientists, Heal is the author of many scientific articles and books, including Valuing the Future: Economic Theory and Sustainability and Nature and the Marketplace . |
