I found this abstract of an article by Ian Davis at the Mckinsey Quarterly website a strong summary relevant to a number of threads emerging here. The report examines the role of business as responsible contributor to society…
By recasting the long-running argument about the role of business in society, companies can dislodge a debate that’s now wedged between two seemingly incompatible points of view.
* The relationship between big business and society can be viewed as an implicit social contract, with obligations, opportunities, and mutual advantages.
* Large companies must take the lead in explaining their contribution to society. They should define their ultimate purpose in a way that is more subtle than “the business of business is business” and less defensive than most current approaches to corporate social responsibility.
* It is time for big business to recapture the intellectual and moral high ground from its critics and to build social issues into strategy in a way that reflects their actual importance to companies.
For more have a look here
What is your feeling about this hot topic?