How Business Can Save The World

Boston Globe:

When Milton Friedman famously stated that "the social responsibility of business is to increase profits," he furnished ammunition to both free market evangelists and their critics. Where libertarians see profit as the basis of stability and opportunity, others see only greed and rapine. The relationship between the bottom line and the betterment of society is a fraught one, and politicians, social critics, and tycoons have long battled over where the proper nexus of ethics, philanthropy, and profitability lies.

All have tended to agree, however, that the effects of business are primarily driven by economics: nations that are trading partners are unlikely to risk wealth by waging war on one another; rising salaries offer workers welfare and security; increased profits lead to flourishing philanthropy.

But new research suggests that business can have an important -- and positive -- cultural impact as well. Companies that empower their employees to cut costs in the workplace not only improve their bottom lines, but also may foster civic engagement and contribute to peace in the societies where they operate, according to research published in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

Read the whole story: Boston Globe

Comments

[isis]

I like this article. Companies can make progress. Take gay rights. A friend's brother was a huge gay basher until he began working for a company that gave domestic partner benefits. Now he talks about going over to Bob and Tom's house for a company party as if it was perfectly normal. A drop in the bucket but still, a drop. Because after all, we are who we work for.

[nellie]

I think Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine is a more accurate description of how big business impacts the world. We have a lot of work to do to reform business practices and their effects on governments and societies. Profit is not a social good.

[mommadona]

OH, PULeeeze..­..

That Harvard MBA of all hat, no cattle, ensconced with his rhinestone cowboy crown on his noggin in the Oval Office - well THAT some humdinger of an example of 'BUSINESS AS USUAL'.

First on the agenda when reality returns to Washington DC - remove corporations from being considered "individuals" in lawsuits.

There - THAT should help.

[totalliberal]

SmellyOne babbles:
"Please tell me where the hell in society morality is "built in" to the structure?"



Most human beings are born and raised with morals. Those that haven't got them are called psychopaths.

I suggest that as corporations are not born and raised with these morals they can be considered psychopathic.

As with any psychopathic person they need to be carefully watched and made to comply with our laws and regulations. Deregulating them entirely is like pushing them out on the street with a machine gun. They will kill anyone who gets in their way or tries to tell them what to do.

(And don't try to compare small business with international corporations. Apples and wales.)

[Veri]

Business is indeed the cause of government incompetence, the looting of America, and global repression of poor people (A.K.A. commoditie­s.).

We do not have a socially responsible business model. We have one of greed, corruption, and increased flow of wealth from the bottom up.

Of course, the real problem is the consolidated company, the former Standard Oil, Co. Not only if you control the money supply, but the energy supplies of the world, can you then ignore or buy lawmakers. Just about every U.S. Congressman and woman is a bought and paid for subsidary of big business.

Revolution, anyone?

[amanda85]

"Companies that empower their employees to cut costs in the workplace not only improve their bottom lines, but also may foster civic engagement"

Geez, what bullcrap!! Cut customer services, make your employees part of a scheme to rip people off and you expect society to get better?

[Issak]

The much needed shift in "business" thinking requires stepping away from the obsolete Malthusian notions so ingrained in current societies.

The day enough humans come to the realization that there's enough to go around as Bucky Fuller and others -quite aptly pointed out- that very day- the stranglehold the puppeteers have had on us would start its rapid collapse into the ash heap of backward history. If only!

But the fact that most business structures operate on a fallacious notion of scarcity, and that the public is so conditioned and willing to accept it - to that degree-
are we delaying the day when idiotic excuses will not be accepted by the populaces of the planet to act against their own interests.

Milton Friedman -and his followers in a sane society -would be deemed a danger for their criminally-minded tendencies- and be treated accordingly. Instead- Friedman was awarded the Nobel prize for economics.­.....

[totalliberal]

There is no morality built into the structure of a corporation, yet corporations, according to our laws have all the rights of human beings.

A human being with no morality is considered a psychopath.

Ergo, the article suggests that psychopaths could save us.

I think I could take a pass on that.

[mrcontinental]

Exactly.

[SmellyOne]

Please tell me where the hell in society morality is "built in" to the structure?

Do small businesses have morality "built in"?

You nitwit liberals think that morality must be mandated by the government­... it's just as bad as the religious folks who think morality must be mandated by god.

Ergo, you attempt at a logical conclusion to your false premise leaves you exposed as a real cluck.

[mmckinl]

They are called laws and regulations ...

So that there are some rules to play by.

[mrcontinental]

You're the only nitwit I see because he is saying that humans have morality within us dolt, whereas a corporation is an adomination given human rights, which destroys everything in it's path eventually in the name of profits.

Perhaps you should work on your reading comprehension skills before coming over here to the grown up section, assclown.

[mrcontinental]

This is complete and utter bullshit. Next.

[mmckinl]

Huffpost going DLC ?

[mrcontinental]

I'm speechless on this one mmc.

[Advocate123]

A liberal website is pushing economics.

I can die in peace.

[ErnestineBass]

"Social responsibility" coming out of the foul mouth of Milton Friedman - now THAT'S A HOOT!

BIG business will never solve a single one of humanity's exponentially increasing challenges.

BIG business' approach to problem-solving is like observing the Earth from another planet...i­t is simply too far away to see the particulars.

[mmckinl]

Big Business is causing most of humanities problems at the moment. Complete denial of global warming or putting a WalMart smiley face on it.

Their resource wars are raging around the planet and they are hoarding all the wealth for their owners causing the greatest disparity in wealth and income the world has ever seen.

[SmellyOne]

"BIG business will never solve a single one of humanity's exponentially increasing challenges­."

Big business has done a lot for the advancement of humanity in the past, why do you think that it won't solve any problems in the future?

Big Business makes oil cheap and plentiful. Easy, cheap access to oil has raised the quality of life for at least half the people on this planet.

Big Business creates medicines for people with disease that improves their quality of life and extends life.

Big Business creates lots of jobs in the entertainment industry, which employs a lot of liberals and keeps suburban kids from getting bored.

Go Big Business!!!

[FogBelter]

Business should be a Component of Society not the the Reason for Society ...

That is where the United States got it wrong.

[totalliberal]

"How Business Can Save The World"


From what? Business?

[ErnestineBass]

BINGO!, totalliberal. And the only ones that can save us from Business is US.

STOP BEING A MINDLESS CONSUMER.

That's all that can save us now.

[mmckinl]

Yep, the hero and the villain are one in the same.

No wonder the American Public is so screwed up: Battered Consumer Syndrome!