Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
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Chapter 15 : Corporate Social Responsibility - A Historical Perspective
A historical perspective
Dark satanic mills
Victorian philanthropy
The non - conformist challenge in Britain
Progressives in North America
Responses in the thirties
Post
war statism.
Chapter Summary
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The difference between freedom of action for the few and
responsibility for the many was prevalent in the middle ages, before and after
the industrial revolution, and even today. The focus of social responsibility
has changed over a period of time. The Tudors interfered to protect the peasants
from getting their common land enclosed. It was evident that at the end of the
eighteenth century, governments were committed to improvement.
And forced ‘enclosure'with a view to improving the communities, though it could
not serve the purpose of social responsibility. Consequently, there were many
other reforms introduced by the then governments. Robert Owen showed that
production could be efficient and responsible. For example, the ventures created
by Levers and Cadburys lasted far longer than others, which were managed by
‘hard headed'contemporaries. |
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In the early part of the nineteenth century, British entrepreneurs
concentrated on self-help and co-operation. In North America, education
was given prime importance. And most of the North American entrepreneurs
were associated with educational institutions.
There was a distinction regarding the implication of corporate
responsibility, owing to different economic, political and social
conditions. The success of Germany and the achievements of US industry
that weakened Britain on the above discussed issues. It was identified
that a new growth is required to reflect a new relationship between the
ways to generate wealth and the strategies to distribute wealth. In the
contemporary world, the new change will be founded on the ethics and
values. Simultaneously, the limits and risks of executive action will
also be recognized
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Short Case Studies / Caselets