18. If the primary duty and concern of a corporation is to make money, then conflict is inevitable when the corporation must also acknowledge a duty to serve society.
From your perspective, how accurate is the above statement? Support your position with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
We take for granted that a primary objective and obligation of a corporation is to maximize profits. But does this mean a corporation cannot also fulfill its obligations to society? The speaker claims that the two duties necessarily conflict. In my view, however, a corporations duties to maximize shareholder wealth and to serve society will at times coincide and at times conflict; and when they do conflict, neither takes automatic precedence over the other.
Beyond the obvious duty to maximize shareholder wealth, corporations indeed owe a duty to serve society, especially the immediate community, which permits corporations to operate in exchange for an implicit promise that the corporations will do no harm and will bring some benefit to the community. These duties can often be fulfilled together. For example, a successful corporation brings jobs and related economic benefit to the community. And, by contributing to community activities and changes in other ways, the corporation gains a reputation for social responsibility that often helps it become even more successful.
However, at times these duties do conflict. Consider, for instance, a company that unknowingly leaks into the ground a toxic substance that threatens to contaminate local groundwater. While the company may favor an inexpensive containment program, community leaders may want the company to go further by cleaning up and restoring their environment―even if the expense will force the company to leave and take jobs from the community. Whatever the company decides, it should not assume that protecting profits automatically outweighs social obligation. In many instances it does not, as highly visible tobacco, automobile safety, and asbestos liability cases aptly illustrate. Such examples reveal a limit as to how far a corporation can ethically go in trading off the well being of the community for the sake of its own profits.
In sum, corporations have duties both to do well and to do good. Although conflict between these duties is not inevitable, it does occur. Determining which duty takes precedence in time of conflict requires careful consideration of all the ethical ramifications of each alternative.
实用口语情景轻松学:您要的早餐送上来了
实用口语情景轻松学:我怀疑我是否能及格
英文如何表达“拍马屁”或“巴结”
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(3--邀请)
2011年实用口语练习:口语当中的ball
如何用英文表达“欣赏,感激”
2011年实用口语练习:实用英语串烧
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(25--竞选和辩论)
2011年实用口语练习:Join a club 社团活动
2011年实用口语练习:当猪飞起来的时候
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(11--表达歉意)
2011年实用口语练习:表达鼓励的10句英语
2011年实用口语练习:高铁开通了
大运会必备接待口语
英语口语主题:交际英语热门话题47个(6--闲聊)
实用口语情景轻松学:秋天是北京最好的季节
如何用英文表达“你活该”
2011年实用口语练习:“淘金热”
实用口语情景轻松学:奶奶过生日美颠儿颠儿的
趣味英语:搭讪十大妙招
口语情景对话:走遍美国精选 二度蜜月ACT 3 - 3
2011年实用口语练习:遮人耳目
英语口语-安慰
实用口语情景轻松学:我没在海里游过泳
实用口语情景轻松学:有假钞的时候要送到银行去
疯狂口语要素精选11
20条地道实用英语句型(1)
实用口语:就餐 Dining
男生女生:我们可以只当朋友吗?
如何用英语表达“你得减肥了”
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |