The Relationship Between Ethics, Social Responsibility and Profit

2308 Words10 Pages
It could be hypothesized that the core function of business is to generate and sustain a profit. This is certainly an antiquated idea, which cements the notion of maximising shareholder return at the centre of today’s corporate governance agenda. Whilst recognition must be given to profit as being a central driver and determinate of business longevity, it must also be recognised that stakeholder expectations of the modern corporation are evolving. Some scholarly thought is emerging that substantiates this evolution. Martin (2010) advocates that the idea of profit maximisation as the primary focus of the firm is inherently flawed. Further, Sisodia (2009) describes the concept of “Conscious Capitalism” as an approach towards business purpose and management. This approach is directed at the societal obligation the modern firm has bestowed upon it; to provide value for the communities in which they operate. The main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between profit, a well-established measure of success, and the emerging demands placed on the corporation as a result of ethics and social responsibility. A substantial amount of research work has examined the concepts of social responsibility and ethics of the corporation. However few have examined the impact of these dynamic forces on firm profit. Svenson & Wood (2007) contend that the concept of business ethics did not become a consideration of academic concern in Australia until the late 1980s. Milton-Smith (1995) submit that this was born out of the 1987 stock-market crash, which subsequently led to questions being raised as to the integrity of both business and government leaders. As Svenson & Wood (2007) point out, there is currently no proffered model of ethics. They do however offer a model for debate which links the expectations, perceptions and evaluations of various stakeholders with

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