Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Culture

APR 24 Posted by Ahmed Ameez

In the modern world, corporate firms highly emphasize on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) apart from the economic goals and profit maximization. The change in stakeholders and communitys expectation from the corporate business drifted businesses towards CSR. CSR is also based on the values of the company as well. On the other hand Organizational Culture is a significant determinant of employee behaviour, teamwork, the honesty and sincerity of the employees and in general the overall success of business. Organizations should focus on strengthening the organizational culture. Focusing on building and sustaining an organizational culture is one way of showing that people are the organizations most valuable asset.

Corporate Social Responsibility in simple terms refers to commitment by business for social welfare of staff, stakeholders and the community. The extent companies involve in CSR depends on the companys view on CSR, the size of the company etc. and different companies define CSR in different ways. According to World Bank Corporate social responsibility is the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable economic development by working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their lives in ways that are good for business and for development. There are two opposing views of social Responsibility. Some companies believe that their social responsibility is only maximizing profit which is referred as the classical view. On the other hand the socio economic view is that

companies have to go beyond making profits and involve in improving social welfare. Basically, organizational culture is the personality of the organization. Organizational Culture is a system of shared meaning and beliefs held by organizational members that determines, in large degree, how they act. An organizations culture is imperative for the success of the organization and controls the way employees behave amongst themselves as well as with people

outside the organization.

The nature of corporate

culture that exists in a company is going to decide the degree to which the desired results from the employees are obtained. There are several dimensions of Organizational Culture such as team orientation, people orientation, attention to detail, innovation and so on. Whether an organizations culture is strong, weak, or somewhere in between depends on factors such as the size of the organization, how long it has been around, how much turnover there has been among employees, and the intensity with which the culture was originated. The organizational Culture is transmitted to employees in a number of ways. The most significant are stories, rituals, symbols, and language.

Corporate and organisational culture

It is widely recognised that different organisations have distinctive cultures. A commonly used definition of organisational culture is 'the way we see and do things around here'. Through tradition, history and structure, organisations build up their own culture. Culture therefore gives an organisation a sense of identity - 'who we are', 'what we stand for', 'what we do'. It determines, through the organisation's legends, rituals, beliefs, meanings, values, norms and language, the way in

which 'things are done around here'. An organisations' culture encapsulates what it has been good at and what has worked in the past. These values can often be accepted without question by long-serving members of an organisation. One of the first things a new employee learns is some of the organisation's legends - perhaps how the founder worked long hours and despised formal educational and training qualifications. Legends can stay with an organisation and become part of the established way of doing things. Perhaps the founder's views about the importance of education and training will stay current; in the course of time there may be a 'culture shift' as new managers move into the organisation and change the old ways. However, a number of legends continue to be important determinants of 'the way we do things around here'.

Culture
Over time the organisation will develop 'norms' ie. established (normal) expected behaviour patterns within the organisation. A norm is an established behaviour pattern that is part of a culture. A number of organisational culture types have been identified by researchers. 1. A power culture is one based on the dominance of one or a small number of individuals within an organisation. They make the key decisions for the organisation. This sort of power culture may exist in a small business or part of a larger business. 2. A role culture exists in large hierarchical organisations in which individuals have clear roles (jobs) to perform which are closely specified. Individuals tend to work closely to their job description, and tend to follow the rules rather than to operate in a creative way. 3. In contrast task cultures exist when teams are formed to complete

particular tasks. A distinct team culture develops, and because the team is empowered to make decisions, task cultures can be creative. 4. A person culture is the most individualistic form of culture and exists when individuals are fully allowed to express themselves and make decisions for themselves. A person culture can only exist in a very loose form of organisation eg. an overseas sales person working on their own for a company, allowed to make their own decisions. Culture change involves moving an organisation on from one form of culture to another, usually through a culture change programme.

Introduction
The concept of Organisational culture has gained positive acknowledgment from many scholars, researchers and management gurus. It has been observed that

effective companies often have very strong organisational culture and, more and more people have started believing in the concept of a sound culture. The purpose of this report is to analyse if indeed the success of a company depends on its culture and how is a winning culture established.

What does Organisational Culture Mean?

The term culture is so vast that it is simply not possible to cover the concept in a single definition. The one stated below is the simplest definition

Culture can be thought of as the foundation of the social order that we live in and of the rules we abide by. Source: (Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership, 2010) In other words, people who belong to a particular culture have same beliefs

and assumptions about what is right, wrong and normal. Culture has four dominant aspects values, customs, symbols and language. Organisational culture, as the name suggests is the culture prevalent within the organisation; there are some values and norms which all employees understand and accept. It goes without saying that, employee behaviour and decisions are hugely guided by the culture that prevails in the organisation. Employees, by default, belong to the culture they were born in; however, when they enter the organisation they have to set aside their beliefs and adopt the values of their workplace. Adapting to the culture of the workplace is not only important to sustain the job but also so that the company represents one common notion. Further in this report, how employees learn the organisational culture is discussed along with its importance. Towards the end, the report focuses on how a particular culture is maintained via effective leadership.

How Employees Adapt the Culture?

When an employee joins a new organisation, he is subjected to a new culture from the day one. The organisational culture is reflected in the way employees talk, behave, and conduct themselves. A new employee experiences bits and pieces of the culture, everywhere in the organisation and therefore, it is not tough for him to get accustomed and modify himself according to the new culture. The diagram stated above, depicts how the organisational culture is continually reinforced in the employees via stories, rituals, material symbols and language. This can be best explained with the help of an example; the organisational culture of WalMart revolves around how to get customers the best prices and efficiency is of paramount importance, all these values are ingrained in the employees of Wal-Mart. Samuel Walton and him team has created an organisational culture which supports the organisational goal; everything in the company is value for money. The

management believes that any extra expenditure will have to be borne by the customers in the end and this way Wal-Mart cannot provide the lowest price possible. Therefore, when visitors come to Wal-Mart they pay for their own beverages; the corporate office has inexpensive workstations in which employees work with inexpensive equipments to make the system more efficient. (Navarro, 2005) Wal-Mart wouldnt have been Wal-Mart had the organisational culture promoted extravagant spending. This explains the importance of having a complementing organisational culture.

Types of Organisational Culture

Each organisation has its own unique culture and this is what differentiates one company from another. It is next to impossible to state every culture present in the world; however, they can be loosely bifurcated into the following categories The Clan culture As the name suggests, the whole organisation is like a clan or a family; the employees are encouraged to share what they feel, an open door policy is maintained throughout the organisation. The management gives a lot of importance to team work, consensus and employee development. (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007) The Hierarchy culture Completely opposite to the clan culture, rules and procedures govern the working in the hierarchy culture. Employees are expected to follow the policies devised by the top management; the emphasis is on smooth running of the organisation. The Adhocracy culture

One word that describes the adhocracy culture is Creativity. There is a lot of emphasis on innovation, free thinking and experimentation. However, it is important to channel this creativity in the right direction. The Market culture Winning is what defines the market culture. Employees are very result oriented and competitive; leaders, on the other hand are very demanding and productive. The focus is always on getting things done effectively and efficiently. Not many people are can sustain under such circumstances; however, for some it is exciting and challenging.

Does Organisational Culture Really Matter?

To answer this question, it is important to understand how the culture of an organisation effect its working. This can best be understood with the help of an example, consider two managers, both of them face a situation where they have to take instant decisions. Manager A works in a bureaucratic firm with the hierarchy culture and manager B works in the clan culture. The situation demands an instant decision; however manager A is not authorised, therefore he will first contact his superiors which will slow down the procedure. On the contrary, manager B is authorised to take the decision since the culture does not believes in empowering the employees. The bureaucratic organisation stands to lose because the decision was not taken when it was required; there were unnecessary delays because of power centralism. This is how organisational culture effects the functioning of the company and therefore it is important to choose a culture which meets the requirement of the company/industry. Some of the other managerial implications are (Miltenburg, 2005)

a)

Safety vs. Risk: The culture of the company specifies whether risky decisions

should be taken or not and whether managers should give importance to high risk high return ventures or low risk low return ventures. b) Individual vs. Group: The founder has to decide whether he wants his

employees to be team players or he wants them to work collectively without competition. c) Informal vs. Formal Procedures: As stated in the example some cultures are

highly bureaucratic and some follow an open door policy; both have their own advantages and disadvantages. d) Centralisation vs. Decentralisation: Some cultures want the power to remain in

the hands of a limited few wherein in other companies delegation of power and authority is thought to be the better choice. Having a strong and positive organisational atmosphere has many advantages; for instance, companies which have an employee friendly approach is able to attract talent and retain it. A positive culture is also capable of motivating the employees and creating synergy. The reason behind taking so many measures to keep the employees satisfied is because only happy employees can give happy customers. (Nelson & Quick, 2008) There is indeed a positive correlation between the culture of the company and its success. Strong cultures are capable of instilling a feeling of loyalty and

commitment amongst the employees. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrel, 2009) Culture also serves as a control mechanism, if the culture of the company is strictly against any dubious activities then employees are bound to think twice before committing something unethical.

It is imprudent to assume that the only reason to maintain a positive work culture is to satisfy the employees. One of the other major advantages is that the company gains good reputation in the market. Although there are no fiscal benefits of having a strong goodwill but the non-monetary benefits are innumerable; the company earns

respect in the eyes of the customer which soon turns into loyalty and thereby increased market share.

The Role of Leadership in Determining and Managing Organisational Culture

The creation of organisational culture majorly depends on the founder, his ideologies and values are clearly reflected in the culture he tries to actualise in his company. There are three ways to create and sustain organisational culture (Schein, 2004) Only those employees are hired who match the values of the company It is believed that new employees can be moulded according to the work culture; however, it is still necessary to hire only those employees which exhibit similar values and are willing to change. Before hiring, it is necessary check both their ability to perform and their ability to accept changes. Indoctrinating and inculcating the culture in the employees via socialising

Socialisation is the technique used by the human resource department of the company to implant the culture in new employees. It is necessary to impart the culture right from the beginning so that new employees do not disturb the existing atmosphere. The process of socialisation has three stages 1) Pre arrival: employees form an opinion about the company they are going to work for 2) Encounter: they notice the difference between their perception and the reality 3) Metamorphosis: new employees try to imbibe values which will make them one of the clan. The leaders should act as role models and set up examples for subordinates to follow

The best way to create a culture is by setting examples for employees to follow. It goes without saying that every employee looks upon his superior for guidance and direction; if the actions and decisions of the top management are in sync with the organisational culture, it reinforces the values in the minds of the employees. (Keyton, 2011)

Let us say company A follows an open door policy and employees are encouraged to put forward their views; however, some of the superiors do not want to consider juniors opinions. Such a situation will create confusion in the minds of the employees and in the end they will end up disrespecting the culture set by the founder of the company. This example proves how important it is for the leaders of the company to be a role model for the employees at all times.

Conclusion
Creating a strong organisational culture might seem frivolous to some, but those who are prudent understand its importance. Setting up a culture which matches the ultimate objective of the company is the key to success. Creating a culture is not a herculean task; it just needs little efforts from the founder and leaders of the company; however, these miniscule efforts pay back in the most generous ways.

Essay on The Organizational Culture

An organization's culture varies as widely as the nature of work itself. Oftentimes a unique different mix of values and norms govern the cultural environment of an organization. In today's fast changing business environment, the cultural make-up of an organizations plays a critical role in the success of the firm to achieve it's strategic objectives. In this paper I will explore the idea of organizational culture and discuss

factors associated with understanding the reality of an organization's culture, with examples presented to illustrate my discussion points. ************************************************* Culture is not an easily defined concept, but generally it is the values, beliefs, and norms expressed in work practices and behavior. An organization's culture is not necessarily an articulated list of values found in a carefully worded statement or available as an appendix in an annual report. Rather, culture is created by the organization itself. How employees treat and interact with one another and the values of the employees and the organization, such as work ethic, manifest an organization's culture. Some cultures encourage innovation and risk taking, while others punish those who challenge established norms and practices. Mavericks are welcomed in certain occupations, but not especially in the military culture, for example. Is decision making shared or autocratically dictated? How closely employee well being is maintained also contributes greatly to establishing the work cultural. These are all factors creating to the development of a cultural environment at the

Social responsibility is an idea that has been of concern to mankind for many years. Over the last two decades, however, it has become of increasing concern to the business world. This has resulted in growing interaction between governments, businesses and society as a whole. In the past, businesses primarily concerned themselves with the economic results of their decisions. Today, however, businesses must also reflect on the legal, ethical, moral and social consequences of their decisions (Anderson 15). This paper will discuss the concept of corporate social responsibility . It will give the definition of the phrase, and identify some of the global factors that necessitate corporate social responsibility. It will discuss the importance of corporations setting up corporate social responsibility projects, and the impact these have on society. Social corporate responsibility and the maintenance of high ethical standards is not an option but an obligation for all business. Corporate social responsibility is no longer defined by how much money a company contributes to charity, but by its overall involvement in activities that

improve the quality of peoples lives. Corporate Responsibility has come up as a significant subject matter in the international business community and is progressively becoming a mainstream activity. There is mounting recognition of the momentous effect the activities of the private sector have on the workforce, clientele, the society, the environment, competitors, business associates, investors, shareholders, governments and others groups . It is also becoming progressively clear that organizations can contribute to their individual wealth and to overall community wealth by taking into account the effect they have on the entire globe when making decisions (Anderson 5). Ethics of multi-corporations involves actions that are morally upright. It is common knowledge that most of the activities corporations are engaged in may not meet the required ethical standards. This is because, many businesses tend to focus on profit making rather than any other thing. Business ethics is an upcoming issue mainly due to the sheer number of persons involved. The actions of a few persons may seem safe on a small scale but on a large scale, such actions could be devastating. An example of such situations that may be considered unethical is the firing or employees to keep the profit margin of a company high. In the wake of the financial breakdown, many people lost their jobs. Most of the persons who lost their jobs included civil servants who are middle class persons. In order to ensure that the corporations save some money, most of these workers were laid off. Such an action is considered unethical. This is because; even though the companies are somehow at a loss, the firing of all those employees means that so many people are going to suffer. The multicorporations could definitely live with the loss incurred but would rather avoid that by firing a number of their workers. Businesses are an essential part of the society within which they operate. Excellent executives are aware that their long-term prosperity is founded on sustained good associations with a broad range of persons, groups and organizations. Intelligent organizations know that businesses can never be prosperous if they operate within societies that are unsuccessful. This is regardless of whether the society is failing due to social, governance or environmental challenges. Furthermore, the common public has lofty expectations of the private sector with regard to responsible and ethical behavior. Consumers expect goods and services to mirror socially and environmentally accountable business conduct at reasonable prices. Shareholders also are seeking improved financial performance that interlinks social and environmental elements, as regards the opportunities they present (Banerjee 13).

There are several factors which explain the growing interest in corporate social responsibility. The first factor is the new concerns and expectations of citizens, consumers, public authorities globalisation and industrial change. The second factor is the increasing influence of social criteria on the investment decisions of individuals and institutions, as investors or consumers. The third factor is the growing concern about environmental degradation. This is a particularly important concern given the fact that environmental conservation has become an increasingly significant for everyone in society today. With multicorporations raking in millions, it is only justified that they give back to the community. The wanton disregard of the environment by a few companies when it comes to handling of industrial waste, the use of recyclable paper or sheer indifference when it comes to environmental protection is shocking. As aforementioned, corporate social responsibility involves activities that give back to the community, or ensure fairness in the running of activities (Crowther and Rayman-Bacchu 69). The protection of the environment has become the center stage of many humanitarian organizations. Most of these humanitarian organizations argue that the protection of the environment should be the key concern of any corporation. This is because; the environment is the only natural resource that is invaluable to the human race. The issue of handling industrial waste by many corporations has always been at the forefront of many environmental organizations. This is because; corporations are guilty on more than one accord of irresponsibly handling their waste. Evidence such as the great pacific garbage patch exists to show how many corporations are not handling the dumping of waste seriously. The great pacific garbage patch is a myriad of human waste that has found its way into the ocean after being improperly dumped. The great pacific garbage patch leads to problems such as loss of aquatic life and the contamination of the water not mentioning the introduction of many pollutants into the water (Werther and Chandler 55). Corporate social responsibility makes it clear that it is certainly unethical for these corporations to be making profits at the expense of the environment and other aspects of the human life. Corporate social responsibility makes it clear that corporations should therefore find better ways to handle their waste disposal. Even though it is currently not clear on what is the best way to handle some waste such as hot water, responsibility means that before waste is disposed, it should pass some tests. The tests could ensure that the waste is safe for disposal and would not in any way harm human beings and other life. Corporate social responsibility is therefore viewed as a control mechanism to

ensure that multi-corporations are responsible for their actions (Werther and Chandler 70). The global financial meltdown uncovered many social norms previously unimagined. The number of people who lost their jobs due to the financial situation is appalling. Interestingly, this does not mean that multi-national corporations are necessarily suffering. Most of the established companies with branches all over the world took the excuse of the financial breakdown to benefit. All of a sudden, it was okay to lay off people on the pretext of financial gloom. This means that a few people were benefiting from the woes of a thousand more. The issue of corporate social responsibility presents itself in this situation in that, the multi-corporations are run by a board of governors. The board of governors is usually composed of a few individuals that call all the shots. It is common knowledge that these corporations employ a huge number of persons in many sectors of the economy. When the profits of these gigantic companies fail to reach a certain goal, the running costs of the business have to be checked. This is why, the few persons at the top, not wanting to lose, resort to firing some people. This is done so as to maintain the profits at a certain level. The problem is that when all of the multinational companies resort to firing a few employees, the net effect is that, a large number of persons end up losing their jobs. Corporate social responsibility ensures that corporations the world over are engaged in other activities that give back to the community (Crowther and Rayman-Bacchu 172). Many activities that are considered helpful include; organizing activities that seek to involve the community in such events as fund raising for the needy, events that seek to help out the disadvantage in society and other similar activities. In the financial and corporate world, corporate social responsibility a given with a positive impact on performance. There are, however, several factors that show the need for corporate social responsibility. The first factor is population. The expanding population in developing regions will create larger markets dominated by younger individuals with questionable access to the developed worlds standard of living. Statistics show that more than eighty five percent of the worlds population will live in developing countries by 2025 (Crowther and Rayman-Bacchu 165). This presents a challenge to companies seeking to involve themselves in corporate social responsibility, since it is clear that a lot of financial support will be required for these populations. The second factor is wealth. Despite the fact that global wealth is rising, the income gap has grown wider, threatening civil society. Seventy eight percent of

the world can be classified as poor, with eleven percent in the middle class, and only eleven percent can be classified as rich. Each and every company should strive to be involved in attempting to balance this distribution of wealth. The trend of the rich growing richer while the poor grow poorer should be eliminated, since it is unethical for some people to have so much, and others to have nothing at all. The third factor is nutrition. There are millions of people who are malnourished, amidst an abundance of food. Thousands die of hunger every year, while rich corporations blow millions on fancy holidays for their executives. It is crucial for each company to take time and reflect on the finances it spends on benefits for its executives, as compared to that spent on helping the needy in society. While these benefits are vital for employee motivation, they should not be taken overboard at the expense of the suffering masses. Education is another critical factor that should be considered in the design of corporate social responsibility programs. Basic education is widespread, but opportunities for learning continue to elude many. Over one hundred million children are not in school, with ninety seven percent of these being in developing countries. One in every five adults globally is illiterate, which are staggering figures given the widespread opportunities to learn available today. Corporate are faced with the challenge of promoting education by setting up schools, and funding educational development programs. Education can also be encouraged by taking in interns and trainees and giving them an opportunity to learn the tricks of the job, which will enable them compete fairly in the corporate world (Crowther and Rayman-Bacchu 169). In conclusion, this paper has shown that corporate social responsibility is a vital element for nay business corporations. It has been shown that there are many different areas in which a company may choose to focus its corporate social responsibility. The first area of focus in corporate social responsibility is with regard to the environment. Other areas that should be considered in the development of corporate social responsibility programs are education, health, nutrition and employment. Social responsibility investment combines investors financial goals with their obligation and dedication to factors that ensure the well being of society such as environmental friendly practices, economic growth and justice in society (Anderson 9). These elements are not only aspects of corporate social responsibility, but also a show of the ethical standards of a company. It is unethical for some individuals to own so much and earn so much, at the expense of other suffering members of society. It is also unethical for companies to engage in environmentally degrading practices that result in illnesses and loss of life. It can be concluded that Social corporate

responsibility and the maintenance of high ethical standards is not an option but an obligation for all business.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspects of their operations. This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community and society at large. The debate about CSR has been said to have begun in the early 20th century, amid growing concerns about large corporations and their power. The ideas of charity and stewardship helped to shape the early thinking about CSR in the US. There is no universally accepted definition of CSR- Selected definitions by CSR organizations include: "Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large" World Business Council for Sustainable Development "CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society." "Corporate social responsibility is undertaking the role of "corporate citizenship" and ensuring the business values and behaviour is aligned to balance between improving and developing the wealth of the business, with the intention to improve society, people and the planet" "CSR is a company's commitment to operating in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner whilst balancing the interests of diverse stakeholders." CSR Asia "Corporate social responsibility is the commitment of businesses to contribute to sustainable economic development by working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their lives in ways that are good for business and for development." International Finance Corporation

To demonstrate good business citizenship, firms can report compliance with a number of CSR standards The scale and nature of the benefits of CSR for an organization can vary depending on the nature of the enterprise, and are difficult to quantify, though there is a large body of literature exhorting business to adopt measures beyond financial ones CSR may be based within the human resources, business development or public relations departments of an organization, or may be given a separate unit reporting to the CEO or in some cases directly to the board. Some companies may implement CSR-type values without a clearly defined team or programme. The business case for CSR within a company will likely rest on one or more of these arguments: A CSR programme can be seen as an aid to recruitment and, particularly within the competitive graduate student market. Potential recruits often ask about a firm's CSR policy during an interview and having a comprehensive policy can give an advantage. CSR can also help to improve the perception of a company among its staff, particularly when staff can become involved through payroll giving, fundraising activities or community volunteering. In crowded marketplaces companies strive for a unique selling proposition which can separate them from the competition in the minds of consumers. CSR can play a role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values. Business service organizations can benefit too from building a reputation for integrity and best practice. So businesses should be more responsible for their environment. It is difficult to concede if CSR is purely driven by the intentions of corporate members to exert ethical conduct or is it a distraction and/or opportunity to over shadow or distract society and consumer perception based on the moral standing of an organization There are major challenges in today's corporate arena that impose limitations to the growth and potential profits of an organization. Government restriction, tariffs, globalization, environmentally sensitive areas and exploitation are problems that are costing millions of dollars for organization. It may be apparent that in some cases, ethical implications are simply a costly hindrance that potentially forces businesses to finding alternative means to shift viewpoints. It is certainly a potential strategic tactic to gain public support to sustain a competitive advantage. Another plausible driver of CSR is by independent mediators to ensure that corporate goals don't harm or disadvantage anyone or environment.

Unfortunately many consequential events are a reason why CSR policies become evident. But CSR opens up a whole new horizon for safer and better opportunities for both the employer and employee. It is now for more organizations to realize the importance of CSR, and take the right step towards success.

Corporate Social Responsibility

By luvmaverick, April 2012 | 12 Pages (2,809 Words) | 891 Views

When we place our first step into the world of business, we have heard businessmen speak expressively about the aim of the company is to make profit and not to address social responsibilities. This is only certain truth to this statement as the world we live in now is evolving. People in the current era are more concern about social responsibility especially with corporations and their behaviours and plans. There is an increasing demand on businesses to have a social conscience and taking serious responsibility for providing employment, eliminating discrimination, ethical working environment and whatever else is related to having a social conscience. In todays business world, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an essential element for all corporations. Business around the world are progressively applying CSR, believing that it will be able to bring them competitive advantage and sustainability. Before we progress into our discussion, we will have to define the meaning of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the pyramid of corporate social responsibility. One of the most important elements of corporate social responsibility, Stakeholder Theory, will also be discussed. Defining sustainability and the guidelines to it will also be discussed in the essay. Last but not least, we will also be discussing about future sustainability models and a case study that has incorporated corporate social responsibility to make their business operation more sustainable will be discussed. An infinite number of definitions of CSR exist, going across from the simplistic to the complex, and a range of associated terms and ideas, including corporate sustainability, corporate governance, the triple bottom line and business sustainability. The terminology itself has changed over the course of time has also suggest that the meaning

attributed to concepts such as CSR will continue to evolve in synch with business, political and social developments around the world.... [continues] What is corporate culture? Corporate is a shared pattern of beliefs, expectations and meanings that influence and guide the thinking and behaviors of the members of that organization. Culture is different from one organization to another; every organization has its own culture. Some of organizations their culture based on obey the rules and others based on values. Culture is present in different elements like; problem solving approach, speed of work, the competitive environment, incentives and Hierarchical structure. Entrepreneur.com defines corporate culture as a blend of the values, beliefs, taboos, symbols, rituals and myths all companies develop over time. It is not unlike the culture of a country, region or ethnic group, just smaller in scale."
ntegratingCorporateSocial ResponsibilityInto a CorporateCulture,the Questto Embed Integrityinto the Workplace
Authors Randall G. Gossen, Garry J. Mann, Laura de Jonge, Nexen Inc. Source SPE International Conference on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, 20-22 March 2002, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ISBN 978-1-55563-947-1 Copyright Copyright 2002, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc. Preview Abstract Nexen Inc. (the Company), an independent global energy and chemicals company, has made significant strides in the area of corporate social responsibility

(CSR). Developments such as globalization, environmental issues, competitive labor markets and advances in technology have accelerated the pace at which these and other corporate social responsibility issues have risen up the corporate agenda. The playing field for multi-national enterprises has been forever altered. In response to these emerging issues and encouraged by Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Company championed and adopted the International Code of Ethics for Canadian Business (the Code) in 1997. The Code received endorsement from the Canadian government and support from many companies and business associations. The Code provides principles for community participation, environmental protection, business conduct and employee health and safety. The Company's Integrity Program is the vehicle by which the Code is implemented. The Integrity Program focuses on ensuring that the Code is more than simply words. Its principles have been successfully translated into comprehensive and innovative practices which address industry considerations faced by companies today and which benefit the company and its stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility is an area of emerging global importance. Besides being the right thing to do, fostering a culture of integrity has ensured that the Company adds shareholder value over the long term and makes a difference in its

broader sphere of influence. Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is defined by the World Business Council on Sustainable Development as the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as the local community and society at large. In addition, it is important to recognize that CSR provides a vehicle by which business can demonstrate its commitment and engagement in addressing many of the concerns identified by those that oppose globalization. The Company considers the key elements of CSR to be: business practices; community investment; safety and environment; employee relations; and supplier and customer relations. Key Issues/Challenges Although only recently emerging in the public spotlight, efforts to address corporate social responsibility concerns are not new. The Universal Declaration for Human Rights was developed over 50 years ago. The far reaching United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was enacted a generation ago. While the creation of these and other instruments were important milestones, they have not removed the barriers to investment that exist for many companies. A survey of business people by the World Bank showed that, other than tax

regulations or high taxes, corruption is considered to be the number one obstacle to conducting business in developing countries1.

Create a Positive Corporate Culture

Examine your beliefs, goals and values to create a positive atmosphere in your business.
BY DR. DAVID G. JAVITCH | February 4, 2010| 0 Comments |
4 13

Every organization has a culture. Some are more positive than others. Schools and religious organizations have fairly positive and stimulating cultures. Even gangs have cultures that, while positive to their members, are generally considered by the rest of society as negative. Your company has a culture too. Is it positive or negative? Before getting into that, perhaps it's appropriate at this point to define just what a corporate culture is. There are many definitions. My preferred definition is: Culture is the sum total of everything that has been and continues to be on going in an organization. Knowing the various aspects of your culture can clearly guide you and your employees to a better understanding of your goals, visions, and approaches to increased productivity, perhaps with the use of valuable technology. Do you believe in a relaxed atmosphere? Is it your belief that for greater productivity, the company atmosphere must be serious? Or are you somewhere in between? Culture influences the way we think, what we do, how we work, and what is acceptable in the company environment. That said, what are some of the many factors involved in building, assessing, and understanding culture? Three groups of attributes of a corporate culture stand out:

1. Beliefs, stories, and experiences: When a new hire begins, what are the
stories he is told about the organization? About the people? About past events? What was made those events noteworthy? Who are the company heroes and what have they accomplished that garnered them such a positive reputation that it deserves to be respected? More importantly, can these behaviors be emulated by others?

2. Goals, norms, and history: "If you don't know where you are going, you will
probably end up somewhere else!" Anecdotal surveys show that the overwhelming majority of employees are clueless about their overall company goals. While it's true that most know they should do a good job, many are unclear about the specifics and the nuances. Sure, the goal of the Ford Motor Company is to make cars, the local mattress factory to produce bedding, and the accounting company to prepare your tax returns. But to what degree of quality? And what about customer service? Where in the company environmental equation does that fit? Surprisingly, these questions occasionally go unanswered. To help the employee better understand the culture, the entrepreneur and the employees all need to understand specifically where the organization is going, how it will get there, by when, and with what degree of quality and success. Without this knowledge, the company is doomed to be an underperformer or possibly to fail. Norms define and describe what is acceptable: "the way things are done around here" from the simple to the complex. The former may basically include how early you have your staff come to work in the morning or how late they remain past 5 pm. The complex may involve whether to work as a highly productive individual or to work together as an accomplished team (collaboratively or competitively?). Not knowing the difference can easily create problems for the individual and the work unit. History, like experience, provides a basis for behavior. It helps employees distinguish between what has been tried and succeeded and those things that were attempted but failed; it allows workers to move beyond past failures through to innovation and achievement. History can serve as a foundation or

jumping off point to launch into new ventures or new procedures and policies. It helps the innovator deal with complainers who say, "We already tried that.." Supported by history, the employee can point out how this newest attempt will differ from and alter the past.

3. Symbols, values, rituals: Symbols are crucial icons or signs that tell the
observer, visitor, and even the employees something about the organization. Nameplates and logos on doors, windows, walls, and stationery tell every person seeing them something about the company. These symbols can be as concrete as a name and as abstract as cleanliness, high tech, modernity, or quality. They reveal to all a measure of the company story. Something as simple as names on cubicles says that even though we may be cubby-holed, the company believes that people are important. A sparkling floor says that the company takes pride in its appearance and providing a clean environment for all workers. One reason many people chose to work in an organization is because of its values: honesty, pride, concern for others, independence, positive reinforcement for a job well done or well begun. These values may be unwritten but, nevertheless, are still potent qualities that exist to inform employees about the company, especially when a clash of values occurs. Is it more important, for example, to get products/ information/services out the door? Is it more valuable to complete one polished product or many that are in great shape but dull in appearance? The confusion can lead to diminished performance. Rituals are traditions or ceremonies that occur on a regular basis. Quite often, organizations miss opportunities to use rituals to improve morale. Simple events such as honoring birthdays, anniversaries, important successes, or positive announcements all serve as occasions for the company to say, "We value you and we want to honor or acknowledge you and your accomplishments." These events can be inexpensively acknowledged with lunches, cakes, coffee or cards. There are many low-cost methods (expensive ones, too!) of telling employees how important they are. The results can be very powerful!

By reviewing these attributes of corporate culture, an empowering entrepreneur can better assess the current status of an organization with an eye to modifying or eliminating the parts that are dysfunctional or impractical, then replacing them with qualities that will improve your working environment, productivity, and employee satisfaction. Then your culture will be positive, too!

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/204890#ixzz2WeeZdCOo