Social Responsibility

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In modern times, social change has become a vital tool for use in advancing the needs of society. Generally, social changes exist in various forms and can have positive or negative consequences. Social change, depending on impact, is a term implying changes in social, economic, religious, or political conditions. An example of social change is what is known as corporate social responsibility. This is when corporations engaged in philanthropy give back to society for the sake of maintaining societal health and foster close cooperation. Firestone, the great American tire manufacturer, in its pursuit of the precious rubber used in the manufacture of the durable tires we use in our cars, has been castigated for the tremendous environmental destruction it has wrought on the West African nation of Liberia (Makina, 2011). Rather than giving back something precious in return, Firestone has imposed on the land and the people of Liberia an environmental hazard that will take years to remedy. Firestone’s irresponsible actions have led to the destruction of vast tracts of land and the creation of other ecological hazards.

Social change can only materialize when those in authority partake in the training, educating, and transforming of communities. Social change is associated with fairness in dealings, accountability, changing attitudes, overcoming biases, organizing change, and determining solutions to problems. Leadership and social responsibility are inseparable. Hickman (1998) believes that corporations and business entities have to give back to communities and be thankful for the role society plays in their successes.

References

Hickman, G.R. (1998). Leading organizations: Perspectives for s new era. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Makina, A. (2011). The impact of globalization on Liberia’s ecosystem. Retrieved from http://wardheernews.com/Articles_2011/May/05_The%20Impac%20of%20globalization_makina.pdf