Week 5: Implementing an Ethical and Socially Responsible Strategy

This week, you will experience another shift in the focus of this course by examining the impact of diversification on companies and how a focus on diversity can add to a firm’s competitive advantage. You also will examine the importance of ethics and ethical stance in the conduct of business, and how an ethical position of corporate social responsibility can drive increased performance and results.

Imagine you are an Asian or African American customer, and you decide to visit a company’s home office to discuss growing your business relationship. You are ushered into the corporate meeting room, where you await arrival of the management team. You notice that, during your entire visit, you have not seen anyone of your own ethnicity. In fact, you have not seen any staff or employees that had a different ethnicity than Caucasian. What might be going on in your mind after realizing this? Does this company really have the ability to identify you at a basic level of your own culture? Does any of this, in fact, matter? Is this an ethical and socially responsible position for a company to take?

Many companies have researched this matter. The results clearly show that when a company’s employees and staff mirror the makeup of its customer base, it is better focused on the needs of that customer base and is more successful than those companies that ignore this. It all goes back to culture and the way customers make decisions. It underscores the importance of diversity in the workforce.

Since the conceptualization of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an ongoing debate focuses on the importance of CSR as a part of a typical business leader’s managerial toolkit. Some see it as a value-adding activity and behavior, whereas others, especially those who focus mainly on maximizing shareholder profits and wealth, see it as an unnecessary expenditure that adds little, if any, value to a company’s bottom line.

Recently, Dr. Michael Porter of Harvard University, a well-known leader in business, has embraced and championed CSR as a mission-critical activity.

In response, journalist Fred Whaley (2013) cites in his article, “Is Corporate Social Responsibility Profitable for Companies?”:

“Corporate social responsibility encompasses not only what companies do with their profits, but also how they make them,” according to a definition from the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. “It goes beyond philanthropy and compliance and addresses how companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts, as well as their relationships in all key spheres of influence: the workplace, the marketplace, the supply chain, the community, and the public policy realm.”


“Porter’s theory of ‘shared value’ takes the concept of corporate social responsibility further. He argues that companies should use their interactions with society—and more importantly address society’s problems—to drive new business opportunities and create a source of significant untapped profits.”

Today, there is a greater focus on both positive ethical practices and corporate social responsibility, and it is time to look at those through a magnifying glass.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Explain why company strategies must pass ethical scrutiny
• Analyze the impact of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act on the operation of American businesses in competition with international competitors
• Analyze the impact of corporate social responsibility practices
• Analyze concepts related to strategic planning and management implementation
• Apply concepts related to strategic business management

Photo Credit: Werner Schnell / Moment / Getty Images

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the
Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Thompson, A. A. (2014–2015).
Strategy: Core concepts and analytical approaches (3rd ed.) [BSG electronic edition]. Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill Education.

• Chapter 9, “Strategy, Ethics, and Social Responsibility” (pp. 181–197)
• Chapter 10, “Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution” (pp. 199–216)

Document: Week 5 Discussion 2 Template (Word document)

Business Strategy Game (BSG) Simulation website:

Thompson, A. A., Jr., Reidenback, M. A., Stappenbeck, G. J., Harms, C. C., & Thrasher, I. F. (2014). The Business Strategy Game: Competing in a global marketplace. Retrieved from
https://www.bsg-online.com/

Visit this website to read Chapters 1 and 2 of the course e-book course and to begin the Business Strategy Game (BSG) SIM. This simulation provides opportunities for you to make some of the difficult decisions often encountered by managers as they seek to execute the strategy that has been established by senior executives who are responsible to the shareholders.

Required Media

University of St. Gallen, Switzerland (Producer) [HSGUniStGallen]. (2012). What is corporate social responsibility (CSR)? [Video file]. Retrieved from

1.Discussion 1: Learning Objectives for Ethical and Social Responsibility

Please see the Discussion Guidelines in Week 1, and use them as a guide for Weeks 2–6.

By Day 3

Post to Discussion.

By Day 6

Complete your responses.

For Week 5, Discussion 1, choose one of the following three discussion topics. Your post should be 225–250 words and APA formatted.

1. Explain why a company’s strategy needs to pass ethical scrutiny.
2. Analyze the impact of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) on the operation of American businesses in competition with international competitors.
3. Compare and analyze the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on firms that practice it and those who do not.

Please use the Week 5 Discussion 1 Template located in the Week 5 Learning Resources to draft your post.

After your initial post, engage with colleagues and the Instructor in clarifying and mastering any concepts not fully understood. Points to explore in the first discussion topic could include:

• How is the concept(s) used in your current or past place of employment and/or career?
• How does the concept(s) relate to other concepts in the Learning Objectives?
• Why is it important for you to know and master these concept(s)?

2.Discussion 2: Research Weekly Concepts for Ethical and Social Responsibility

By Day 4

Post to Discussion.

By Day 7

Complete your responses.

For Discussion 2, please visit the Walden Library databases or select a recognized business publication such as Forbes, Business Week, Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, and so forth. Select an article addressing ethical practice in global companies; building a culture of ethical values; empowering stakeholders to follow ethical principles; or another topic that relates to these ideas. For example, you could explore topics such as examples of firms that are known for corporate social responsibility; examples of business ethical failures; the impact of transformational leadership on creating a “best practices” business; strategic approaches to growth.

Following APA style and formatting guidelines, summarize the article into approximately 300 words (do NOT copy the article), and explain the knowledge you gained from it. Post to Discussion 2 by Day 4. Include a link to the original article so your colleagues can read it.

Please use the Week 5 Discussion 2 Template located in the Week 5 Learning Resources to draft your post.

Engage in class discussions of the article, starting no later than Day 4, and continuing until Day 6. All discussion posts must be complete by Day 7. In addition to your initial post, respond a minimum of three times (100–125 words) over a minimum of three days.

To earn full points, full engagement in this discussion requires an initial post and active substantive responses with colleagues over a minimum of 3 days and preferably every day.

Deadline Reminders

• 3. Chapter 11 Quiz — due Aug 18, 2019, 8:00 PM
• 4. Chapter 12 Quiz — due Aug 18, 2019, 8:00 PM

Do you need a similar assignment done for you from scratch? We have qualified writers to help you. We assure you an A+ quality paper that is free from plagiarism. Order now for an Amazing Discount!
Use Discount Code "Newclient" for a 15% Discount!

NB: We do not resell papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.