Social Responsibilities of the Businessman (University of Iowa Faculty Connections)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) expresses a fundamental morality in the way a company behaves toward society. It follows ethical behavior toward stakeholders and recognizes the spirit of the legal and regulatory environment. The idea of CSR gained momentum in the late 1950s and 1960s with the expansion of large conglomerate corporations and became a popular subject in the 1980s with R. Edward Freeman's Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach and the many key works of Archie B. Carroll, Peter F. Drucker, and others. In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008–2010, CSR has again become a focus for evaluating corporate behavior. First published in 1953, Howard R. Bowen's Social Responsibilities of the Businessman was the first comprehensive discussion of business ethics and social responsibility. It created a foundation by which business executives and academics could consider the subjects as part of strategic planning and managerial decision-making. Though written in another era, it is regularly and increasingly cited because of its relevance to the current ethical issues of business operations in the United States. Many experts believe it to be the seminal book on corporate social responsibility. This new edition of the book includes an introduction by Jean-Pascal Gond, Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at Cass Business School, City University of London, and a foreword by Peter Geoffrey Bowen, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, who is Howard R. Bowen's eldest son.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) expresses a fundamental morality in the way a company behaves toward society. It follows ethical behavior toward stakeholders and recognizes the spirit of the legal and regulatory environment. The idea of CSR gained momentum in the late 1950s and 1960s with the expansion of large conglomerate corporations and became a popular subject in the 1980s with R. Edward Freeman's Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach and the many key works of Archie B. Carroll, Peter F. Drucker, and others. In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008–2010, CSR has again become a focus for evaluating corporate behavior.
First published in 1953, Howard R. Bowen's Social Responsibilities of the Businessman was the first comprehensive discussion of business ethics and social responsibility. It created a foundation by which business executives and academics could consider the subjects as part of strategic planning and managerial decision-making. Though written in another era, it is regularly and increasingly cited because of its relevance to the current ethical issues of business operations in the United States. Many experts believe it to be the seminal book on corporate social responsibility.This new edition of the book includes an introduction by Jean-Pascal Gond, Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at Cass Business School, City University of London, and a foreword by Peter Geoffrey Bowen, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, who is Howard R. Bowen's eldest son.

Contents 6 Foreword to the New Edition 8 Introduction to the New Edition 10 Preface 18 1. Introduction 22 2. Economic Goals 27 3. Social Responsibilities and Laissez Faire 33 4. Social Aspects of Business Decisions in Present-Day Capitalism 41 5. Protestant Views of the Social Responsibilities of Businessmen 50 7. The Businessman's View of His Specific Responsibilities 73 8. Why Are Businessmen Concerned About Their Social Reponsibilities? 88 9. Why Are Businessmen Concerned About Their Social Responsibilities? (Continued) 103 10. The Doctrine of Social Responsibility: Some Criticisms 125 11. The law and the Doctrine of Social Responsibility 144 12. Toward Increasing the Effectiveness of Social Responsibility in Business Decisions 154 13. Proposals: Changes in Business Organization and Practice 170 14. Proposals: The Industry Council Plan 183 15. Other Proposals 196 16. Ethical Issues Relating to the Distribution of Income 212 17. Other Ethical Issues Facing Businessmen 226 Appendix A: Bibliography of Protestant Views on the Social Responsibilities of Businessmen 250 Appendix B: Sources on the Businessman's Conception of His Social Responsibilities 254 Index of Subjects 260 Index of Names 264