Use the same organization selected in week 1. This week’s assignment involves two steps.

First, analyze your organization’s operations by conducting a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. Pay particular attention to your company’s strengths and opportunities because you will try to identify a social cause that meshes well with them. Think back to the Google example. One of Google’s social causes is improving computer science education. Since Google is at the forefront of advances in information technology, it makes sense that one of its social concerns is improving computer science education. In supporting this cause, Google is not only being socially responsible but is potentially working to educate its future customers and workforce. Thus, focusing on areas where your company excels and then finding a social cause that can benefit from your company’s strengths can also ultimately help your company!

Second, consider how shareholder and stakeholder theories of ethics will impact your selection of a target social cause for your corporation to pursue. What responsibility does your company owe to its stockholders and stakeholders? Will pursuing a social responsibility program detract from your responsibilities to these two groups? Any program that you implement will redirect resources toward the social cause and away from your stockholders and stakeholders. Is this ethical?

Tasks:

• Create your organization’s SWOT analysis. Justify each item in your analysis.
• Evaluate the ethical implications of pursuing a social responsibility program in terms of your stockholders and stakeholders. What is the personal framework you are using to make these ethical decisions for your company?