1. What is corporate social responsibility? How does corporate social responsibility relate to an organization's mission statement and to its strategy?
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to a social stand taken by businesses, investments, and firms that contribute to the social welfare of the stakeholders. It is a firm’s way of giving back to the community. For inclusion in corporate social responsibility, firms start initiatives that aim at evaluating the environmental effects caused by the firm and take responsibility for the social wellbeing of the consumers and other stakeholders. CSR involves experiencing costs without profit maximization benefits by engaging in environmental conservation efforts, philanthropic missions and donations, engaging and upholding ethical labor practices and volunteering in community activities. CSR initiatives should take into consideration their core social purpose. This helps the firm to align its policies, practices, and initiatives with their mission and vision. They form strategies that will result in constructive effects on the social wellbeing of the community and the surroundings.
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2. Please read and discuss as you wish.
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility
Corporate social responsibility has become an important concern for consumers besides high-quality products and services. Consumers are more involved than before in ensuring that company’s take environmental conservation measures and social welfare of the community. Statistics show that consumers are attracted more to businesses that have “drive social and environmental” changes without coercion by the government.
CRS is also a major concern for employees who seek to work in organizations that have strategies and programs that give back to the community. This means that for a business to succeed, it must put into consideration its social impacts and responsibilities. It should put in place sustainable mechanisms that enhance environmental conservation and uphold social wellbeing of the community. CSR is a force that can bring people together despite their differences and interests and unite them in a common goal to make the world a better place .
3. What was once a focus on domestic enterprise activity, then international, has given way to global enterprise. What unique strategic challenges does functioning in the global environment present relative to achieving competitive advantage and overall enterprise performance?
Globalization in business enterprises opens a well of opportunities risks and challenges. Functioning in the global market is challenging as it requires the creation of a product that is acceptable globally. The global market faces economic social, political and cultural differences. Global products need to be in line foreign standards and set laws. The rules of taxation and competition with the local products form another challenge. Globalization calls for an in-depth understanding of cultures to produce a product that is culturally acceptable. This brings a challenge in the branding and marketing of products globally.in the global market, there exist economic instabilities that may be unfavorable for products presented for global acceptance and performance. Rigid firms’ structures and controls also bring challenges in globalization as they become susceptible to change.
4. What strengths and weaknesses do traditional organizational structures provide? How do boundary-less and learning organizations impact strategic capability in a global environment?
Traditional organization structures capitalized by hierarchy and departments assist in achieving an organizational mission. This is because they provide effective communication channels through the formation of relationships which fosters coordination. The division of labor enhances employee’s expertise for innovation and problem-solving. The traditional organizational structure also enjoys increased efficiency, productivity and saving as a result of specialized labor that yields high output and enhances efficient utilization of the available resources. However, the traditional hierarchical structure is not time conscious due to lengthy decision-making practices. Communication and interpretation of information are difficult and the structural orientation makes it challenging to adapt to the global environment due to centralized decision-making practices. Boundaryless organizations have impacted the strategic capability in the global environment effectively by overcoming bureaucracy and boundaries created within the corporation and focusing more on change. Boundaryless and learning organization adapt easily to changes behaviors and practices hence improving the capabilities of the set strategies especially in the global market where changes are frequent and unpredictable.
5. Watch the attached video or transcript on Conducting a Competitive Analysis and discuss your views.
The transcript on conducting a competitive analysis gives an insight into competitors on the best ways to approach competition, especially in the service industry. I concur with the speaker, the focus should be on the best interests of the client even when it means referring a client to your competitor when you believe that they can offer more than you can for that client. Competition in this transcript has been brought out as an avenue to share, exchange and learn from each other to improve on weaknesses. The speaker acknowledges some circumstances that call for firm action to fulfill a company’s mission or vision without being enticed by the action of the competitors. Competition can become unhealthy if not properly watched leading to collapse of the morality and core values of an organization in a bid to stay competitive. Competition can be approach relevantly by adding more information and giving customers what they need and would like to experience.
6. Please read and comment as you wish.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/traditional-hierarchical-organizational-structure-26174.html
Traditional organization structures have been overtaken by the modern structures that are more time conscious and effective. The bureaucracy in decision making and authority have been shifted to organizational structures that offer more flexibility such as the ability for individuals to make decisions without consultation. The traditional hierarchical structure has benefits in employees’ management as it offered specialization and division of labor that ensured that each department enhanced its expertise and collaborated together with others to achieve the goals and objectives set by the company. However modern companies are more dynamic and uncontrolled that need decisions made more promptly.
7. Describe the one or two points that were least clear to you from the attached readings this week. What questions do you have that would help you understand these points better?
From the attachment on organizational structure and controls, the relationship between strategy and structure of an organization does not provide a clear distinction on the how the structure of an organization affects its strategies. Questions, therefore, arise: How do you match a company’s structure with its strategy? What is the first consideration the strategy or the structure? I need more explanation on how strategy and structure influence each other. Whether a change in structure means a change in strategy or strategy change warrants for an overhaul of the structural makeup of an organization.
8. What are the important issues to consider when performing a competitor analysis?
When performing a competitor analysis it is necessary to consider the current and potential competitors in the market environment. A competitor analysis must classify competitors according to the different strategies they use when competing. This gives a clear picture of competitor’s motivations. It is also important to evaluate their weaknesses and strengths to help identify areas of business vulnerability. Assess the competitor’s key assets and strategies to uncover the factors that prompt or hinder success, the chief motivations for clients, the main components of the costs and mobility barriers that are presented by the industry. An in-depth analysis of the above factors combined with a thorough analysis of failed business and outlining the reasons behind the failure will provide a clear competitor analysis report.
References
Fallon, Nicole ( 2017, December 29). What is Corporate Social Responsibility? Business News Daily. Retrieved from: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility
Griffin, D. (2018). The Structure of a Boundaryless Organization. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/structure-boundaryless-organization-2764.html
Hopkins, M. (2012). Corporate Social Responsibility and International Development: Is Business the Solution? Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Huebsch, R. (2018) Traditional Hierarchical Organizational Structure. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/traditional-hierarchical-organizational-structure-26174.html
Jensen, K. (2017, Sep 25) Healing Center: Conducting a Competitive Analysis. (Video file) University of Phoenix.
Reeves, M., Haanaes, K., & Sinha, J. (2015). Your Strategy Needs a Strategy: How to Choose and Execute the Right Approach. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
