Is the Good Corporation Dead: Social Responsibility in a Global Economy

Can corporations remain socially responsible in today's fiercely competitive global economy? For several decades after World War II, companies like IBM, which exemplified what journalist Robert J. Samuelson called the 'good corporation, ' poured forth material comforts and technological ideas while guaranteeing full employment and adequate retirement. In the 1980s all of that changed, as corporations moved to 'downsize' and become lean, mean global competitors. In this collection, thirteen prominent scholars in business ethics, finance, management, and religion and six corporate leaders respond to a new essay by Samuelson that sounds the death knell of the 'good corporation.' They propose new approaches to corporate integrity and social responsibility in the global economy. The book will be useful in corporate workshops and will make an excellent business ethics text in philosophy departments and business schools Review . . . articles herein are worthwhile reading . . . admirable job of delineating and dissecting the concept of corporate social responsibiltity.--Professor Warren K. Thompson, Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania About the Author John W. Houck and Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C., are co-directors of the Center for Ethics and Religious Values in Business at the University of Notre Dame. They are the editors, together, and the authors, individually, of numerous books in business ethics and religious values in economic policy.