The problem with that world, Arthur as you well know is that corporations don't just do business they do politics, influence, create and manage social environments/realities and so on. So governments seem now mostly to be playing catch up with corporations and citizens are even further behind since their real opportunity to influence policy is receding at an accelerating pace... So any leverage the rest of us can get even through something as flawed as this is probably worthwhile.
M -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Arthur Cordell Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 2:19 PM To: [email protected]; 'RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION,EDUCATION' Subject: Re: [Futurework] Well, it's a nice thought... Few trends could so thoroughly undermine the very foundations of our free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of a social responsibility other than to make as much money for their stockholders as possible. -- Milton Friedman It's the function of the corp. to make profits and pay taxes, it's the function of the govt. to set the ground rules of the game and use the taxes to meet social needs. Govts are elected; corporations are not. When corps begin to decide "social responsibility" then clearly they may have their own unelected agenda. When I buy Proctor and Gamble or Kellogs or Kraft products I really don't want them deciding social responsibility. Just turn out a quality product, pay taxes and treat the workers in a fair manner. The govt. can and should do the rest. So I agree with Milton. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mike Spencer Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 12:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Futurework] Re: Well, it's a nice thought... > University of Ottawa MBAs swear oath in Canadian first > > by Glen Mcgregor, The Ottawa Citizen, October 26, 2009 > > OTTAWA: About two dozen masters of business administration graduates > stood together Sunday and recited an oath of ethics.... to conduct > their affairs ethically and work toward the well-being of all > stakeholders and not just their shareholders. Beth David Cemetary on line two, something about seismic activity and steam ventng around some grave or other, something Friedman I think they said. > The oath is entirely voluntarily and in no way binding on anyone who > takes it. Oh, well. That's alright then. No smiting off of hands or heaping with burning coals or forensic audits or anything like that. No problem. -Imafa Kinasso, Epist. Eng., MBA Scotia Center for Advanced Monetary Studies --- Few trends could so thoroughly undermine the very foundations of our free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of a social responsibility other than to make as much money for their stockholders as possible. -- Milton Friedman _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
