Assignment:
This activity is based on the exercise on page 226 of ‘Business Ethics' (Crane & Matten, 2010).
For this component, you need to work in a group of five (5) students to consider the values and social performance of two companies. You are required to consider and discuss the companies as a group, but must submit your responses to the questions as individuals.
1. As a group, select two companies that produce social reports and whose values are identified on their websites or in other company documents (that are publicly available). At least one of these companies must have had the social responsibility of their business activities queried and the two companies selected by your group must be either:
(a) From different industries but in the same country; or
(b) From the same industry but different countries.
By Week Five (or on the date otherwise advised by your lecturer) your group must provide the names of the companies you have selected to research, and the industry and country within which they operate.
2. As a group, research each of your companies to determine their company values, their approaches to social responsibility and their reporting of their social performances.
3. As an individual, you are required to identify and briefly describe the two companies you have researched and then provide responses to the following questions:
i. What differences are evident between the two companies in terms of the range of issues dealt with in the reports and the depth of coverage on specific issues?
ii. To what extent can these differences be explained by the country or industry differences? What other explanations might there be?
iii. Assess the apparent quality of the social accounting approach utilized by each company according to Zadek et al.'s (1997) criteria.
iv. Discuss the extent to which the social reports reflect the values of your selected companies.
v. Briefly reflect on your groups' discussions of these companies. In what ways did the ideas presented by your group confirm your own conclusions or present another perspective to you?
Word limit: 1200 to 1500 words
Referencing: You are required to follow the APA style of referencing for this task. There is no set number of references required. It is recommended, however, that you independently seek out resources in addition to those provided by the lecturer.