▶ Your Answer :
As capitalism
has become a dominating rule of the world and the economy has rapidly been
becoming larger, the role of corporations has been more important in the
societies. Although some might say that companies should contribute to
improving the well-being of the public and environments in some cases, it may
not be their responsibility from the logical view that they are conducting
their own duty by following the laws.
Admittedly, in
certain cases, some people might argue that corporations should try to improve
public welfare and environments. For example, some companies are sometimes
supported by the governments with the tax. Hanjin, a shipping corporation in
the Republic of Korea, had a great crisis as its sales decreased and operating
cost such as wage increased. Korean government decided to support it so that
its employees do not lose their jobs. Even the crisis was a result from the
fault of the company’s board, it was supported by the government. In this case,
the company should contribute to promoting the public well-being as a payback
of the tax they were supported. Moreover, in case of manufacturing companies,
carbon dioxide and environment-polluting wastes emitted from the plants
significantly harm the environment in the forms of global warming and
extinction of some species. These cases can be a strict support for the
argument that companies have an elementary responsibility on recovering
environment they operate in.
The essential
role of firms, however, is much more economic than public. Their responsibility
is to produce better quality of products and services in lower prices so that
it can earn more money and people can join the better life with lower cost.
Furthermore, as the corporations grow, their employment increases
simultaneously. The higher the employment level goes up, the more people spend
money on the goods and service and products. This returns back to the economy
growth making a preferable economic circulation. In addition, corporations are
operating within numerous laws pertaining to environment, people’s welfare,
market fairness so that they cannot cause problems in those fields. Corporations
are also paying tax in proportion to its sales and profit and this can be seen
as implementing its duty on public problems. That responsibility is rather on
the governments which manage those problems with its budget from the tax. The
difference between the government and the corporation should be noticed in
terms of responsibility of promoting public well-being and environments.
In
sum, although it might be claimed that companies should help improving the
public welfare and the environments in some special cases, it might not be
applied generally. Considering that corporations are implementing those duties
by following the laws, the essential responsibility of corporations should be
limited only to earning as much as they can, while placing the responsibilities
claimed by some people on the government. |