Unit 3

NATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REALITY

Forum
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THEME:

Responsabilidad social empresarial

Welcome to this Forum3 of the subject National and Environmental Reality which is directed
to analyze the reality of corporate social responsibility.

Activities

Questions to be answered in the forum:

1. What is the purpose of companies?

Companies exist to meet the needs of their stakeholders, with the aim of
to create value for them. Monetary profits are a consequence of this.

What sets market-leading companies apart is that their customers do not buy what they do.
they do, but they buy the reason why they do it.

Let's take as a reference the so-called "golden circle" conceptualized by Simon Sinek.

All companies know what they do: computers, printers, televisions, services, paper
hygienic.

2. Some know how they do it, for example their value-added proposition.

Only a few companies know 'why' they do it.

These basic principles apply to all companies, whether they are just one more in the market or to the
that lead.

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What does it mean to be a leader at the company level?

Being a leader, beyond having command power, means creating a culture of inclusion and workplace well-being.
in which all people find meaning in their work, thereby increasing their satisfaction
and quality of life. It means contributing to psychological well-being, which is part of the organizational framework.
it ends by enhancing the psychological capital of the collaborators.

The importance of psychological capital

Psychological capital is 'the combination of personal resources that impact not only well-being.
of people, but also in the overall performance of an organization,” explains the doctor.
Francoise Contreras, Director of Leadership Research at the University of Rosario.

Personal resources are based on these 4 variables:

Hope: the ability to persist in the face of adversity and try again.
2. Optimism: the belief in a better future.
3. Self-efficacy: the belief in one's ability to meet the demands of the environment.
4. Resilience: the ability to overcome adversity.

These components can be measured with precise scales and can be developed in the environment.
workforce if there is adequate leadership.

For this reason, Dr. Contreras insists on clarifying the close relationship between good leadership and
psychological capital, and how this relationship results in benefits for the organization.

Unlike past decades where leader-centered leadership styles tended to prevail,

with certain authoritarian characteristics, today the science of administrative management has shifted to
prepare leaders capable of creating the necessary conditions for their workers to feel
satisfied with what they do.

The worker wins, the organization wins

The type of leadership that prioritizes the well-being of people is called 'leadership.
"transformational" and is currently gaining traction around the world in organizations that understand
that by reducing work-related stress for their collaborators (avoiding Burnout syndrome), they increase the
engagement and emotional commitment to work. In this way: the worker wins and the
organization.

These relatively recent terms in organizational psychology are part of the dynamics of
the administrative sciences that seek to keep pace with social changes. Adapt the
Organizing the society in which one operates is the leader's task, and training new leaders.
in this mission it is a shared responsibility of universities, organizations and, of course,
state institutions.

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3. What is the relationship between business ethics and corporate social responsibility?

Ethics and social responsibility are concepts that society has applied in its actions since
some time ago, and they have been introduced into organizations since they have been conceptualized
by its creators.

Ethics comes from the times of Homer, who defines it as the space where it is concentrated.
life and where the conduct of man and beasts is distinguished, that is to say, it is the set of
moral rules that govern human behavior.

From the point of view of organizations, ethics is related to axiology, that is, with the
values that are reflected in corporate culture as norms and principles, and that have
as an end to achieve greater harmony with society to allow better adaptation for all
environments in favor of respecting the rights of society and the values it shares.

To profess ethics within organizations, companies create their codes of ethics with the
the purpose of combating corruption, deceit, and the misconduct of its members, which
not only permeates the interior but also transcends to the exterior of organizations.

As part of these ethical principles arises corporate social responsibility, which is defined as
the conscious and responsible attitude of the same organizations towards the common good.
The ILO (International Labour Organization) defines it as the set of actions taken
companies so that their activities have positive repercussions on society and reaffirm
the principles and values by which they are governed, both in internal and external processes.

Therefore, social responsibility is a way of doing business that takes into account effects.
social, environmental, and economic aspects of business action, integrating respect for it.
the ethical values that affect individuals, communities, and the environment.

Finally, both concepts are summarized in the actions of people, as a company manages
ethically when the individuals who create it and collaborate in it do so within their
own values and principles of conduct, which are a reflection of what is received in families,
the schools and that are in accordance with the social environment

4. Can SMEs be companies with social responsibility?

Although CSR may seem more related to large companies, its application in SMEs is more
natural, given their greater relationship with the environment and their proximity to customers. In fact, SMEs
They have been applying CSR practices routinely and linked to their daily work, even without knowing the
concept and not calling them by that name. And a crucial fact: without the involvement of SMEs, CSR
it cannot have a real impact on society.

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5.- What elements can you identify within corporate social responsibility?

Commitment of Companies: Referring to the responsibility or commitment of companies to

operate in such a way that adds value to society.
Voluntary Decision: Several definitions highlight the exclusively voluntary nature of the approach.
of CSR and not regulated by law.
Benefits for society and stakeholders: This is a broad topic, however some
Definitions are specific in listing the communities, clients, suppliers, collaborators, and
families as part of the society that should benefit from the company's operations.
Ethical Conduct: Ethics in these definitions goes beyond traditional expectations.
of business, and includes societal expectations about what practices mean
acceptable businesses.
Environmental Performance: Although CSR is a broad concept that touches on various aspects of the
business operation in different areas, the performance in the citizen of the environment
commonly highlighted.
Adaptability: One of the definitions refers to the importance of adapting CSR to
context and reality of the societies in which companies operate, that is, designing a model of
CSR that considers the particularities of the environment in which they operate.

Forum rules:

1. Observe and analyze videos 1 and 2 from the links provided in the bibliography.
2. Based on the observation of the videos, answer the 5 questions posed in
forum.
3. Each student must answer the five questions in a single intervention and
they must pay attention to the recommendations and questions raised by the
professor.
They must intervene at least once based on their classmates' responses.
to achieve the proper interaction.

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Bibliography

YouTube Video 1: TEDx - Marcelo Tedesco - Social Responsibility as the Center of

Business Strategy: [Link]

YouTube Video 2: Corporate social responsibility:

[Link]

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