Managing a Company in an Activist World: The Leadership Challenge of Corporate Citizenship

by Edmund M. Burke

Overview

Against a backdrop of corporate scandal, business leaders can no longer rely on the old-fashioned style of one-sided community relations programs to promote a good image. Nor can they expect preferential treatment just because they meet their tax obligations. Pressure from all sides is forcing corporate leaders to increase their investments in the communities they serve and redefining their relationships with key stakeholder groups, including employees, suppliers, governing boards, shareholders, and the press. Safeguarding the environment, supporting human rights, eliminating child labor, entering into partnerships with nonprofit organizations, solving community problems, opening up financial reports to scrutiny, consulting with community residents, and contributing to local charities are now essential elements of corporate character. Managing a Company in an Activist World takes the discussion of corporate citizenship to a new practical level, offering business leaders answers to such tough questions as: What do our stakeholders value most? How can we respond to a growing number of formal compliances and informal demands? How do we most effectively communicate our role as a good corporate citizen? And, perhaps most importantly, how can we shake off inertia, public skepticism, and short-term focus to make corporate citizenship a priority without sacrificing growth and profits?

Illustrating the depth and breadth of the issues through a variety of in-depth examples—from Jesse Jackson's threatened boycott of Anheuser-Busch to rural Virginians' uprising against Disney's proposed theme park to energy giant BC Hydro's successful response to environmentalists' concerns—Burke demonstrates how community involvement can influence corporate strategy to everyone's net benefit. He goes on to outline specific strategies that corporate leaders can employ to shake off inertia, public skepticism, and short-term focus to make corporate citizenship a priority without sacrificing growth and profits.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275983901
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/28/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Edmund M. Burke is founder and Director Emeritus of the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College. The author of Corporate Community Relations (Quorum, 1999), he conducts seminars and training programs on corporate citizenship and consults to business leaders on issues of social responsibility and strategy.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
With Apologies to James Carvelle… "It's the Behavior, Stupid"
The Case for Change
The Faces of Activism
Step One: You Start with a Vision—A Social Vision
Step Two: Abandon Command and Control Style of Managing External Affairs
Step Three: Use the CACDIC Strategy
Step Four: Who Are Our External Stakeholders and What Do They Value?
Step Five: What Are the Characteristics of Our Relationships?
Preparing Managers for the New New Thing
The Stakeholder Relations Plan
The Site Community Strategy: A Responsibility of the Facility Manager
The Community Strategy, Continued
The Societal Strategy—The CEO's Responsibility
Notes
Index

What People are Saying About This

Bradley K. Googins

"This book is a valuable addition to Ed Burke's groundbreaking work around the 'Neighbor of Choice' concept that has greatly influenced how companies have defined their role in society. Burke realizes at the end of the day that all the slogans, standards and banners of corporate citizenship have to be grounded in managing key relationships among a variety of stakeholders. This book provides a much needed reality check for those who forget how grounded citizenship has to be in dealing with the growing activism of stakeholders."

James E. Post

"Ed Burke is an astute observer and a wise commentator when it comes to corporate behavior.
Managing a Company in an Activist World chronicles the escalating importance of how business relates to its stakeholders, communities, and all of society. Wherever you are on the career ladder, Ed Burke has a message for you—your company's environment is changing and that means your job is changing. Reading this book is an investment you won't regret."

Ann W. Cramer

"What a joy to read Ed Burke's book. He continues to demonstarte leading-edge thinking, challege long-standing practices and stimulate creative solutions for corporations around the world who take seriously the role of being a socially responsible corporate citizen. After reading the book, business leaders will be inspired to take action."

Laura Tew

"Ed Burke's guidance will serve professionals in roles of stakeholder responsibility from the boardroom to the neighborhood. Middle managers will experience a helpful review of the basics, as well as insights for refelction and strategic review. All of us in the field can thank Ed Burke, once again, for generously sharing his life experience."

Editorial Reviews

Burke offers what appears to be a complete approach for the strategic development of an organizational plan for corporate social responsiveness and responsibility. He provides three background chapters before detailing his five-step approach for identifying and understanding stakeholders, preparing managers, and developing a stakeholder plan. Of particular interest is his clear separation of the role of the organization's CEO for societal strategy and that of the facility manager for community strategy. An employee development worksheet is provided, as are chapter endnotes. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections.” —Choice

From the Publisher