Broader Social Responsibility Research Articles

Engaging scientists in biosecurity: lessons from the Biological Weapons Convention

ABSTRACT Major efforts to engage scientists in issues of biosecurity in the United States and internationally began in the early 2000s in response to growing concerns about terrorists using weapons of mass destruction and the mailing of anthrax-laced letters in October 2001. This article draws on the literature about the “science of science communication,” including research on framing, to examine the strategies used to try to raise awareness and create support for policies and practices to address public concerns about biosecurity issues within scientific communities. Engagement strategies framed as an inherent part of the broader social responsibilities of the scientific community have shown the promise of being more effective than those framed in terms of legal and regulatory requirements and an emphasis on security alone. The article draws on the case of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), the global network of academies of science and medicine, and its relationship with the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), with additional examples from other national and international scientific organizations.

Culturally framing ‘safe sport’: on political mobilisation against abuse in Zambian sport

ABSTRACTFormalisation of safeguarding in sport occurs in increasingly diverse contexts to address abuse of athletes and promote ‘safe sport’. Moreover, safeguarding policies are occasionally integrated in transnational Sport for Development (SfD) partnerships as a condition for funding. In this article, we draw from social movement theory to explore political mobilisation against abuse in Zambian sport associations that have a Norwegian SfD partner. Using the concept of ‘cultural framing’, we examine how safe sport is captured, presented and understood by coaches and sport leaders involved in Zambian sport. The analysis shows that there was considerable support for formalised safeguarding, even though ambivalence was expressed regarding the extent of abuse in sport. With motivation grounded in resonance with sport priorities and humanistic values, safeguarding seemingly equipped the sport associations with a practicable formula for confronting a morally evocative problem. Coupled with a strong network of local mobilising actors championing this cause and a conducive political climate for connecting sport with broader social responsibilities, we suggest that this cultural framing facilitated political mobilisation against abuse in Zambian sport. Lastly, we outline some implications of our findings for safeguarding in sport and for the politicisation of sport issues.

사회적 책임 관련 특성과 소비자태도가 구매의도에 미치는 영향

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of social responsibility characteristics and consumer attitude on consumer purchasing intention. And we used survey result data from 400 adults (200 males and 200 females) aged between 20 and 50 years for our research sample. Also, this study aims to look at the purchasing intention based on Fishbein`s attitude model, in order to predict consumer purchasing behaviors on the products made by corporations that have good social responsibility. By using consumer consciousness of social responsibility and Consumer assessment on corporations` social responsibility, this study also intends to examine the ultimate effects on the intention. The following is a summary of the main results and suggestions. First, less than 30 percent of all consumers have experienced education on social responsibility, which is significantly low. Consumers` education experience had no effects on consumer purchasing intention. Consumers` education experience on social responsibility is surely related to purchasing intention, but gives no meaningful relations from the actual proof analysis, which is because of the problems of current consumer education programs. Government and official institutions, corporations, consumer groups should provide more educational opportunities than broadcast media, internet, school, and printed media. Second, according to the analysis result on Consumer consciousness of social responsibility, the assessment scores on social contribution and environmental protection are relatively lower than on consumer protection and energy resource saving. They tend to focus more on social responsibility related to individual interest rather than broader social responsibility as a member of society. Third, consumers have a positive attitude about corporation and its products made by corporations that have good social responsibility. Fourth, the most contributing factor on consumer purchasing intention is corporate consumer attitude. The next is product consumer attitude, Consumer consciousness of social responsibility, and Consumer assessment on corporations` social responsibility.

A critical reflection of self in context-first steps towards the professional doctorate

This paper employs a reflexive methodology in order to examine critically the author’s professional context and responsibilities. It represents his first, tentative steps towards the award of professional doctorate in education. His role as a head teacher and, specifically, as an agent of change within his school, is scrutinised within the framework of his own professional practice. Issues surrounding his professional relationships with other members of the school community are analysed. In particular, his position of power and authority is explored and set alongside his perceptions of his broader social responsibility. The initial stages of his search for a fruitful focus for his doctoral studies are contextualised and a potential area for his research identified.

Engineering professional ethics in a broader dimension

In this paper, I try to foment change in terms of engineering and its professional societies as a guild. What I suggest is the need to modify a guild mentality. Many professional groups continue to defend their right to sanction misbehaving members as though we were back in the sixteenth century. The first effect of the change I propose would be to minimise the sanctioning of individual wrongdoers; what would become more important instead would be to maximise service to the larger society as an ethical norm. All engineering codes of ethics seem to include service to humanity as a paramount responsibility. What I advocate is that this needs not only to be given more prominence but to be implemented concretely in specific ways. When engineering professionals get involved in this way, they will of course bring to bear on the problems their expertise. But expertise does not automatically confer a privileged position relative to citizen activists on a particular issue. Finally, I argue that this modification would depend on significant behavioural changes: engineers and their professional societies would need to broaden their outlook, moving beyond a focus on individual misconduct to broader social responsibilities. And this seems to me to amount to a better definition of engineering ethics.

Must Business Judgements Be Self-Interested?

Judgement is traditionally seen as applicable in two spheres of human endeavour: the theoretical (or the sphere in which we consider both what must be the case and what is likely to be the case) and the practical (or the sphere in which we consider what we ought to do, either because it is in our interests or because morality requires it). Now insofar as we are speaking of ‘judgement’ two conceptual assumptions are being made. Firstly, we are assuming that there are imponderables and complexity, and secondly, despite the imponderables and complexity, that there is still room for the exercise of reason. Granted this view of judgement we can state our two main theses. Firstly, we shall argue that, despite the pressures of market forces, employee needs, and shareholder interests, there is still room in business practice for judgements so understood. Secondly, we shall argue that these judgements need not inevitably be directed down the single track of the financial interests of the company and its shareholders. The second thesis can be understood as a moral thesis in either of two ways. Either it can be seen as the thesis that companies have broad social responsibilities extending well beyond the immediate interests of the company, or as the thesis that companies share the social interests of the communities to which they belong; they are citizens writ large, to gloss Plato.

Best Paper of the Year Award

This article examines the continuing controversies regarding personal versus social responsibility for health as they are being played out at the turn of the century. Following a brief examination of the contested meaning of “personal responsibility for health” in recent historical context, attention is focused on the arguments for and against holding the individual to be primarily accountable for his or her health behavior. The paper then makes the case for more balanced, ecological approaches that stress individual responsibility for health within the context of broader social responsibility. The article concludes by briefly summarizing the Canadian approach to health promotion as a useful example of what such a balanced, ecological approach might look like.

Educating for Journalism: the professionalism of scholarship

Journalism education?s historical origins, intellectual tradition and media constituency have directed the field away from what could be a more lively engagement with the liberal arts, which are accepted in principle at least by academy and industry as a valuable foundation for professional journalism education. Yet students are increasingly disengaged from the democratic process, signaling a crucial need for promoting greater civic engagement. We urge a broader educational commitment to the professionalism of scholarship, as opposed to the more conventional view of media ?professionalism? in the academy increasingly promoted by the media industry. Meanwhile, the academic communication field ? the prevailing disciplinary identity of journalism ? has emphasized media effects and audience studies. As universities seek greater external financial support, this research is easily directed toward applied, or ?administrative,? research, leaving broader questions of journalism and democracy up for grabs. Our view of academic professionalism is based on a broader social responsibility, and we are concerned that the educational mission should not be dictated by external agendas. While journalism in some ways occupies an academic ?no man?s land?, accepted by neither industry nor more traditional liberal arts disciplines, it can be viewed alternatively as a potentially fruitful academic intersection, providing leadership in educational reform.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Development in India1

This paper is a normative analysis of corporate governance in India. The aim is to investigate the extent to which corporations in India, in their various dealings, have conformed to defensible normative standards and to identify the factors which have influenced their rate of (non)-conformity. The paper makes an attempt to understand how conformity to defensible standards can be better promoted. The normative standards to which corporations are subject can be categorized into three broad areas, namely, political, social and economic responsibilities. The focus here is on the least controversial area, that is, the economic responsi bilities of corporations. The author concludes with some reflections on the task of promoting more respon sible corporate governance.

THE SELF‐MANAGED TEAM AND TORI THEORY

This article re‐examines the theoretical foundation of self‐directed teamwork theory in light of current developments in organizational America, and suggests propositions about the relationship between teamwork and organizational policies such as downsizing. Teamwork is the exercise of creativity and autonomy by employees in pursuit of organizational goals. Effective teamwork requires a sense of trust and inclusion on the part of these employees. Organizational practices such as downsizing and contingent labor can erode this trust. If organizations wish to avoid undermining the financial, productivity and morale gains of teamwork, while observing their broader social responsibilities, they should reconsider their reliance upon downsizing and contingent workforces as a quick and dirty means of achieving cost savings.

Design for chemical recycling

Economically and environmentally sustainable closed–loop chemical recycling of polyurethanes has been a goal of the polyurethanes industry for many years. This paper shows how the ultimate recovery and recycling have been integrated into the design of a novel polyurethane cushioning material which still meets all the performance requirements of today. Recycling was one aspect of the product design process which considered also the environmental impact of the whole life–cycle, from raw material manufacture, product fabrication, use and recycling to ultimate disposal. The practical implementation of closed–loop recycling involves more than chemistry. In this case, it requires commitment from furniture designers and manufacturers. Above all, it requires new processes for collection, dismantling and separation which become broader social responsibilities.

Industrial/environmental crises and corporate social responsibility

Industrial and environmental crises pose major threats to human survival. These crises are rooted in corporate activities, products, and production systems. For corporations to meaningfully respond to such crises, we need a more adequate conception of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This article critiques the existing conception of CSR as being anthropocentric, Western-centric, and marginal to business practice. It proposes an alternative conception of CSR anchored in ecocentric management, sustainable development, and crisis prevention and management. Using the example of Union Carbide's responses to the Bhopal crisis, it examines the consequences of the company's not accepting broad social responsibilities.

Tourism planning: The case for ‘market failure’

Tourism planning has been looked upon as a means of maximizing benefits from tourism development; however, there has been limited research on the accomplishments of tourism plans. This paper provides a longrun analysis of tourism planning in Pacific island destinations, using Hawaii, French Polynesia and the Cook Islands as case examples. A major conclusion of the study is that government tourism plans have little probability of influencing market forces to achieve economic success in destination areas. In view of this, future government planning efforts should be redirected to focus on issues such as the negative social and environmental impacts which are not ameliorated by market forces, leaving the private sector to assume the planning and financial risks of developing specific tourist areas. In order to achieve this, government tourism organizations may have to be restructured from economic development and/or marketing organizations to incorporate broad social responsibilities.

Integrating medical ethics with normative theory: Patient advocacy and social responsibility

It is often assumed that the chief responsibility medical professionals bear is patient care and advocacy. The meeting of other duties, such as ensuring a more just distribution of medical resources and promoting the public good, is not considered a legitimate basis for curtailing or slackening beneficial patient services. It is argued that this assumption is often made without sufficient attention to foundational principles of professional ethics; that once core principles are laid bare this assumption is revealed as largely unwarranted; and, finally, that these observations at the level of moral theory should be reflected, in various ways, in medical practice. Specifically, this essay clarifies a tension that exists between different kinds of moral principles and explores the possibility of dissipating that tension by shoring up foundational principles. The paper begins by setting out three alternative models of how best to balance patient advocacy responsibilities with broader social responsibilities. It then turns to critically assess these models and argue that one has several advantages over the others.

Professional values in medical practice.

Abstract Appropriate medical attitudes and behavior emerge from and in turn contribute to the development of an inter-related core of professional values. Distinct from economic considerations, these values can be identified historically and sociologically, and the independent status of a practicing physician in America is uniquely high. Foremost is the value of service to individual and community institutionalized in the doctor–patient relation. The commitment to rationality, science and learning forms a foundation for technical skill creatively applied to practical ends. Individualism, innovation and self-discipline are expressed in a system of ethical principles. In broad social relations and responsibilities, as well as functionally specific technical competence, the physician is blessed with a unique validation of his authority by the public.

Training in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation is a word that denotes restoration or improvement in condition. In medicine it is concerned with a type of practice which places broad social responsibilities on the physician. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is directed toward treatment of disability. It is concerned not only with medicine but with social, educational, and vocational opportunities for patients. The services of nurses, therapists, counselors, and teachers are utilized. The dedicated assistance of these coprofessional groups has done much to elevate standards of medical care. Individuals preparing themselves for medical practice today must be taught the methods and techniques of rehabilitation, along with their obligations and responsibilities to the numerous allied groups with whom they are associated in practice. A New Medical Responsibility The United States Army, in World War I, developed methods to shorten convalescence, provide vocational training, and return the soldier to work or to the highest level of self-care. 1 To

Engineers of the Next Generation

As the social and economic significance of engineering becomes plainer every day, the world looks to the engineer of the future as a leader capable of shouldering broader social responsibilities. The organization of the Engineers Council for Professional Development is the first step in preparing the coming generation of engineers for the tasks ahead. This paper describes the formation, aims, and activities of E.C.P.D. and espouses its importance.