Instigator / Con
0
1500
rating
1
debates
0.0%
won
Topic
#1955
The most important responsibility of a business is to make money
Status
Finished
The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.
Winner & statistics
After 3 votes and with 21 points ahead, the winner is...
Nevets
Parameters
- Publication date
- Last updated date
- Type
- Standard
- Number of rounds
- 2
- Time for argument
- Two days
- Max argument characters
- 10,000
- Voting period
- One week
- Point system
- Multiple criterions
- Voting system
- Open
Contender / Pro
21
1557
rating
35
debates
52.86%
won
Description
No information
Round 1
Forfeited
My opponent has forfeited the first round. But as it is only the first round, i think i should still present an argument.
First of all, whilst most businesses do run with maximum profits the main goal, there will always be the exceptions, and it really is dependent upon the ethos of the owner of the business what the main criteria is.
Whether it simply be for a hobbie, charity, philanthropy, or whatever else, a business does not have to have maximum profits as it's main objective.
I will attempt now to give an example using the corporate social responsibility model.
Let us first take a look at what CSR is.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a type of international private business self-regulation that aims to contribute to societal goals of a philanthropic, activist, or charitable nature by engaging in or supporting volunteering or ethically-oriented practices.
So we can see from above that CSR is a model made to give the "appearance" to be working for greater social good and community interests.
However the word "appear" is important.
CSR is generally understood as a private firm policy. As such, it must align with and be integrated into a business model to be successful. With some models, a firm's implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance with regulatory requirements and engages in "actions that appear to further some social good,
Now let me break that down farther so we can zoom in on the statement i wish to highlight
"actions that appear to further some social good,
So, what we need to understand is that there is a difference between "being" and "appearing to be".
For the most part, CSR is a model used to give the guise of philanthropic endeavor, but very few imo use the model for philanthropic purposes towards anyone other than ones self.
Quite simply, the model can be used as a strategy, and it is not really necessary to use the model for real moral and ethical purposes.
To put it another way, it is not required to be truly philanthropic.
Overall, businesses may engage in CSR for strategic or ethical purposes. From a strategic perspective, the aim is to increase long-term profits and shareholder trust through positive public relations and high ethical standards to reduce business and legal risk by taking responsibility for corporate actions. CSR strategies encourage the company to make a positive impact on the environment and stakeholders including consumers, employees, investors, communities, and others. From an ethical perspective, some businesses will adopt CSR policies and practices because of ethical beliefs of senior management. For example, a CEO may believe that harming the environment is ethically objectionable.
So we clearly see from above the model can be used for self interested purposes, that would appear to be more philanthropic towards investors and share-holders, than towards society.
Though, there are the exceptions to every rule.
Now i would like to look at other business models, to highlight just how it is not true that a businesses main priority always has to be making money.
I will begin by looking at a corporation, which is a type of business which can be ran for both profit, or non profit purposes.
Corporation: The owners of a corporation have limited liability and the business has a separate legal personality from its owners. Corporations can be either government-owned or privately owned, and they can organize either for profit or as nonprofit organizations.
Now obviously even a not for profit corporation still requires to make a certain amount of money to survive, but this is not true of business per se, but true of surviving in the current climate as a whole. Every single individual on the planet requires to make a certain amount of money to experience quality survival in modern economic times.
But a not for profit business usually operates to serve a greater purpose than making maximum profits, with certain morals and ethics, and community services being of higher importance.
Another business which can run with the main objectives being to help others, over making a huge profit, is a cooperative.
Cooperative: Often referred to as a "co-op", a cooperative is a limited-liability business that can organize as for-profit or not-for-profit.
Now a proper not for profit organisation would be a "company limited by guarantee", which is the standard charity business model in England
A company limited by guarantee: Commonly used where companies are formed for non-commercial purposes, such as clubs or charities. The members guarantee the payment of certain (usually nominal) amounts if the company goes into insolvent liquidation, but otherwise, they have no economic rights in relation to the company. This type of company is common in England. A company limited by guarantee may be with or without having share capital.
Ultimately, it really comes down to the owner whether or not the business is running with profits the main objective, or not.
Whilst you get plenty of people run puppy farms to make a huge profit from breeding and selling puppies, you also get people that run animal rescue centres, and someone in the business of rescuing animals, likely operates from a totally different viewpoint and perspective, which people in other businesses areas would not even comprehend.
Quite simply, a person in the business of rescuing animals, does still require money in order to keep running, but is likely more dependent upon donations and charity to survive, and in all honesty, the owner of a business such as this, probably find themselves running at a loss most of the time, yet carry on, because making a profit is not their main concern.
What their main concern is, is their business.
Whether it be because they care for others so much.
Whether it simply makes them happy and it is something they thoroughly enjoy.
Gives them something to do.
A business "does not have to be for profit".
Even though most businesses are.
Round 2
Forfeited
As my opponent has forfeited and it is only 2 rounds, i see no benefit for anyone in me doing a summary and conclusion, and i have no farther arguments to invent.
I have been advised i should include headings in my debates for the experience of the reader, but as my round 1 argument was pretty short, i felt little need.
So thanks to my opponent, and sorry for whatever reason he/she was unable to participate.
How is con not losing ranking points?!
There's obviously limitations as to what they can do. But those limitations don't come from the business itself, it comes from a regulating entity (government, religion, etc.). If the business wants to define a goal/responsibility outside of profit and strive for it, it is free to do so, but I don't think it is a requirement for them to have one.
I would say they have a few responsibilities, but the product or service which makes money will almost always be the foremost. Eliyahu M. Goldratt uses the example of profitable crime as something a business should not do, even while the goal is to make money.
The only social responsibility a company has is to make a service or product that turns a profit.
Importance is subjective. What is important to one isnt important to another.
I agree with the pro stance. However, I am not in the mood right now.
I agree with con, but Let's see if anyone takes pro and prevails.