Introduction
Corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility carry divergent and convergent contexts. The above argument contextualizes the legitimacy of doing business with a sense of ethics. Business activities can be carried out in any nation with the help of globalization. Nevertheless, identification of players in a business scene, especially for corporations, subjects profit and society to a discernible imbalance.
The imbalance is pegged on both theoretical and practical roles of economic politics. Therefore, the role a corporate citizen plays in the society in which it conducts business has an ethical edge. The ethical edge is seen through the uprisings against corporations. If what they offer to a democratic society is legitimate, why do we experience dissatisfactions from recipients in the society? Some people have claimed identity of corporations taking over state affairs in their host countries. Is this true?
Agreement with the Author
I agree with the author’s point of view. In the first place, Third World countries that act as hosts to corporations have perpetual unrests. These unrests are directed both to governments and corporations. However, the corporation that conducts its activities in that host country defends its legitimacy to the provision of services to the society. In addition, a cross section of corporations, especially oil refineries, depict total unrest with local communities.
The cited Nigerian example is a perfect representation of the others. The Nigerian case of armed conflicts between the state, corporations and civilians is a prolonged problem. If these corporations are “citizens” why are people alleged to enjoy responsibility fighting them? The situation is complex and cyclic. The complexity part has roots from law-makers in the business world: lobbyists.
An example of these institutions is the United Nations Global Compact. This establishment hides behind the curtain of advocating human rights and environmental standards. Only a handful of signatory corporations put signatures in agreement to the guidelines of the Global Compact. Such reluctance of corporations to human rights is unethical. Why is it unethical? This establishment lacks an enforcement capability towards corporations under its influence.
In addition, the communities that act host to the corporations have no protection from their countries. This lack of protection implies lack of participation of citizens in the business as legitimate stakeholders. Monitoring of corporations under the corporate governance establishments marks another milestone in the defense of human rights. A finger of blame is pointed at Alien Torts Claim Act. Liability procedures are not clearly enforced leading to unaccountability.
While transnational corporations have assured protection-through international treaties and intellectual property rights regimes, their human rights victims do not enjoy justice. The last assertion about my support of the author concerns behavioral monitoring. Acceptable citizenship would only be possible if bona fide corporations deploy their own resources; to monitor unacceptable behavior due to their activities.
Material relevance
The material is relevant to the course since it covers the management in part and international business entirely. International business covered in the study book involves issues surrounding multinational corporations. The material in the article covers a broad sense of corporations operating their businesses internationally.
In addition, the link between the corporate citizen and corporate responsibility is clearly explained in the material. For a beginner to the course, evidence of revolts present in the communities as a result of corporate business activities is crystal clear. The course mentions some lobbyist groups and international legal procedures available for instilling justice related to human rights abuses. In a nutshell, the material is relevant for the course.
Material similarity
In the first place, an analysis of the entire article material relates to the entire content of the book. The book talks about international business in the Canadian context. This can be acclaimed as the first but general evidence of similarity of the material in the article and the book. The material in the book that corresponds to the article is institutions and democratic governance. The book relates the laws in the international scene pertaining to human rights abuse.
One such law is the Alien Torts Claim Act. Although, the book does not mention the specific law directly, the similarity is brought forth through mention of such international laws. The article and the book relate regimes like the patents and international treaties that protect transnational corporations. Another aspect of the book that relates to the material is the likelihood of the corporate institutions to change the social structure of the host nation.
Conclusion
There is an imbalance between the gains that corporations accrue from nations that they operate in. Involvement of transnational corporations into the development of social structure lacks transparency. Citizens of countries within which the corporations operate business are the biggest losers in the investment game.
Institutional establishments like the International Monetary Fund, Alien Torts Claim Act, United Nations Global Compact, and World Business Council for Sustainable Developments must enforce their mandates without favor. This is the point at which a balanced relationship in resources will be reached. Transnational corporations should work towards achieving business interests without by-passing the ethical standards of communities.