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This article will provide brief overview about definition, conceptual views as well as possible environmental actions related to the notion of business’s social responsibility. Example will be cited to highlight successful facilitation of a socially responsible business.

With ever increasing concern on environmental hazards and issues related to various products and services, it is becoming an undeniable fact that a business should ensure its social responsibility to facilitate a societal sensitive corporate image. Koontz & Weihrich (1990) asserts that corporate social responsibility is nothing more than seriously considering the impact of company’s action on society. However a more comprehensive definition refers social responsibility with the degree to which a company recognizes what being a good community and global citizen means and acts accordingly (Slocum, 1995:17).

It was further asserted that there are three basic conceptual views of social responsibility are generally acknowledged. First ‘traditional social responsibility’ is referred to the perception that by serving the interests of shareholders, organization is fulfilling its social responsibility. Second, ’stakeholder social responsibility’ perceives that managers and employees have obligations towards identifiable group (stakeholders) that are affected by or can affect organizational efforts to achieve its goal. The difference here is replacement of group definition ’shareholder’ with ’stakeholder’ where latter covers broader range of members including shareholders, customers, competitors, government agencies, unions, employees, debt holders trade unions, suppliers and consumer groups. Third, ‘affirmative social responsibility’ initiates dimension broader that organizational stakeholders by arguing that business has obligations to avoid problems by anticipating changes in its environment, blending goals with both stakeholders as well as public and promoting their mutual interests (Papers4you.com, 2006).

To fulfill environmental obligations, social audit is a tool corporate can adopt. Social audit is to identify, measure, evaluate and more importantly report on with continuous monitoring the effects of organization on society and is not manifested through financial statements (Weiss, 1994) . Organizations may carry various affirmative environmental policies to ensure the environmental issues relate dot different areas. For instance in area of accidents, open disclosure of accidents, usage of homogenized standards worldwide can be some options (Papers4you.com, 2006). Pollutions can be reduced by providing incentives internally as well as externally and green teams can also be evolved. Moreover wastes can be minimized through waste disposal services and taking back it from customers. Similarly environmentally safe substitutes can be used in product with minimum and safe packaging (Corbett & Wassenhove, 1993).

Now considering these standards, example of Body Shop can be taken as most suitable case. Body Shop has developed its corporate image as provider of environmentally friendly and natural cosmetics (Slocum, 1995). It was further asserted that company sales and profits were ever rising however the business opposed animal testing, sell most products in reusable bottles with refilling services and always supported recycling process written on their packaging.

So the discussion and example of Body Shop asserts that by fulfilling social responsibility, businesses can win society’s heart and remember customers are always associated with society.

References

Corbett. C, J, & Wassenhove, L, N, (1993),’The green Fee: Internalizing and operationalizing environmental issues’, California Management Review, Fall 1993, 116:135

Koontz, H, & Weihrich, ‘ Essentials of Management’, Fifth Edition, New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company

Papers For You (2006) “P/B/641. Theoretical issues of CSR”, Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprtbus32.htm [22/06/2006]

Papers For You (2006) “C/B/353. Literature Review on CSR”, Available from Papers4you.com [21/06/2006]

Slocum, h & Hellriegel, D (1996), ‘Management’, Seventh Edition, Ohio: South-Western College Publishing

Weiss J, W, (1994),’Business Ethics: A Managerial Stakeholder’s Approach’, Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth

Akashi Japanese in South Miami- This hidden gem may be located next to the bustling traffic of US-1 and have a rough exterior, but it is surely worth a trip. Close to the University of Miami and right across from the parking garage of Sunset Place, this Miami restaurant attracts university students, dinner and movie goers, and families. I like to consider Akashi Japanese to be the best Sushi Restaurant in Miami not on South Beach.

Akashi’s Menu: Akashi restaurant serves fresh and excellent quality sushi. If you are a “rolls” person, then we recommend the Dragon Roll, which is a combination of tempura shrimp, crabmeat, masago, scallions, asparagus, and spicy mayo topped with avocado. This roll considered is a safe choice in addition to the traditional tuna or salmon rolls. If you would like to get a little crazy, try the Rob Roll, which is rolled inside-out with eel, crabmeat, scallions, asparagus, and spicy mayo with avocado. If you are a straight up sashimi lover, then you can’t go wrong with Akashi’s Sashimi Mori, which is simply a variety of sashimi. If you are on a date, one option is to order a boat which is a delightful combination of sushi and sashimi. It can be a little more romantic sharing a boat rather than enjoying individual rolls.

Dinner and a Movie: Akashi is conveniently located next to Sunset Place in South Miami, so you can watch a movie or shop before or after you eat.

Tips: Parking spots are limited, and you may be tempted to park at the Dry Cleaning Services across from Akashi but don’t! Occasionally cars are towed, so use the metered parking.

To get more information on Miami Sushi Restaurants or to view Miami Restaurant Menus, visit http://www.restaurantplace.com.

Due to a childhood in the Middle East, I was practically brought up on curry. My first memories of it are eating curried goat in the fire station of Dubai airport in about 1962. My dad was the airport manager and the Chief Fire Officer and his family were our good friends and neighbours. The firemen cooked for our two families – fiery hot curry for the adults and a much milder version for us kids. Some of the men were of Arabic origins and some of Indian so I think the resulting meal was something of a mixture.

I remember we were offered chairs and cutlery but we preferred to sit on the floor and in the traditional manner, ate only with our right hands. This posed something of a problem for my mother as she was left-handed – she avoided making inexcusable gaffes by sitting on her left hand until the meal was over.

We learnt to roll rice into balls and with the aid of chapattis (wheat flour flatbreads), scooped up the curry and popped it into our mouths without making too much mess. I don’t think I ate curry again in that way until many years later when I visited Goa and, at a spice plantation, was once again faced with banana leaf plates and fingers only. Bizarrely, in a nearby clearing, was a pink porcelain, pedestal hand basin with a hose pipe attached to the tap, fully supplied with soap and hand towels.

During those days of being expatriates in foreign lands, the British developed a liking for curry lunch on a Sunday. Doubtless this originated in India in the days of the Raj but still found its way to the Middle East and Africa. A group of friends would gather either at one of their houses or the local club. There would be beers or gins and tonics first (cola or fizzy orange for the kids). There wouldn’t be a choice of curries, as I recall, it was always chicken and no matter where we ate it and it always tasted the same. The accompaniments didn’t vary much either but we didn’t mind. There would be poppadoms, mango chutney and a variety of sambals – chopped fruits and salad stuff which might include any or all of banana, pineapple, apple, tomato, cucumber, onion, desiccated coconut, peanuts and raisins or sultanas. With luck there would be chapattis too.

My next curry experiences were back in England. How different it all was. Indian restaurants furnished in red velvet with flocked wallpaper in gold. All sorts of different curries – not only the main ingredient but the mix of spices and flavourings. There were choices of plain or spicy poppadoms, different breads and vegetable curries and dahls as well, no sambals though! On the down side, these curries were often rather greasy and we always thought of them as being terribly fattening – naughty but oh so nice! The saviour, if conscience got the better of us was Tandoori-cooked meats. These were marinated in yoghurt and spice paste and cooked in a Tandoor (an earthenware charcoal oven), so were in effect grilled and much healthier.

Change again then when I finally visited India in 1988 and discovered that meat curries were the exception rather than the rule. Many Indians are vegetarians so paneer (similar to cottage cheese) is popular as are the many dishes made with pulses and vegetables. There was no trace of the greasiness found in restaurants in the UK and the flavours were quite different too.

This voyage of discovery culminated in a determination to learn how to reproduce Indian food in my own home but more of that in another article.

Liz Canham:

As well as a love of Asian cooking and travel as you can see in her Asian Food and Cookery and Travellers’ Tales websites, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz.com website.