Instructions:
Respond to the two discussion post posted by my classmates. It is very important that you are respectful while responding, giving feedback, and your own thoughts on the topic.
Important:
Before responding, READ my discussion post below to understand MY view on the question asked in order to have the same thoughts on the topic. BELOW is the discussion question that the responses are based
on. DO NOT answer the question, this is just for you to understand what the topic is.
The question we answered: (do NOT respond to this)
Should companies be held accountable for actions of decades past, then legal but since made illegal, as their harmful effects become known? Why or Why not?
MY RESPONSE: (Again, do NOT respond to this)
Holding companies accountable for their previous mistakes is not advisable. This is because the companies fully understood the impacts of their actions and were earlier protected by law when performing the errors. However, most companies had set their activities and plans according to the previous regulations, working under the last legal rules, which later changed without favoring the organization’s activities. This will lower the company’s production and marketing of goods and services. In addition, many companies will be affected if such a law is employed. As a result, many people will be jobless if the companies shut down their activities by law. In such a scenario, the company should be alerted of the harmful activities and adhere to the new rules as stipulated by the new government rather than holding them accountable for what was previously legal.
The business owners and their workers should fully understand the contributions of accountability in any business organization. To gain the trust of the immediate society, the company has to ensure that all its activities are in line with the laws (Sroka et al.112). This will ensure that the community and the environment do not suffer at the hands of the community; instead, they should benefit. Companies must consider how their actions affect society to create long-lasting, trusting relationships (Sroka et al. 120). Following the codes of ethics will ensure that companies are socially responsible. In addition, a social responsibility program has to be employed to boost employees’ morale, which will, in turn, lead to higher productivity. Customer retention and loyalty can increase when businesses implement social responsibility initiatives in instances where the business organization sets its activities on accountability hence a mutual benefit to the immediate community and the general environment.
1. THE FIRST PERSON YOU ARE RESPONDING TO:
I think that if a company did something wrong, offensive, or illegal it should be known by people who are not only working for the company, but consumers who use the company, whatever the action in the past may be. This is a tough topic to talk heavily about as there are many conflicting issues at hand, but I think that it is an important conversation where a lot can be learned. I think that if a company did something illegal in the past, then people have a right to at the very least should have the right to KNOW about it. In this day and age, and in my opinion, people knowing about the harmful act is almost the same thing as being held accountable. This is due to social media making widespread topics known faster. Personally, if the company had committed an illegal act within the past 10-20 years, then it should be treated the same way the justice system treats any other illegal activity. However, if the company has new goals, morals, and people running it, then why should they be held accountable for actions done that they had no control over? It really depends on the situation, and overall it is a really subjective topic. However, I’ll stand by the fact that anything that was done that was illegal should be known to every person/consumer.
2. THE SECOND PERSON YOU ARE RESPONDING TO:
Situations like this one are a tough call, but ultimately, I don’t think they should be held accountable for past actions, that is as long as they’re intent was, from the start, the right one, as in they acted in good-faith, and ceased the once-legal now illegal actions as soon as they became illegal. Although in the end, whatever the incident that occurred did result in wrongdoing, if at the time it was permitted, then you have to give them the benefit of the doubt that they were acting with the best interests of the consumers. If there is evidence of the contrary, however, then perhaps a criminal charge can be taken. On the other hand, although I don’t think they should legally be held accountable, ethically, they should make an attempt to make things right by somehow compensating those affected by the past actions. The harsh reality though is that this is very unusual for corporations to do. Their primary concern is to safeguard their own interests and assets, and sometimes that means at the cost of the interests of others.
It should also be pointed out though that there are two ways to be charged: criminal charges and civil charges. Criminally, I would say they shouldn’t be charged, but action could be taken through a civil charge, if those affected desire to do so, as they have the right to do that, but the company isn’t obligated to comply to that lawsuit. It should all be up to the court and what it decides is fair and best, as each case is different and has its own set of circumstances. The right thing to do would be to make up for those mistakes, but again, if at the time that they occurred they were allowed and legal, then they were not at fault there, therefore, they shouldn’t necessarily be held accountable.
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