issue152

fighzUID: 2178661

152. "The only responsibility of corporate executives, provided they stay within the law, is to make as much money as possible for their companies."

In the times of rapid global economical development, this is nowhere more than to agree with the speaker's assertion that corporate executives' main responsibility is to make as much money as possible for their companies. However, the speaker unnecessarily limits the responsibility to the ONLY one corporate executives should have, while ignoring other important duties to the whole society. In this essay, my point of contention with the speaker involves why making money is important for corporate executives and to what extent should they do.

First, I should concede that the speaker is on the correct philosophical side of this issue. After all, making money is the most important thing of a company because this is the reason the company exists. If the company founded not in the purpose of making profit, then it should be called some charity constitution or service organization rather than a company. Besides, when faced with significant pressure of financial problem, the corporate executives could do nothing but to increase profits. Let's stand on the executive's position. Everyday the company expend large amount of money: first, the company should pay for the employees; second, advertisements need a lot of money; besides, to explore new products and expand the company scale also make great pressure to the expenditure, not including money spent on house renting, traffic, electric, etc. Therefore, a conclusion can be drawn with the above statements that corporate executives have to make as much money as possible rather than to say they want to make that money. The same is true to some employees and CEOs, but on a different scale.

Yet, my second point of contention with the speaker lies in the very notion that making as much money as possible is the ONLY responsibility of corporate executive. While we must gain profit to keep the company going ahead, at the same time, we should not lose the sight of fact that social responsibilities are also important to the company. After all, in this era of rapid economical and scientific development leading to cold human relationship, we should pay more attention to love and care rather than money. There is good sense in taking part in the charity activities, paying the taxes, creating jobs through employment of capital, reduce the pollution to the environment and so forth. If we cast a look back at the history of economic in Shanghai, we may find that many successful companies do well in social responsibility. One apt illustration to this point involves the company I worked in during last summer vocation. It's a real-estate company which cast making profit on the first position. While every person in that company worked so productively that they seldom talked with each other except business. To my surprise, they received a handicapped girl, whose family was really poor, for secretary and gave her lots of care. Surely, that company is one of the most successful real-estate companies in Shanghai. Deep down, I think all of us must be conscious of our obligations to help those who are truly infirm, aged or incapable of providing for themselves. Without this, a company will never be truly successful no matter how much money it makes.

When it comes to how much money we should spend on social responsibility and to what extent we should do about it, I have to say it depends. In some western countries, the government just burden too much loads on the company that the golden wagon seems to break at last. But in China, I cannot resist the temptation to say that the companies have a long way to go about their social responsibility. More taxes should be paid and more charity should be contributed for the poor. As a general rule, the corporate executives and government should work together to achieve public good and welfare in whatever method.

To be sure, making money for the companies is most likely to be welcomed by the employees and the government. However, social responsibility is also a chief point if the company cares about its reputation and brand which yields further boom.