Question 1
Few person agreed that Gap exemplifies an ethical organization because of the role it has played in ensuring that it fulfills its social responsibilities. It has been able to not just understand its roles in helping the less privilege but have had such fully performed.
Others disagree and refused to see it as an ethical organization due to the following:
Its records weren’t accurate and transparent enough to have everyone convinced.
It was an effort that was perceived as a form of marketing strategy to add more value to the brands and good will of partners involved.
The campaign was perceived by most experts as a racial move that was meant to mock the black race and Africans in particular.
The Gap campaign was faulted when it attempted to paint a negative picture about the other brands
Question 2
If I were the new public relations person hired. I would take some certain measures to want to get rid of the criticisms by making the following suggestions.
The theme of “doing the right thing” should be changed to make the campaign sound more professional. It shouldn’t be a phrase that is referring something negative about other brands.
There should be proper records of revenue to convince the public that all the funds generated from the sales of T-shirts are being channeled to such use.
It would be better for the campaign to run for a period of 1 – 2 years. Within such time, all hands could be on deck so as to ensure that anticipated revenue would be raised to address the problem. This is to avoid consumption philanthropy.
Question 3
According to (Ehunich, 2013), there are four major types of corporate social responsibility approach that a company can choose to adopt when trying to address issues in the society. These are:
Argumentative approach
Philanthropy approach
Trident approach
Polling approach
The most suitable approach that will be recommended for this campaign should be the pooling approach. This method involves companies wanting to carry out their social responsibilities to pool their resources together.
This approach doesn’t necessarily rely on sales for the funds to be raised. Instead, it expects Gap and its partners to device their own means of raising funds for the project.
Question 4
There are ways for companies like Gap to avoid the unnecessary competitions in the process of carrying out their social responsibilities. Adopting such methods will avoid any kind of unhealthy competition that may want to arise amongst companies in such process. This is could be achieved in the following:
Involving every company in the industry regardless of the roles each may have to play.
Clearly defining the mission and vision of the social responsibility and sticking to it.
Abiding by the advertisement ethics guiding the industry as a whole in the course of carrying out such a function.
Question 5
According to (Jinas, 2016), some of the examples of corporate social responsibilities that have been successful till date are:
Starbucks has been into existence for over forty years. It has recorded some huge success in carrying out its social responsibility which entails providing clean water to millions of people around the world.
Microsoft is a well known brand in the world. It has succeeded immensely in its social responsibility which is all about its employees gracing events which are meant to raise funds for organizations that are nonprofit making.
Nuskin is a company that its social responsibility is totally focused on children. It entails combating illiteracy and every form of diseases in children.
Some of the examples of corporate social responsibilities that have failed in the past are:
Volkswagen, an automobile brand which attempted to prevent control of emissions. It failed due to the fact that fellow companies weren’t ready to play along as their major aim was to make profits (Dans, 2015).
Apple social responsibility has failed to fully engage the stakeholders involved for effective planning to take place (Godelnik, 2015).
Shell failed in its social responsibility when it refused to check the extent to which such campaign had been carried out. It had plans of providing good roads, electricity, schools and hospitals for the places it was located in. This refused to materialize due to embezzlement of its funds.
Success in corporate responsibility campaign can be seen as when the goals outlined aren’t just achieved but in addition to such, they have been achieved within expected time frame. Also, such campaign has been carried out with members of the public perceiving it as being ethical and morally right.
References
Ehunich, W. (2013). Retrieved June 5, 2016, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate-social-responsibility-different-approaches-common-tiwari
Jinas, F. (2016, March 20). 5 companies doing corporate social responsibility right. Retrieved June 5, 2016, from http://www.business2community.com/social-business/5-companies-corporate-social-responsibility-right-0951534#DtluAWQ1SjlHfIK7.97
Dans, E. (2015, September 27). Volkswagen and the failure of corporate social responsibility. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2015/09/27/volkswagen-and-the-failure-of-corporate-social-responsibility/#2f8e69a61282
Godelnik, R. (2015, February 7). 5 reasons why apple’s CSR strategy Doesn’t work. Retrieved June 5, 2016, from Corporate Responsibility, http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/05/5-reasons-apples-csr-strategy-doesnt-work/#
