THE BUSINESS IMAGE
Businessmen’s concern over views of business is nothing new. Indeed, businessmen have been fighting against an unfavorable public image for hundreds of years. People have distrusted the business system to one degree or another since the earliest forms of business emerged. But people throughout the world and over time seem simultaneously to have held two opposing views of business. Since business has been the prime mover in economic development over the centuries, people have looked favorably upon economic results generated by business. Job opportunities, investment opportunities, and a constant flow of new and improved products have led a majority of people to accept and encourage business growth. On the other hand, a deep and persisting fear remains that too much economic power has been concentrated in big business. This fear is reflected in periodic waves of restrictive public policy directed toward the business system.
A Socially Unstable Image
In America, the public attitude toward business has been remarkabley inconsisten, vacillating between support and encouragement of business growth and attacks on concentrations of economic power. These attitudes are, in turn, reflected in ever-changing public policy toward business, which has left businessmen unsure of their economic behaviour. Public attitudes toward business seem to be a function of national emergencies. During periods of national emergencies, such as war, when national security depended upon performance of America’s productive powers, public confidence in business has always been high. National need for production has been accompanied by reductions in restrictive policies which favoured business integration and increased capital accumulations.
On the other hand, during periods of national crisis resulting from internal economic and social disorders, when national well-being depended as it did during the Depression of the 1930s, on something other than America’s technological and production abilities, business seemed either unable or unwilling to respond. The result was a wave of legislation which restricted and modified business activities.
Today’s Challenge
In the 1970s the united States faces numerous serious social problems of major portions. Urban congestion, ghetto poverty, education of disadvantaged citizens, transportation deficiencies, and air and water pollution are some of the major issues. In a variety of ways and from a variety of sources, business is under attack for either contributing to the problems or for failing to devote enough effort toward solutions.
Businessmen are keenly aware of the demands being made upon them by society and are struggling not only to enhance the image of business as a socially responsible institution, but also to find answers to the question of how best to accomplish the tasks ahead. In increasing numbers, business leaders are accepting the challenge of social problems. The question bothering most business leaders today is not whether business should participate in solutions to social problems, but how and to what extent.
Many business leaders have concluded that the problems are so large and so complex that no single social institution working alone can solve them. Instead, many are becoming increasingly convinced that only a partnership between the major institutions of American society-particularly government and business-can achieve national social and economic objectives.
On the other hand, during periods of national crisis resulting from internal economic and social disorders, when national well-being depended as it did during the Depression of the 1930s, on something other than America’s technological and production abilities, business seemed either unable or unwilling to respond. The result was a wave of legislation which restricted and modified business activities.
Today’s Challenge
In the 1970s the united States faces numerous serious social problems of major portions. Urban congestion, ghetto poverty, education of disadvantaged citizens, transportation deficiencies, and air and water pollution are some of the major issues. In a variety of ways and from a variety of sources, business is under attack for either contributing to the problems or for failing to devote enough effort toward solutions.
Businessmen are keenly aware of the demands being made upon them by society and are struggling not only to enhance the image of business as a socially responsible institution, but also to find answers to the question of how best to accomplish the tasks ahead. In increasing numbers, business leaders are accepting the challenge of social problems. The question bothering most business leaders today is not whether business should participate in solutions to social problems, but how and to what extent.
Many business leaders have concluded that the problems are so large and so complex that no single social institution working alone can solve them. Instead, many are becoming increasingly convinced that only a partnership between the major institutions of American society-particularly government and business-can achieve national social and economic objectives.
