Introduction
Post, Lawrence & Weber (2002, p.15) argue that business do not operate in a social or political vacuum. In fact most companies operate in a swirl of social, economic, technological and political changes that produces both opportunities. Coronado (2007) states that business is in fact part of society. Coronado further explains that business is an institution of society that affects and is affected by governments and other social actors. Therefore, it is vital to understand the BSG triangle before understanding the business. The BSG triangle is the connections and links between business, government and society. However, each sector (B, S, G) will have different needs and forms of relating with the other sectors. Each is comprised of multiple levels and diverse links. For example, different levels of government, different groups of society and their issues.
Coronado (2007) believes that stakeholders, social responsibility, business ethics and ideological model are vital concepts to understand the BSP complexity. Post et al. (2002) states that stakeholders are those people and people who affect or can be affected by, an organisation’s decisions, policies and operations. Stakeholders are most important factors within society. The notions of social responsibility involves the assumptions that companies responsibility and behaviours must be built upon doing the right things and in the right way. However, business ethics is the way business intentionally applies ethical principles to its conduct and activities, strving to do the right thing by society. Ideology is important concepts to describe the complexity of BSP relation.
The purpose of this case analysis is to identify and analyse the social issues in relation to disposable diapers. This case analysis will further look on environmental impacts by using disposable diapers.
Company Background
The U.S. diaper industry began to evolve following the end
References: Baron, D. (2006), ‘Proctor & Gamble and Disposable Diapers’, Business and its Environment, Pearson, New Jersey, pp. 397-400. Berk, L. (1997), The Diaper Debate: Cloths vs. Disposables [Online]. Available: http://www.perc.ca/waste-line/articles/diaper.html , [Accessed 7 April, 2008]. Caldwell, G. (2006), Cloths vs. Disposable Diapers, [Online], Available: www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/diaper2z.html , [ Accessed 31 March, 2008] Coronado, G. (ed.) (2006), ‘Business Society and Policy Book of Readings’, University of Western Sydney. Environment Protection Authority ( 1997), Issues in Society, distributed pamphlets in NSW. Kimberly Clark Australia, [online] Available: http://www.kca.com.au, [Accessed 10 April 2006]. Post, J.E., Lawrence, A.T. & Weber, J. (2002), ‘Business and Society: Corporate Strategy , Public Policy, Ethics, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, USA. Procter and Gamble, [online], Available: http://www.pg.com, [Accessed 10 April 2008].