Please note that all your assignments should be submitted as MS word files (not
Please note that all your assignments should be submitted as MS word files (not pdfs) so that word count and other information can be checked.
This assignment is based on the content of the first three units:
Unit 1: Business-Government-Society Relationship: What is the Purpose of Business?
Unit 2: Government: Is Regulation Enough?
Unit 3: Business-Society Relationship: The Social Contract
In this assignment you will demonstrate your ability to:
Describe the various primary and secondary stakeholder groups.
Analyze impacts of various organizational-stakeholder relationships.
Analyze organizational issues from multiple stakeholder perspectives.
Discuss the changing economic, political, social, and cultural forces and their influences on business and society.
Part A: Choose a Company and Issue
Choose a social issue topic that a company is currently facing. You can select from either current media, course textbook case, or assigned activities to answer the questions in Part B.
Examples of social issues facing businesses today include, but are not limited, to:
Are tech giants such as Apple, Dell or Tesla responsible for the use of child labour in the Congo cobalt mines? See Toh’s article on CNN.com (Dec 18, 2019), Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell and Tesla are Sued over Alleged Child Labor in Congo.
Are fashion giants such as H&M responsible for the poor working conditions and low wages in the garment industry?
Are chocolate brands such as Hershey, Nestle, and Mars responsible for the use of child labour on cocoa farms? See Whoriskey and Siegel’s article in The Washington Post (2019), “Cocoa’s Child Laborers.”
Are Canadian mining companies, such as Barrick Gold or Hudbay Minerals, responsible for conflict and violence in their Latin American operations?
NoteYou can reach out to your Open Learning Faculty Member if you need help with the topic selection. You should select your company/issue at the end of Unit 2.
Part B: Questions
Analyze the company/issue that you have selected in Part A. You should be able to do this with a total of less than 3000 words. You can allocate your word count per question as you consider what serves your paper best.
Context: Introduce the issue and list primary and secondary stakeholders influencing or influenced by this issue(s). Be specific in naming individuals, groups, associations, and/or government bodies, and describe these stakeholders’ roles. (15 marks)
Describe the “performance-expectations gap” evident in your chosen company/issue–what were the stakeholders’ concerns and how did their expectations differ from the company’s performance? (15 marks)NoteThere is no right or wrong perspective, but it is important to recognize your own stakeholder positions and how they influence your perspectives.
Social Contract. Apply the Social Contract Model in the McKinsey Quarterly article “When social issues become strategic” (Bonini et al., 2006), to answer the following questions: How would you assess the company’s current social contract position? Is the company positioned for meeting the future social contract demands on this issue? Cite specific examples, using references. (15 marks)
Company Perspective. What does this mean to the company you have selected? Imagine yourself as an executive and describe management of the social issue(s) from the company perspective. (15 marks)
Government Perspective. What does this mean to the country you have selected? Discuss the role(s) of government with regards to this issue and how it is influencing both the industry and the public. (15 marks)
Personal Perspective. What does this mean to my family? Identify your own stakeholder role(s) in relation to the company/issue you have chosen. Describe the biases, perspectives, or experiences that may influence your position on this public issue. (10 marks)
Final Analysis. In your opinion, did the company you chose respond appropriately to the public issue you have selected for the purpose of this assignment? Why or why not? (15 marks)
Writing Guidelines
Format: The document should be double-spaced and use 11-pt. Times New Roman font. You can allocate your word count per question as you consider what serves your paper best, up to a total of 3000 words.
Cover page: Please clearly indicate the course, your name and student number, the date, and your Open Learning Faculty’s name on the cover page of your assignment.
Referencing: All sources must be cited in APA style. Use APA Citation Style Guide to create consistent and correct APA-formatted citations and references.
Grading Criteria
Use the following grading to help you to review your work before submitting it. Assignment 1 is marked out of a total of 100 marks.
Context (15 marks)
Answers question succinctly and correctly to reflect original thought on the company/issue
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking. References are sufficient and exceptional
Performance Expectations Gap (15 marks)
Answers question succinctly and correctly to reflect original thought on the performance expectations gap
Demonstrates applied knowledge of course theory and is able to cross-reference several frameworks simultaneously to the performance expectations gap
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking
Sufficient detail of facts as applied to theory
Provides sufficient and exception references
Social Contract (15 marks)
Answers question succinctly and correctly to reflect original thought on the social contract
Demonstrates knowledge of course theory and cross-references several frameworks simultaneously to the social contract
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking
Provides sufficient detail of facts as applied to theory
Provides sufficient and exceptional references
Company Perspective (15 marks)
Answers question succinctly and correctly
Demonstrates deep understanding of executive perspective and/or original thought
Supports analysis with course theory and cross-references several frameworks simultaneously
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking
Provides sufficient detail of facts as applied to theory
Provides sufficient and exceptional references
Government Perspective (15 marks)
Answers question succinctly and correctly
Demonstrates deep understanding of executive perspective and/or original thought
Supports analysis with course theory and cross-references several frameworks simultaneously
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking
Provides sufficient detail of facts as applied to theory
Provides sufficient and exceptional references
Personal Perspective (10 marks)
Answers question succinctly and correctly, and identifies a thorough understanding of biases, perspectives, and experiences with regard to the company/issue
Supports analysis with course theory and cross-references several frameworks simultaneously
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking
Provides sufficient detail of facts as applied to theory
Provides sufficient and exceptional references
Final Analysis (15 marks)
Answers question succinctly and takes a clear stand on the company/issue to reflect original thought on the subject
Effectively demonstrates final position supported with course theory and cross-references several frameworks simultaneously
Exhibits exceptional critical thinking
Provides sufficient detail of facts as applied to theory
Provides sufficient and exceptional references