Sample MGT9800 Contemporary Issues in 21st Century Business and Security Management Essay 2

MGT9800 Contemporary Issues in 21st Century Business and Security Management Essay 2 Sample

Assessment Details

Task description -Organisational approaches to CSR

This is a summative piece of assessment.

This individual assessment requires you to develop an academic discussion on corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an analytics or IT perspective. You should:

(i) demonstrate your ability to define CSR within an analytics or IT context

(ii) critically analyse, using examples, organisational approaches to CSR to demonstrate how these organisations are approaching sustainability.

Write essay in 2500 words

Solution

Introduction

CSR in analytics & IT refers to data ethic, environmentally friendly solutions, and social relevance of techno logistic developments. All these concerns contrast with what is known as the ‘classical’ CSR, which focuses on charity, sponsorship, and Initiatives related to environmental management. These responsibilities have become important as technology is growing to become a fundamental part of people’s lives to ensure the public has confidence in the development and to enhance the general welfare.

In the contemporary business world, CSR is no longer a luxury but a necessity for today’s business organizations particularly those organizations operating at the helm of technology and consumer information systems. CSR strategy not only enhances corporate image but also helps to meet new consumer demands in connection with ethical policies and actions.

This paper aims to discuss how, through analytics and IT, CSR is occurring in organizations and how, through insights into data and available technologies, responsible practices are being instantiated. By comparing different company strategies, it outlines the ethical issues and the possible directions for CSR in the context of the digital age.

Defining CSR in Analytics and IT Context

Although Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the analytics and IT sectors is based on common ethical and social responsibilities, it goes beyond the standard forms of CSR. In such fields, CSR concerns touch important areas such as data ethics, privacy, and digital accessibility: the industry is such a large part of people’s lives.

Data management and its ethics are one of the basic principles of CSR since businesses must ensure proper data processing (Zhu et al., 2022). Privacy is critical, and users should be able to control it since lack of it kills customer confidence and violates regulations such as GDPR. For instance, the assignment help firms such as Apple have even incorporated the choice and visibility of personal data as a principal objective and strength.

Digital integration is also paramount as there is the ability to bring disconnected societies closed due to technological advancement. This is why stakeholders such as Microsoft seek to establish accessibility tools and provide digital capability schemes for excluded organizations and people.

Thirdly, environmental objectives include sustainable IT implementation that entails efficient energy data centers and IT waste disposal (Mmadubuobi et al., 2024). For instance, Google’s carbon neutrality programs show the ways in which tech companies can endeavor to go green.

All in all, CSR in analytics and IT connects data ethics, privacy, diversity, and green, challenging tech enterprises to use their value to create positive social change.

Analytical Approaches to CSR

The application of data analysis to CSR makes it possible for the organization to make an intelligent decision that improves the efficiency of the CSR activities as well as establishes their usefulness in an organization. Measurement is a critical process for evaluating and controlling the position of the organization within various natural and social contexts, thus analytics is a must-have for any organization that strives to solve social challenges effectively and report the results.

A major use of analytics in CSR is the evaluation of the effects on the environment. Holding measurable goals of sustainability, big data enables companies to oversee carbon emissions, energy utilization, and resource usage. IBM, for instance, uses it to measure its corporate environmental impact around the world in order to seek out efficiencies in terms of waste and energy consumption (Cardinali and De Giovanni, 2022). Such analytical ideas not only assist in scoring attainable objectives but also enable one to report the advancement to the various stakeholders firmly.

In supply chain monitoring, analytics helps in the CSR process. Lead suppliers use Supply Chain Analytics to monitor their suppliers practices concerning ethical labor and environmental policies. For example, Unilever’s “Sustainable Living Plan” involves the usage of analytics in quantifying factors such as water, farming practices, and greenhouse gas emissions across the chain. In this way, the company can control these metrics to guarantee the compliance of its suppliers with the softer version of CSR undertaken by Unilever.

Another area where predictive analytics is important in CSR is outcome prediction, using data to determine what might happen if an organization initiates a particular CSR project. Comprehensive evidence retrieved from previous research and studies allows the understanding of which CSR approaches will bring the most social value (Kolasinska Morawska et al., 2022). All environmental programs at Microsoft incorporate the use of predictive analytics to anticipate the energy requirements as a way of making predetermined efficient renewable energy investments as well as the observation of expenditure in engagement activities where they are most effective.

Nonetheless, not all issues have been resolved and a few of them include; Data biases and privacy. This means that wrong or missing information will provide skewed information, This may mean that CSR strategies that are developed based on such data will also be wrong and do not fit the needs of a particular organization. Furthermore, companies ought to manage data properly because data ethicality is also part of CSR.

In conclusion, data analytics presents organizations with direction on how to enhance the effectiveness of their CSR strategies to better deal with social and environmental problems (Fatima and Elbanna, 2023). If adopted appropriately, analytics serve to improve CSR impact, which brings about a quantifiable positive social contribution by firms.

IT-Driven CSR Initiatives

It is key to CSR as it increases the ability to achieve CSR goals in a faster, cheaper, and more sustainable manner than would be possible otherwise. As a result, IT enables organizations to apply and monitor CSR initiatives with accuracy and scope, contributing to positive social and environmental change.

The management of resources is one of the most effective IT driven CSR solutions since they can optimize the utilization of resources in their operations. For instance, in production line processes or supply chain management, intelligent systems can keep track of equipment productivity, notice energy wastage and avoid wasteful actions (van der Merwe and Al Achkar, 2022). This has clear environmental advantages and it also helps to reduce operational expenses. Tech companies also employ automation to services that include coding to make such services as cloud services use less power, especially in data centers.

Technology continues to support CSR in an additional way by increasing the levels of transparency and accountability online. Tools such as the ‘Sustainability Cloud’ of Salesforce provide real-time visualization for carbon tracking and display of overall impact. They argue that through such developments, sustainability metrics become available for stakeholders leading to improved trust and customers as well as investors. Furthermore, they act as end-user enablers to engage employees in CSR activities as well as providing tools for online volunteering, environment consciousness, and digital education for disadvantaged groups.

More specifically, Cloud computing is a central piece in the CSR approach due to energy efficiency of the physical infrastructure and the accessibility factor. Instead of separate physical servers connected to computer networks, cloud computing eliminates a considerable requirement for hardware, which normally demands a lot of power and space. Other corporations such as Google and Microsoft have gone further in their dedication to cloud computation by proclaiming that their cloud data centers will rely on renewable sources of energy (Carl et al., 2022). For instance, Google has set a goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030, and its ‘carbon-intelligent computing’ operates the data center in synch with renewable generation availability. This approach ensures that the impacts as a result of the mining are kept as low as possible, a move that ensures that the company acts as a yardstick as far as sustainable mining is concerned.

One specific example of IT-driven CSR is Apple product recycling. Apple recently employed a process called Daisy that utilizes robotics to reuse important materials from old devices. A low-trash, high-value system of collecting and reusing electronic waste applies not only to the benefit of reducing e-waste but also to reusing materials such as cobalt and lithium that are not often mined (ElAlfy et al., 2020). Like the Google case, Amazon has made a pledge to use renewable energy for its data centers and facilities in its logistics chain that stands under the branding of the Climate Pledge, through which the company will aim to become carbon-neutral by 2040.

In total, IT-driven CSR allows companies to achieve increased exposure with less negative effects on the environment, as well as improve societal well-being. The use of instant tools, automation, and cloud solutions enables technology companies to meet CSR goals and objectives better and for the long term (Singh and Misra, 2022). Since introducing IT in the modern world, the concept is likely to expand its ability to generate positive change and) ultimately affirm the significance of technology in the creation of a more ethical corporate environment.

Case Studies: Organizational Approaches to CSR

Analyzing the CSR activities of Google, Amazon, and IBM it is understood how the applications of analytics and IT can contribute to sustainability, data ethic, and social responsibilities in the IT industry. The processes enable understanding of the strategies and improvements as well as accomplishments and challenges faced by each of the organizations.

Google: Environmental Sustainability and Data Privacy

Environmental concerns have been among the most embraced CSR goals in Google’s business strategy for quite some time. Lever also wants to become 100% independent from carbon energy resources and in 2007 the company even became ‘carbon neutral’. Over the years, mainly utilizing data computing and artificial intelligence, Google has found ways to cut 40 percent of cooling energy consumption in its data centers. This approach demonstrates one of the company’s key strengths of using IT for managing carbon footprint in the data operations industry.

Another fundamental CSR area in Google is data privacy as well since consumers have the ability to protect their data. For instance, it has been planning to remove third-party cookies through its “Privacy Sandbox,” framework while also building new privacy-focused solutions (Rodriguez-Gomez et al., 2020). However, one can challenge Google dealing with the tough privacy settings that even many users find hard to manipulate. Furthering this, the demystification of these instruments and the reduction of the retention periods might enhance user confidence as well as buttress Google’s CSR promises.

Amazon: Climate Goals and Employee Welfare

The cultural values that are revealed in its Constructive CSR (cCSR) framework encompass environmental outcomes and the well-being of workers. AmazonWebServices co-funded and signed The Climate Pledge in 2019 to reach the bi-annual target of net zero carbon by 2040. In supply chain management, Amazon tracks enormous amounts of fuel and maintains efficient routes in its delivery networks (Zulpahmi et al., 2024). Furthermore, it has committed to getting 100% renewable energy by 2025, and AWS helps clients measure and reduce their own carbon impact in the cloud space.

Nonetheless, these sustainability practices are criticized to hinge on the company’s adverse policies towards the employees especially on the working conditions of its warehouse workers (Carroll, 2021). Consequently, Amazon accredited the “WorkingWell” program that offers access to physical and mental health support, protection sessions, and wellness rooms for employees. However, this program provokes important further questions: On the one hand, there persists a crucial challenge of meeting productivity expectations without negatively impacting the employee, and on the other hand, enhancement of workplace conditions may bring Amazon closer to CSR.

IBM: Ethical AI and Digital Inclusivity

At IBM, the CSR approach focuses on the ethical use of Artificial intelligence digital inclusion and the reduction of environmental depletion. Pledges to reduce overall emissions to net zero and utilize analytics for energy consumption to minimize energy wastes in data centers by 2030 (Patuelli et al., 2021). It is also important for a company such as IBM to practice responsible recycling of its equipment, and reduce electronic waste, by refurbishing and recycling IT equipment.

The key players of the giant industry are also presented, particularly, IBM is notable for its ethical AI. Cognizant of the aforementioned questions, and potential biases in AI systems, IBM has set crucial ethical principles but also created a tool called “Watson OpenScale” that allows businesses to measure and contain AI bias (Sheehy and Farneti, 2021). It is through this initiative that IBM proves its commitment to a transparent and ethical application of technology and a better employed AI. In addition, IBM’s “SkillsBuild” is an initiative to offer free training in digital skills for excluded populations creating equality in the field.

Summary

The following CSR activities of Google, Amazon, and IBM which are the Technology firms explain how they have adopted analytics and IT in responding to Environmental/Ethical/Social Questions. These include Google’s carbon neutrality, Amazon's climate change pledge, and IBM on ethical AI which all show great CSR efforts but with the following issues (Zhao et al., 2023); These organizations have shown that with conscious build-up on previous accomplishments and corrections on measure flaws, applied technology can both enhance business performance and generate societal value as a model CSR organization in the digital age.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

A well-defined issue is that CSR strategies for technology corporations remain difficult to execute in specific fields such as data privacy, AI, and ecosystems. Privacy continues to be an issue as firms gather vast user data, questions that arise include if data is collected with users’ permission, how the data is being protected, and how users are being informed (López Jiménez et al.,2021). Failure to protect data or using data for the wrong reason causes a violation of the public’s trust, as well as violates applicable laws regulating the use and protection of data; therefore, organizations need to apply stringent measures and ensure consumers’ data use and protection policies are well understood by the consumers.

Ethical issues of artificial intelligence are yet again another problem that arises. Though more effective than conventional ways, artificial intelligence embedded in these systems' outcomes can be prejudiced and lead to discrimination of candidates during hiring, in financial services, or the police force, etc (Risi et al., 2023). In response to this, corporations are required to develop a diverse dataset and to identify and overcome the AI algorithm’s biases to guarantee AI’s neutrality and equal effectiveness.

Another CSR trend, is the influence of the environment, including the energy consumption of data center equipment and services, for example (Tamvada, 2020). Different firms are under pressure to decrease their carbon emission by embracing renewable energy and efficient data centers. To these challenges, the companies can reduce by embracing the following ethical framework: transparency, fairness, and sustainability (Wirba, 2024). This strategy alone dismisses potential risks, but it also makes corporate objectives more realistic and in tune with societal prerequisites for a more responsible tech harassed industry.

Conclusion

CSR is increasingly important in analytics and IT fields as ethical, privacy, digital access, and environmental concerns rise in prominence in these industries. In such technologically intensive sectors, it extends beyond conventional roles and covers aspects such as data protection, Artificial Intelligence policies, and management for energy sustainability. Prominent technology titans Google, Amazon, and IBM serve as examples of organizations where CSR is smoothly integrated synthesizing CSR with key business processes supported by analytics and IT solutions on multiple levels for assurance, monitoring, and executing CSR initiatives.

Applying ethical theory to CSR has its benefits because it can improve social conditions and the companies as well. Professionism in the use of data and sustainable actions are beneficial to reputations, and risk reduction when facing non-compliance of rules or facing reputational loss. In the case of businesses, the mentioned approach corresponds to the idea of sustainable gains and tangible value in the long run because buyers and clients consciously choose firms with high ethical standards.

As for future development, the further development of the possibilities of ethics in AI, defining standards of data privacy, and increasing environmental requirements for companies will possibly influence CSR development. While these companies keep on embracing innovation in a responsible manner, they are demonstrating to other firms that it is possible to advance technological advancements and embrace ethically proper solutions for the creation of improved social impact and business success.

References