首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
考研
"There is one and only one social responsibility of business," wrote Milton Friedman, a Nobel prize-winning economist, "That is,
"There is one and only one social responsibility of business," wrote Milton Friedman, a Nobel prize-winning economist, "That is,
admin
2017-12-11
31
问题
"There is one and only one social responsibility of business," wrote Milton Friedman, a Nobel prize-winning economist, "That is, to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits." But even if you accept Friedman’s premise and regard corporate social responsibility(CSR)policies as a waste of shareholders’ money, things may not be absolutely clear-cut. New research suggests that CSR may create monetary value for companies—at least when they are prosecuted for corruption.
The largest firms in America and Britain together spend more than $ 15 billion a year on CSR, according to an estimate by EPG, a consulting firm. This could add value to their businesses in three ways. First, consumers may take CSR spending as a "signal" that a company’s products are of high quality. Second, customers may be willing to buy a company’s products as an indirect way to donate to the good causes it helps. And third, through a more diffuse "halo effect," whereby its good deeds earn it greater consideration from consumers and others.
Previous studies on CSR have had trouble differentiating these effects because consumers can be affected by all three. A recent study attempts to separate them by looking at bribery prosecutions under America’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act(FCPA). It argues that since prosecutors do not consume a company’s products as part of their investigations, they could be influenced only by the halo effect.
The study found that, among prosecuted firms, those with the most comprehensive CSR programmes tended to get
more lenient
penalties. Their analysis ruled out the possibility that it was firms’ political influence, rather than their CSR stand, that accounted for the leniency: Companies that contributed more to political campaigns did not receive lower fines.
In all, the study concludes that whereas prosecutors should only evaluate a case based on its merits, they do seem to be influenced by a company’s record in CSR. "We estimate that either eliminating a substantial labour-rights concern, such as child labour, or increasing corporate giving by about 20% results in fines that generally are 40% lower than the typical punishment for bribing foreign officials," says one researcher.
Researchers admit that their study does not answer the question of how much businesses ought to spend on CSR. Nor does it reveal how much companies are banking on the halo effect, rather than the other possible benefits, when they decide their do-gooding policies. But at least they have demonstrated that when companies get into trouble with the law, evidence of good character can win them a less costly punishment.
The expression "more lenient"(Line 2, Para. 4)is closest in meaning to
选项
A、more effective
B、less controversial
C、less severe
D、more lasting
答案
C
解析
含义题。根据题干关键词more lenient定位到第四段The study found that,among prosecuted firms,those with the most comprehensive CSR programmes tended to get more lenient penalties.由于 more lenient修饰penalties(惩罚),故推测本句在讨论CSR和penalties的联系。而本段与惩罚相 关的词只有最后一个词fines(罚金),修饰它的形容词是lower,故可推测more lenient与减少惩 罚有关,故C项“不严厉的”符合题意。A项“更有效的”、B项“争议少的”和D项“更持久的”均不 符合题意。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/JEBZ777K
0
考研英语一
相关试题推荐
Mammalsvaryenormouslyinsize,fromweighinglessthanapennytomeasuringmorethanthreeschoolbusesinlength.Somegroup
Ifyouhavehighbloodpressure,you’reingood【C1】______.Hypertensionaffects67millionAmericans,includingnearlytwo-third
Asimpleideasupportsscience:"trust,butverify".Resultsshouldalwaysbe【C1】______tochallengefromexperiment.Thatsimple
Asimpleideasupportsscience:"trust,butverify".Resultsshouldalwaysbe【C1】______tochallengefromexperiment.Thatsimple
Peopleusedtothinkthatlearningtwolanguagescreatedconfusioninthemind.Far【C1】______itwasthought,togetonerightth
We’vebeenhearingaboutitforyears,butthebooklesslibraryhasfinallyarrived,firstappearingoncollegecampuses.AtDre
Collegestudentsaremorestressedoutthaneverbefore—atleastaccordingtothelatestfindingsofalarge,nationalsurveyth
Britain’sprivateschoolsareoneofitsmostsuccessfulexports.Thechildrenofthewealthy【C1】______tothem,whetherfromChi
Cultureisactivityofthought,andreceptivenesstobeautyandhumanefeeling.Scrapsofinformationhave【B1】______todowith
America’sgreatlabourmarketslumpcontinuestocastitspallovertheeconomy,leavingonelonelygroupinparticularshrouded
随机试题
简述乌药和天仙藤的功效和主治病证。
A.急性肠梗阻B.感染性休克C.肺炎高热D.慢性十二指肠瘘E.挤压综合征低渗性缺水的常见病因是()
下列不是牙周病预防措施的是
环境水文地质问题的分析,应根据()进行。
若需求曲线为向右下方倾斜的一条直线,则当价格从高到低不断下降时,卖者的总收益( )。
产业零散的原因是()。
某外资企业计划在北京和上海建立生产基地,如果两个地区的地方政府都不推出税收返还政策,那么,外资企业将选择在北京建立一个大型生产基地,在上海建立一个小型生产基地,这将分别为两个地区带来30和10的税收收入。如果其中一个政府推出返还10的税收政策,而另一个政府
以下叙述中错误的是()。
Alotofpeoplewanttheirlivestochangeforthebetterbutnoteveryonepullsitoffmainlybecausetheyfeelchainedtothei
What’sthedriver’sattitudetowardsthehitch-hiker?
最新回复
(
0
)