Open access
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISE. COMMUNITARIAN PERSPEC
Janusz GRYGIEŃĆ1
Responsibility - Ethics
Publication language: Polish
Journal article
Transformations No. 1-2 (80-81) 2014, Publication date: 26 May 2014
Abstract The last two decades have resulted in a popularization of the participatory democracy ideal. This means, in practice, utilizing it not only as a political concept (i.e. inspiration do decentralize decision processes according to the idea of subsidization) both on a national and international level (EU), but also effective implementation of citizen’s empowerment in the economy. The examples of such actions are participatory budgets (commonly applied nowadays in Europe and North and South American countries) and workers’ participation in managing their enterprises (with most noticeable example of Mondragon Corporation). The author of the article outlines the economic implications of the communitarian doctrine. His starting point in Henry Tam’s vision of communitarianism as based on three principles: of co-operative enquiry, of common values/mutual responsibility, and of citizens’ participation. In accordance with Paul Q. Hirst’s concept of associative democracy, this form of communitarianism implies the postulate of democratization of public sphere, including workplace management. The following argument consists of consequent stages. Firstly, the author focuses on the problem of the place of communitarianism as a political and economic doctrine on the map of various management strategies. Firstly, the opposition between communitarianism, authoritarianism and liberalism is unfolded and developed. Communitarianism is considered also in relation to various business ethics strategies, such as: liberal theory of rights, contractarianism, and republicanism.
Instytut Filozofii, Wydział Humanistyczny, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu
E-mail: janusz.grygienc@poczta.onet.pl