“CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products” is an article that aptly exemplifies what is explained in the assigned reading, “The Social Responsibility in Business is to increase its profits” by Milton Friedman and in “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”. In the small section from Milton’s book, it states that a businessman’s “social responsibility” and “business ethic” is defined as his effort to “make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and in ethical custom”. In the article on CVS Caremark, it touches on the company’s goal to change from a largely retail focused company to a health care provider. Although it cost them $2 billion dollars annually (according to the article), the decision allowed them to redefine their company in a way that may have later proved to be exceptionally beneficial. That being said, by appealing to society in terms of “social responsibility”, CVS may have been able to maximize profits. In  “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”  it explains that if “ corporations were to analyze their prospects for social responsibility using the same frameworks that guide their core business choices, they would discover that [corporate social responsibility] can be much more than a cost, a constraint, or a charitable deed—it can be a source of opportunity, innovation, and competitive advantage.”  In terms of this, CVS can be an example of how appealing to “social responsibility” and “business ethics” can help in maintaining a company’s image to provide a competitive advantage.

“Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”- http://hbr.org/2006/12/strategy-and-society-the-link-between-competitive-advantage-and-corporate-social-responsibility/ar/1

“CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products” – http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/business/cvs-plans-to-end-sales-of-tobacco-products-by-october.html

“The Social Responsibility in Business is to increase its profits”- http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ubc/reader.action?docID=10187339&page=171