The UN, The Arc Initiative, and Social Enterprise

Even if the UN was fully funded, we would still need the Arc and social enterprise. This is because the Arc, and initiatives like it, teach local entrepreneurs (like Fitih Tesfaye, and Salem Kassahun) how to sustain their businesses , as opposed to giving them money to start a business and leaving them on their own to figure the rest out. By giving local entrepreneurs the tools they need to run their business in the long term, the Arc is ensuring that these entrepreneurs will be able to continue running their businesses for a longer period of time. Even if the UN tried to teach local entrepreneurs how to run their businesses in the long term, it would become impossible for the UN to focus on this and aiding people who need help in other ways (such as those whose lives have been affected by hurricanes and other natural phenomena). The UN simply would not have enough resources to do everything the Arc and social enterprises do, even if they were fully funded.Social enterprises often help with causes which are not within the UN’s scope. Firms that are social enterprises also attract more customers, which means that it is beneficial for the business itself in addition to the cause the business focuses on helping with. Social_Enterprise_wordle-640x507

Sources

http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/~/media/7709ACA7C07A4EEC8AABC811569677B5.ashx

http://images.ssireview.org/sized/images/blog/Social_Enterprise_wordle-640×507.jpg

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/day-to-day/can-fair-trade-boutique-expand-without-alienating-customers/article4405520/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/going-global/in-a-crowded-market-ethiopian-entrepreneur-finds-a-sweet-way-to-stand-out/article17912688/

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The Ethics of Sustainability

As discussed in the blog post “Innovation and Sustainability: Ethics and Efficiency,” the use for sustainable and energy efficient sources has become more important over the past few decades. We often need to remind ourselves that we do not own all energy or sources of energy, and that we have to try to be responsible in our uses of them. The blogpost brings up the argument that some people use against ‘green’ products, which is that they are often more expensive than their non-‘green’ counterparts. Although this may be true in some cases, products which are energy efficient are often more economical in the long run. In my opinion, one also should determine the opportunity cost of using in-efficient products and non-sustainable energy, as even if the cost of a ‘green’ product is higher now, it may pay off more over time. Businesses which use and make environmentally-responsible energy sources and products can now use it as an advantage in marketing, as it has become an attractive factor which consumers look for in products. Overall, environmental-friendliness is beneficial to businesses, both in the eye of the public, as well as in terms of maintaining ethical practices.

sustainablewindmills

Sources

http://blog.iese.edu/ethics/2014/10/02/innovation-and-sustainability-ethics-and-efficiency/

http://www.solarpowernotes.com/images/sustainable%20energy.jpg

https://www.oceantradelines.com/upload/pages/picture_1-20140313015206.jpg

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Lego’s Estrangement of Girls

In response to Jonah Rudy’s blog post “Why LEGO Should Probably Not Systematically Alienate Women,” I am writing about LEGO’s separation of ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ toys. As discussed in my sociology class, gender stratification has been present in Western society for centuries, and by separating toys based on gender, this mass toy company appears to be supporting the ideas our society holds of gender differences. This may have been acceptable in the past, but as the feminist movement grows, there is an increasing in focus on the equal treatment of boys and girls. Therefore, as Jonah suggested, LEGO should begin to create gender neutral toys, as this will be both ethical, and it will attract those customers to whom ending gender stratification matters. Gender neutral toys will most likely not offend the customers who do not have an opinion on gender-specific specific toys. This means that it will only increase the demographic of customers, and therefore increase their overall profits.