Edgar Karssing

Commentary: Obscured Authority

In the case discussion of Heineken and the promotion girls in Cambodia we address the question to what extent Heineken is responsible for the well-being of promotion girls in Cambodia. Heineken’s authority in Cambodia is obscured: at best it has a shared authority, in this case with Heineken’s Asian partners, the Cambodian government and the establishment owners. In examining Heineken’s responsibilities, we rely on two fundamental moral principles: the first is to do no harm and the second is the principle of autonomy. Furthermore we examine the extent of Heineken’s authority and the significance of its obscured authority. Our conclusion is that the fact that authority is primarily indirect, does not relieve Heineken from all moral responsibility.

André Nijhof, Theo de Bruijn, Olaf Fisscher, Jan Jonker,Edgar Karssing and Michiel Schoemaker

The traditional divide between the state and the market is fading. Companies are increasingly, being held accountable for issues such as fair trade, environmental degradation and local or regional socioeconomic matters. They are being required to expand their corporate agenda, and the corporate world realizes that it cannot ignore society is demand for greater responsibility. It also recognizes that companies can themselves benefit from corporate social responsibility (CSR). When developing CSR the organization takes into account additional values and long-term responsibilities in order to meet the expectations and address the critical viewpoints of all parties involved. Implementing CSR requires a company’s perspective to be reoriented so that new relationships can be formed, new values defined and new strategies developed. This is more than just another business project. Ultimately, it involves revisiting the very core of the organization, and this poses some difficult challenges for organizations.