Company Name and Profile
Microsoft is a well-known multinational company famous globally for its technology service sit offers worldwide. It has its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, DC. The company is known as the developer of Windows and the Microsoft 365 line of productivity. Microsoft has been in operation for a long time due to its competence, creativity, and innovations, making it famous and providing better customer service (Abdukarimova, 2021). Being a multinational company allows the company to expand its market base and increase in size by having an expanded income base. Microsoft was founded in 1975 to enable people, businesses, and people to realize their full capability by enhancing the technology that performs play, communication, and work reforms. Microsoft is known to develop, and market carried software and hardware services, delivering new opportunities in great conveniences and creating and enhancing value in people’s lives (Beyazitoglu, 2010). The company receives revenues by licensing, supporting, and developing a more comprehensive range of software, services, and products. Some of the notable services offered by the company include developing the OS for computing devices, phones, servers, and other intelligent devices .they also have Operating systems for desk op services from businesses .cloud based solutions are also available by the company, and many other services that can be accessed via the internet are also sponsored by Microsoft company. Some notable cloud-based computing services include windows azure, Skype, Bing, Xbox Live, and Microsoft Office. Other services offered by the company include research development in technology matters for the future of software, services, and hardware. The company is known to have embraced the CSR initiatives meant to improve and advance his skills and employability (Abdukarimova, 2021). It has programs under the community’s social responsibilities and environmental sustainability. It has been involved in varied philanthropic activities worldwide single-handedly and by incorporating other like-minded partners. It is among the top when it comes to transparency, and it has been globally recognized for the efforts it has put into accountability. There is more to be dealt with and improved regarding the product updates and the bugs so that it can still climb higher up the ladder.
What socially responsible actions is the company recognized for?
The company has been active in CSR by having many initiatives in place. It is among the companies known to have a record of advocating for the human rights of the people that are considered fundamental, defend democracy and human rights, and have been at the forefront of addressing the issue of racial inequality and injustices (Van Rekom et al., 2014). The company has excellently allowed complete access to broadband technologies, encouraging aspects like healthcare, employment, and education. Microsoft. It is on record that the employees of Microsoft donated millions to a nonprofit organization that was serving a local community and the world. This is one of how they have given back to society as part of compliance with corporate social responsibility.
This is one of eh ways the company has supported the local communities. In Lagos, Nigeria, the people are using solar panels and inverters from Microsoft Azure in collaboration with the IoT.in places like Myanmar, where people lack banking services, Temenos has collaborated with Microsoft cloud service to reach the people and offer financial opportunities and stability to them (Van Rekom et al., 2014). Most African youths have been empowered by the Micrisoft4Afrika initiative. This program has empowered the youths, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders.
Microsoft company has been significantly involved in the education and empowerment of workers. The company has set varied channels meant for collecting feedback and necessitating action. Many employees have positively embraced the initiative and given positive feedback(Abdukarimova, 2021). Most of the employees in the survey stated that they are proud of being employed by the company. A more significant percentage of the employees of Microsoft company are eligible for varied bonuses.
They are active and strict observers of human rights and labor rights .there is an existing commitment where Microsoft company obliged to respect human rights as a signatory of the united nations global compact (Van Rekom et al., 2014). There is evidence of the company adhering to the global human rights statements. Some programs promote wellness and health, sponsored by Microsoft for families, paid sick leaves, paid vacation, and new parents who have paid time off.
As part of corporate social responsibility, there is adherence to the employees’ health and the company’s safety measures. The employee CARES by Microsoft assists the employees through assistance programs, free access to counseling, family counseling, referrals, stress management, and elderly care. The company also has programs that look into gender equality and help the minority (Abdukarimova, 2021). The company is the first to offer domestic partner benefits for LGBT employees. Other CSR shown by Microsoft includes involvement in the energy sector by funding some projects for clean energy. They have restricted carbon emissions.
Which stakeholders are impacted explicitly by their actions, and how?
The students are the notable stakeholders impacted by Microsoft’s actions in corporate social responsibility. The company has funded many students via its programs in education and also in their sponsorship programs. Other stakeholders to be impacted are the community. The immediate community has had a positive impact, and they have been impacted privately by the company’s activities (Mr. et al., 2022). Shareholders of the company have been forced to remit some of their incomes to community projects. Shareholders are entitled to dividends at the end of the year for the money they have invested in the company. They enjoy less since they must cater to community projects as part of corporate social responsibility. The stakeholders in the banking sector have been impacted, like in Myanmar, where there was limited access to monetary services, and the company chipped in. In Nigeria, the action of the company impacted the government more positively by ensuring that the people are using clean energy by being able to tap the power of the sun to generate energy (Mr. et al., 2022). In some instances, the company’s customers and employees have been affected. There was an incident where company employees donated money to fund community projects in the US. They were positively impacted by having something to be proud of from the money they donated. Negatively they were impacted by having their income reduced despite doing it willingly. Lastly, the community has been impacted since the projects have been undertaken to benefit the community. An example is the involvement in water cleaning, power generation, funding schools and other educational programs, and paying for many people’s medical expenses.
What evidence is there that the company’s ethical actions have helped it become more successful?
The evidence of success can be challenging to prove, but in some aspects, corporate social responsibility has benefited the community, the country, and the company in some ways. The community outreach that the company has been involved in has made the company more popular, and many people want to buy from the company to feel important and be part of the project (Mr. et al., 2022). Extending its social responsibility even beyond the borders of the US has made the company more popular even outside. It has impacted the Myanmar people and Nigerians by participating in projects that benefit them. Operating outside the US has indeed allowed the company to tap new employees and talents into the workforce. Expansion of the projects they fund outside the US and that they can create a good relationship with the host country and operate in those countries with fewer restrictions.
Current Practices of Microsoft Company
Some ethical and social responsibilities the company has participated in include funding community projects, funding education, helping with clean energy, helped with sewer disposal, among others. The company has also participated in paying for some people’s medical bills, advocating for human rights, and fighting against discrimination and marginalization. Microsoft company has acted well in ensuring that the client’s information has been kept as dictated by the CIA triad in the principles of information by adhering to confidentiality, integrity, and availability measures (Beyazitoglu, 2010). There is no reported case of unethical behaviors, but some companies have been known to act unethically. Some companies have been reported to be disposed of sewer and industrial effluent without following due process. Some companies have gone against the Labor and human rights act by practicing discrimination against some people. It is possible to come across a company that has never attempted to give back to society or even participated in corporate social responsibilities. A good example is BP oil, where there have been reports of oil leaks, and they do not act accordingly hence affecting the environment.
To rectify the situation and improve, BP Oil is trying to be environmentally friendly by acting on the leakages and oil spills. It is evident that at one time, the company participated in cleaning the oil spills in water bodies. The company is now active in committing to corporate social responsibilities.
Recommendations
The company can quickly act on the potential unethical issues that might arise by adopting some improvement strategies that can be implemented. Among them is to develop software that is of higher quality and safeguard confidential information. Another strategy is to ensure that it employs every competent person regardless of the region since the company is a multinational. Another strategy is advocating for clean and green energy and, sometimes, ensuring that measures are being complied with to safeguard the environment.
Challenges
Some of the challenges include a need for more cooperation from other stakeholders. This can be overcome by ensuring that all the stakeholders have been involved and educated about the programs. Another challenge is the lack of finances (Beyazitoglu, 2010). Those projects are costly, and there is a need to ensure that like-minded companies are brought together to pull resources together. The challenge can be mitigated by allowing participants in the project to consult one another and bring resources together for the better of the community.
References
Abdukarimova, M. (2021). Company overview for 2017-2021: Apple vs Microsoft. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 04(07). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijcsrr/v4-i7-21
Beyazitoglu, F. (2010). Business marketing – the case of Microsoft. GRIN Verlag.
Mr. Masoom Reza, D. (2022). undefined. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT, 06(05). https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsrem16413
Van Rekom, J., Go, F. M., & Calter, D. M. (2014). Microsoft corporate social responsibility questionnaire. PsycTESTS Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/t54415-000
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