earticle

영어

The need to address the ethical issues involved in economic life is becoming increasingly urgent. Many members of the public argue strongly that managers must consider the impact of their decisions and actions on society as a whole by assuming responsibility for their activities.
Managers must consider economic duty and legal obligation, but responsibility towards a community extends beyond the economy and the law. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an organization's obligation to engage in activities that protect and contribute to the betterment of
society.
The doctrine of CSR rests upon the idea that business should be conducted with concern for the effects of business operation upon the attainment of valued social goals. The following are the economic goals toward which businessmen should orient themselves: high standard living,
economic progress, personal security, the realization of justice and freedom, development of the individual person, community improvement and national security. In seeking these goals, CSR is evaluated by two opposing schools of thought: classical and social-economic. Classical
economist, Milton Friedman argues that earning profits for owners and enhancing social welfare are incompatible and will lead to the demise of business. Social-economists propose that corporations have a responsibility to return to society a value for what is taken.
This paper briefly discusses the seven important aspects of economic elements of capitalism from a Christian perspective. First, Christian thinkers deny that any particular economic system is ordained by God's will. The church and Christian individuals have a duty to work for a
better social order that contributes to the realization of God's words.
Second, Christian views donot provide unqualified support for private property. Property is not an absolute or inherent right, and it can only be justified to the extent that the welfare of society is served by permitting material things to be owned and administered. Third, the Bible does not
view profit or profit taking as an evil act. Acquiring profit is recognized as an outcome of commercial practice as long as Christians are activated by a service motive than by a profit motive. Fourth, closely connected with the Christian view of property is the attitude toward power. In general, Christian thinkers distrust power because it is regarded as a source of injustice. Fifth, in the Christian view of capitalist system, the harshest criticism is directed toward material motivation and values, where the material takes precedence over the spiritual, and the motive of selfish gain predominates over the motive of service to society. Sixth, one of the
great needs of modern life is to restore the sense of vocation so that one's job is not a mere means to survive but a God-given calling to devote. Seventh, while Christian thinkers do not argue for the equality of income, they consider that the distribution of income should be determined primarily on the basis of justice. At the end, from those Christian considerations of CSR, definite recommendations and principles to guide Christian business people are offered though without detail. But the idea is helpful in clarifying the Christian perspectives of CSR and is implicit in practice for Christian business people.

한국어

본고는 현대 사회에서 널리 언급되고 또한 강조하는 기업의 사회적 책임을 기독교적인 관점에서 조명하고자 하였다. 그러기 위해서 기업의 사회적 책임을 다루는 일반이론과 기독교적인 관점에서 본 성경적 규범을 함께 언급하였다. 크리스천 경영인들이 실천해야할 기업의 사회적 책임은 경제학과 경영학
에서 언급하고 있는 윤리 이론만으로는 신앙의 실천과 적용이라는 욕구를 충족시킬 수가 없다. 따라서 본고는 기업이 추구하는 경제적 가치와 이익을 달성하는 과정을 평가하는 고전적 모델과 경제･사회적 모델을 비교 한 후, 기업의 사회적 책임에 관한 기독교적 이념을 경제제도, 사유재산제도, 이윤추구,
권력, 동기와 가치, 소명의식, 수입의 분배와 같은 분야별로 나누어 살펴보았다. 끝으로 기독교적인 이념에 근거하여 기독교 경영인이 신앙인으로써 기업의 사회적 책임을 다하는데 필요한 구체적인 원칙을 제안하였다. 이러한 원칙들은 기업을 운영하거나 기업에 종사하는 크리스천들이 기업 활동을 통하여 하나님의 뜻을 실현할 수 있는 실천적 기준이 될 것이다.