The Natural Environment is a Stakeholder of Business Actors:  Based on what you see in the first 4:40 of the Pittsburgh video, how is the natural environment a stakeholder of business actors?  Remember – stakeholders affect and are affected by a business actor’s activities.

With Pittsburgh’s special topography and location, the environment is a huge factor in business.  First, the rivers were prone to flooding, making businesses and homes in the immediate area a risky investment. Then, with all of the mines in the area and nowhere for the smoke and pollution to disperse, it stayed over the city.  This made the standard of living subpar and ended up with workers asking for better conditions.

Challenges to the Idea of the Natural Environment as a Stakeholder :  Based on the two sections in the Mother of Slow Food video, what are the limitations to the argument that the natural environment is a stakeholder of business actors?

With more awareness of how the environment is affected by pollution, companies have been pushed to reduce their pollution.  People have also become more aware about what goes into their food.  Processed foods have declined as the food industry has evolved and GMO free and organic foods have become more popular as a result. This in turn has mad the environment a bigger factor in the food industry.

Other Examples Like This?:  As a future manager facing complex environments, where do you see this debate over the degree to which the natural environment is a stakeholder coming up in the future? 

In the future, I see the world moving toward electricity instead of fossil fuels to keep from giving off so much pollution.  It is also obvious that recyclable materials will become a key feature for companies, so as to avoid wasting so much material that gets ends up in the ocean.  The ocean is currently the biggest focus in making the environment more sustainable, but previously it was the air affected by pollution.  With an even more intense focus on keeping the environment clean, I would not be shocked to see more regulations and guidelines placed on companies by government agencies.