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.
Pittsburgh transitioned from a commercial center to an industrial one in the 19th century. The winding rivers and uneven topography of Pittsburgh soon gave way to the factories and railroads to keep up with Pittsburgh’s growing industrial economy. Thousands of immigrants poured into Pittsburgh leading to more housing and such needed, replacing the green environment with a more industrious setting. Furthermore, the abundance of coal and its processing in both industrial and home levels led to a heavy smog hanging over the city. Also, the topography of Pittsburgh made it so the smoke couldn’t dissipate properly so it was almost stuck hanging over Pittsburgh. All the industrial advancements made in the 19th and 20th century came at a cost to the environment. The landscape was torn up, rivers flooded, and the air was imbued with a thick smokescreen. The environment was clearly affected by business actors.
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?
According to Alice Waters, “Good Food” (organic, herbicide and pesticide free) should not be a privilege, but a right to all. If this is the case, food naturally eaten is simply the circle of life, and while it may be affected by the people and animals eating it, the environment is less affected by poisons that would otherwise harm it. The natural environment will always be affected in that it will be farmed and utilized as a nutritional source for people, but in utilizing the practice of “Slow Food”, we can say that the environment isn’t as much of a stakeholder as it once previously was.
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?
More and more people are becoming conscientious of our effect on the environment through the things we do. As a manager it will be important to remain cognizant of this fact and look for innovative ways to ensure we aren’t affecting the environment in a negative way.