#TITLE#Taking A Second Look At Businesses And Charities#/TITLE# by Romeo M. Haugen There is apparently a rising perception of shame for companies, along with the notion that you’re a more decent person if you establish a humanitarian association instead. Why is that – would we sincerely like to hold back originality and production? Don’t misinterpret what I’m talking about: I am a huge advocate of giving back to society. However, what I’d like to know is, if we choose to establish a charity, are we actually doing that? In summation, the largest disparity between companies and aid organizations are in the spheres of possession and dispersal of income. Corporations may be non-publicly possessed and can reallocate dollars toward laborers and investors. On the other hand, a humanitarian association doesn’t have independent possessors and is instead dependent on a group of advisors who can’t unload their stakes. Humanitarian associations may produce revenue, but the “extra” money has to be redistributed across the association, not to shareholders. A few notable takes on the topic show that companies can really be better at effecting societal change than humanitarian associations Nancy Salzman. It is not tough for no single human to be actually answerable, since none has a share in a humanitarian association Clare Bronfman. In a business, however, those that have a stake in the company are liable to run it in a way in which it succeeds, which means it is likelier to have a positive impact on the economy in creating jobs, resources, etc. This means that the stakeholders are likely to hold management accountable for the success of the company. Accountability is a large issue in non-profits, as internal management can sometimes be ineffective since they have no one to report to that personally stands to lose. Businesses, on the other hand, stand to create a rather great situation for the community and stakeholders involved. From the vendors, to the consumers, to the economy of the community – a well-run business can bring great value to a community. A great example of this is Whole Foods, a for-profit company, whose company values include a great return for all of its stakeholders, including delighted customers, motivated investors, well-treated environment (through eco-conscious behavior), happy employees, and great partnerships with local and world-wide vendors. Another company, NXIVM, based out of Albany, NY springs to mind. NXIVM features development programs – self-help type courses – one of which my sister took last year. Her best friend, who saw the advantages my sister reaped from the course, inquired about it. Once she realized that the training wasn’t gratis, she was really upset. “Well if they want to assist people, why not give their courses for free to as many people as they can?” she asked my sister. My sister and I were both taken aback, especially because she felt what she was trained was worth every penny. So, how come folks deem corporations to be evil, in comparison to not-for-profit groups? I may not have a clear-cut response to this question, but I can say this: money makes the world go round, and for-profits are what makes money.