Olejar Books

"This book undertakes an in-depth study and a systematic analysis of the workings of the Sullivan Principles and their impact on: (a) the operations of the US corporation in South Africa; (b) the process of the dismantling of apartheid and creation of a non-racial, democratic government in South Africa; and (c) the actions of multinational corporations from other countries and large South African corporations in emulating the behavior of US multinational corporations and thereby enlarging their impact through a multiplier effect. The over-arching objective of this book is to learn from the experience of the Sullivan Principles, and interpret how this experience might be translated into developing `rules of the game' and `codes of business ethics' as large multinational corporations continue to confront the issues of human rights, living and working conditions of workers in their overseas manufacturing operations, and where there is constant pressure on the corporations to pay more attention to environmental protection, sustainable growth, and preservation of biodiversity. Furthermore, the ethical conduct of multinational corporations and transparency in their dealings with important stakeholders is an increasing concern. The authors bring to this analysis their combined experience of more than fifteen years working with business corporations, non-governmental organizations, and other segments of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa during the formulation and implementation of the Sullivan Principles. In addition, they have been engaged in extensive research, teaching, and consultation on various aspects of business ethics and global codes of conduct. The analytical framework created by the authors will help multinational corporations to understand societal expectations of business within a normative, economic, and contextual framework, and to evaluate the likelihood of success or failure of various strategic options and implementation formats that might be available for use in a given situation."