Social Contract

In the true business world, social contracts are an unspoken or unwritten agreement of social norms and customs. As I strive to mimic the true business world in my classroom, our social contract is also an unspoken or unwritten agreement of social norms and customs that reflect the true business world.

Social Contract Theories in Business

by Jeremy C Bradley, Demand Media

Social contract theory is an ancient philosophical idea that states that an individual's ethical and political obligations relate to an agreement he has with every other individual within a society. The agreement can be written, as in the form of laws, or it can be a tacit agreement, an unspoken or unwritten agreement of social norms and customs. In business, social contract theory includes the obligations that businesses of all sizes owe to the communities in which they operate and to the world as a whole. This involves corporate philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance.

The Corporate Social Contract

By Simon Mainwaring

Our society can only be as productive, creative, and prosperous as we collectively make it. If each of us is not fulfilling our own part in a social contract with society, we must begin taking some action to participate. If you are an executive or business person, seek to influence your company towards more responsible behaviors. If you are citizen, take part in political movements and campaigns to spread social justice, fairness, and equal opportunity throughout your community and in our nation. If you are a consumer (and we all are), become a mindful shopper by rewarding socially responsible companies and refusing to purchase from irresponsible ones.

In Good Company: How Social Capital Makes Organizations Work

By Don Cohen, Laurence Prusak

"But most of the agreement -- the social contract that defines much of the relationship -- is not spelled out in writing."