Progressive Businesses - Staying Skeptical

 Why is it so important to stay skeptical when we think of progressive businesses? 

At first, progressive businesses seem like they are THE solution to social problems. They embody the ethos of “managerialism,” which is to be more socially responsible. Progressive businesses focus not only on the wellbeing of their shareholders, but their stakeholders. 

Businesses can make a social impact by solving market problems, with ideas of buying and selling. However, it is the government’s responsibility to solve the market failures. Therefore, it’s impossible for progressive businesses to completely solve social issues alone. Yes, they can do great things for their employees and stakeholders, but not all citizens. I like the example given in the article about how corporations can surely provide great health insurance to their own employees, but only the state can provide adequate health care for all citizens, including those unemployed.

In the end, this article is telling us to question the progressiveness of social enterprises before we believe they are 100% responsible for the fixing of social problems in this world. It is policy changes that ultimately have a greater impact on society.