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Charitable investments: A strategy for improving the business environment

John W. Dienhart

Journal of Business Ethics · 1988 · Volume 7 · Issue 1

DOI: 10.1007/BF00381999

Abstract

Firms are beginning to evaluate requests for donations as they would investments. Critics argue that a strategy of charitable investing is conceptually inconsistent, disguised self-interest, and violates the dignity of those who receive charity. This paper argues that charity and investment are consistent (and even complementary in some cases), can preserve the virtue and the dignity of the giver and receiver, and may result in a wider distribution of charitable funds. The paper also discusses how a policy of charitable investing could be implemented within a firm so as to avoid it being used merely as a public relations tool. Finally, it is suggested that charitable investments can help maintain the conditions necessary for a free market economy.

Keywords

Economic Growth, Wide Distribution, Market Economy, Free Market, Public Relation

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