Aldo Zuccolillos Corporate Social Responsibility - Case Study Example

Name: xxxxxx Tutor: xxxxxx Title: Zuccolillo Group: Aldo Zuccolillo Mascard Institute: xxxxxx Date: xxxxxx Introduction Aldo Zuccolillo was a wealthy businessman and the founder of ABC- Color, the major Paraguayan newspaper. Since its foundation in August 8, 1967, and shortly before its closure in 1984, the newspaper had numerous leading articles, through which Zuccolillo defended with enthusiasm, the policy and long peace and advancement era of General Stroessner. The paper focused on polemic issues, and corruption amongst senior government officers and the negative influences of Treaty of Itapúa with Brazil, and also included interviews with opposition politicians. In early 1980s, ABC- Color was the biggest selling newspaper, having 85,000 in circulation. Its circulation expanded, and it became the most significant source in Paraguay for independent information. How Aldo Zuccilillo personal effects influence CSR Aldo felt that the government was not practicing social responsibility by denying the media, the freedom of speech and expression. This is because the law provides for the freedom of the press and speech and the government must respect these rights in practice. Individuals are usually free to criticize the government privately or publicly, without any impediment or reprisal. There were several reports of murders by government officials and police were not often prosecuted or investigated. Government agents allegedly abused several prisoners with impunity and prisons were usually overcrowded and didn’t meet international standards. Corruption, political interference, and ineffectiveness in judiciary were universal, as well as lengthy pretrial imprisonment (Pendle, 1995) Violence against females was persistent, as well as discrimination against disabled persons, women, indigenous individuals and bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender individuals. Pendle (1995) argues that trafficking of individuals continued and utilization of child labor and violations of employees rights was a serious problem. The independent media is supposed to be active and express a variety of views without being restricted. Aldo Zuccilillo personal ethics was that the media was required to regularly criticize the government and openly discuss viewpoints of opposition without censorship. In Paraguay, several media outlets reflected political interests and personal business and professional and ethical standards were very low. Political officials usually retaliated against criticism by the media through invoking defamation laws and prosecuting the media to coerce journalists and repress further investigations. For instance, the ABC Color managing director Aldo Zuccolillo encountered several criminal charges which were related to libel suits against him by the former government officials (Karolides & Green, 2005). A judge ordered Aldo to pay approximately 51,000 dollars and an interest for questioning of judicial decision that liberated former president Luis Macchi from prosecution. Karolides, & Green ( 2005), states that During this period, journalists were subjected to intimidation, violence and harassment, mainly from drug trafficking, criminal and gang syndicates based in the departments bordering Brazil, as a result of their reporting. ABC Color correspondent Sergio Rober reportedly got unidentified death threats after he reported on police abuse Anonymous assailants purportedly fired shot s at the house and car of Panambi Vera and Cronica newspaper reporter Secundino Rodas for reporting on police engagement in killings. Additionally, provincial governor bodyguards and anonymous armed assailants purportedly threatened ABC Color/Vanguardia correspondent Jara Fermin and photographer Homera Eduardo when they covered vanadalism which was purportedly executed by local officers. Also, members of national police specialized unit allegedly threatened and attacked ABC- Color correspondent Dia Higinio with death for covering a local clash. Ado Zuccilillo CSR opinions and personal ethics Aldo Zuccilillo opinions and personal ethics on corporate social responsibility is that information and freedom of expression and how the legal systems must identify the basic principles of information and freedom of expression so as to guarantee efficient exercise of this right. The murder or prosecution of journalists is certainly the cruelest way reducing freedom of expression and information. Also the intimidation of journalists along with their families through written or verbal threats and physical assaults on their property and persons is another scheme usually used to lessen freedom of information and expression (Cole, 1996). Because freedom of expression is very vital to any democratic scheme, it is the corporate social responsibility of the government to establish efforts to comply with its role to prosecute and investigate criminal activities against freedom of expression and penalize those responsible, and to impede an illegal interruption with enjoyment of freedom of expression. Failure to execute a solemn investigation of offenses against journalists and to impeach and penalize the intellectual and material authors of these offenses is seen as a breach of guarantees of the due process, of law and other human rights, and also a breach of the right to inform and be informed and to express ones view publicly and freely. In these cases the government sustains its international social responsibility (Miranda, 2004). Aldo’s personal opinion and ethics were that even though murder, intimidation and abduction are the major means utilized to restrain freedom of expression and information, the subsisting legal restrictions were the major institutional impediment to the effective and full enjoyment and identification of this human right, safeguarding of other human rights and the creation of a democratic, pluralistic society. Miranda, (2004), notes that Aldo’s opinion on the initial step of creating a defense of right to freedom of information and expression is enactment of suitable laws. He felt that several laws in the hemisphere didn’t measure up to global standards and were supposed to be amended for the government to have a body of rules that defends and promotes freedom of expression and information. An analysis of rules that directly influence freedom of information and expression should be premised on the essential role that freedom of information and expression plays in a democratic community. There cannot be a democratic nation where right to freedom of expression is not respected because democracy heavily relies on extensive freedom of expression, not merely because the right itself should be respected, but also since freedom of information and expression is crucial in order to revere for other human rights. How Zuccilillo ethics influenced his business Before ABC- Color, Paraguayan journalists usually worked more than one job because of the deteriorating social and economic conditions during Stroessner regime which resulted to low salaries. They were thus susceptible to bribes, an incident that ABC- Color publisher Zuccolillo was determine to prevent with his newspaper. S He therefore paid his journalist sufficient salaries so that they could do a single job and persisted against any inappropriate links with the government. ABC-Color quickly came to be identified as the independent voice in Paraguayan press, a status that made Zuccilillo to grow rapidly (Miranda, 2004). The role of Zuccilillo in driving CSR, how his ethics evolve an how his legend will after his death and how his legend will respond after he dies Aldo Zuccilillo’s ABC- Color as a critical and independent newspaper that opposed the Stroessner regime failure to practice corporate social responsibility by violating human rights and hindering media from practicing freedom of expression. Even though there was a bit improvement in human right circumstances in Paraguay after, Aldo’s work, this is not the case in media The Paraguayan media has continued to be a target of both physical and verbal harassment. Even though the constitution certifies freedom of the press and expression, the frailty of the democratic government in the country after a long period of military dictatorship has generated an atmosphere of insecurity amongst journalists. The expansion in political infighting is in particular the habitual cause of media tension (Cole, 1996). Paraguayan journalists are still subjected to denigration of character charges that may lead to hefty fines and imprisonment. Political officials usually utilize libel laws to threaten journalists and to encourage self censorship. Additionally, security forces and thugs have been used by politicians as a scheme of threatening the media. Journalists who investigate drug trafficking or corruptions particularly face harassment and intimidation from criminal leaders and corrupt state officials (Saguier, 1998). Though Paraguay possesses a quite superior repute in terms of free press, impunity still subsists, with cases like the August 2007 murder of radio reporter Tito Palma and the January 2009 murder of the director of community radio station Martin Ocampos Paez, which are still unresolved. According to Saguier, (1998), these two journalists were killed because of reporting on incidents of corruption and press groups contemplate that Ocampos Paez was killed because of his statements on connections amid drug traffickers and local police. Even when he dies, Zuccilillo legend will remember him as a person who practiced corporate social responsibility by taking into consideration the interest of the entire society and fighting for freedom expression and speech. This is because there continues to be substantial controversy between media and politics in Paraguay and approximately 98% of media spectrum is controlled by commercial interests, which determine the political agenda in Paraguay, whilst just 2% is under the control of communitarian media. How personal moral and ethics of Ado Zuccilillo influenced Paraguay ABC-Color was highly influential in Paraguay because it was the only source of independent information that resulted to transition of Paraguay to democraracy. Democratic transition was a two way process. Firstly, the society changed the real institutional structure of the dictatorship regime. The second step was complicated since it entailed shifting the inner self of the country and the political culture and everyday experiences that evolved were closely connected to the institutional framework of the state. Paraguay was transitioning to democracy and thus the ABC- Color newspaper which fought for respect of human rights and freedom of expression enable individuals to establish personal rights and to air their views reshape the way they thought about their government (Lambert, & Andrew, 2002). Free press takes shape in the second phase, since the most significant step that a nation takes toward democracy is to identify and embrace freedom of press within the context of a sundry civil society. There are three criterions for establishing whether the media is free, which are a competitive market, institutional autonomy and professional ethics. However, this framework imposes a highly Westernized philosophy on nations that took infinitely diverse paths to democratic system than did Western Europe and United States. In 1989, Paraguay citizens devised and experienced their very first real democratic election after more than 35 years. People had never actually taken to democracy and their journalists had never had freedom, even during periods when the country enjoyed more freedoms. Professional ethical codes were low priorities for press and competition was a thing that developed via default more than via deliberate effort. Institutional autonomy was experienced by media when journalists list of concerns was ranked high as Paraguay dealt with a military rebellion and switch to democracy (Sondrol, 2000). Other big companies with big founders and their aspirations Another big company that fights for and defends media freedom is Inter American Press Association (IAPA) founded by media owners and media companies that represents media organizations in South America, North America and Caribbean. It is a nonprofit corporation dealing with safeguarding freedom of expression and press throughout America. Its major aim is to advocate rights, responsibility and dignity of journalism, and encourage increased standards of business and professional conduct (Inter-American Press Association, 2003). Also, the objective of IAPA is to promote exchange of information and ideas that contribute to technical and professional growth of the press and to promote a greater exchange and wider knowledge among America people in support of basic principles of individual liberty and a free society. According to Inter-American Press Association, 2003), IAPA also identifies the terrific work of newspaper and journalists and gives a wide range of prizes and awards. The prizes, exclusively financed by voluntary donations from members, are offered for merit and in credit of journalists who have discerned themselves in the societies they serve. Another company fighting for freedom of expression and press is the government news agency which was established in January 19, 2009 as an initiative of President Fernando Lugo. Among the government priorities is the expansion of state operated press, especially in broadcast sector, which has been privately owned till date. This has resulted to increased freedom of expression and professional autonomy of journalists. Fernando Lugo does not disseminate any press rule controlling the work of journalists, with the hope the media will set up its own code of ethics. However, a legal vacuum persists in circulation of frequencies of 700-1,000 radios, spread all through the country. Additionally, these domestic media are amid the most susceptible to insecurity that reigns in several regions, particularly at border region with Brazil which is overwhelmed by drug traffickers. Why Zuccillilo made the decision of practicing CSR and fighting for freedom of expression The Zuccilillo group made the decision of fighting for media freedom because Paraguay was under deteriorating social and economic conditions under the authoritarian regime of stressenor which did not give citizens a chance to air their views and grievances. This corporation was motivated to be socially responsible because its significant stakeholders expected it to address the community and social issues that were relevant to them. The group understood that freedom of expression and press significant to its employees and it’s the major factor that results to a successful business (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 2002). The group also took the interests of external stakeholders like communities and consumers into considerations, because stakeholder perspective of corporate social responsibility entails inclusion of all constituents and groups other than just shareholders in issues related to the company’s portfolio of socially responsible activities. The CSR collaborations of Aldo Zuccilillo were positively accepted by the community because they were in the interest of citizens by fighting for their freedom of expression and a democracy society where citizens could have an equal say in decisions affecting their lives. Conclusion Aldo Zuccilillo was a notable figure who practiced corporate social responsibility and fought for freedom of expression and the press. Through his ethics, Aldo felt the streossner regime was corrupt and socially irresponsible by denying journalists the freedom of expression and professional autonomy, as well as violating human rights by threatening, prosecuting or killing journalists for reporting on corrupt and unlawful government issues. Additionally, Zuccilillo’s ABC- Color newspaper was highly influential in Paraguay because it was the only source of independent information that enabled the transition of the country from an authoritarian society to a democratic society where all people had an independent voice of decisions affecting their lives. Bibliography Sondrol, C. 2000, Paraguay and Uruguay: Modernity, Tradition and Transition.” Third World Quarterly 18(1), 109-125. Saguier, B, 1998, Paraguay – Culture of Fear, Index on Censorship, 1, 26-32. Pendle, G, 1995, Paraguay, 5th Edition, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 2002, Report on the situation of human rights in Paraguay, General Secretariat, Organization of American States, New York. Miranda, R, 2004, The Stroessner Era: Authoritarian Rule in Paraguay, Westview Press, Colorado. Lambert, P, & Andrew N, 2002, The Transition to Democracy in Paraguay. New York: St. Martin’s Press, Inc., 1997. Cole, R, 1996, Communication in Latin America: Journalism, Mass Media, and Society, Scholarly Resources Inc., Wilmington. Karolides, N, & Green, N, 2005, The encyclopedia of censorship, Infobase publishing, New York. Inter-American Press Association, 2003, IAPA news: Issues 414-423; Issues 426-430. University of Texas Press, Texas. Read More

 

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