Politics, ethics, and corpoarte policy: U.S. corporations' 1986 position papers on South Africa

This article analyzes 48 position papers US corporations distributed in 1986 to define and defend their presence in South Africa under apartheid. As public statements about one of the most difficult business and ethical issues ever faced by US corporations, these papers constitute a special moment i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of business communication (1973) 2000-10, Vol.37 (4), p.369
Main Author: Rivers, William E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apartheid
Business ethics
Business writing
Corporate responsibility
Decision making
Political behavior
Studies
Sullivan, Leon
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This article analyzes 48 position papers US corporations distributed in 1986 to define and defend their presence in South Africa under apartheid. As public statements about one of the most difficult business and ethical issues ever faced by US corporations, these papers constitute a special moment in the history of business writing. Unique in its economic, political, and ethical complexity, this situation required corporations to depart from traditional ways of making decisions and traditional ways of writing about those decisions. These corporations, all but one signatories to the Sullivan Principles, evolved a unique structure that allowed them to enter the debate on divestiture, yet minimize their rhetorical exposure. The essay also examines the pivotal role of Leon Sullivan, the African American minister who organized these corporations in their anti-apartheid efforts.
ISSN:2329-4884
2329-4892