Open Collections

Corporate involvement in community betterment

University of British Columbia

Resources to maintain and develop the social infrastructures which benefit communities are limited. Currently many corporations provide programs which directly enhance the welfare or lives of their employees as well as the surrounding community. Although these company sponsored programs often exist, planners do not formally include corporations in community development or social planning processes. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the possibility of corporations playing a more significant role in the betterment of the communities in which they are located. The notion of corporate responsibility is examined through a review of relevant literature. In addition, seventy corporations in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia which sponsor Employee Assistance Programs were surveyed in order to determine the degree that a sense of corporate responsibility played in establishing the program. These seventy corporations were also surveyed in order to measure their involvement in Employee Transportation Programs and Employee Child Care Programs. Corporations motives for providing these programs were also a key area of inquiry. In addition, an extensive literature review was conducted in order to examine other cases where these employee programs had been established. Company motives and experience associated with these programs were also explored. Through the survey and literature review it was determined that corporations usually participate in Employee Assistance Programs, Employee Transportation Programs and Employee Child Care for economic reasons. Although corporations do not tend to be motivated by a desire to better communities, their contribution in terms of employee programs is still valuable. It is important for planners to understand the actual corporate motive in establishing employee programs so that we may encourage corporations continued and expanded involvement in community betterment.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-03-03

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/5449

Planning

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace