Managing a Company in an Activist World: The Leadership Challenge of Corporate Citizenship

A company's contributions to charities matter less to a corporation's stakeholders that its day-to-day behavior, argues Burke in this dense political polemic cum business how-to. And stupid, arrogant or poorly communicated behavior that appears to threaten the quality of life in a community, or in the world, will quickly draw the attention of activists, he says. Since such activists can mobilize in very short order these days (via the Internet and media), any missteps can have a rapid, negative impact on a company's bottom line, not to mention its reputation. As founder and Director Emeritus of the Center of Corporate Citizenship at Boston College, Burke urges managers to think before they act and to abandon the command and control style of, say, Jack Welch for a more collaborative leadership method. Burke's own style is detailed and passionate, and his arguments, advice and step-by-step plans are intended for an audience of CEOs and other C-level executives, not for casual readers. But there may not be enough new information here to make such executives willing to wade through the book, and Burke's passionate tone may put off many of the Jack Welch-wannabes he targets. All in all, this one seems destined for the choir.