English in prépa 974

Lexique Chapter 03 + Quizlet

Lexique Chapter 07 + Quizlet

Fiche notions

Image p.42

Group 1:

This document is a cartoon that highlights the contrast between corporate citizenship and the need for companies to make a profit.

We can see five people sitting around a table, they must represent a board of directors. They are discussing the company’s policy. One of them suggests that they do everything ethically, probably to appeal to consumers with the improved social responsibility of the company.

However, they make it very clear that it should be done “within reason”. The scope is quite vague and it is unclear what reasonably ethical means. Indeed there could be a clash between being ethical and making a profit. They don’t want this new policy to impact their benefits.

The cartoonist wants to denounce the hypocrisy of companies that want to look ethical but are reluctant to implement these policies because their main objective is to make money. He seems to think that ethical capitalism is idealistic.

(152 mots)

Group 2:

This cartoon highlights the limits of ethical policies because of the companies’ wishes to increase their benefits.

We can see five people sitting around a table, they may be a board of directors. They are talking about the strategy of the company. One of them proposes that their entire activity be ethical in order to attract more consumers.

But on the other hand when they say “within reason” it means they want limits to their ethical behavior. Indeed for them benefits are more important than being ethical. In other words they want to look socially responsible as far as they do not lose money.

To conclude the cartoonist criticizes the hypocrisy of some companies that pretend to be committed to adopting ethical measures but in reality they are more preoccupied by making a profit, as it is their purpose. What is more he wants to show how idealistic it is to promote conscious capitalism.

(154 mots)