A brief introduction to the topic area
Various projects that have been undertaken have exposed human beings and other
organisms to adverse effects of pollution such as global warming and displacement. Many
organizations have developed a need to evaluate projects by conducting environmental impact
assessment tests. It is meant to establish the project's impact on society, individuals, and the
natural environment. If the projects place a higher risk than an advantage to the community and
its members, they are not worth undertaking. Every responsible manager should ensure that these
procedures to examine the impact of any project are diligently conducted. This paper seeks to
illustrate how responsible management may be used in the promotion of social issues. These
issues may include environmental concerns such as climate change, pollution, and colonial
heritage promotion, among others. It will seek to utilize Hydro company's article to dam Little
Colorado River east of Grand Canyon. The article has been drawn from the Los Angeles Times. It
discusses how interested investors have risked the environmental and social aspects of the people
living around River Colorado, in Grand Canyon. The investors have a proposal to construct four
dams around that area to generate hydropower to supplement other electricity sources.
Synthesis of the situation
Tribal economic development officials expressed their desire to construct water reservoirs in
the Navajo area, which has been a place of interest for different investors and government
projects. These investors have placed a bid to develop dams that will be used in the generation of
electricity. The project is supposed to be undertaken, a place that the local community perceives
as sacred and hosts various species of fish and other organisms. To evaluate the purpose and the
implication of the project to the city, the president of Navajo, Jonathan Nez, insists that there is a
need to examine and evaluate the benefits and risks of this project. The president insists that they
are mindful of the environment and society (Fonseca, 2019).
In the proposals for the dam projects, the investors do not consider the religion of the people
living around the area of interest. The president feels that the project will alter the community’s
patterns of interactions and other regulations concerning land use and management (Fonseca,
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2019). Considering the interests of the people is essential when undertaking the project. If the
project is to commence, the residents feel that various special features of society and
environment would be destroyed at the expense of economic gains. The hydropower generated
from these four dams will supplement the wind and sun power when insufficient.
Roger Clark of the Grand Crayon Trust further insists that the dam project cannot be feasible
since the Little Colorado River does not flow throughout the year and there was a possibility that
the dams will be choked with heavy sediments and this would further endanger The humpback
chub (Fonseca, 2019). Roger and other environmentalist groups insist that they will be focused
on monitoring decisions that would affect this place since various proposals have been
accomplished at society's expense. Among them, there are projects that are non-qualifying and
have been implemented in the past and have exposed human beings, culture, and environment to
threats.
Explicit discussion and application of course concepts to the analysis of the article
Development experts have emphasized the need to develop strategies that aim to rebuild and
repair society and the environment. Implementation of the above can be done through
abandoning traditional views that do not acknowledge the interdependency between culture and
businesses (Buono, 2019). President Jonathan Nez is a responsible manager who cares about the
societal concerns that may affect his future people. This has been portrayed when he questions
the significance of the dam project to the people of Navajo. Managers are key decision-makers in
any organization, and therefore they should have the requisite skills and knowledge to enable
him to make informed decisions. The president is cautious about how the project will interfere
with the patterns of life of the people of Navajo. The environmental impact assessment will be
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used to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the project. The project's analysis will be
evaluated, which will advise the decision that the manager should undertake.
The aspect of balancing the interests of all the stakeholders is essential in the decision-making
process. Fostering interdependency between society and business will help the world to achieve
stunning results. Roger and other environmentalists feel that the dam project could have many
negative impacts on the environment, the social life of the individuals, and the culture. They
think that the place is culturally sensitive, and hence initiating the project may expose their
culture to external factors that may lead to extinction. Acknowledging people's culture and
understanding them is good. Failure to this may lead to hostility from the local community
during the implementation stage of the project. This may lead to a lag in decision-making,
litigation, and unnecessary conflicts since the community will feel the aspect of being dominated
by the projects' initiator.
Involving the locals in the decision-making process is essential since most of the decisions
that will be implemented will directly influence their lives. Bargaining with the local people in
friendly ways will make the project inclusive and boost the relationship between the investors
and the local community. This will further advise the implementation team if the locals
appreciate the project. The local people may feel that the project is not a priority to the people;
hence, they might draw resistance towards the project. In this case, the Navajo people, through
the Nation Council, express themselves about the dam project. They feel that Colorado River has
been damaged in the past and should not be subjected to further damage through dams
construction that may displace various elements that the people have appreciated in the past.
One must be conscious of the threats of climate change and pollution since the world has
witnessed different crises attributed to environmental degradation. Various stakeholders,
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such as the UN, have been championing for the protection of the environment, people's culture,
heritage, and the right of individuals. The UN, through the UNGC Business engagement
Architecture, has emphasized the importance of an enabling environment in poverty reduction. It
insists that long-term economic prosperity is caused by an excellent social foundation, primarily
the environment (Buono, 2019). The agenda 2030, which is a commitment paper, also advocates
for protecting the environment using sustainable means, as stated in the sustainable development
goals (Buono, 2019). The managers must ensure that the project does not risk losing an enabling
environment since growth is dependent on the environment. The Navajo people's concerns seem
genuine as the dams pose a higher risk than the advantage to them. Their leaders too support
them, and they feel that these projects will disadvantage their lives, culture, unique organisms as
well as religion (Hibbert, 2015). Through the corporate responsibility model's traditional model,
much emphasis has been explained that a good project should not worsen a community's
financial position or put them in a legal tussle (Buono, 2019).
Any business proposal should have an aspect of environmental sustainability. The project
should not endanger any element of the environment. In this case, the dam project will alter the
levels of the river's temperature, which will affect marine life. The people's dependence on the
environment will be involved in the long run by the operations associated with the dams'
construction. The president states that the authorities are concerned about the plight of the locals.
The projects should not affect the activities of future generations negatively. A sustainable
project should address both the needs of the current and future generations without exposing the
environment or the people to the risk of losing their heritage and other aspects that are important
to their lives (Nonet, 2016).
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A brief assessment of the implications the article raises for management and organization
in the early 21 st century
Failure to consider the reports conducted after the environmental impact assessment is done
will lead to adverse effects on human beings, culture, religion, and the entire environment of the
people of Navajo. Recently, organizations such as the UN have attributed the growing social
complexities to various cultures' interference by external factors such as government and
investment projects. There is a great need to conserve multiple cultures and appreciate diverse
groups that exist in society. This will foster unity and greater cooperation, leading to a more
coherent and development-oriented community (Louw, 2015). As governments and the private
sector pursue developments, they must always evaluate the projects if they erode the people's
cultural rigidity in the area of interest. If it influences the individuals' lives negatively, the project
is not worth undertaking (Hibbert, 2015).
The article raises alarms over the persistent environmental degradation that has been
associated with various development. As authorities and organizations pursue action, they must
consider promoting the environment and critically examining the effects of the project on the
ground. For example, River Colorado will not have sufficient water to sustain the marine life
downstream if the dams are constructed. This will cause tremendous biodiversity loss, yet global
leaders and environmentalists have been advocating for protecting the environment.
References
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Buono, T. (2019). MG345 Organizations, Society & Responsible Management. Developing
Responsible Managers: The UN Global Compact PRME and Sustainable Business
Practice [Agenda 2030]
FONSECA, FELICIA (2019, October 8). Retrieved from
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-10-08/hydro-company-proposes-to-
dam-little-colorado-river-east-of-grand-canyon
Hibbert, P., & Cunliffe, A. (2015). Responsible management: Engaging moral reflexive practice
through threshold concepts. Journal of business ethics, 127(1), 177-188.
Louw, J. (2015). “Paradigm change” or no real change at all? A critical reading of the UN
principles for responsible management education. Journal of Management
Education, 39(2), 184-208.
Nonet, G., Kassel, K., & Meijs, L. (2016). Understanding responsible management: Emerging
themes and variations from European business school programs. Journal of Business
Ethics, 139(4), 717-736.