Explains why gifts are not just moral expressions but function as binding social practices. The first part concerns the concept of the logic of the gift. The second part focuses of practical expression of gift practices in a business context, more particularly, bribery and philanthropy. Author from University of Melbourne, Australia.

"A good study book for philanthropists and those who study them. Religion gets a fair shake." -- Christian Century "Mike Martin has written a clear and wide-ranging book on ethical issues related to philanthropy that is rich in concrete examples." -- Ethics Writing for the general reader, Mike Martin explores the philosophic basis of philanthropy -- "virtuous giving." This book will be welcome reading for anyone who has pondered what caring and giving mean for a good society.

The troubling ethics and politics of philanthropy Is philanthropy, by its very nature, a threat to today’s democracy? Though we may laud wealthy individuals who give away their money for society’s benefit, Just Giving shows how such generosity not only isn’t the unassailable good we think it to be but might also undermine democratic values. Big philanthropy is often an exercise of power, the conversion of private assets into public influence. And it is a form of power that is largely unaccountable and lavishly tax-advantaged. Philanthropy currently fails democracy, but Rob Reich argues that it can be redeemed. Just Giving investigates the ethical and political dimensions of philanthropy and considers how giving might better support democratic values and promote justice.

There are over 195,289 registered charities in the UK spending about 80 billion of our money a year. Charities claim that almost ninety pence in every pound we give is spent on 'charitable activities'. But with many of our best-known charities, the real figure is less than fifty pence in every pound. But does Britain really need so many charities? And do our charities spend enough of our money on good causes? The Great Charity Scandal exposes the truth about Britain's massive charity industry and recommends how we need to change things so more of our money goes where we expect."

The Robin Hood Foundation is a charitable organization focused on alleviating poverty in New York City. Michael M. Weinstein is the foundation's senior vice president. In that role he developed its metrics-based approach, called "relentless monetization," to ensure that the money the foundation receives and grants is used most effectively. Ralph M. Bradburd has served as long-time consultant to Robin Hood on matters of metrics. In this book Weinstein and Bradburd show how to implement the Robin Hood approach and explain how any nonprofit organizations or philanthropic donor can use it to achieve the greatest benefit from every philanthropic dollar. Drawing on their extensive knowledge, the authors devote specific chapters to the difficulties most frequently encountered by donors trying to measure the benefits of their initiatives.. This book provides straightforward, targeted advice for funding "smart" nonprofit programs.

Concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) are widely used by businesses, professional bodies and academics, but are also widely contested. CSR is usually described as comprising three elements: environmental, economic and social, though there is no serious consensus on how to go about translating ideas into practice. This research handbook addresses some key areas of contention, theory and practice within CSR in order to address, challenge and inform debate in academia and practice. The collaborative text extends understanding of CSR through articulating current thinking on each facet of a vital subject. Each theme is represented by inter-disciplinary discussion of key questions on CSR by researchers and practitioners in the field. In doing so, the book: Explores and critiques CSR goals, and national, organizational and managerial strategies Reviews the distinctive role and importance of CSR to academics, professionals and practitioners and identifies appropriate bridging strategies Evaluates the nature, direction and applicability of selected theoretical dimensions which inform the understanding of CSR Assesses the opportunities for theory building, to support further understanding of the complexities of CSR and the sustainability and long term value of CSR practice to corporations and civil society This timely and significant contribution to the theory and practice of CSR will prove to be vital reading for students, researchers and practitioners involved with the field. It will also become a key reference for anyone with an interest in business and society.

This is the first volume that examines dangerous gift-giving across centuries and disciplines. Bringing to the fore the subject that features as an aside in gift studies, it offers new insights into the ambivalent and troubled history of gift-giving. Dangerous, violent, and self-destructive gift-giving remains an alluring challenge for scholars almost a hundred years after Marcel Mauss’s landmark work on the gift. Globally, the notion of toxic and fateful gifts has haunted mythologies, folklores, and literatures for millennia. This book problematizes what stands behind the notion of the 'dangerous gift' and demonstrates how this operational term may help us to better understand the role and place of gift-giving from antiquity to the present through a series of case studies ranging from ancient Zoroastrianism to modern digital dating. The book develops a complex historical, cross-cultural, and multi-disciplinary approach to gift-giving that invites comparisons between various facets of this phenomenon through time and across societies. The book will interest a wide range of scholars working in anthropology, history, literary criticism, religious studies, and contemporary digital culture. It will primarily appeal to university educators and researchers of political culture, pre-modern religion, social relations, and the relationship between commerce and gifts.