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Essay / Business Strategy - 1645
IntroductionBusiness strategy is a vast subject that any business cannot afford not to address if it wants to ensure success. The arrangements that an organization puts in place to include business strategy or as part of business strategy also contribute greatly to the profitability of that organization. In this research paper, the learner will focus on the Essex Fire Authority and the strategy that the authority has adopted to achieve success in its provision of services to the community. Business strategy requires consideration of corporate social responsibility, profitability, customer satisfaction, sustainability and the application of technology in service delivery. Corporate Social Responsibility It has been said that laws are not enough to help businesses meet their social responsibilities. The main reason this is so is that the legal system makes most policies that fall into the “thou shalt not” category without necessarily explaining what should actually be done. However, corporate social responsibility requires an organization to put in place structures that look after the well-being of society. For example, in this case study, the Essex Fire Authority designed its approach in such a way that since its inception, customers have always been at the center of the operation. It has been argued that there are two commonly used approaches to corporate social responsibility. The first is an organization that treats all its customers equally, so that all customers feel valued at the same level, regardless of their social status. As a fire and emergency response service, the Essex Fire Authority does not prioritize where to go in the event of multiple emergencies, but rather gives...... middle of document. .....nal of Business Strategy, vol. 32, no. 5, 2011, pp. 43-50, accessed November 12, 2011, Ebscohost databaseEssex Fire Authority, Corporate Strategy: What and Why 2011-2015, Essex Fire Authority, 2011, accessed November 16, 2011, IFAC, Sustainability framework, accessed January 31, 2010. ,Kocmanová, A, Hřebíček, J, Dočekalová, M, “Corporate governance and sustainability”, Economics and Management, vol. 16, 2011, pp. 543-550, retrieved November 16, 2011, Ebscohost databaseKreng VB and Huang, MY, “Corporate Social Responsibility: Consumer Behavior, Business Strategy, and Public Policy,” Social Behavior and Personality, Vol. 39, no. 4, 2011, p. 529-542. Retrieved November 15, 2011, Ebscohost database