Two Views: Stakeholders Expect More From Corporate America.

• Author: Freeman, B. Edward
• Position: BOARDBOOK

There are many reasons for the ascendency of stakeholder-thinking in business. Some have even argued that "stakeholder capitalism" is the new narrative that better describes how businesses can be successful. While there has also been a great deal of skepticism around this proposed change in narrative, it is worth a more careful look at why the Ideas of Milton Friedman seem to fall short in today's world, on this occasion of the 50th anniversary of his essay "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits," published in The New York Times Magazine in 1970.

Business today is more global than In 1970, and its effects are much clearer and more well known. In fact, with today's 24/7/365 news cycle there is simply...