Monday 2 August 2010

Arthur Page - 20th century principles still relevant today!

I received an email recenty from Dick Jones of DICK JONES COMMUNICATIONS suggesting that the origins of Corporate Social Responsibility go back to the early years of the 20th century and to the editor of one of America’s most influential business magazines, The World’s Work,  Arthur W. Page.

Here is an excerpt from Dick’s email to me
From its beginnings in November 1900, The World’s Work was devoted to social responsibility in the public interest,” says David L. Remund, a Legacy Scholar in the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication at Penn State University.  Remund is completing his doctoral studies at the University of North Carolina.

The editor of The World’s Work, Arthur W. Page, later became one of the nation’s pioneering and still-revered public relations practitioners.  He was the first to serve on the executive management team of a major corporation, AT&T.  In 1927, he took his editorial views to AT&T and put them into action, laying the groundwork for the modern CSR model.

Remund examined nearly 180 issues of The World’s Work.   Page’s personal correspondence, speeches and transcripts of oral interviews also were used.   Some of the trends Remund found could leap from today’s headlines.

           
I particularly liked what apparently became known as the Page principles.
They are:
(1) tell the truth
(2) prove it with action
(3) listen to the customer
(4) manage for tomorrow
(5) conduct public relations as if the whole company depends on it
(6) a company’s true character is expressed by its people
(7) remain calm, patient and good-humored.

What are your principles?

Find out more about Arthur Page here.       
For more information on this research contact David L. Remund at remund@unc.edu 

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