Responsibility Analysis: Wellman's Perspectives and Examples

This report analyzes the different types of responsibility as discussed by Wellman: personal, collective, and corporate. It explores the distinctions between these types, highlighting how personal responsibility focuses on individual accountability, collective responsibility on group obligations (especially in political contexts), and corporate responsibility on the duties within business organizations. The report differentiates between collective and corporate responsibility, emphasizing that while both can seem similar, collective responsibility is rooted in shared values and customs within a group, while corporate responsibility prioritizes the effective functioning of a business. The report provides examples of each type of responsibility, including individual actions, group assignments, and corporate actions like reducing carbon footprints. It concludes by emphasizing the moral significance of responsibility and the challenges of applying it to different contexts.

Running head: RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1RESPONSIBILITY
Introduction
The article written by Wellman enumerates certain kinds of responsibilities such as the
personal responsibility, the corporate responsibility and that of the collective responsibility. This
assignment seeks to understand this article was written by Wellman.
1. Difference between each types of responsibility
The various kinds of responsibilities that have been identified in the context of the article
written by Wellman are the personal responsibility, the collective responsibility and the
corporate responsibility.
The aspect of personal responsibility refers to the process whereby the individuals
themselves are held accountable for the various acts of omission and commission that is done
under them. This flows from the idea that since the individuals themselves are undertaking such
actions, it is a moral obligation to hold them accountable for such actions.
Collective responsibility on the other hand, refers to the obligation that is placed on all
the members of a group. Such kind of responsibility usually arises in the context of a situation
where individuals sharing a common element are bounded together. In this regard, the actions
which are performed by them, places a moral obligation on them to be held accountable for any
acts of omission and commission that is done by them. Thus, any wrong doing on the part of one
individual of the concerned group has to be borne by the entire team in terms of accountability.
Collective responsibility is usually seen to be in existence in the sector of politics.
Corporate responsibility is seen to be in existence within a formal private of business
organization. The functioning of the various operations within a formal business environment

2RESPONSIBILITY
depends upon the concerned employees of the firm. Furthermore, the directions and the vision of
the business is determined by the managers and entrepreneurs who own such an organization. In
this regard it can be analyzed that within a formal business environment, the managers are
responsible for their acts of omissions and commission to the employees. On the other hand, the
employees are held accountable for the functioning of the firm and their own productive
performance. Thus, it can be observed that corporate responsibility pertains to both the groups
working within this business firm.
2. Need to distinguish between collective responsibility and corporate
responsibility
The aspects of collective responsibility is quite similar to that of corporate responsibility
so much so that there is a tendency to use these two concepts interchangeably. However, the two
terms are not the same. Collective responsibility, according to Wellman (2017), refers to the idea
that exists within the political atmosphere. Within a particular group of individuals, the various
human beings derive their values and customs from the nature of this group. Thus, there exists a
notion of value individualism within this group of people. It therefore, becomes impossible to
question the aspect of morality prevailing within this group as the main objective of any group is
to maintain the well-being and a decent standard of living for its own members. However, this
does not mean that simply being part of a group, the individual members cannot be held
accountable for their activities. In the event that a mishap is done by own of the members of the
group, the entire group is held responsible as it is seen a lack in the values prevailing within the
group.

3RESPONSIBILITY
Corporate responsibility on the other hand, is not morally significant as that of collective
responsibility. Corporate responsibility is mainly aimed towards the assurance of effective
functioning of the concerned business firm. In this regard, more emphasis is put on the
development of the values of the firm rather than assigning a moral character to it.
3. Examples of each kind of responsibility
Personal responsibility
 When an individual realizes the importance of studying for an exam.
 The individual recognizes a mistake done on his or her part and apologizes for it
to the aggrieved party.
Collective responsibility
 Participation in a group assignment in the classroom and being responsible for
any acts of omission and commission.
 The Nazi regime of Germany being held accountable for waging the Second
World War.
The Nazi policies pertaining to expansion paved the path for the outbreak of the
Second World War. The aim of Hitler was to bring about revision of post-war order
that was brought about with the help of Treaty of Versailles. They wanted to regain
the hegemony within Europe with the help of an enlarged Germany. The waging of
the World War II can be stated to be an incidence of the collective responsibility as a
large number of Germans were of the opinion that Hitler would be able to improve
the situations prevailing in the country. Hitler told the secret plans to that of select
circle of the top generals of Wehrmacht that Germany needed more amount of space

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for their preservation in the society. The generals agreed to the plan that was set forth
by Hitler and hence it can be said that the cat of Hitler of bringing on the Second
World War was owing to the collective responsibility of the Germans. The Anti-
Semitism took place within Europe during the reign of Adolf Hitler. The Holocaust
was supported by Swiss government along with banking institutions which helps in
pointing forward to the fact that the act was driven by the collective responsibility of
the people.
Corporate Responsibility
 The reduction of carbon foot print for the achievement of the ideal of a
sustainable future.
 The protection of the employees by the way of organizing labor unions and
listening to the grievances that the employees might have towards their own
supervisors.
Conclusion
Thus, to conclude, it can be seen that although the concept of responsibility is present in
the society, here exists various kinds of them. Responsibility is morally important for the
individuals but it poses a serious challenge when asked in the context of the elderly population.
In this regard, it can be found that a virtuoso activity is rewarded while a vicious and adverse
deed is discouraged and the concerned individual has to face repercussions in this regard.