Case Study Of Greek Refugees In Aegean Island (Term Paper Sample)

Stakeholder management theory is a capitalist approach that focuses on the interconnectedness and relationships between the business and its internal and external stakeholders. The main stakeholders include the employees, customers, local communities, and the investors, among others. According to this theory, the business should create value for all the stakeholders and not only focus on the shareholders. Originally detailed by Edward Freeman in 1984, stakeholder management theory relates to business ethics because they both address the ethics and morals of operating an organization (Kumar et al., 2021). A strategic approach identifies and models the various groups of stakeholders that the business should give due regard when making its business and operational decisions. Therefore, this theory addresses the unethical practices within a business and emphasizes on making business decisions that considers the interests of the main stakeholders. Further, this theory requires the business to serve its stakeholders’ interests. The proponents of this theory believe that any business can only realize its full potential when the stakeholders are considered and involved when making important decisions. The business should look beyond its financial interests and remain socially responsible to the stakeholders. Generally, stakeholder management theory plays an important role in examining how government institutions or non-government organizations affect the country or the local communities. This essay examines the applications of stakeholder management theory in examining the plight of Greek refugees living in Aegean Island since 2015.
First, it is vital to note that stakeholder management theory postulates that it is unethical to increased wealth creation at the expense of the welfare of the local communities or citizens. This theory views that corporations are part of the social body and not a separate entity from the social problems that the local communities face including displacement of locals. Besides, major corporations have significant impacts on the lives and economy of multiple nations, affecting the people who might not be directly connected to the corporation. However, within the capitalist societies businesses are inextricably connected to the general state of the society and would be unethical for the firm to make decisions without considering the society’s interests. This theory also includes the general management approach. One of the main principles of stakeholder theory is the principle of externalities. According to the principle of externalities is concerned with how a group that does not benefit from the actions of the corporation suffer from certain difficulties because of the corporation’s decisions (Kumar et al., 2021). Therefore, this principle provides that anyone who bear the costs of other stakeholders have the right to become a stakeholder. However, the principle of governance provides that the decisions by the business managers and the relationships with the stakeholders can be amended through a unanimous contact.
Case study of Greek refugees in Aegean island
Since 2015 summer many Islands in the Aegean have received a higher and unprecedented number of refugees and migrants, creating a series of humanitarian issues within the region. This situation has resulted to social, humanitarian and economic crisis in the area. With the large scale arrivals of refugees, most of them also live in the Greece cities, like Athens, mainly single and unaccompanied minors from Iraq, Pakistan, Morocco and Algeria. There are also other undocumented migrants from Syria. The thousands of refugees in the Greek islands have created a series of social, and health problems in the area, with increased reports of mental health challenges. The research on the island indicates increased depression and frustrations by the refugees have increased mental health issues, leading to increased suicidal acts. This is mainly attributed to the containment issues by the EU, spurring increased psychological challenges. This has resulted in post-traumatic distress disorder (PSTD) and increased risks of self-harm. The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic exacerbated the suffering and increased the vulnerability of the refugees. Generally, the refugee crisis in the Aegean islands increases humanitarian and health challenges in the area because of the overstretched use of the available resources.
The other concerns over the lives of the refugees include the challenges with access to basic facilities like shelter and clothing. Most of the refugees at the Aegean Islands have limited access to basic commodities and livelihoods because of lack of employment opportunities in Greece. The migrants face shelter challenges, especially problems with accessing safe, affordable buildings within the urban areas (Giannakopoulos, 2016). Besides, some of the refugees also face challenges with accessing social services because of the xenophobic attitudes. The refugees also serious challenges including overcrowding at the camps due to lack of proper shelter. The asylum seekers and migrants in the camps live in precarious conditions with over 36,000 people living in camps, previously designed to accommodate 5,400 people. Despite the difficult economic and social situations at the Greece Islands, more refugees have continued to enter the camps. For instance, at the Samos Island, designated for 660 people, over 6782 refugees have arrived and live in makeshift shelters (Tsartas et al., 2020). Therefore, lack of proper shelter at the camps has exposed the refugees to live in small tents, exposing them to cold and rain with little or no access to electricity or heating. According to 2018 UNCHCR report, more than 500,000 of refugees arrived in Greece crossing the Aegean sea to the Greek island of Lesvos, Samos, Kos and Leros.
While Greece still faces serious financial crisis since the 2008 financial recession, the increased number of refugees creates a huge social and economic burden. This situation has resulted in a significant humanitarian crisis in the area, leading to reduced tourism activities in the area (Tsartas et al., 2020). This has resulted into social problems in the area including constant protests at the Island of Lesvos over the deplorable living conditions. The refugees also have no access to formal education due to limited educational facilities in the region. The refugee camps have also been characterized by constant fires, while the Island of Leros has also been a constant target of the traffickers, especially those at the Turkish coast (Giannakopoulos, 2016). Generally, the refugees at the Aegean islands are living under dangerous and inhumane conditions, risking their lives by living in the cold and having limited access to basic resources, like water, food, and electricity.
Applications of stakeholder management theory in responding to refugee needs
First, the deplorable and inhuman conditions under which the refugees live is unethical and doesn’t indicate that the international institutions are considering responding to the refugee needs as an urgent social issue. Based on the stakeholder management theory, the conditions under which the refugees live is against the ethical backgrounds. This is because stakeholder management is the most visible face of humanity and corporate social responsibilities. Therefore, through this theory, it is important to bridge the gap between the refugee crisis at the Aegean region and the private sectors across Europe. According to Cha-Sartori (2011), contributing to the refugee plight would be the most important aspect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) through collaboration with international organizations, like the UNHCR to help the refugees survive and have more comfortable shelters. The activities should also include protection of the refugees’ fundamental rights.
Because of the significant increase in the numbers of the refugees at the Greek Islands, it has resulted in limited resources to help UNHCR meet the changing needs and increasing risks to the refugees. Therefore, private institutions, should understand that refugees are part of the company’s stakeholders because the activities by the international and national governments affect their welfare (UNHCR, 2017). The refugees also consist of skilled workers who can form an important part of the labour force. While the local European businesses and the national governments are making key decisions, it is vital to consider the refugee welfare. The businesses and other public corporations should understand the roles of local communities and ensuring enhanced living standards. Therefore, offering humanitarian assistance to the refugees should not be viewed by private businesses as the sole responsibility of the UNHCR, because according to stakeholder management theory, it is unethical for businesses to continue focusing on profit levels rather than the
The long-term solutions to the refugee crisis facing the Greek Islands can also be solved through strategic approaches, especially at the refugees’ countries of origin. When more companies are actively involved in offering assistance and participating in enhancing security for the local populations, people will not live their countries will not be forced to live their countries. Developing global policies that can incorporate partnership with the non-governmental institutions and businesses can also help to effectively respond to the refugee problem in Greece. A multi-stakeholder approach remains the best alternation in meeting the increasing refugee influx to European countries, like Greece. First, due to the increasing concerns over refugee crisis can best be solved through public-private partnerships and other institutions tha...