Profit at the Bottom of the Ladder: Creating Value by Investing in Your Workforce

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Reaping Returns from Community Investments

SINCE MEMBERS OF THE community often constitute a company’s labor force in addition to its customer base, support from the community can facilitate both production and sales, just as opposition can significantly impede expansion. As a result, a company’s relationship with the community can be a critical determinant of its economic future.

Global competition has brought new dimensions to community involvement. As companies expand their sales and production to new locations in different countries, their need to operate effectively in diverse settings grows, and their attachment to single communities diminishes. Yet no matter how globally structured a company may be, its production always takes place ...