The pyramid of corporate responsibility model suggests CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY is composed of four components: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic. The model uses economic responsibility as its foundation, arguing a company must be profitable in order to survive and contribute to the other levels in the pyramid.

Push and pull strategies are ADVERTISING and other promotional efforts that assist in getting PRODUCTs through DISTRIBUTION CHANNELs. Push strategies are designed to support and reward participants in the distribution channel, usually WHOLESALERs and retailers. Pull strategies are direct communications with final users of a product or service.

Purchasing refers to the responsibility to procure supplies, materials, PRODUCTs, and SERVICES for use in business. Purchasing agents or buyers are part of the operational strategy in any organization. Retail businesses need the right combination of goods and services available at the right time to meet customer needs.

Public utilities are firms or industries regulated by government agencies (usually public-utility commissions). Public utilities are generally private companies given exclusive rights to provide a service in a particular area. In effect, a public utility is a government-created and regulated MONOPOLY.

Public service announcements (PSAs) are noncommercial announcements created to provide information to the public. A PSA contains information designed to inform and benefit the intended audience, rather than the organization or CORPORATION that created it.

The term public relations (PR) refers to an organization�s attempts to improve its image and its relationship with customers, employees, stockholders, community members, news media, and government.

Public administration, the MANAGEMENT of public programs, is about getting things done or about making and carrying out public policies. Scholars who study public administration draw on research gleaned from a number of disciplines, including political science, sociology, psychology, economics, and business.

COMMON STOCK carries voting rights, one vote per common share. SHARE HOLDERS can exercise these voting rights by attending the annual meeting of stockholders.

A prospectus is a document that either describes an offer to sell securities to potential investors or describes the history, goals, and financial performance of a mutual fund. When a company conducts an INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING (IPO), it must provide a detailed statement of the proposed use of funds, and facts about the company soliciting funds, as per SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (SEC) guidelines.

A proprietorship is an unincorporated business owned by one person. In the United States, approximately threefourths of all businesses are proprietorships. The major advantage of a proprietorship is control�the owner makes all decisions and does not have to answer to partners or a BOARD OF DIRECTORS.