Being community-oriented means having values, making decisions, or exhibiting behaviors that strongly emphasize increasing the welfare of the community or state.
Based on definitions of community orientation, this characteristic describes a pattern, particularly observed in contexts like management, where individuals or organizations prioritize the well-being of the broader community.
Understanding Community Orientation
According to descriptions of community orientation, it is a pattern encompassing:
- Social responsibility values: Holding beliefs and principles that prioritize positive societal impact.
- Decision making: Making choices that consider and aim to benefit the community or state.
- Behavior: Acting in ways that actively contribute to community or state welfare.
The reference specifies that community orientation describes a pattern of social responsibility values, decision making, or behavior where managers put a strong emphasis on the increase community or state welfare. This highlights that being community-oriented involves a deliberate focus on improving the state of the community, often through actions and values that extend beyond purely self-interested goals.
Key Characteristics of a Community-Oriented Approach
In the context described, a community-oriented approach involves:
- Prioritizing Welfare: A core focus is on enhancing the prosperity and well-being of the community or state.
- Integrating Values: Social responsibility isn't an afterthought; it's woven into the fundamental values guiding actions.
- Mindful Decision-Making: Choices are evaluated not just for internal benefit but also for their impact on external community welfare.
- Purposeful Behavior: Actions are consciously undertaken with the goal of contributing positively to the community.
For a manager, being community-oriented might translate into supporting local initiatives, making ethical supply chain choices, investing in community development programs, or ensuring the organization's operations minimize negative environmental or social impacts on the local area. It's about recognizing the interconnectedness between the entity (like a business) and the community it operates within, and actively working to be a positive force.
