Role of Law in Business, Society, and HR Practice
This paper examines the multifaceted role of law in business and society, drawing on scholarship from legal, criminological, and business ethics perspectives. It explores how law defines behavioral boundaries for commercial activity, including the challenges businesses face operating across international jurisdictions. The paper also addresses how law evolves alongside social change — from no-fault divorce to cybercrime — reflecting shifting societal norms and needs. A practical section applies these concepts to the human resources profession, surveying key federal statutes such as the EEO laws, FLSA, OSHA, ERISA, FMLA, HIPAA, and others that HR specialists must master to ensure workplace compliance.
- Introduction: Overview of law's importance in business and society
- The Functions and Role of Law in Business: Definitions, global business law, and law as compromiser
- The Role of Law in Society: Law evolves with social change and new technology
- Law in Human Resources: Key Federal Statutes: Federal HR laws every HR specialist must know
- Conclusion: Law must evolve alongside social and digital change
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What makes this paper effective
- Moves logically from abstract definitions of law to concrete professional applications, grounding theory in real-world HR practice.
- Uses multiple scholarly sources across disciplines — legal studies, criminology, and business ethics — to build a well-rounded view of law's functions.
- The HR statutes section demonstrates applied knowledge, giving the paper practical value beyond academic argument.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses synthesis across disciplines: rather than relying on a single framework, it draws on legal theory (Meiners), business ethics (Jennings), sociology of law (Barnett), and criminology (Siegel) to show that law is not a fixed institution but a dynamic social tool. This multi-source synthesis is then anchored in a specific professional context, showing how abstract legal principles translate into daily workplace responsibilities.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief framing introduction, then proceeds through three substantive sections: law's role in business (with international dimensions), law's role in society (with attention to social change and emerging technology), and law's role in human resources practice (a detailed survey of federal statutes). A short conclusion ties all three threads together. The structure is clear and additive, with each section building on the previous one.
Introduction
The functions and roles of law in business and society are not always understood by the general public, yet those functions are critically important. The principles related to law and its application form the backbone of how society and economies actually work. This paper reviews and critiques those functions across business, society, and professional practice.
Works Cited
Barnett, Larry D. (2011). The Place of Law: The Role and Limits of Law in Society. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
Jennings, Marianne M. (2010). Business: Its Legal, Ethical, and Global Environment. Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.
Meiners, Roger E., Ringleb, Al H., and Edwards, Frances L. (2006). The Legal Environment of Business. Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.
Siegel, Larry J. (2011). Criminology. Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.
U.S. Department of Labor. (2009). The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Retrieved April 25, 2013, from http://www.dol.gov.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2010). Overview. Retrieved April 25, 2013, from http://www1.eeoc.gov.
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