The existence of large corporations has become a way of life for most of us. We grew up around these companies as they came to dominate our lives. These large corporations have taken over many aspects of our lives. The purchasing power of large corporations has given them unprecedented power over many aspects of our lives. “They determine what we eat, what we watch, what we wear, where we work and what we do.” (Bakan,5). Corporations, who are not considered human beings, are raising our children and dictating what is eaten, bought, worn and cared for. In times gone by, human beings were shaped by their family and culture, but now we are manipulated and shaped by zealous marketers whose ultimate goal is to maximize profits with complete disregard for any social responsibility. There is, however, a growing trend of companies that are committed to community work and are enthusiastic about protecting the environment. “IKEA has a strong focus on sustainable forestry, as you would expect from a furniture supplier that uses a lot of wood and is changing the lives of 80,000 children, which is still a great achievement.” (Barner, 59-60). Ultimately, the employees of these companies, as well as the consumers of these companies, want to actively participate in the social responsibility initiatives of the company they work from and purchase from. Corporations, through the use of their excessive marketing strategies and with relatively low risk, are able to project their power and influence onto society as a whole and all aspects of governments. Since the beginning of the 20th century, large corporations have become part of our economic structure. A corporation is a separate legal entity that... middle of paper... remains, can a corporation both work for the betterment of society and at the same time make a profit? There are a handful of companies that are recovering and realizing that if they want to stick around for the long term, they need to make changes to how they run their businesses. With all the recalls in the media, consumers are fed up with these establishments because these recalls were mainly caused by cutting corners on the part of the company and a complete disregard for our health and well-being. Today, awareness and genuine concern for consumer health and safety must be a company's number one priority mission if it is to continue its profitability. Ultimately, in the end, what most of us really want is a decent place to live, a secure income, uncontaminated food, a proper education and good healthcare..