Managers' personal values as drivers of corporate social responsibility

In this theoretical paper, motives for CSR are considered. An underlying assumption is that the commercial imperative is not the sole driver of CSR decision-making in private sector companies, but that the formal adoption and implementation of CSR by corporations could be associated with the changing personal values of individual managers. These values may find expression through the opportunity to exercise discretion, which may arise in various ways. It is suggested that in so far as CSR initiatives represent individuals' values, so the “responsibility” in evidence is less obviously “corporate.” Our emphasis on personal initiative is intended to counter a tendency to view the corporation as the agent, and may serve to remind us that individuals can, indeed, make a difference.

Resource enclavity and corporate social responsibility in Sub-Saharan Africa:the case of oil production in Ghana

Why has Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) yielded such disappointing outcomes in oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa? Over the past decades, a sizable body of literature has emerged which draws attention to the shortcomings of oil-related development and complementary CSR exercises in the region. Most critiques on the topic, however, assess specific interventions and/or policies but fail to evaluate the complex decision-making processes, dictated heavily by setting, which produce such actions altogether. This thesis attributes CSR outcomes in oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa to the unique context in which the decisions underpinning actions take place. In doing so, the analysis borrows ideas from a diverse body of literature spanning the international development, accounting, management and political science disciplines. To explore these ideas further, the thesis focuses on the case of Ghana. The most recent “addition” to sub-Saharan Africa’s oil club, Ghana provides a rare glimpse of how decisions underpinning CSR have been identified, evolved and reshaped from the outset. To provide a comprehensive picture of CSR in the sector and its impacts at the local level, interviews and focus groups were conducted with a range of stakeholder groups. As is the case throughout sub-Saharan Africa, in Ghana, oil production occurs in offshore “enclaves”, which are disconnected geographically from local communities. This thesis argues that these dynamics have important implications for CSR. Findings point to companies also being disconnected ideologically from local development needs, which, in part explains the questionable CSR that has become such a contentious issue in the debate on oil and development in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. The enclave-type setting in which oil production occurs appears to have stifled creativity and innovation in the area of CSR. This, along with institutional weaknesses, regulatory deficiencies and the Government of Ghana’s failure to adequately respond to local-level concerns, has produced these outcomes.

An exploratory analysis of corporate social responsibility:definitions, motives and values

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a multi-disciplinary subject and definitions vary with regard to the perceived scope or boundaries of the corporation’s responsibility. In this paper, corporate motives for CSR are explored, along with the notion of an altruistic ethical impulse among business leaders or managers, perhaps motivated by religious beliefs. It is suggested that the formal adoption of CSR by corporations could be associated with the changing personal values of managers and that there may be an association between different industries, the personal values of the managers who work in them and their commitment to CSR. This paper is preparatory to an empirical investigation that will address how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is interpreted and institutionalised by organisations, including an analysis of firms’ perceptions of the boundaries regarding where and to whom their corporate social responsibilities lie.

Corporate social responsibility and earnings management in U.S. banks

Business decision making depends on financial reporting quality. In identifying the drivers of financial reporting quality, proxied by earnings management (EM), prior literature has drawn attention to the association between corporate EM practices and commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR). Empirical evidence, however, provides inconclusive results regarding the direction of this association. Using simultaneous equations, we examine the bi-directional CSR-EM relationship in U.S. commercial banks. We demonstrate that, although banks that engage in EM practices are also actively involved in CSR, the reverse relationship is not significant. We provide implications for investors, analysts, business participants and regulators. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Corporate social responsibility and organizational commitment:the moderating role of individuals’ attitudes to CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) becomes ever more important for organizations. In times of corporate scandals and more governmental regulation on the one hand and a foreseeable shortage of highly qualified employees on the other, CSR is both a means to serve the wider society and to attract employees with a positive reputation and image. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CSR activities as perceived by employees indeed lead to more employee affective commitment and whether this would be moderated by employee differences in importance of CSR. The study differentiated two forms of CSR, namely corporate social responsibility directed towards individual employees (CSR-E) and directed towards the wider society (CSR-S). We surveyed 89 employees and found evidence for the predicted moderation and for both forms of CSR such that CSR-E and CSR-S and affective commitment were only positively related for those employees who evaluated CSR as important. Implications for recruitment and future research are discussed.

Is corporate social responsibility a new spirit of capitalism?

Our study casts doubt on whether the managerial literature on corporate social responsibility is currently capable of developing a persuasive discourse to bring about change in corporate capitalism. By applying the framework and methodology of the spirit of capitalism, introduced by Boltanski and Chiapello, to a corpus of managerial books, we suggest that corporate social responsibility exhibits the core characteristics that together exemplify the ‘spirit of capitalism’. However, corporate social responsibility deals inadequately with the two key characteristics of the spirit of capitalism—security and fairness—by disregarding individual security and tangible rewards for workers who play decisive roles in enacting the spirit. The lack of consideration for workers could weaken the potential of corporate social responsibility to grow into a new spirit of capitalism and to bring about changes envisioned by critical management studies in corporate capitalism.

What is Corporate Social Responsibility and why it matters

explores three common misconceptions about CSR and explains why it should be seen as an opportunity to develop a more innovative and advanced business model.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) – insights from South Asia

Guest editorial

Collaborating to achieve corporate social responsibility and sustainability? Possibilities and problems

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibilities and problems for collaboration in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability. The paper explores the nature and concept of collaboration and its forms, and critically evaluates the potential contribution a collaborative approach between agencies might offer to these agendas. Design/methodology/approach: The paper explores different forms of research on collaboration, together with a UK Government report on collaboration, to evaluate how the issue is addressed in theory and practice. Findings: Sustainable development creates extensive challenges for a wide range of agencies, including governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses and civil society. It is unlikely, however, that solutions will be found in any one quarter. Collaboration between agencies in some form would seem a logical step in supporting measures towards a more responsible and environmentally sustainable global economy. Originality/value: The paper offers new insights into developing a research and praxis agenda for collaborative possibilities towards the advancement of CSR and sustainability. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

A vállalatok politikája – vállalati, társadalmi felelősségvállalás, vállalati közösségek és a vállalati stratégia jövője (Corporate policy – corporate social responsibility, corporate communities, and future of corporate strategy)

A vállalati társadalmi felelősségvállalás (CSR) a diszciplinarizálódás korai szakaszában különböző tudományos hagyományokból táplálkozva, a vállalatirányítás, az üzleti etika, a környezetgazdálkodás és a marketingkommunikáció határvidékének szélesítésével, különböző hangsúlyú kiterjesztésével igyekszik saját helyét kijelölni a gazdálkodástudomány keretei között. Jelen tanulmány egy, az érintetti elméletekből kiinduló, ám alapvetően történeti és politikai hagyományhoz köti a CSR jelenét és jövőjét, majd ebből a megközelítésből kiindulva helyezi el a CSR elméletét és lehetséges managementgyakorlatát a vállalatirányítás és a marketingkommunikáció világában. A szerző álláspontja szerint a CSR inkább forma, mint tartalom; az üzleti értelemben vett fenntarthatóságot a vállalatok kevésbé jó ügyek képviselete révén, mint az érintetti (stakeholder) demokrácia megvalósulásának elősegítésével teremthetik meg. Jelen dolgozat azt mutatja meg, hogy az érintetti demokrácia mint üzleti működési modell megvalósulása messzemenő következményekkel járhat mind a vállalatirányítás, mind a modern marketingkommunikáció számára. ______ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is in an early phase of disciplinarization and works towards establishing its level scholarly playing field from different traditions. It attempts to extend its territory on the boarderline of management, business ethics, environmental studies, and marketing-communications. This study applies a historical and political approach to the understanding of the present and future of CSR and places CSR in the area of management studies and marketing- communications from this starting point. CSR is more form than content; business sustanaibility is achieved less through good causes but via assisting in the establishment of stakeholder democracy. This study attempts to show what results stakeholder democracy as business modell would bring to the world of both corporate management and marketingcommunications.

Társadalmi felelősségvállalás a személyes vélemények oldaláról = Social responsibility from the viewpoint of personal opinions

A vállalatok társadalmi felelősségvállalása választ adhat a globális problémák megoldására. Azzal, hogy a környezeti és társadalmi ügyeket üzleti kategóriaként kezeli, új lehetőségeket nyitott meg a megközelítés, azonban az alapvető változások még nem érezhetők. A szerző kutatásában e témakört vizsgálja a személyes vélemények és attitűdök oldaláról. A gazdasági érdekek elsődlegessége mellett az ismerethiány az olyan tényező, amely szakadékot képez az elmélet és a gyakorlat között. Mivel a magatartásformák megváltoztatása időigényes kihívás, a közeljövő eredményei azzal biztosíthatók, ha a leendő döntéshozók sajátosságaikat megismerve a menedzsmenteszközöket igazítják a lehetőségekhez. A tanulmány egy átfogó, empirikus kutatás eredményei alapján mutatja be, hogy a felsőoktatásban tanulók, mint a jövő vezetői, hogyan viszonyulnak a fenntartható fejlődés és a CSR kérdéséhez. _____ The tools of corporate social responsibility (CSR) may support the solving of global problems by handling them as a business category. This expands the possibilities, but the breakthrough is still missing. The author’s research activity analyses the relations from the viewpoint of personal opinions and attitudes. There is a huge lack between the theories and the practical application that can be explained by the economic interest and the deficiencies of knowledge. Since changing the behaviour is a time-consuming challenge, the focus must be on discovering the present characteristics of the future decision makers and adjusting the management methods to the results. The paper summarises the results of an empiric research that opinions and attitudes of higher education students to sustainable development and CSR.