The Compelling Business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara P. Weiner ◽  
Chelsea R. Willness
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Velte

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the governance-related and financial determinants and consequences of corporate social responsibility assurance (CSRA). Design/methodology/approach Based on a legitimacy theoretical framework and on the business case argument, the author conducts a structured literature review and includes 66 quantitative peer-reviewed empirical (archival) studies on key CSRA proxies (CSRA adoption, choice of CSR assuror and CSRA quality). Findings In line with the business case for CSRA, the literature review indicates that internal corporate governance, country-related governance and specific financial determinants as reporting, firm size and industry (sensitivity) have a positive impact on CSRA adoption. Research limitations/implications A detailed analysis of CSRA proxies is needed in future archival research to differentiate between symbolic and substantive use of CSRA. In view of the current regulatory initiatives on CSR reporting and their decision usefulness, future research should also analyze in greater depth CSRA proxies as moderator and mediator variables. Practical implications With regard to the increased stakeholder demand on CSRA after the financial crisis of 2008–2009, firms should be aware of the value-added of CSRA to increase the decision usefulness of their CSR reports and firm reputation. Originality/value The analysis makes useful contributions to prior literature by focussing on empirical quantitative (archival) research method, structuring research on the business case for CSRA with respect to its governance and financial determinants and consequences for firms and stressing moderator analysis in archival CSRA research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Tencati ◽  
Nicola Misani ◽  
Sandro Castaldo

ABSTRACTSome firms are initiating pro-stakeholder activities and policies that transcend conventional corporate social responsibility (CSR) conceptions and seem inconsistent with their business interests or economic responsibilities. These initiatives, which are neither legally nor morally obligatory, are responding to calls for a more active role of business in society and for a broader interpretation of CSR. In fact, they benefit stakeholders in a superior and an innovative way and are difficult to reconcile with commonly used rationales in the extant CSR literature, such as win-win opportunities, creating shared value, or corporate philanthropy. For better insight, we develop a qualified account of the concept of supererogation from ethical theory. This account, which examines voluntary responses to moral obligations from which a business is normally excused, is applied to identify the unique features of the initiatives that are not readily understood within conventional reasoning, which is generally focused on a business case.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 232-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashid Ahmad ◽  
Saima Ahmad ◽  
Talat Islam ◽  
Ahmad Kaleem

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge on the implications of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee levels of commitment and citizenship behaviour (OCB) by investigating a trust-based mediational process in the context of academia. Design/methodology/approach The research data are collected from a sample of 736 academics through a questionnaire based survey administered in different Pakistani universities. The nature of trust-based mechanism underlying the relationships between CSR, affective commitment and OCB is determined through structural equation modelling of the research data. Findings The findings suggest that the perceived CSR is an important predictor of academics’ attitudes and behaviour in universities. Whilst the findings implicate the mediating role of trust in the process by which perceived CSR influences academics’ commitment, trust does not appear to mediate the perceived CSR’s relationship with OCB. Research limitations/implications This study utilises single-sourced and cross-sectional data, which may have resulted in common method bias. Practical implications By furnishing evidence of the beneficial effects of perceived CSR on academics’ levels of trust, commitment and citizenship behaviour, this study provides a business case for universities’ involvement in CSR. The findings are particularly useful to academic administrators and managers who are interested in nurturing positive attitudes and behaviours amongst academic staff. Originality/value There is a paucity of research on CSR in the academic work settings of developing countries. This is the first study to examine the trust-based microfoundation of CSR in the context of academia in Pakistan.


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Lindorff ◽  
James Peck

AbstractThis paper reports an exploratory and qualitative study of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) beliefs of leaders of large Australian financial institutions. The findings are presented in four sections. The first discusses whether leaders have a mental model of the firm that is most closely aligned with the traditional shareholder or the stakeholder view of the firm. It then examines how they frame the organization's responsibilities, particularly as they relate to balancing the needs of shareholders and other stakeholders. The third section identifies how they view CSR and the fulfilment of potential economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities of organizations. The final section examines the driving factors that lead to their promotion of corporate social responsibility. We find that although many leaders support the wealth creation model's central premise that the organization's primary responsibility is to maximise its value in order to meet its fiduciary obligations to its shareholders, they also believe that CSR activities benefit the organization financially and in building corporate sustainability, employee engagement and performance, and social capital. CSR activities are also believed to increase the legitimacy of the organization, although philanthropy is not supported unless there is a business case. This has implications for those seeking support from organizations for community causes. We also find the view of employees as primary stakeholders is strong and widespread; an implication of this is that employee influence is a strong lever for positive change towards CSR behaviour in a firm.


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