scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-115
Author(s):  
Ellen Hertz
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Chicago School ◽  
Economic Thought ◽  
Corporate Managers ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Environmental Considerations ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Social Causes

‘The business of business is business,’ Milton Friedman, a leading figure of the Chicago School of economic thought, famously declaimed. In his 1970 article, ‘The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits’, he argued that corporate managers who factor social and environmental considerations into their decision-making are, in effect, ‘imposing taxes . . . and deciding how the tax proceeds shall be spent’. By deviating from their organizational duties—maximizing profits for the companies that employ them—they are appropriating money owed to shareholders and allocating it to broader social causes, a function that resembles government. Friedman objects to this behavior not on economic or legal but on political grounds: managers have not been elected and there are no principled procedures for determining which causes to support beyond ‘general exhortations from on high’ (Friedman 1970: 17). He also expresses scepticism about ‘hypocritical window-dressing’, concluding: ‘our institutions, and the attitudes of the public make it in their self-interest to cloak their actions in this way’ (Friedman 1970: 17).

Corporate social responsibility disclosure on the websites of coffee chains in Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petek Tosun
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Csr Disclosure ◽  
Social And Environmental Responsibilities ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose Coffee is among the primary products that attract the public attention to the social and environmental responsibilities of companies. Coffee shops have a big carbon footprint because of their daily operations. With the rising consciousness about sustainability in developing countries, online disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important for not only multinational but also local coffee chains. The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent to which coffee chains include CSR on their websites. Design/methodology/approach Turkey, which is a large emerging economy with an expanding coffee chain market, is selected as the research context. The CSR disclosure on the websites of coffee chains is examined by content analysis according to CSR dimensions. A sample of 27 coffee chains with more than ten stores is included in the analysis. Findings Foreign coffee chains disclose more information on the environment and fair trade than local coffee chains. On the other hand, CSR content in websites of foreign and local coffee chains does not differ significantly in human resources and community dimensions. Foreign coffee chains have comparatively longer brand history, more rooted brands and larger networks than local coffee chains. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first that used a content analysis about CSR on the websites of coffee chains in Turkey. Findings contribute to the understanding of CSR disclosure in the coffee chain industry and can be beneficial for researchers and managers in other emerging markets.

scholarly journals Corporate Responsibility: In the Dilemma between Fake and Trust?

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 143-147
Author(s):  
Simon Fietze ◽  
Wenzel Matiaske ◽  
Roland Menges
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Public Good ◽  
Corporate Responsibility ◽  
Adam Smith ◽  
Invisible Hand ◽  
Social Orientation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Market Organization ◽  
Corporate Social

The accusation of whitewashing accompanied the discussion about corporate social responsibility (CSR) since its inception the 1950s. That's not surprising. Ever since its beginnings in Scottish moral philosophy, economics did not expect the general good to be enhanced by the individual's social orientation, but rather by its self-interest, a concept less liable to disappointment, and the work of the invisible hand (Hirschman, 1977). The latter aims to promote a common goal that individuals have not intended. Following his famous text, Adam Smith (2007 [1786], p. 350) continues: ‘I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.’ The ‘mistrust’ of the ‘goodwill’ of the capitalist lives on in various streams such as Marxism, (neo-)liberalism or sociological system theory, to name but a few schools of thought. Marxists do not expect societal progress any more than (neo-)liberals from benevolent capitalists who, demand more taxable profits, instead of social responsibility, in the framework of the market organization of companies. System theorists find that ethical demands are hardly transferable directly into the economy code of payment/non-payment. Although Adam Smith (2007 [1786], p. 350) shared the view that the claim of public good orientation is ‘indeed, not very common among merchants’, but that ‘very few words need to be employed in dissuading them from it.’

Democracy and Private Discretion in Business

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim Dubbink
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Modern Theory ◽  
Democratic Deficit ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Corporate Social

Abstract:Some critics raise moral objections against corporate social responsibility on account of its supposedly undemocratic nature. They argue that it is hard to reconcile democracy with the private discretion that always accompanies the discharge of responsibilities that are not judicially enforceable. There are two ways of constructing this argument: the “perfect-market argument” and the ‘social-power argument.” This paper demonstrates that the perfect-market argument is untenable and that the social-power argument is sometimes valid. It also asserts that the proponents of the perfect-market argument are mistaken in their assumption that perfect markets are conducive to democracy. There are strong reasons to hold that perfect markets are undesirable from a democratic point of view. A proper conceptualization and differentiation of the relation between “the private and the public” can make this clear. The proponents of the social-power argument sometimes maintain that the democratic deficit can be compensated for by consulting the stakeholders affected. Against this, I will argue that the social power argument has nothing to offer affected parties. Still, it will be shown that modern theory on corporate social responsibility is not well accommodated to the democratic deficit as revealed by the social power argument.

Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility of a Social Enterprise: An Empirical Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (03) ◽  
pp. 1650018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soon-Beng Chew ◽  
Wei Quan Jeffrey Huang ◽  
Hui Ching Chia ◽  
Huang Chi Soh
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Labor Movement ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Field Survey ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
Corporate Social

This paper makes an attempt to estimate the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of a social enterprise in Singapore. Following the literature, we measure CSR based on a set of standard questions to gauge how the public values CSR according to these standard questions. The social enterprise being studied is NTUC Fairprice. NTUC is Singapore's labor movement which is a macro-focused union that works well with the government to achieve growth with equity ([Yao, S and SB Chew (2014). A mathematical model of a macro-focused labour union. Singapore Economic Review, 59(4), 1–13] for the theory of the macro-focused union). In this study, we also measure the CSR of Giant, another supermarket which is a commercial firm. A comparative analysis of the estimate of the CSR of these two firms is then made. The main finding is that, based on a field survey, Singaporeans value the CSR of NTUC Fairprice more highly than that of Giant. Our regression analysis reveals that the CSR valuation of NTUC Fairprice is basically determined by how people perceive NTUC Fairprice in terms of their sentiments. On the other hand, the only variable that is statistically significant in explaining changes in the CSR valuation of Giant is Malay respondents. The study also finds that, based on the second field survey, almost 85% of respondents chose to become members of NTUC because of non-collective bargaining benefits and only 10% joined the union because of sentiment. The main conclusion is that it pays for an organization to be known as a social enterprise. As NTUC Fairprice is a social enterprise of the labor movement in Singapore, union members are always supportive of the social effort of its cooperatives, of which NTUC Fairprice is one. An important incentive for workers to become union members is the provision of non-collective bargaining benefits provided by the labor movement.

scholarly journals RESEARCH OF APPROACHES TO THE ASSESSMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (197) ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
E.P. Troshina ◽  
◽  
T.A. Chizhova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
The Social ◽  
Corporate Social

With the increasing role assigned to the social mission of business in the formation of a positive image in front of the public, the problem of evaluating the activities in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by organizations focused on successful development is becoming increasingly relevant. The article discusses the various approaches currently used in practice (including standards, sustainability indices, self-assessment models) that allow evaluating the activities of organizations in the field of CSR. Such a variety of evaluation methods is due to the fact that each of them has a number of limitations in its application, which should be considered. As a result of systematization of the approaches to CSR assessment considered in the framework of the study, their comparative analysis was carried out in key areas of CSR. A significant result of the presented scientific work is the determination of the most appropriate method for assessing the activities of mediumsized businesses in all areas of CSR (environmental, social, economic, stakeholders, neighborliness).

scholarly journals Corporate Governance In Relation To The Enhancement Of Social Responsibility

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matej Lahovnik
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Strategic Behaviour ◽  
Strategic Objective ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
External Shareholders ◽  
Corporate Social

Paper argues that managers have the obligation to make choices and take actions that will contribute to the welfare and interests of society as well as the organisation. Social responsible behaviour is actually in a company's self interest. Therefore the company must take the social consequences into account when formulating strategies. Still there are those scholars who argue that considerations of social responsibility should not enter into the decision process. However, many institutional investors pay attention to corporate social behaviour and thus influence the market for a company's stock. Our conclusions are based on a longitudinal research method. We made three consecutive research studies on the characteristics of corporate governance in Slovenia in the period 1998 to 2006. We compare the results of our studies made in 1998 and 2002 with the latest results in 2006. The most important long-term strategic objective of Slovenian companies is growth. The share of Slovenian companies not considering equity opportunity costs has decreased significantly in the last six years due to the consolidation of ownership structures. The controlling owners are more active in setting the required rate of return on their equity investments. There is no conflict of interests between internal and external shareholders in most companies. Obviously, Slovenian companies have changed their strategic behaviour to reflect the interests of their stakeholders. We may argue that some stakeholders, like customers and employees, are even more important for Slovenian managers than the owners.

Pareto-Superiority of Corporate Social Responsibility in Unionised Industries

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciano Fanti ◽  
Domenico Buccella
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Social Concerns ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Profit Maximisation ◽  
Csr Engagement ◽  
Central Level

Economists believe that a firm’s engagement in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is motivated by objectives beyond increasing profits. Using a duopoly framework with convex technology and an industry-wide union-setting wage at the central level, this work shows that, when owners cooperatively select a level of CSR engagement, profits under CSR are higher than under standard profit maximisation; thus, the simple self-interest of firms’ owners leads to the adoption of CSR. Moreover, the union, consumers, and the overall social welfare in the presence of CSR activities are higher than without CSR. As such, the social concerns of firms’ owners yield a Pareto-superior outcome. JEL: J51, L13, M14

Social responsibility: The changing role of business in South Africa

1979 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. F. Wagenaar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
South African ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Changing Role

Business in South Africa is becoming increasingly involved in the solution of the social problems of the country, and business managers face growing demands concerning the corporate social responsibility of the private sector. The author investigated the nature and scope of corporate social responsibility in South Africa, considering both the viewpoint of business managers, and the expectations of the public. Both questionnaires and interviews were used in the investigation. The attitudes of managers and the expectations of society are set out in detail, and are then compared, showing that society is significantly more in favour of corporate social responsibility than the business community. There is, however, also a growing social awareness among South African business leaders.Sake-ondernemings in Suid-Afrika word toenemend betrek by die oplossing van die sosiale probleme van die land, en bestuurders is blootgestel aan toenemende eise wat betref die sosiale verantwoordelikheid van die private onderneming. Die skrywer het die aard en trefwydte van die sosiale verantwoordelikheid van Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings ondersoek, met inagneming van sowel die standpunt van sakebestuurders as die verwagtings van die publiek. Vraelyste en personlike onderhoude is in die ondersoek gebruik. Die houdings van bestuurders en die verwagtings van die gemeenskap word volledig uiteengesit, en word dan vergelyk. Dit blyk dat die gemeenskap betekenisvol meer ten gunste is van sosiaal-verantwoordelike optrede deur ondernemings, as die sakelui. Daar is egter ook 'n groeiende bewustheid van sosiale verantwoordelikheid onder Suid-Afrikaanse sakeleiers.

scholarly journals Fostering Sustainable Development: A Corporate Social Responsibility Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Oluyomi A. Osobajo ◽  
Olushola E. Ajide ◽  
Afolabi Otitoju
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Corporate Social

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the sacrificing of profits in the social interest of the public for sustainable management in an economical, ecological and social manner. It is the use of assets responsibly to create a competitive advantage and promote sustainable development. It is a series of interventions by companies to ameliorate externalized impact or the avoidance of conflicts. This article argues that CSR could be used as a tool for the attainment of sustainable development in the global south. Our aim is that companies should understand the critical role that CSR could play and adopt a corporate strategy that would use CSR to advance and enhance the value of the organization, thereby positively to impact the society.

scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility in Liquid Times: The Case of Romania

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgiana Grigore ◽  
Mike Molesworth ◽  
Andreea Vontea ◽  
Abdullah Hasan Basnawi ◽  
Ogeday Celep ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Depth Interviews

AbstractExisting scholarly work on corporate social responsibility (CSR) frequently emphasizes either normative/ethical claims about social progress or instrumental/strategic claims about corporate effectiveness, yet less often acknowledges the moral conditions of those undertaking CSR within a specific cultural context. In this paper, we draw attention to the social conditions in which CSR takes place and the related ethics of the subjects that must enact it. Our approach is to document the lived experiences of practitioners in Romania, a post-communist society. Drawing from fifty-three depth interviews with both corporate responsibility practitioners, and managers in non-profit organizations who together work on CSR projects, we describe their experiences of the social and organizational environment, the CSR practices that are undertaken in this context, and the intended and unintended consequences of such work. Using Bauman’s theorization of ethics, including adiaphora and moral distancing, and Borţun’s interpretation of Romanianness, we then theorize liquid CSR as an ambivalence between adiaphoric practice (instrumental morality, careerism and self-interest) and the moral impulse to do good, resulting in both intended (short-term promotion and competitive victimhood) and unintended consequences (a potential for corruption and collateral beneficiaries).

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