Introduction

Abstract

The history of corporate social responsibility and other related concepts can be traced way back to ancient Mesopotamia and Greece (and probably even further), where businessmen were punished for negligence that harmed workers and the general public. However, it is obvious that the industrial revolution at the end of the 19^th century substantially increased the significance of businesses and thus also their scope to behave more or less responsibly within society. Because there was no legislation in this area at that time, history mentions several businessmen who postulated that business should serve society and took corresponding initiatives (Balza & Radojicic, 2004; Wren, 1979). With the emergence of labor unions and legislation (on minimum wages, disability compensation etc.), the concept of the social responsibility of the businessman gained importance over the following decades.