Skip to main content

Corporate Social Responsibility: Some Clarifications and Questions

  • Chapter
The True Value of CSR
  • 1478 Accesses

Abstract

What follows is an outsider’s view on the literature and discussions that use the term ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR). I have noticed how emotionally loaded and vague this expression is and against this background I propose some conceptual clarifications. Based on these I discuss three more substantive issues that are frequently discussed under the heading of CSR:

  • What are the pros and cons regarding corporations’ sponsorship and philanthropy?

  • What are the consequences of corporations’ environmental activism exceeding the legal requirements?

  • What is the relationship between corporations’ CSR and their profits? Here, I take a sceptical view on the claims made under the heading of Creating Shared Value (CSV).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aquinis, H. and Glavas, A. (2012) ‘What We Know and Don’t Know about Corporate Social Responsibility: A Review and Research Agenda’, Journal of Management, 38, 932–968.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bader, Ch. (2014) ‘Why Corporations Fail to Do the Right Thing’, 21 April, mimeo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balcerowicz, L. (2010) ‘How to Reduce the Risk of Serious Financial Crises’, unpublished manuscript, Warsaw School of Economics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balcerowicz, L. (2012) ‘On the Prevention of Crisis in the Eurozone’ in: Allen, F., Carletti, E. and Simonelli, S. (eds), Governance for the Eurozone: Integration or Disintegration?, European University Institute, Florence, Italy and Wharton Financial Institutions Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brammer, S., Jackson, G. and Matten, D. (2012) ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Institutional Theory: New Perspectives on Private Governance’, Socio-Economic Review, 10, 3–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calomiris, Ch. (2009) ‘Banking Crises and the Rules of the Game’, NBER Working Paper, October.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A.B. (1999) ‘Corporate Social Responsibility. Evolution of Definitional Constraint’, Business and Society, 38, 268–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fidler, S. (2013) ‘Energy Costs Squeeze European Industry’, Financial Times, 17–19 May, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M. (1970) ‘The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits’, The New York Times Magazine, 13 September, 122–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garriga, E. and Melé D. (2004) ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Theories: Mapping the Territory’, Journal of Business Ethics, 53, 51–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goklany, I.M. (2007) The Improving State of the World, CATO Institute, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Happer, W. (2012) ‘Global Warming Models. Are Wrong Again?’, The Wall Street Journal, 28 March, 18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitzmueller, M. and Shimshack J. (2012) ‘Economic Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility’, Journal of Economic Literature, 50, 7, 51–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, N. (2008) An Appeal to Reason. A Good Look at Global Warming, Duckworth Overlook, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olivier, Ch. (2014) ‘Wasted energy. Biofuels’, Financial Times, April 16, 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M.E. and Kramer M.R. (2006) ‘Strategy and Society. The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility’, Harvard Business Review, 84, 12, 78–92, 163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M.E. and Kramer M.R. (2012) ‘Creating Shared Value’, Harvard Business Review, 89, 1–2, 62–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmitz, J. and Schrader, J. (2013) ‘Corporate Social Responsibility: A Microeconomic Review of Literature’, Journal of Economic Surveys, 28 August, 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Votaw, D. (1972) ‘Genius Became Rare: A Comment on the Doctrine of Social Responsibility Pt 1’, California Management Review, 15, 25–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2015 Leszek Balcerowicz

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Balcerowicz, L. (2015). Corporate Social Responsibility: Some Clarifications and Questions. In: Fryzel, B. (eds) The True Value of CSR. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137433206_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics