Comparative Perspectives On Global Corporate Social Responsibility

In the modern era, businesses have developed a complex relationship with the society surrounding them. While the effects of business activity are clearly seen, their direct impact varies from country to country. Comparative Perspectives on Global Corporate Social Responsibility is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on the accountability contemporary businesses face for the environmental, social, and economic impacts that they create. Highlighting the variant expressions between developed and developing countries, this book is ideally designed for graduate students, professionals, practitioners, and academicians interested in furthering their knowledge on corporate social responsibility.

As corporate states join the universe of nation states, the challenge of securing both corporate social responsibility and accountability becomes one of the core challenges facing the social and legal order. Bryan Horrigan s masterly, comprehensive account of this protean subject offers an assured guide for future thought and action. Paul Redmond, Professor, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia CSR continues to be one of the most important aspects of business in the global economy receiving much attention from business managers, government leaders and academics. While continuing to increase in prominence, there are many aspects and many approaches evolving in this global phenomenon. In this book Horrigan provides the most complete interdisciplinary analysis of these perspectives yet undertaken combining theoretical insights with practical examples while pointing the way forward towards future developments. David Crowther, Professor, De Montfort University, UK and Social Responsibility Research Network In this book Professor Horrigan brings together the many facets of, and perspectives on, the concept [of CSR]. . . and he places them in the context of the development of thought in the crossover from the 20th to the 21st century. . . I doubt whether such an ambitious and comprehensive account of the concept has been previously attempted. There is no doubt that it is a hugely important subject in today s world; and one which will not go away. I believe that the book will be valuable to all who need to deal with this issue, whether as government officials, regulators, businessmen, lawyers, academics, media commentators or concerned citizens. The Right Honourable Lord Butler of Brockwell KG, GCB, CVO, was Secretary of the United Kingdom Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service from 1988 to 1998. 1998 2008 Master of University College Oxford and a Non-Executive Director of ICI plc and of HSBC Holdings, also Chairman of the Board's Corporate Social Responsibility Committee This timely and thorough book offers one of the most wide-ranging, inter-disciplinary, and cross-jurisdictional analyses of corporate social responsibility so far in the 21st century. Professor Bryan Horrigan spans subjects as diverse and topical as global corporate responsibility and governance debates, practical guidelines for responsible businesses and their professional advisers, governmental roles in corporate social responsibility, corporations and human rights, and the new era of enlightened shareholder value . He also highlights an emerging transnational and comparative body of law, regulation, and practice on corporate social responsibility. Illustrated throughout with meaningful controversies and examples, the book also highlights the major recent global developments in corporate social responsibility already this century, focusing especially on Europe, the UK, North America, and Australasia, and charting its future regulatory and research directions worldwide. The book s scholarly foundation, up-to-date coverage, and accessible style will appeal particularly to academic researchers and students of corporate social responsibility in the fields of law, business, management, economics, and political science in a number of countries. It will also be of great interest and use to those whose work involves corporate social responsibility within government, business, and civil society.

Finally, a book that crosses the great divide between academia and practice a rare feat, especially in edited volumes with scholarly contributions. . . there is much to like about what the book does cover. Wayne Visser, Ethical Performance Mallin brings together academics and business experts to share a wide range of accounts from across the globe. Readers will find insights and guidance on how countries and companies have tried to balance the perceived needs of often disparate groups. James McRitchie, CorpGov.net Chris Mallin has put together a fine volume providing detailed insights into the global spread of CSR. It wonderfully showcases the diversity and dynamics of CSR in different countries, regions and key industries. It is an essential read for everybody interested in the dialectics of global homogenization and local adaptation of CSR-related management practices. Dirk Matten, York University, Toronto, Canada Professor Mallin has edited a remarkable range of studies, illustrating how companies across the world regard and respond to their social responsibilities. Her book will prove an invaluable source of information for everyone interested in comparative corporate social responsibility, aided by the admirable learning points and questions following each case study. It will also be turned to for guidance by investors concerned to promote corporate social values internationally. Sir Adrian Cadbury, Aston University Business School, Birmingham, UK Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an area of increasing global interest with companies taking CSR issues more seriously, devoting more resources to such issues and acknowledging the benefits of CSR activities. This insightful book provides a comprehensive analysis of the development of CSR in a diverse range of countries including the UK, Italy, Poland, Turkey, the USA, the Middle East, Australia, Japan and Korea. Christine Mallin has brought together leading experts from both academia and the business world to provide fully up-to-date accounts of developments in CSR from a range of legal, cultural and economic perspectives. This timely resource will serve as an invaluable teaching and resource tool for advanced students and academics and will provide insights and guidance to the wider business community.

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject Business economics - Economic Policy, grade: 1,7, Free University of Berlin (Management), course: Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility - An International Comparison, language: English, abstract: Nowadays the power and impact of big organizations has reached a new peak. Corporations are among the world's most powerful and dominant institutions. In some cases they are even surpassing the revenue-producing ability of small governments. In contrast to this economic success, globally acting companies are often accused of social and ecological misbehavior. Nevertheless, revealed affairs like the Nike-case have increased the awareness of customers, governmental organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders. For this reason during the past decades, the construct of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained growing attention, in both political and academic ways. While the image of socially contributing companies, acting beyond their legal duties and obligations, has a longer and more intensive history in the Anglo-Saxon countries and particularly in the United States, the concept is less implemented in central Europe. This is often explained by the fact that in these states many environmental and social responsibilities of companies are defined by laws, which are optional in Anglo-Saxon countries. These cross-national differences shall be outlined and critically analyzed within this paper, by comparing the CSR practices of Germany and the USA. Furthermore the question shall be answered to which extend the institutional background of corporations can shape their behavior and finally lead to a high or weak adoption of corporate social practices.

The goal of this project is to detail the core, defining principles of strategic CSR that differentiate it as a concept from the rest of the CSR/sustainability/business ethics field. It is designed to be a provocative piece, but one that solidifies the intellectual framework around an emerging concept--strategic CSR.The foundation for these principles comes from my perspective as a management professor within the business school. As such, it is a pragmatic philosophy, oriented around stakeholder theory, that is designed to persuade business leaders who are skeptical of existing definitions and organizing principles of CSR, sustainability, or business ethics. It is also designed to stimulate thought within the community of intellectuals and business school administrators committed to these issues, but who approach them from more traditional perspectives. Ultimately, therefore, the purpose of the strategic CSR concept (and this book) is radical--it aims to redefine both business education and business practice. By building a theory that defines CSR as core to business operations and value creation (as opposed to peripheral practices that can be marginalized within the firm), these defining principles become applicable across the range of operational functions. As such, they redefine how businesses approach these functions in practice, but also redefine how these subjects should be taught in business schools.

Over the last decade the question of the relationship between organizations and society has been subject to much debate, often of a critical nature. The decade has seen protests concerning the actions of organizations, exposures of corporate exploitation and unfolding accounting scandals. At the same time ethical behaviour and a concern for the environment have been shown to have a positive correlation with corporate performance. The nature of corporate social responsibility is therefore a topical one for businesses and academics. There are, however, many different perspectives upon what is meant by corporate social responsibility and how this might be applied within organizations. The authors involved are respected academics from a variety of disciplines from around the world. The contributions to this book investigate theoretical perspectives on the topic, the application in practice of socially responsible behaviour and the ethical dimension of such behaviour.