IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/buspol/v12y2010i1n1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Theorizing Transnational Corporations as Social Actors: An Analysis of Corporate Motivations

Author

Listed:
  • Brown Dana L

    (University of Oxford)

  • Vetterlein Antje

    (Copenhagen Business School)

  • Roemer-Mahler Anne

    (Oxford University)

Abstract

An increasing number of firms are engaging in social and environmental initiatives beyond their core business activities. While much has been written about why business should spend resources on social and environmental causes, relatively few studies have systematically addressed the question of why certain companies actually do engage in such activities. A notable exception is literature on the 'business case' for corporate social responsibility, which argues that good social and environmental performance will positively affect a company's financial results. The evidence on this link, however, is mixed. Even if there is an economic rationale, it is not clear why some companies engage in social activities while others do not. And, why do many more companies today 'see' the business case than in the past? This paper maps out the theoretical terrain exploring this question and categorizes the various existing explanations for corporate social engagement.

Suggested Citation

  • Brown Dana L & Vetterlein Antje & Roemer-Mahler Anne, 2010. "Theorizing Transnational Corporations as Social Actors: An Analysis of Corporate Motivations," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-39, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:buspol:v:12:y:2010:i:1:n:1
    DOI: 10.2202/1469-3569.1302
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2202/1469-3569.1302
    Download Restriction: For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2202/1469-3569.1302?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Susan Park, 2005. "How Transnational Environmental Advocacy Networks Socialize International Financial Institutions: A Case Study of the International Finance Corporation," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 5(4), pages 95-119, November.
    2. Strange,Susan, 1996. "The Retreat of the State," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521564298, September.
    3. Dessler, David, 1989. "What's at stake in the agent-structure debate?," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 441-473, July.
    4. Michael C. Jensen, 2010. "Value Maximization, Stakeholder Theory, and the Corporate Objective Function," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 22(1), pages 32-42, January.
    5. Robert Falkner, 2003. "Private Environmental Governance and International Relations: Exploring the Links," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 3(2), pages 72-87, May.
    6. Ruth V. Aguilera & Cynthia A. Williams & John M. Conley & Deborah E. Rupp, 2006. "Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility: a comparative analysis of the UK and the US," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(3), pages 147-158, May.
    7. Boas Shamir & Robert J. House & Michael B. Arthur, 1993. "The Motivational Effects of Charismatic Leadership: A Self-Concept Based Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 4(4), pages 577-594, November.
    8. Manuel Branco & Lúcia Rodrigues, 2006. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Resource-Based Perspectives," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 69(2), pages 111-132, December.
    9. John Ruggie, 2008. "Protect, Respect and Remedy: A Framework for Business and Human Rights," Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, MIT Press, vol. 3(2), pages 189-212, April.
    10. Wendt, Alexander E., 1987. "The agent-structure problem in international relations theory," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 41(3), pages 335-370, July.
    11. Ruggie, John Gerard, 1982. "International regimes, transactions, and change: embedded liberalism in the postwar economic order," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 36(2), pages 379-415, April.
    12. Strange,Susan, 1996. "The Retreat of the State," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521564403, September.
    13. Fox, Jonathan A, 1998. "When Does Reform Policy Influence Practice? Lessons from the Bankwide Resettlement Review," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt7b01k76j, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
    14. Judy Brown & Michael Fraser, 2006. "Approaches and perspectives in social and environmental accounting: an overview of the conceptual landscape," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 103-117, March.
    15. David P. Baron, 2001. "Private Politics, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Integrated Strategy," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 7-45, March.
    16. V. N. Balasubramanyam & M. Salisu & David Sapsford, 1999. "Foreign direct investment as an engine of growth," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 27-40.
    17. Fox, Jonathan A & Brown, L. David, 1998. ""Introduction", in The Struggle for Accountability: The World Bank, NGOs and Grassroots Movements," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt2gn108dn, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
    18. Suk-Jun Lim & Joe Phillips, 2008. "Embedding CSR Values: The Global Footwear Industry’s Evolving Governance Structure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 81(1), pages 143-156, August.
    19. Ven van de, B. & Graafland, J.J., 2006. "Strategic and moral motivation for corporate social responsibility," MPRA Paper 20278, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Davis, Gloria, 2004. "A history of the social development network in The World Bank, 1973 - 2003," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 31618, The World Bank.
    21. Mares,Isabela, 2003. "The Politics of Social Risk," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521534772, September.
    22. Bjørn Letnes, 2004. "Transnational Corporations and Human Rights: Silencing the Ontological Controversy," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 259-277, September.
    23. Lars H. Gulbrandsen, 2004. "Overlapping Public and Private Governance: Can Forest Certification Fill the Gaps in the Global Forest Regime?," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 4(2), pages 75-99, May.
    24. Pauly, Louis W. & Reich, Simon, 1997. "National structures and multinational corporate behavior: enduring differences in the age of globalization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(1), pages 1-30, January.
    25. Ruggie, John Gerard, 2004. "Reconstituting the Global Public Domain: Issues, Actors and Practices," Working Paper Series rwp04-031, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    26. Ha-Joon Chang, 1998. "Transnational Corporations and Strategic Industrial Policy," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Richard Kozul-Wright & Robert Rowthorn (ed.), Transnational Corporations and the Global Economy, chapter 7, pages 225-243, Palgrave Macmillan.
    27. Mares,Isabela, 2003. "The Politics of Social Risk," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521827416, September.
    28. Robert R. Kaufman & Alex Segura-Ubiergo, 2005. "Globalization, Domestic Politics and Social Spending in Latin," Public Economics 0504009, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. van der Ven Hamish, 2014. "Socializing the C-suite: why some big-box retailers are “greener” than others," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 16(1), pages 31-63, April.
    2. Büthe Tim, 2010. "Private Regulation in the Global Economy: A (P)Review," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(3), pages 1-40, October.
    3. Mavrozacharakis, Emmanouil & Tzagkarakis, Stylianos Ioannis, 2018. "Der Wohlfahrtstaat als Grundbestandteil des modernen demokratischen Staatsgefüges [The welfare state as a basic component of the modern democratic state structure]," MPRA Paper 86639, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Francesco Gangi & Antonio Meles & Eugenio D'Angelo & Lucia Michela Daniele, 2019. "Sustainable development and corporate governance in the financial system: Are environmentally friendly banks less risky?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(3), pages 529-547, May.
    5. Davide Fiaschi & Elisa Giuliani, 2011. "The impact of business on society: exploring CRS adoption and alleged human rights abuses by large corporations," LEM Papers Series 2011/13, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    6. Janina Grabs & Graeme Auld & Benjamin Cashore, 2021. "Private regulation, public policy, and the perils of adverse ontological selection," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1183-1208, October.
    7. Rajat M. Nag, 2012. "Transforming Asia: Realizing the Asian Century through Good Governance," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 1(1), pages 1-9, January.
    8. Marian Negoita, 2014. "Globalization, state, and innovation: An appraisal of networked industrial policy," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(3), pages 371-393, September.
    9. Hanna Lierse & Laura Seelkopf, 2016. "Room to Manoeuvre? International Financial Markets and the National Tax State," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 145-165, February.
    10. Mayntz, Renate, 2009. "Sozialwissenschaftliches Erklären: Probleme der Theoriebildung und Methodologie," Schriften aus dem Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung Köln, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, volume 63, number 63.
    11. Amandine Bled, 2009. "Business to the rescue: private sector actors and global environmental regimes’ legitimacy," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 153-171, May.
    12. Mayntz, Renate, 2005. "Embedded Theorizing: Perspectives on Globalization and Global Governance," MPIfG Discussion Paper 05/14, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    13. Barkemeyer, Ralf & Preuss, Lutz & Lee, Lindsay, 2015. "On the effectiveness of private transnational governance regimes—Evaluating corporate sustainability reporting according to the Global Reporting Initiative," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 312-325.
    14. Ntim, Collins G., 2016. "Corporate governance, corporate health accounting, and firm value: The case of HIV/AIDS disclosures in Sub-Saharan Africa," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 155-216.
    15. Scherrer, Christoph, 2001. "Jenseits von Pfadabhängigkeit und natürlicher Auslese: Institutionentransfer aus diskursanalytischer Perspektive," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Regulation of Work FS II 01-205, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    16. Cote, Christine, 2018. "A chilling effect? Are international investment agreements hindering government’s regulatory autonomy?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 108406, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Philipp Schreck, 2011. "Reviewing the Business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility: New Evidence and Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 103(2), pages 167-188, October.
    18. Gallhofer, Sonja & Haslam, Jim & van der Walt, Sibylle, 2011. "Accountability and transparency in relation to human rights: A critical perspective reflecting upon accounting, corporate responsibility and ways forward in the context of globalisation," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 22(8), pages 765-780.
    19. Pitruzzello, Salvatore, 2004. "Trade Globalization, Economic Performance, and Social Protection: Nineteenth-Century British Laissez-Faire and Post–World War II U.S.-Embedded Liberalism," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 58(4), pages 705-744, October.
    20. Matheus Alves Zanella & Ariane Goetz & Stephan Rist & Oscar Schmidt & Jes Weigelt, 2018. "Deliberation in Multi-Stakeholder Participation: A Heuristic Framework Applied to the Committee on World Food Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, February.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:buspol:v:12:y:2010:i:1:n:1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.