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Authenticity, Power, and Pluralism: A Framework for Understanding Stakeholder Evaluations of Corporate Social Responsibility Activities

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  • Skilton, Paul F.
  • Purdy, Jill M.

Abstract

We explore the essential contestedness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by framing the interplay between CSR activities and stakeholder evaluations as a contest for jurisdiction over what it means to be socially responsible. This contest arises because firms and stakeholders are often guided by incompatible sensemaking systems. To show why context matters we show how stakeholders evaluate the authenticity of CSR activities on the basis of schemas for responsible behavior on one hand and their perceptions of firm identity on the other. This process can generate complex evaluations whose meaning depends on the distribution of power in fields and the extent to which pluralistic sensemaking systems are compatible. By positioning authenticity evaluations within a framework that describes the state of power and pluralism within which they are produced, we are able to present a systematic explanation of how and why stakeholder responses to CSR vary over a range of settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Skilton, Paul F. & Purdy, Jill M., 2017. "Authenticity, Power, and Pluralism: A Framework for Understanding Stakeholder Evaluations of Corporate Social Responsibility Activities," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(1), pages 99-123, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:27:y:2017:i:01:p:99-123_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Emilio Passetti & Lara Bianchi & Massimo Battaglia & Marco Frey, 2019. "When Democratic Principles are not Enough: Tensions and Temporalities of Dialogic Stakeholder Engagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 173-190, March.
    2. Mohamed Karim Sorour & Mark Boadu & Teerooven Soobaroyen, 2021. "The role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Organisational Identity Communication, Co-Creation and Orientation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 89-108, September.
    3. Duygu Turker & Ozge Can & Gizem Aras‐Beger, 2023. "How authenticity of corporate social responsibility affects organizational attractiveness: Stakeholder perceptions of organizational ideology," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1680-1697, July.
    4. Saeed Tajdini & Edward Ramirez, 2019. "Firm authenticity: the construct, research propositions, and managerial implications," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 9(3), pages 324-338, December.
    5. François Maon & Valérie Swaen & Kenneth de Roeck, 2021. "Coporate branding and corporate social responsibility: Toward a multi-stakeholder interpretive perspective," Post-Print hal-03275858, HAL.
    6. Carri Reisdorf Tolmie & Kevin Lehnert & Hongxin Zhao, 2020. "Formal and informal institutional pressures on corporate social responsibility: A cross‐country analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 786-802, March.
    7. Meijui Sun & Ming-Chang Huang, 2022. "Does CSR reputation mitigate the impact of corporate social irresponsibility?," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(2), pages 261-285, April.
    8. Hong, Yun & Yao, Youfu, 2024. "Can comment letters impact excess perks? Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    9. Ali Fatemi & Iraj Fooladi, 2020. "A primer on sustainable value creation," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(3), pages 452-473, July.
    10. Saka-Helmhout, Ayse, 2020. "Institutional agency by MNEs: A review and future research agenda," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(2).
    11. Kuho Lin & Michael Y.‐P. Peng & Muhammad Khalid Anser & Zahid Yousaf & Arshian Sharif, 2021. "Bright harmony of environmental management initiatives for achieving corporate social responsibility authenticity and legitimacy: Glimpse of hotel and tourism industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 640-647, March.

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