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Against corporate responsibility: critical reflections on thinking, practice, content and consequences

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  • Martin Fougère
  • Nikodemus Solitander

Abstract

This article critically reflects on today's dominant articulation of corporate responsibility (CR) in terms of thinking, practice, content and consequences. We examine what has and has not changed since a seminal critique of the notion of business social responsibility put forward by Theodore Levitt 50 years ago. We illustrate our argument with the case of Botnia in Uruguay, which has recently generated much discussion in international media, and other examples that are illuminating on the problematic nature of contemporary CR. We find that little in fact has changed between the 1958 and 2008 versions of CR except for the context of (global) business, especially the threat posed by sustainability questions and the more systematic ideological rejection of regulation. As opposed to these contemporary evolutions, we call for alternative, regulation‐based articulations of CR, which would improve corporate accountability on social and environmental questions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Fougère & Nikodemus Solitander, 2009. "Against corporate responsibility: critical reflections on thinking, practice, content and consequences," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), pages 217-227, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:16:y:2009:i:4:p:217-227
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.204
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alexander Dahlsrud, 2008. "How corporate social responsibility is defined: an analysis of 37 definitions," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, January.
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    3. Pontus Cerin, 2003. "Sustainability hijacked by the sociological wall of self‐evidence," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(4), pages 175-185, December.
    4. Rowe, James, 2005. "Corporate Social Responsibility as Business Strategy," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt5dq43315, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Zueva & Jenny Fairbrass, 2021. "Politicising Government Engagement with Corporate Social Responsibility: “CSR” as an Empty Signifier," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(4), pages 635-655, May.
    2. Caroline D. Ditlev‐Simonsen & Atle Midttun, 2011. "What motivates managers to pursue corporate responsibility? a survey among key stakeholders," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(1), pages 25-38, January.
    3. Satyajit Majumdar & Gordhan K. Saini, 2016. "CSR in India: Critical Review and Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 2(1), pages 56-79, January.
    4. Atle Blomgren, 2011. "Does corporate social responsibility influence profit margins? a case study of executive perceptions," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(5), pages 263-274, September.
    5. Pasi Heikkurinen & Jukka Mäkinen, 2018. "Synthesising Corporate Responsibility on Organisational and Societal Levels of Analysis: An Integrative Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 589-607, May.
    6. Louise Ellis & Claire Bastin, 2011. "Corporate social responsibility in times of recession: Changing discourses and implications for policy and practice," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(5), pages 294-305, September.
    7. Erwin Eding & Bert Scholtens, 2017. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Shareholder Proposals," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 648-660, November.
    8. Wójcik Piotr, 2016. "How Creating Shared Value Differs From Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 24(2), pages 32-55, June.
    9. Sandra Moog & André Spicer & Steffen Böhm, 2015. "The Politics of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives: The Crisis of the Forest Stewardship Council," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 469-493, May.
    10. Vincent Amooti Bagire & Immaculate Tusiime & Grace Nalweyiso & John Bosco Kakooza, 2011. "Contextual environment and stakeholder perception of corporate social responsibility practices in uganda," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(2), pages 102-109, March.
    11. Victor Oltra & Jaime Bonache & Chris Brewster, 2013. "A New Framework for Understanding Inequalities Between Expatriates and Host Country Nationals," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(2), pages 291-310, June.
    12. Peter Dobers, 2009. "Corporate social responsibility: management and methods," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), pages 185-191, July.
    13. Chiara Mio, 2010. "Corporate social reporting in Italian multi‐utility companies: an empirical analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(5), pages 247-271, September.
    14. Martin Fougère & Nikodemus Solitander, 2020. "Dissent in Consensusland: An Agonistic Problematization of Multi-stakeholder Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(4), pages 683-699, July.
    15. Monowar Mahmood & Janet Humphrey, 2013. "Stakeholder Expectation of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices: A Study on Local and Multinational Corporations in Kazakhstan," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(3), pages 168-181, May.
    16. Jeffrey, Stephen & Diller, Heike & Fiedler, Marina, 2016. "Closing the strategy-performance gap: The role of communication fit and distraction," Passauer Diskussionspapiere, Betriebswirtschaftliche Reihe B-25-16, University of Passau, Faculty of Business and Economics.

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