An exploratory analysis of corporate social responsibility: definitions, motives and values

Christine A. Hemingway

Research output: Preprint or Working paperWorking paper

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a multi-disciplinary subject and definitions vary with regard to the perceived scope or boundaries of the corporation’s responsibility. In this paper, corporate motives for CSR are explored, along with the notion of an altruistic ethical impulse among business leaders or managers, perhaps motivated by religious beliefs. It is suggested that the formal adoption of CSR by corporations could be associated with the changing personal values of managers and that there may be an association between different industries, the personal values of the managers who work in them and their commitment to CSR. This paper is preparatory to an empirical investigation that will address how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is interpreted and institutionalised by organisations, including an analysis of firms’ perceptions of the boundaries regarding where and to whom their corporate social responsibilities lie.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationHull
PublisherUniversity of Hull
Number of pages25
ISBN (Print)1-90203-424-4, 978-1-90203-424-9
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2002

Publication series

NameResearch memorandum
PublisherUniversity of Hull Business School
No.34

Bibliographical note

ISNB 1902034243

Keywords

  • corporate social responsibility
  • sustainability
  • altruism
  • values
  • motivation
  • responsibility
  • self interest
  • utilitarianism
  • management
  • decision-making
  • business ethics
  • philanthropy
  • CSR

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