Search

This article develops an integrative perspective on corporate responsibility by synthesising competing perspectives on the responsibility of the corporation at the organisational and societal levels of analysis. We review three major corporate responsibility perspectives, which we refer to as economic, critical, and politico-ethical. We analyse the major potential uses and pitfalls of the perspectives, and integrate the debate on these two levels. Our synthesis concludes that when a society has a robust division of moral labour in place, the responsibility of a corporation may be economic (as suggested under the economic perspective) without jeopardising democracy and sustainability (as reported under the critical perspective). Moreover, the economic role of corporations neither signifies the absence of deliberative democratic mechanisms nor business practices extending beyond compliance (as called for under the politico-ethical perspective). The study underscores the value of integrating different perspectives and multiple levels of analysis to present comprehensive descriptions and prescriptions of the responsibility phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the research question of how stakeholder claims for transparency work as a means to support responsibility in the international supply chain.Design/methodology/approach This theoretical study analyses the relationship between stakeholder claims for corporate transparency and responsible business in the global context, and develops a conceptual model for further theoretical and empirical work.Findings The study finds that the call for corporate transparency is insufficient as a means to increase responsibility within international supply chains. The erroneous belief that stakeholder claims for transparency will lead to responsible behaviour is identified as the “transparency fallacy”. The fallacy emerges from the denial of opacity in organisations and the blindness to the conditions of international supply chains (including complexity, distance, and resistance) that work against attempts to increase transparency.Research limitations/implications Acknowledging the limits of the transparency mechanism in both management theory and practice is necessary in order to advance responsible business in the international arena. Being conceptual in nature, the generic limitations of the type of research apply.Practical implications While acknowledging opacity, corporate managers and stakeholders should focus on changing the supply chain conditions to support responsible behaviour. This includes reducing complexity, distance, and resistance in the supply network.Originality/value This study contests the commonly assumed link between corporate transparency and responsibility, and sheds light on the limits and unintended consequences of stakeholder attempts to impose transparency on business organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – In search of new perspectives on sustainable food production, this paper focuses on three fields of literature, namely corporate responsibility (CR), supply chain management (SCM) and strategy. The purpose of this paper is to identify the recent theoretical developments and then integrate them in a framework for studying and managing corporations. Design/methodology/approach – Conceiving socio-cultural and economic systems within the ecosystem, this paper call for research in the food sector that takes the planetary boundaries into consideration and places the essential needs of the world's poor onto the research agenda of CR, SCM and strategy. Findings – First, a new perspective on CR could be "holistic and beyond responsive", as it emphasizes the focal actor's role. Second, SCM could be strengthened at its interface with sustainability by the "bottom of the pyramid" view, as it looks for new ways to make business models and operations beneficial for poor communities. And third, in examining the strategies for these two, the strategy-as-practice perspective might prove useful, as it is not only limited to organizational practice but also includes the concepts of organizational praxis and practitioners. Research limitations/implications – This paper argues that these new perspectives are promising avenues for managing and studying business in the food sector, and thus have implications for both academia and industry. Originality/value – The framework provided in the paper combines three important areas of business research for sustainable development, namely CR, SCM and strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reviews and compares two mainstream business theories, namely market and stakeholder orientations, as contending strategies of corporate responsibility for sustainable development. We argue that even though stakeholder orientation offers a broader inclusion of values and expectations than market orientation, they share considerable similarities in terms of sustainability assumptions and how the role of the corporation becomes perceived in the quest for sustainable development. Both strategies leave responsibility outside the firm by emphasising the role of either customers or stakeholders as the basis of strategizing. Both strategies are also based on assumptions consistent with weak sustainability (at best), which is argued to be insufficient in order to achieve sustainability over time and space. Therefore, this article suggests that a new orientation is needed if corporations are to contribute to sustainable development, namely sustainable development orientation. We call for further research in outlining a business strategy that admits corporations'' responsibility for sustainable development and departs from the strong sustainability assumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT Firms are encouraged to manage their corporate responsibility and identity in accordance with the popular stakeholder theory. Managers are, however, confronted with the complexity of the praxis and related ethical dilemmas, as the expectations of their external stakeholders may be myriad, ambiguous and self-contradictory, or even non-existent in the global and dynamic business contexts. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to (a) review and critically discuss the stakeholder approach in striving for a responsible identity and (b) introduce an alternative approach that can address its inadequacies and shortcomings. The study outlines an alternative theorem, the awareness approach to responsible identity. In the conclusions, the article proposes how firms can adopt a responsible identity that leads to a desired image and reputation, and maps out further research opportunities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes strategic implications of corporate responsibility (CR) and in particular how a firm can differentiate with an environmentally responsible image. A single case study was conducted in the Nordic hospitality industry with semi-structured interviews as the main data collection method. By adopting an environmentally responsible identity through shared values with the firm's key stakeholders, the firm can reflect an environmentally responsible image. This image can enhance the firm's strategic position through internal and external differentiators from competitors – as the firm becomes a more preferred employer, partner and supplier, it results in enhanced employee motivation, cost savings, better reputation, and greater guest loyalty. The amount of CR depends on the micro/meso/macro/global-level drivers, and competitive aims of the firm. The emphasis on stakeholder communication becomes greater as the firm increases its CR-aggressiveness. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]