This paper investigates the degree to which corporate philanthropy is influenced by the extent to which a firm is internationalised and/or whether it hasoperations in one or more controversial countries. Utilising data on a sample of large UK firms, we find evidence of a positive effect not for internationalisation per se, but only for a presence in these controversial countries. More specifically, we find evidence that in this connection the salient feature of a country is a lack of political rights and/or civil liberties, rather than a presence of rampant corruption. Furthermore, this positive impact on charitable giving is restricted to a presence in only those countries that are, according to Freedom House indicators, most lacking (and so controversial) in this respect.

Individual studies have contributed to our knowledge of corporate philanthropy, but to date they remain fragmented. We proposed to extricate the conceptual and empirical work in corporate social responsibility from the conceptual and empirical work on corporate philanthropy, limiting our review to works that specifically refer to corporate philanthropy, as well as works that are labeled as corporate social responsibility but actually operationalize it as philanthropy. We will present an integrative model of corporate philanthropy research that draws on research from a variety of perspectives and shows how the antecedents, processes, and outcomes of philanthropic process have been studied. We will recommend an agenda for future research that highlights research foci that are understudied, argues for greater theoretical and disciplinary diversity in the study of philanthropy, and points out new opportunities for better understanding the philanthropic process.

This study in progress addresses the question of how market competition affects corporate social performance. An empirical analysis is described designed to shed light on recent theoretical developments on the relation between market structure and stakeholder responsiveness and to inform on the old debate between Friedman and Corporate Social Responsibility.

This paper explores the social, legal, and political issues Wal-Mart faces in each of the three North American countries and suggests reasons for the quite significant differences. It also issues a call to Business and Society scholars to add prescriptive work to the already large body of descriptive work that has been collected.

We note a discrepancy between a general and global CSR discourse that seems to be rather homogeneous in content, and an apparent heterogeneity of actualoperationalizations of CSR at the firm level. Further, we suggest that the measurement of CSR plays a mediating role between the two. In this paper we first show that indeed there appears to be a rather homogeneous CSR discourse at the broadest level of analysis, and we offer an explanation for this observation. We then show how at the operational level there actually is much heterogeneity, not only across countries, and across and within industries, but also within firms and throughout time. Again, we offer an explanation for these observations. Finally, we discuss how emerging CSR reporting systems can serve as mediators between the contradicting trends at both levels.

This paper examines the relationship between the public health community and the tobacco industry within the framework of a two-factor model of trust and distrust (Lewicki, McAllister & Bies, 1998). We assert that public health’s historical and current interaction with Big Tobacco is best characterized as one of Low Trust/High Distrust, marked by ongoing hostility and preemption. Forced-trust measures based on regulation and litigation and efforts by the tobacco industry to collaborate with public health activists are unlikely to elevate the longer-term level of trust in this relationship, without significantly fuller or more voluntary compliance by tobacco companies. We conclude that distrust of the industry has served and continues to serve multiple purposes for public health activists. There is little incentive for tobacco control activists to adopt a more trusting stance toward the industry, and significant justification for them to maintain a high level of distrust.

A functioning democracy depends on the free flow of information in the marketplace of ideas, creating an informed citizenry that can engage in public debate.This study examines the most-used online news portal, Yahoo!, to determine if the news media industry can be simultaneously profitable and socially responsible, providing the public with news that is both informative and engaging in an increasingly global world.

This paper commences a creative challenge to conventional corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature, proposing a model of constructive corporate participation (CCP). The model arises from ongoing work conducted by the Committee for Melbourne, describing the way in which unique structures such as the Committee for Melbourne allow corporations to address complex social issues alongside government and civil society for mutual betterment of business and society. An interview series with Committee members was undertaken to establish the characteristics of the Committee set against other business organizations. The paper is set in an organizational learning framework, represents work in progress, and was undertaken to enhance understanding of the role business plays in society and its function as one of many actors influencing societal health development and wellbeing.

As brands have emerged as key organizational assets and primary capital, branding has become the essence of many businesses. Companies and their brands are evermore expected to behave in a responsible way towards society. This article develops a model that allows companies that are interested in brand building towards social values to identify which kinds of public services are better for them to associate with in order to develop a socially responsible strategy.

This short paper is designed to stimulate thinking about the broader philosophical and theoretical questions that sit behind our work in the ‘Business &Society’ area. It is not a fully developed paper, and was pitched as a discussion paper at the Merida conference. It currently stands as a collection of broad and preliminary thoughts about the potential for cross-fertilisation between those interested in critical theory and those researching ‘Business and Society.’ As such, many of the ideas and thoughts are not well referenced or justified. Feedback is invited as this paper is further developed.

The paper focuses on the development and practices of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) in the US and Europe. The aim is to explore the historical, cultural and political embeddedness of SRI. Based on secondary sources of information, it offers a comparative analysis of the development and current practicesof SRI on both sides of the Atlantic and discusses the future implications for SRI. The paper shows that SRI movements in both regions present differences in terms of definitions, actors involved, vocabulary and motivations, and strategies implemented. Nonetheless, they also share a common underlying purpose and seek similar goals of improving corporations’ policies and practices on social and environmental issues.

This paper outlines issues of corporate philanthropy research. Of significant value is that normative prescriptions and non-empirical conceptual models lack thesupport of rigorous empirical research. Moreover, dominant methodological approaches embedded in the positivist tradition lack the depth required inunderstanding managerial involvement in corporate philanthropic programmes. Accordingly, this paper argues for new methodological insights. The research agenda should question the capitalistic nature of corporations, delve deep into management thought and recognise the affect of corporate philanthropy on multiple corporate stakeholders.

The purpose of this paper is to critique the main claim of the socially responsible (SR) investment industry: that through strategic investing, investors cantransform corporate power. I argue that businesses often respond to the demand by investors for short-term economic growth by making choices that run counter to the interests of corporate social responsibility; they reduce labor and material costs in ways that disrupt workers, communities, and the environment. I demonstrate my theoretical claims using data from the ten most common stocks selected by SR mutual funds. I call these stocks the SR Big Ten. A simple roll call of the SR Big Ten, as well as a thorough examination of each stock within it, reveals how problematic it is for individuals to rely on investments to transform the corporate world.

This paper, based on our forthcoming book (Crane, Matten, & Moon, 2007), examines the effects of globalization on reconfiguring notions of citizenship and the role of corporations in influencing, and being influenced by, this process. Based on an analysis of the literature on global citizenship, we explore the current and potential role for corporations in contributing to global governance systems and processes, both independent of, and in conjunction with, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

This paper explores the theory and illustrates the managerial implications of complete and incomplete markets for corporate strategy and corporate socialresponsibility. Market imperfections including externalities, asymmetric information or compromised competition motivate corporate social responsibility. At the same time, traditional approaches to corporate strategy based on industry analysis may imply exploiting or sustaining market imperfections. Assuming markets are complete complicates finding a theoretical basis for happily uniting CSR and above average profits. Assuming markets are incomplete undermines traditional industry analysis or resource-based approaches to corporate strategy because incomplete markets hinder accurate calculation of the net present value of different resource commitments. Cases illustrate how theories of firm performance based on incomplete markets provide a new managerial framework to guide strategy and improve social welfare.

I examine the evolution of trade organizations in the southwest from their early manifestation to their present configurations with a particular focus on Trading Posts as socio-cultural and economic exchange organizations. At their inception as general stores they served displaced and remote populations, while at their peak they were social, cultural, and economic hubs connecting various ethnic groups. More recently, they have become non-profit and profit entities, both on- and off-reservation, and tribal government organizations, some of which still incorporate notions of socially responsible business.

An entrepreneurial firm was sold to a MNC, and then back to the original entrepreneur. The process will be examined through the lenses of the integration-responsiveness framework, moral and stakeholder approaches, as well as theory of entrepreneurship.

The classic formulation of doubt regarding the appropriateness of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as voiced by Milton Friedman, is that “…there is one and only one social responsibility of business – to use its resources and engage in activities to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game…” I present a reply to Friedman, and to others, that accepts their implicit premise – that business, including globalizing business activity, can be a virtuous mechanism of free society – but that denies their conclusion regarding responsibility. The reply does not fit the traditional mold of CSR arguments, which argue for responsibility to a broad group of corporate stakeholders, and which, Friedman suggests, “undermine the very foundations of our free society.” My reply hinges upon precisely the virtue of “freedom” that Friedman and others clearly consider intrinsically valuable. In the most extreme case, where maximizing profits will place a government under threat, such activity will not coincide with maximizing social value, and would undermine the freedoms that these authors claim to value. Concerning less extreme cases, responsibilities will also apply, if we can take a page from the capabilities approach, developing Amartya Sen’s argument that, “we have to see individual freedom as a social commitment.”

This study aims at discussing Global Business Citizenship Experiments (GBCE) as adaptation and selection mechanisms in organizations. GBCE are processes used by companies operating abroad to deal with discrepancies between their own principles and values and local norms, or the lack of them. I argue that these processes lead to adaptation of the individual companies to their environment, and to the evolution of organizational forms in the population.

This paper examines the association between level of economic development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a country, with speculations on howadvances in economic development may alter the scope and application of CSR activities. Through the empowerment of local communities and the intersection of ethical leadership approaches of business, local governments and civil society, remedies are suggested for improved economic development management.