Corporate Social Responsibility

Whose Lyme is it Anyway? Subject Positions and the Construction of Responsibility for Managing the Health Risks from Lyme Disease

by David Uzzell

Paper to be published in Health and Place: Uzzell, D., Marcu, A., and Barnett, J (2012) Whose Lyme is it Anyway? Subject Positions and the Construction of Responsibility for Managing the Health Risks from Lyme Disease, Health and Place,

There has been a significant increase during the last decade in the UK of the incidence of the Lyme disease. It is... more There has been a significant increase during the last decade in the UK of the incidence of the Lyme disease. It is transmitted through tick bites, and can have serious health consequences if not treated early. This study examined how the responsibility for managing and communicating the health risks from Lyme disease to forest workers and recreational visitors was constructed and acted upon by 21 interviewees in key managerial positions within one of the largest UK forestry organisations. The in-depth, semi-structured interviews were analysed using discourse analysis within a Foucauldian framework. The results demonstrated that the construction of responsibility towards the workforce and visitors was embedded into broader representations of the forest as a working, recreational and natural environment, as well as into the binary conceptualisation of forest hazards as natural and human-made. These constructions prescribed respective subject positions which differentially informed assumptions of responsibility, and consequent actions, towards the workforce and the public.

“My Country’s Future”: A Culture-Centered Interrogation of Corporate Social Responsibility in India

by Rahul Mitra

Journal of Business Ethics (2012), Volume 106, issue 2, 131-147.

Companies operating and located in emerging economy nations routinely couch their corporate social responsibility... more Companies operating and located in emerging economy nations routinely couch their corporate social responsibility (CSR) work in nation-building terms. In this article, I focus on the Indian context and critically examine mainstream CSR discourse from the perspective of the culture-centered approach (CCA). Accordingly, five main themes of CSR stand out: nation-building facade, underlying neoliberal logics, CSR as voluntary, CSR as synergetic, and a clear urban bias. Next, I outline a CCA-inspired CSR framework that allows corporate responsibility to be re-claimed and re-framed by subaltern communities of interest. I identify such resistive openings via interrogations of culture (I focus on oft-cited Gandhian ethics here), structure (State policy, organizational strategy, and global/local flows), and agency (subaltern reframing of institutional responsibility, engagement with alternative modes of agency, and deconstructive vigilance).

Challenges to workplace dignity in a total institution: Examining the experiences of Foxconn’s migrant workforce

by Kristen Lucas

Lucas, K., Kang, D., & Li, Z. (in press). Challenges to workplace dignity in a total institution: Examining the experiences of Foxconn’s migrant workforce. Journal of Business Ethics. doi: 10.1007/s10551-012-1328-0

In 2010, a cluster of suicides at the electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group sparked worldwide... more In 2010, a cluster of suicides at the electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group sparked worldwide outcry about working conditions at its factories in China. Within a few short months, 14 young migrant workers jumped to their deaths from buildings on the Foxconn campus, an all-encompassing compound where they had worked, eaten, and slept. Even though the language of workplace dignity was invoked in official responses from Foxconn and its business partner Apple, neither of these parties directly examined workers’ dignity in their ensuing audits. Based on our analysis of media accounts of life at Foxconn, we argue that its total institution structure imposed unique indignities on its workers that both raised questions of their self-respect and self-worth, as well as gave rise to multiple episodes of disrespectful communication. We interpret our findings in light of the larger cultural context and meanings of work in China to understand more fully the experience of dignity of Foxconn’s migrant workforce.

water accounting corporate sustainability and the public interest

by Mike Muller

The diffusion of diversity management: The case of France

by Alain Klarsfeld

Post review, post acceptance, pre-publication version at copy-edition stage. Please quote as follows :
Klarsfeld, A., (2009). The diffusion of Diversity Management : the case of France, Scandinavian Journal of Management, Volume 25, Issue 4, December, Pages 363–373

Diversity, a ‘voluntary’ concern as seen through the Anglo-Saxon lens, and discrimination, a ‘legal’ mandated concern... more Diversity, a ‘voluntary’ concern as seen through the Anglo-Saxon lens, and discrimination, a ‘legal’ mandated concern as seen through the same lens, have simultaneously been gaining popularity in France since 2003. In this respect, this country is undergoing a regulation process with various constituencies promoting new sets of rules to make French society more inclusive. Through three different explanatory lenses, I examine how published discourse regarding adoption of diversity practices is converted into action. These lenses, the Anglo-American business case, which insists on the economic rationality of such adoption, and neo-institutional theory, which views diversity management as a result of isomorphic change processes, is joined by French social regulation theory, which posits diversity management as part of a process of designing new rules. My data shows that mandated practices have higher adoption rates than voluntary practices, but there are important variations in terms of rates of adoption, within both voluntary and mandatory processes. Besides the perceived threats from not complying, French managers take into account levels of flexibility as well as implementation cost. In this sense, French organizational constituents mediate the various initiatives suggested to them by their environment and exert a form of autonomous regulation. Laws focus attention and trigger action, rather than constraining it.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Market-Based Remedies for International Human Rights Violations?

by Eric Engle

SOCIAL MEDIA, GREEK ENTERPRISES AND THE FINANCIAL CRISIS – SOME NEW RELATIONS?

by Eleni G

This paper focuses on the use of new forms of online marketing techniques by enterprises in Greece. Specifically, it... more This paper focuses on the use of new forms of online marketing techniques by enterprises in Greece. Specifically, it examines how marketing and advertising have changed due to the spreading use of the internet and web 2.0. In order to form an image of the situation in Greece today, we will present studies which have been conducted since 2008 depicting the situation. The findings are interpreted in relation to the financial crisis in Greece, which since 2008 has led to a decrease in enterprises’ sales and cutbacks in expensive areas such as marketing. Social responsibility is an area of study which arises as a potential way of dealing with the consequences of such a crisis. Social media is deemed a tool which can help enterprises increase their social responsibility.

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW CAN HURT YOU: HUMAN RIGHTS, SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM AND

by Eric Engle

And of course our major contribution remains to run a decent business there" - Corporate meanings and beliefs expressed in Shell's crisis management in Nigeria

by Matthias Hofferberth

Paper presented at the ISA Annual Convention 2012, 1-4 April, in San Diego. Please do not quote without the permission of the author – Comments are most welcome!

Like all phenomena of international politics, multinational enterprises (MNEs) are deeply affected by changes in... more Like all phenomena of international politics, multinational enterprises (MNEs) are deeply affected by changes in information and communication technologies. In fact, global governance argues that the responsibilities of corporate actors are fundamentally changing and that MNEs are becoming political actors. To explain these changes, MNEs are either conceptualized as “hyper-rational” or as morally responsible actors. Understanding global governance as a crisis for MNEs since these actors are exposed to new and different normative expectations, the paper argues for an alternative actor perspective to look at private business. MNEs are conceptualized as social, creative, and contingent actors. Different meanings and beliefs of corporate agency are expressed, (re-)negotiated, and (re-)defined as MNEs face a high degree of uncertainty, indeterminacy, and contingency in global governance. To illustrate the potential value of this actor conceptualization, the paper looks at the crisis management of Shell in Nigeria where the enterprise was directly held responsible and accused internationally for cooperating with a corrupt and inhumane dictatorship. The documents published in this crisis not only show how pressure was exercised through
information, but also how the beliefs held by Shell changed and new corporate meanings and actions emerged as the corporation slowly and reluctantly reacted to new expectations.
and actions emerged as the corporation slowly and reluctantly reacted to new expectations.

The Gift That Wasn't - Starbucks 'Community Stores'

by Michael Soto

Food, Drugs, and TV: The Social Study of Corporate Science

by David Schleifer

Coauthored with Bart Penders, published in Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society 31 (6), 431-434.

The vast, heterogeneous, and consequential world of cor-
porate science demands and invites empirical inquiry. The vast, heterogeneous, and consequential world of cor-
porate science demands and invites empirical inquiry.

Food, Drugs and TV: The Social Study of Corporate Science

by Bart Penders

Schleifer, D. & Penders, B. (2011) Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society 31 (6): 431-434.

Constructing corporate reputation in the Russian media

by Katerina Tsetsura

Tsetsura, K., & Chernov, G. (2009). Constructing corporate reputation in the Russian media. Russian Journal of Communication, 2(1-2), 46-65.

Building a bridge between corporate reputation and corporate social responsibility in the Ukrainian print media.

by Katerina Tsetsura

Chernov, G., & Tsetsura, K. (2012). Building a bridge between corporate reputation and corporate social responsibility in the Ukrainian print media. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 7(2), 132-145. Retrieved from: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17026341&ini=aob

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how corporate reputation (CR) and corporate social responsibility... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how corporate reputation (CR) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are discussed in the print media in Ukraine. The paper also provides insights into how the implementation of these concepts contributes to the promotion of the market economy principles in Ukraine.

Design/methodology/approach – This study employed an interpretive discourse analysis, with elements of framing analysis, of 102 articles on CR and CSR published in the major Ukrainian print media between 2007 and 2010, both in Russian and Ukrainian languages. The analyses revealed four major themes in discussing a growing importance of CR and CSR for Ukrainian businesses.

Findings – The interpretive analysis demonstrated that the government of Ukraine and businesses try to establish standards for CR and CSR. It also showed that the current economic crisis contributed to the media coverage of how CR and CSR are defined. The framing analysis showed that some publications in Ukrainian tend to report on CR and CSR in a positive light, suggesting that the media should promote these concepts in economic life.

Research/limitations/implications – Future studies might employ methodologies that offer more active participation, such as in-depth interviewing of journalists who cover issues of CR and CSR.

Practical implications – The study results will be important to those transnational and local corporations which want to successfully implement their CSR programs, to further propel their CR among the citizens of Ukraine.

Originality/value – The paper is the first effort to analyze the media accounts of the implementation of CR and CSR in the economic and social fabric of Ukraine, in the wake of the Orange Revolution.

Corporate Reputation: Beyond Measurement

by Katerina Tsetsura

Tsetsura, K., & Kruckeberg, D. (2009). Corporate reputation: Beyond measurement. Public Relations Journal, 3(3). Retrieved from: http://www.prsa.org/SearchResults/download/6D-030303/0/Corporate_Reputation_Beyond_Measuremen

This paper was named among the Top Five Papers Published in PR Journal in 2009.

full text is available online full text is available online

La justification et la présentation des démarches de responsabilité sociétale dans la communication corporate : notes d’analyse textuelle d’une nouvelle rhétorique épidictique

by Andrea Catellani

Études de communication, 37 | 2011, [En ligne], mis en ligne le 01 décembre 2013. URL : http://edc.revues.org/index3204.html.

L’article s’interroge sur une forme récente de rhétorique, le discours « corporate » dédié à l’engagement des grandes... more L’article s’interroge sur une forme récente de rhétorique, le discours « corporate » dédié à l’engagement des grandes entreprises dans le domaine de la protection de l’environnement. L’analyse, d’orientation sémiotique, veut observer en premier lieu les modalités de justification explicite des démarches environnementales, l’énonciation argumentée des raisons de cet engagement. En second lieu, nous prenons en considération la simple présentation des actions de l’acteur-entreprise dans le domaine de la RSE, et de l’environnement en particulier. Dans ce second cas, nous nous intéressons surtout à la dynamique constante entre deux formes textuelles, le récit et la liste. Il s’agit de voir comment le discours corporate propose certains actes et pratiques comme étant des éléments valorisés, et réciproquement comment l’entreprise est représentée comme « sujet de valeur ».

Justification and presentation of corporate social responsibility activities in corporate communication : notes of textual analysis on a new epideictic rhetoric

The paper is focused on a recent form or rhetoric, corporate discourse dedicated to the engagement of big firms in the field of environmental protection. The analysis is semiotic-oriented. The paper observes firstly the modalities of justification of environmental activities, the argued enunciation of the reasons of this engagement. Secondly, it takes into consideration the representation of the actions of the firm in the field of CSR, in particular in its environmental aspect. In this second case, we will focus on the constant dynamic between two text forms, story and list. The paper tries to see how corporate discourse proposes specific acts and practices as valuable elements, and how the firm is represented as a « valuable subject ».

Vulnerability and the basis of business ethics: from fiduciary duties to professionalism

by Eric Brown

forthcoming in Journal of Business Ethics

This paper examines the role of vulnerability in the basis of business ethics by criticizing its role in giving a... more This paper examines the role of vulnerability in the basis of business ethics by criticizing its role in giving a morally substantial character to fiduciary duties to shareholders. The target is Alexei Marcoux's (2003) argument for morally substantial fiduciary duties vis-à-vis the multifiduciary stakeholder theory. Rather than proceed to support the stakeholder paradigm, a conception of vulnerability is combined with Joseph Heath's (2004) "market failure" view of the ethical obligations of managers as falling out of their roles as professionals involved in the institution of the market. The
result is the core of a theoretically defensible and managerially motivating and deployable ethic.

Philosophical Foundations for 'Good Capitalism'? Labour's Business Agenda, John Rawls, and Property-Owning Democracy

by Martin O'Neill

co-authored with Thad Williamson

Research plus Create Construction equals responsible leaders

by Eric Lou

Research Innovation and Internationalisation News (RISE), University of Salford

The expression 'to pay it forward' is a wonderful term; meaning
to pass along the good, pay forward so others can... more The expression 'to pay it forward' is a wonderful term; meaning
to pass along the good, pay forward so others can achieve.
That pretty much sums up what we do, especially in our
Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects. Our research teams gain knowledge and expertise, then share this knowledge with others.

Political Strategy for the Political Arena

by Frank Shipper