The Political Ontology of Corporate Social Responsibility: Obscuring the Pluriverse in Place

Ehrnström-Fuentes, Maria; Böhm, Steffen

doi:10.1007/s10551-022-05175-1

Cited by 16 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 111 publications

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“…Thus, ultimately, reflection on what 'organizing sustainably' means must deal with the insight that sustainability as a concept is inherently contested. There is a need to be specific on what, for whom, and to which ends organizations and organizing can become 'sustainable', something that gets obscured by concepts such as CSR and related reporting practices that erase conflicts and value multiplicity (Ehrnström-Fuentes & Böhm, 2023). Apart from goal conflicts, say between various UN agencies that may themselves pursue divergent outcomes, this also entails the organized conflicts within organizations such as between owners and managers who want to sustain their business models versus those organizational members who want to change them (as reflected in the study by Siedlok et al, 2024).…”

Section: Sustainability Requires Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

Organizing Sustainably: Introduction to the Special Issue

Delbridge,

Helfen,

Pekarek

et al. 2024

Organization Studies

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To confront the climate crisis requires fundamental system change in order to break the convention of relentless economic exploitation of nature. In this Special Issue we extend understanding of the opportunities for an organizing perspective on sustainability in order that organization studies might contribute more effectively to the challenges of organizing sustainably. This organizing perspective is particularly sensitive to (1) a variety of forms and practices of sustainable organizing in different societal spheres and on different levels, (2) the social institutions, logics and value systems in which these forms and practices are embedded, (3) the power and politics of promoting (or blocking) sustainable organization, and (4) the ways in which work, voice, participation, and inclusion are organized and contribute to developing societal capabilities. These features formed the basis of our original call for papers and we review selected literature on sustainability, including the contribution of organization studies and the articles in this Special Issue, through this organizing perspective. In so doing we identify four key themes of a future research agenda that builds from the foundations of existing research and addresses key current limitations in both theory and practice: sustainability requires social justice; connecting local and global scale shifts; democratizing governance; and acting collectively. We conclude with some implications for our own scholarship in organization studies if we are to meet the twin challenges of the need for new theorizing in combination with devising practically relevant support for change.

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Section: Sustainability Requires Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

Organizing Sustainably: Introduction to the Special Issue

Delbridge,

Helfen,

Pekarek

et al. 2024

Organization Studies

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“…For example, understanding business–society–nature relations merely through the lens of “stakeholder management” reduces the complexity of life to a managerial decision-making process, orchestrated by businesses. This is an extremely blinkered approach to understanding the world (Ehrnström-Fuentes & Böhm, 2022 ).…”

Section: Business Ethics In the Age Of Climate And Ecological Emergen...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethics at the Centre of Global and Local Challenges: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics

et al. 2022

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To commemorate 40 years since the founding of the Journal of Business Ethics, the editors in chief of the journal have invited the editors to provide commentaries on the future of business ethics. This essay comprises a selection of commentaries aimed at creating dialogue around the theme Ethics at the centre of global and local challenges. For much of the history of the Journal of Business Ethics, ethics was seen within the academy as a peripheral aspect of business. However, in recent years, the stakes have risen dramatically, with global and local worlds destabilized by financial crisis, climate change, internet technologies and artificial intelligence, and global health crises. The authors of these commentaries address these grand challenges by placing business ethics at their centre. What if all grand challenges were framed as grand ethical challenges? Tanusree Jain, Arno Kourula and Suhaib Riaz posit that an ethical lens allows for a humble response, in which those with greater capacity take greater responsibility but remain inclusive and cognizant of different voices and experiences. Focussing on business ethics in connection to the grand(est) challenge of environmental emergencies, Steffen Böhm introduces the deceptively simple yet radical position that business is nature, and nature is business. His quick but profound side-step from arguments against human–nature dualism to an ontological undoing of the business–nature dichotomy should have all business ethics scholars rethinking their “business and society” assumptions. Also, singularly concerned with the climate emergency, Boudewijn de Bruin posits a scenario where, 40 years from now, our field will be evaluated by its ability to have helped humanity emerge from this emergency. He contends that Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth) v. Royal Dutch Shell illustrates how human rights take centre stage in climate change litigation, and how business ethics enters the courtroom. From a consumer ethics perspective, Deirdre Shaw, Michal Carrington and Louise Hassan argue that ecologically sustainable and socially just marketplace systems demand cultural change, a reconsideration of future interpretations of “consumer society”, a challenge to the dominant “growth logic” and stimulation of alternative ways to address our consumption needs. Still concerned with global issues, but turning attention to social inequalities, Nelarine Cornelius links the capability approach (CA) to global and corporate governance, arguing that CA will continue to lie at the foundation of human development policy, and, increasingly, CSR and corporate governance. Continuing debate on the grand challenges associated with justice and equality, Laurence Romani identifies a significant shift in the centrality of business ethics in debates on managing (cultural) differences, positing that dialogue between diversity management and international management can ground future debate in business ethics. Finally, the essay concludes with a commentary by Charlotte Karam and Michelle Greenwood on the possibilities of feminist-inspired theories, methods, and positionality for many spheres of business ethics, not least stakeholder theory, to broaden and deepen its capacity for nuance, responsiveness, and transformation. In the words of our commentators, grand challenges must be addressed urgently, and the Journal of Business Ethics should be at the forefront of tackling them.

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“…In the early decades of its development, the concept of CSR was mainly considered as a moral obligation of business toward society (Bowen, 1953). However, today, it is also understood as a strategic tool to gain social power and proactively shape the political-legal agenda (Ehrnström-Fuentes and Böhm, 2023;Elembilassery, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managerial understanding of corporate social responsibility in Nepal

Chapagain,

Bajracharya,

Adhikari

et al. 2023

IJLMA

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Purpose Considering the ongoing debate regarding the roles of business in society, this paper aims to examine the managerial understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Nepal. Design/methodology/approach This study uses explanatory sequential design under mixed methods of research. First, the questionnaire survey method was used to collect data from 168 managers of listed companies in Nepal. Second, semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 senior-level managers of listed companies to verify the results obtained from the survey and to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomena. Findings The survey results show that managerial understanding of CSR is mainly guided by the notions of corporate philanthropy, stakeholder approach and political CSR, respectively. However, the managerial understanding vis-à-vis political CSR and corporate philanthropy were found to be remarkably positively influenced by the firm’s size, whereas the stakeholder perspective was widely held by the managers regardless of their firm’s size. The interview results largely substantiated questionnaire survey findings and further revealed vivid dimensions within the philanthropic approach, stakeholder approach and political CSR. Practical implications Given the recent legal provisions vis-à-vis mandatory CSR spending in Nepal, the policymakers may devise and update common core and firm-size-specific informational, fiscal-economic, legal and partnering instruments based on the findings of this study. Besides, companies may go for appropriate institutional arrangements for CSR as needed. Originality/value The reaffirmation of conventionally accepted roles and the approval of relatively nascent political roles of business in a distinct socio–political–legal–economic context of Nepal can be an important contribution to the literature.

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The Political Ontology of Corporate Social Responsibility: Obscuring the Pluriverse in Place

Cited by 16 publications

References 111 publications

Organizing Sustainably: Introduction to the Special Issue

Organizing Sustainably: Introduction to the Special Issue

Ethics at the Centre of Global and Local Challenges: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics

Managerial understanding of corporate social responsibility in Nepal

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