Theory and Integrity in Business and Society

Abstract

Business and society academics face an ongoing dilemma between the rigorous demands of good scholarship and the personal and pragmatic demands of constituencies and themselves. This dilemma is, above all, an ethical one, but it is partially solvable by paying closer attention to theory and methodology while acknowledging individual biases and desires and helping others in the field to do the same.

Corporate Social Performance as a Business Strategy

“…Established authors in the field of corporate social performance admit that theories on this subject do not have much practical value and prove deficient in proposing business rationales for corporate initiatives with attention to social and environmental problems (e.g. Gioia, 1999;Wood, 2000). A critical reading will clearly identify the gap between the pragmatic orientation of strategic management practice and a great deal of moral idealism in CSP theories.…”

Does Business and Society Scholarship Matter to Society? Pursuing a Normative Agenda with Critical Realism and Neoinstitutional Theory

“…As a sub-field within organizational research, business and society (B&S) scholarship is implicitly included in these discussions. However, while there is little doubt that the gap between research and management practice applies to B&S scholarship, many who work in the area also aspire to grander aims, namely, to make a difference to society (Swanson, 1995(Swanson, , 1999Wood, 1998Wood, , 2000. To this end, diverse streams of literature have emerged around topics related to social responsibility, social performance, corporate citizenship, social responsiveness, corporate environmentalism, critical strategy, stakeholder management, and others (Garriga and Melé, 2004).…”

“…To this end, diverse streams of literature have emerged around topics related to social responsibility, social performance, corporate citizenship, social responsiveness, corporate environmentalism, critical strategy, stakeholder management, and others (Garriga and Melé, 2004). Despite this extensive literature, growing legitimacy within business schools, and journals dedicated to B&S issues (Wood, 2000), the efficacy of the field's normative aims is rarely considered (Jones, 1996). In the wake of resurgent debate about the contribution that business scholars might make to society (see Rynes, 2007) my paper asks 'does business and society scholarship matter to society'?…”

Heading Toward a More Social Future? Scenarios for Social Enterprises in Germany

“…Entrepreneurship has started to support issues and offer innovative and sustainable solutions to social problems that were previously in the purview of the public sector (Thompson, 2002;Wood, 2000). Even many traditional corporations now engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.…”