Articlegreen2018

In search of ethics: from Carroll to integrative CSR economics

64 citations0/0 files storedSocial Responsibility Journal

No readable copy stored yet — this record is metadata only.

No open-access location is known for this record yet.

Literature note Cite in a project Citation map

Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting Ethics in Business and Education Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

Abstract

Purpose Revisiting Carroll’s classic corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework, this paper aims to evolve a novel synthesis of ethics and economics. This yielded an “integrative CSR economics”. Design/methodology/approach This theory paper examined how to conceptually set up CSR theory, argue its ethical nature and establish its practical, social and empirical relevance. Economic analysis reached out from contemporary institutional economics to Smith’s classic studies. Findings The paper reconstructed all of Carroll’s four dimensions of CSR – economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities – through economics. The paper discounted a core assumption of much CSR research that economic approach to CSR, including the instrumental, strategic “business case” approach to CSR, were unethical and lacked any foundations in ethics theory. Integrative CSR economics reframes research on viability and capability requirements for CSR practice; redirecting empirical research on links between CSP (corporate social performance) and CFP (corporate financial performance). Research limitations/implications The paper focused on Carroll as the leading champion of CSR research. Future research needs to align other writers with integrative CSR economics. Friedman or Freeman, or the historic contributions of Dodd, Mayo, Bowen or Drucker, are especially interesting. Practical implications The paper set out how integrative CSR economics satisfies the “business case” approach to CSR and develops practical implications along: a systemic dimension of the market economy; a legal-constitutional dimension; and the dimension of market exchanges. Social implications Integrative CSR economics creates ethical benefits for society along: a systemic dimension of the market (mutual gains); a legal-constitutional dimension (law-following); and the dimension of market exchange (ethical capital creation). Social benefits are not only aspired to but also are achievable as a business case approach to CSR is followed. Originality/value The paper’s main contribution is a new synthesis of economics and ethics that yields an “integrative CSR economics”.

Paper brief

Loading…

Cite this work

Citation unavailable for this work.

BibTeX RIS CSL-JSON

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Citations in this library

Citation map →

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 64 citations exist upstream.

References

1991Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance 2010Strategic management a stakeholder approach 1987The Economic Institutions of Capitalism 2007The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits 1979A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Model of Corporate Performance 200261. Capitalism and Freedom 1991The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders 1995A Stakeholder Framework for Analyzing and Evaluating Corporate Social Performance

Cited by

2023CSR orientation for competitive advantage in business-to-business markets of emerging economies: the mediating role of trust and corporate reputation 2024Corporate social responsibility, customer satisfaction, and trust in the restaurant industry 2023The Effect of CSR on Restaurants’ Brand Image and Customers’ Brand Attitudes as Evidenced by Their Purchase Intentions

Explore the map →

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.

Imported from OpenAlex (CC0) — nothing here is generated.