Evolution Of Corporate Social Responsibility Csr Essay

Evolution Of Corporate Social Responsibility Csr Management Essay

This section makes an attempt to take an appropriate overview of the existing literature in the relevant fields to this study. It has consulted several existing books, journals and research papers. It has basically looked at the formal definition of corporate social responsibility and various issues related to it. It also looks at various methods of management and implementation of the same in the organizations and related issues.

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Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a field that does not really have a very long history but has evolved very rapidly in recent times and especially among the large and established corporations for various reasons. Due to its increasing importance, various experts and organizations have felt the need to define it comparatively.

For example, in 2002, the Construction Industry Environmental Forum observed that over the last five years or so CSR has become a very strong agenda for the corporations.

Most of the formal definitions of CSR cover some or all of the following ideas such as, treatment of the employees, support extended towards local communities, impact on the environment, human rights issues as well as ethical conduct with the stakeholders, consumers as well as competitors.

So, CSR is considered to be an “umbrella” term that incorporates various concepts of environmental sustainability, corporate ethics, ethical governance, efficient and cordial public relations, and analysis of stakeholders as well as relationship marketing. However Cannon (1994) mentions that the concept came up in UK during the industrial revolution itself in the nineteenth century where there was trend of philanthropic activities by the eminent businessmen as well as politicians and these efforts were directed towards people who were apparently not benefited by the industrial revolution. Although the nomenclature cam much later, this can be considered the beginning of CSR as it benefited the general people and also improved the image of the ones who facilitated the same. Increasing influence of some religious groups like the Quakers and Methodists also increased philanthropic activities in large scales. Cannon (1994) also mentions that “The rapid growth of Methodism during the eighteenth century created the ground for self introspection that saw the inequality among men and hence they work towards abolition of the same…”. Similarly, the Quakers also had a very profound influence on the British society and they were truly the predecessors of CSR because a lot of important British corporations of those times were founded by Quaker businessmen such as George and Richard Cadbury, the founders of eponymous chocolate brand. In fact that tradition still continues as we can see that Cadbury Schweppes won the “Most admired company” award by Management Today in the year 2004.

Various trends have come up in this field over the years and thus have improved the scope of corporate social responsibility in businesses. Moir (2001) opines that modern day businesses have a very wide ranging ethical as well as economic obligations to the society and hence defines CSR as, “… the continuing commitment by the businesses to operate ethically as well as to contribute to the economic development of the people while enhancing the quality of life the workers as well as their families and also that of the local communities and society in general”. According to The Business for Social Responsibility CSR is about achieving the commercial success in a manner that respect the ethical mores of the people, society as well as the env