This book was just published today by two professors from England. It claims to be a comprehensive and critical overview of the corporate responsibility movement. Perhaps it will offer some objective insights into the question of whether businesses can (or cannot) help foster sustainable behavior in the larger society.
Steve
http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780199209095
Michael Blowfield, Director of Development, University of Cambridge Programme for Industry; Associate Professor in Corporate Responsibility, University of Middlesex Business School; Teaching Fellow in Corporate Responsibility, London Business School and Alan Murray, Lecturer in Corporate Social Responsibility and Accounting, University of Sheffield
Corporate Responsibility A Critical Introduction
By Michael Blowfield and Alan Murray
In a sign of CSR's maturity as theory and management practice, I'm delighted to announce the publication of "Corporate Responsibility: a critical introduction" by Oxford University Press. The book is probably the first genuine text book offering an objective overview of the field. This much needed book examines the multiple dimensions to corporate responsibility. It creates a framework that presents a historical and interdisciplinary overview of the field; a summary of different management approaches; and a review of the key actors and trends worldwide. The authors take a critical perspective and successfully provide a balance between theory and practice. They offer comprehensive coverage of the subject, combining an insightful, interdisciplinary, approach with the pedagogy and support sought after by students. Key features include: An array of pedagogical features and online resources take the text beyond the scope of existing corporate responsibility literature, providing much needed support for students. A comprehensive treatment of corporate responsibility with a clear focus, summarising and comparing the different interpretations of corporate responsibility and management approaches, ensuring a thorough understanding of the field. A critical approach to the subject enabling students to debate and discuss issues, thereby developing their critical analysis skills. An online resource centre for lecturers including additional case studies, essay questions, and images from the book A student resource centre including web links, legislation resources, further reading, email listservs, links to corporate responsibility organizations
See the book's website at... http://www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/orc/blowfield_murray/
Table of Contents:
Part One: The Meaning and Origins of Corporate Responsibility
1. Introducing Corporate Responsibility
2. The Origins of Corporate Responsibility
3. Globalization and International Development
Part Two: Managing and implementing corporate responsibility
4. How Corporate Responsibility is Managed
5. The Business Case for Corporate Responsibility
6. Stakeholders, Standards, and Regional Variations
7. Social Accounting
8. The Place of Corporate Responsibility in the Corporate Governance Framework
9. Sustainable Development
10. Stakeholder Partnerships
11. Socially Responsible Investment
Part Three: The Impact, Critics, and Future of Corporate Responsibility
12. The Impact of Corporate Responsibility
13. Criticisms of Corporate Responsibility
14. The Future of Corporate Responsibility
Steven G. Brant
Founder and Principal
Trimtab Management Systems
303 Park Avenue South, Suite 1413
New York, NY 10010
(646) 221-1933
Skype: stevengbrant
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New Resource: "Corporate Responsibility: A Critical Introduction" (Oxford University Press)
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Hi Steve -
Thanks for forwarding this. I read the downloadable sample chapter, "Origins of Corporate Responsibility," and I have to say that for an academic textbook it is very well-written, informative and enjoyable reading, including the interspersed case studies and probing questions. That's the positive review. From what I see as the perspective of sustainability, however, there are problems. For one thing, I don't see how the work of two business school professors could in any shape, manner or form be characterized as "objective." The underlying assumption that corporations are legitimate economic and political players, and can be considered "citizens," is an undeniable bias. In fact, looking at the concept of corporate responsibility from within the corporate paradigm, as Blowfield and Murray do, of necessity limits their scope, insight and conclusions. (To put it another way, with no disrespect intended, and admittedly crudely but I think to the point: they live off the corporate teat, they're hardly going to say that corporations suck, if they're even willing to have such a thought.) But I think we have to consider such a critique in any discussion of corporate social responsibility (CSR). From outside the business paradigm, I would say that CSR is flailing attempt to save a failed system. Well, it hasn't failed everybody in an obvious way - many people have accumulated great wealth, and even I, who am happily retired on a limited fixed income, feel like a millionaire compared to 90% of the world's struggling population - I get to eat 3,000-mile bananas, African chocolate that is no longer slave-traded (I hope), ride my 15-year-old bicycle wherever I want, etc. But ultimately this lopsided, inequitable, exploitive, environmentally devastating "system" has failed us all, leading to climate and other catastrophes - which is why we have our sustainability listserve. The bottom line with corporations is the corporate bottom line, and notwithstanding the elegant argument and enlightening historical musings of the authors, one must acknowledge that corporations must turn a profit no matter what. And the more they get, the more they want. No triple bottom-lining is going to change that fact, which makes the whole CSR discussion, stripped of its byzantine trimmings, very simple: CSR is an oxymoron, an impossibility. For example, I would rebrand BP, which rebranded itself "Beyond Petroleum," as "Bulls**t Propaganda" - because such CSR is nothing more than gaming the system to keep it going. The only socially responsible act for BP, Shell, Exxon-Mobil et al. is to stop selling the highly addictive substance that threatens life on earth. And how about cigarette companies, what could they possibly do that's socially responsible and still exist? And many others we all can think of . . .. I would like to see Blowfield and Murray go there. Thus, one reason why our listserve is so important: a critical part of our work is to understand the context in which we are striving to foster sustainable behaviors, and where necessary (and I would postulate that it is broadly necessary) address the root causes of destruction lurking invisibly within the current business/social/economic context and expose them to the light of day. To acknowledge that there can be no reasonable expectation of corporate social responsibility - to see the concept for the fraud that it is - will enable us to shift our organizing to creating the context for sustainability, equity and survival. Can business exist within that context? I think so, but absolutely subordinate to the web of life on earth, locally and relationship based, and looking nothing like it does today.
Cheers,
Adam