Theory Assessment and Agenda Setting in Political CSR: A Critical Theory Perspective

Abstract

Frynas and Stephens (Political corporate social responsibility: reviewing theories and setting new agendas. International Journal of Management Reviews, 17, pp. 483-509, 2015) reviewed the literature on political corporate social responsibility (CSR). They described existing trends and suggested an agenda for future research. They attempted to develop 'a more inclusive pluralist research agenda in political CSR, which can integrate different perspectives on political CSR in order to account for different phenomena, including global governance changes at macro level, instrumental concerns at organizational level or cognitive dimensions at individual level, in both descriptive and normative terms'. This was an ambitious endeavour, given the rapid growth of the literature and the extensive heterogeneity of the field. There is much to like in Frynas and Stephens' paper, as it spans a broad range of perspectives and links together discrete research topics. In the present review, however, the author focuses on a number of critical aspects in their argument. Frynas and Stephens failed to define core concepts, to reveal their normative stance on CSR and their paradigmatic position, or to address the inherent conflict of values in political CSR. And they were too optimistic about the possibilities and benefits of 'integration'. The author suspects that their approach, when adopted in practice, will impede rather than promote social welfare. This paper starts with a brief summary of the field and continues by emphasizing critical issues in Frynas and Stephens' analysis. It concludes with an alternative agenda for research in political CSR.

Transnational power and translocal governance: The politics of corporate responsibility

“…There is also a well-organized and well-resourced international civil society movement that aims at promoting more transparency and equity in the extractive sector and several multi- In an era of neoliberal globalization where business firms have taken on roles once the purview of governments, instrumental approaches to CSR become even less relevant. In order to understand the political role of corporations and its interaction with market, state and civil society actors and institutions, scholars have developed notions like corporate citizenship and political CSR (Matten and Crane, 2005;Scherer andPalazzo, 2007, 2011). Scherer et al (2016: 276) define political CSR as 'those responsible business activities that The basic normative and theoretical assumptions of political CSR are drawn from…”

“…Habermas's work on deliberative democracy (Frynas & Stephens, 2015;Habermas, 1996;1998;Mäkinen & Kourula, 2012;Scherer, 2017;Whelan, 2012). There is an underlying assumption in political CSR that a deliberative process of corporate engagement with state and civil society actors can lead to a more democratic public sphere (Scherer and Palazzo, 2016 (Bebbington et al, 2008;Gardner et al, 2012;Kraemer et al, 2013).…”

“…It is difficult to see in the face of structural inequalities and hegemonic accommodation how political CSR and multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) can permit more 'democratic control on the public use of corporate power' (Scherer andPalazzo, 2007: 1109).…”

Does Institutional Context Affect CSR Disclosure? A Study on Eurostoxx 50

“…The political system is a central factor in the institutional context in which corporations operate, and it influences corporate behavior. On the opposite side, there is a mutual relationship between political context and companies, since the latter are themselves political actors, because they produce services for the community (health, for instance, or education), previously supplied only by the state (Scherer [60]). …”

Integrating Social and Political Strategies as Forms of Reciprocal Exchange into the Analysis of Corporate Governance Modes

“…Indeed, many scholars point to the conceptual incompatibility of firms’ socially responsible activities and their instrumental political activities (e.g. Jamali and Mirshak, ; Mantere, Pajunen and Laberg, ; Scherer, ). Consequently, our first research purpose is to demonstrate the conceptual similarities between social and political activities.…”