RESPONSE - Insead

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Executive summary Recommendations laboratory conditions) on a sensitive subject such as CSR and with some nonorthodox intervention techniques (such as meditation practices) gives comfort in the possibility of running cutting edge research and developing the highest quality of knowledge (comparable to that published in natural science journals) in this area of social science research. 3. Research CoDevelopment with Businesses and Stakeholders. One of the key factors for the successful implementation of both the matched pair sampling as well as the experimental designs lies in the presence of multiple established relationships and cooperative agreements that the research team has been able to leverage with corporations, especially the founding partners of the European Academy of Business In Society (EABIS), and with some of the key stakeholders (leading social rating agencies, NGOs, etc.). This new model of social science research, based on the active collaboration with the “subjects” of the research throughout all the phases of the process, from the initial formulation of the questions to pursue all the way to the dissemination of results, offers important indications, in our opinion, for future scholars in this area on how to maximize their chances of success in complex, and politically charged, fields of study (see below for some related recommendations for policymaking and research funding institutions). For policymakers A few key implications for policymaking institutions stemming from the results of the analysis ought to be carefully considered: 1. Internal Change Processes. The definition of CSR introduced by the EU Commission’s white paper in 2001 mentions both the integration of CSR in the operations and the stakeholder engagement processes as constitutive elements of the concept itself. The application in business firms has so far prioritised the stakeholder engagement component to the detriment of the integration objective 5 . An important indication for future policy development could be, therefore, to invite enterprises to apply the definition of CSR to the full extent of its meaning and significance, focusing on the internal change processes necessary to realise the integration objectives. This will also help the alignment between the rhetoric (strongly developed in external stakeholder engagement initiatives) with the reality of concrete change in business conduct. 2. The Role of Business Strategy. Given the importance of the company’s choices on how to compete in product markets for the likelihood of alignment with stakeholder expectations, we propose to extend the definition of the concept of CSR to include the integration of CSR in the decisionmaking processes and outcomes (major resource allocations, pricing strategies, corporate growth initiatives, market entries and exits, etc.) that characterise and shape the way the company competes on the markets of choice. The definition of CSR could therefore be edited as follows: “CSR is a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their strategic decisionmaking processes, in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis” 3. A New Role for the Partnership between Business and Society. The recent initiative by the EU Commission towards the establishment of a partnership between business and society to enhance the quality of their mutual understanding, of their multiple interactions and ultimately of both of their development and growth. Our suggestion is to articulate and focus the concrete outcomes of the partnership on the facilitation of a profound change process inside both business corporations and their societal counterparts. We indicate the elements and the key steps of the mutually supported change and adaptation program in the final part of Chapter 11. 4. A New Way to Conduct Research on Business & Society. Related to the previous point, RESPONSE has also demonstrated a new way in which academic research can be conducted in this field. The cooperation between corporations, global stakeholders and scholars through all the phases of the research has yielded important results, despite the increased coordination costs, particularly in terms of achieving a fruitful balance between academic rigor and managerial 5 See to this end the results of the RARE project, funded by the EU Commission in the context of the 6 th Framework Program RESPONSE: understanding and responding to societal demands on corporate responsibility 10
Executive summary Recommendations relevance. We see this as the foundation of a new model for conducting academic research in this area, and suggest policymakers and research funding agencies to take this experience into account as they search for ways to enhance the quality of future research endeavours. The existence and pursuit of a stable relationship and commitment to cooperation between research centres, business corporations and key stakeholders might be viewed as a necessary condition, and recognised as such, for the development of research plans that can aspire to real breakthrough results with both academic as well as managerial audiences. RESPONSE: understanding and responding to societal demands on corporate responsibility 11
Page 1 and 2: SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME PRIORITY
Page 3 and 4: Contents Executive summary 6 1 Intr
Page 5 and 6: Tables Table 1. Typology of factors
Page 7 and 8: Executive summary Recommendations c
Page 9: Executive summary Recommendations l
Page 13 and 14: Introduction Aims of this study “
Page 15 and 16: PART I: CSR AND COGNITIVE ALIGNMENT
Page 17 and 18: A model of cognitive alignment and
Page 25 and 26: Methodology Scope 3 Methodology 3.1
Page 27 and 28: Methodology Company case studies Th
Page 29 and 30: Methodology Case comparison Analysi
Page 31 and 32: Methodology CrossPair Comparison
Page 33 and 34: Findings: Managers’ understanding
Page 45 and 46: Findings: External factors and cogn
Page 51 and 52: Findings: Internal factors and cogn
Page 59 and 60: A Model of Social Consciousness and
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A Model of Social Consciousness and
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A Model of Social Consciousness and
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Methodology Experiment Settings 8.3
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Methodology Experiment Protocols ev
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Findings: Developing Social Conscio
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Conclusions from study findings Ass
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Conclusions from study findings Dev
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Conclusions from study findings Dev
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Recommendations Recommendations for
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