University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

IMPLEMENTING CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
INNOVATION IN ORGANISATIONS: A
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Abstract
Nieuwkamp B.E.M.
School of Management and Governance
University of Twente
The Netherlands
332
Many companies nowadays are faced with the additional goals of innovation and CSR. Attached
to these goals they have to take into account the interests of new types of stakeholders. The
combination of the Viable System Model and sociotechnical system theory offers a theoretical
framework for the development of innovation (high involvement innovation) and CSR (high
involvement responsibility) in organizations. The Viable System Model describes the functions
and their required relations an organization must produce in order to be able to realize and adapt
its goals. Sociotechnical theory offers the concrete structural instruments for this.
This can form a basis for developing a practical tool to implement high involvement innovation
and high involvement responsibility in organizations, by analyzing and designing interactions
with stakeholders (dialogue, cooperation) in conjunction with the structure of the organization.
Key words: Innovation, CSR, organizational structure
Introduction
Due to changes in the environment, the factors influencing the competitive position
of companies have changed in the course of time. Were from the sixties to the
eighties respectively the factors efficiency, quality and flexibility crucial, from the
nineties onwards innovation and corporate social responsibility have been added to
these requirements.
Many organizations face the challenge of developing the necessary competences for
innovation and corporate social responsibility 27 and to obtain insight in their
interrelatedness.
27 In this paper we understand by CSR the responsibility of an organization for the impacts of its decisions and
activities (products, services and processes) on society and the environment, through transparent and ethical
behaviour that
- contributes to sustainable development, health and the welfare of society;
- takes into account the expectations of stakeholders;
- is in compliance with applicable law and consistent with international norms of behaviour; and
- is integrated throughout the organization and practiced in its relationships 27 (ISO 26000, 2009).