CSR: Socio-Economic Responsibility

A firm’s assignment of CSR begins with economic responsibility and narrows up with legal, ethical and other responsibilities, such as sound judgment. What was found as ethical pursuance and sound judgment in Carroll’s model, it is now indispensible because of the fact that ethical responsibilities are required as much as the economic and legal responsibilities in today’s environment and prerequisite for success. CSR can be seen as a rationale on moral and economic grounds, often companies adopt CSR as a defensive strategy though it can be a part of corporate environment and could be used as an aggressive strategy. (Werther and Chandler, 2006) CSR has a range of participants for sustainability and a positive role in the society (Blowfield &

3 Pro-activity: that measures the activity with external demands.

4 Voluntarism: the firm’s decision to participate in CSR.

5 Visibility: is how the stakeholders react to the CSR activities in response.

On the whole the management theory abridges the socio-economic factors with the performance of the organization. CSR is important for the multinationals to perform in foreign countries because of the growing competition and other challenges that are faced by an organization; the management theory is used as a tool to encounter such challenges ( Ismail, 2009). Donaldson (1989, cited in Secchi, 2007 :359) CSR also acts upon the firms managerial decisions when there are problems such as clashes, protests and strikes, these lay down the moral values, above profit maximization. Managerial theories performance depends on stakeholders trust, co operation and acceptance. Garrige and Mele ( 2004) Detomasi( 2008) were all of a view that social power drives the social responsibility as the corporation is a corporate citizen, who has investment in the community. Davies (1960) stated that CSR is a political power and therefore must be used responsibly as a business is social institution; its power comes from both within and outside. Detomasi (2008) stated that firms base their CSR policies keeping the local political structure in view. Firms have to encounter the global economic pressure, the local political structure and the CSR

Business operates within a society, therefore any action and decision made by the business should be made considering the impact of economic and social values. Stakeholder approach means better management and a more socially responsible behavior by the firm. The stakeholders approach sees individuals in a business acts altruistically, it is interrelated though independent for self creation and community creation, stakeholders approach addresses both collective and ethical theories, for a collective social demand and the right thing to achieve a good society. Mitchel, Agle and Wood (1997) emphasized on the interests of the stakeholders, Freeman and Phillips (2002) explained the fiduciary duties towards stakeholders. Jeremy Moon (2004) defines CSR as a combination of corporate citizenship, sustainable business and environmental responsibility; it is accountable to social, environmental and ethical issues both in term of corporate and the national environment. The neo liberal writers see it as voluntary, but some neo liberal see CSR as an obstruction and diversion from a business primary concern, i.e., profit maximization, yet most neo liberal writers maintain the point of view that, Friedman was actually correct. CSR in the long run can be beneficial to the organizations it prevents from unnecessary government intervention and