Corporate Social Responsibility: Where did it Originate From, How has it Evolved and Why is it Important? : a literature review of the history and evolution of CSR
Kaittani, Nikolas (2023)
Kaittani, Nikolas
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023051811731
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023051811731
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this essay is to trace the roots of CSR as a conceptual construct and explore its historical evolution through time to understand its importance. As the concept has seen a growing interest by academics, business leaders, governments, and international organizations throughout the years, the topic is more relevant than ever for an international business student to understand on a deeper level. The aim of this essay is to provide a comprehensive historical perspective on the evolution of CSR by reviewing the most relevant and original literature as well as the most significant events that have influenced the concept and its understanding. The findings show that CSR evolved from the understanding that the core responsibility of a corporation is to maximize shareholder profits to include a larger scope of stakeholders and that ultimately corporations should create shared value. Furthermore, it was found that the concept of CSR was heavily influenced by the social expectations and institutional pressures of each point in time. As such, CSR is here to stay and will continue to evolve alongside society’s expectations. Finally, this essay suggests that future academic research on CSR should focus on how to specifically address core business activities and how CSR can be measured and reported.