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Often, scrutiny of a lack of corporate social responsibility is imposed on large companies. The concept of corporate social responsibility is not new, however it has evolved into a pressing issue which many companies face. In the article found here the emergence of corporate social responsibility(CSR) is explored. The article suggests that the reason for the corporate apathy towards CSR is due to the “fragmentation” (Porter, Kramer) between the company’s business approach and the society. The article suggests that a company is compelled to CSR is due to “pressure from public response” (Porter, Kramer). However the question that should be addressed is: what is the motive behind the company’s efforts towards CSR? At first glance, it is plausible that the company simply wants to escape public scrutiny. However, it is more likely that the company is involved with CSR initiatives as a by-product of capitalistic interests. As often the scrutiny of the public screams the accusations of capitalistic and soulless corporations, many company’s use CSR initiatives to portray the image of a eleemosynary institution. In the long run, it is essential that an equilibrium is reached between the social responsibility of a company to its stakeholders as well as to society itself.
Citation: Porter, Michael E., and Mike R. Kramer. “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility.” Harvard Business Review 1 Dec. 2006. Web.