1st Edition
Making Corporate Social Responsibility a Global Concern Norm Construction in a Globalizing World
In recent decades, claims have increasingly been made on transnational corporations to take responsibility for the promotion and protection of human and labour rights in countries where they operate. This behavioural obligation results from the persistent advocacy of non-governmental organizations and is commonly known as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Driven by the theory of the 'norm life cycle model', the book uses an interesting range of case studies, including Nike and the anti-apartheid movement, to trace the development of CSR as an international norm. The development is examined through five selected non-governmental organizations: Clean Clothes Campaign, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, Global Exchange, International Business Leaders Forum and the International Labor Rights Fund. The book makes a lucid contribution to an emerging scholarship, and will interest researchers and practitioners involved in issues of global governance and global civil society.
Biography
Lisbeth Segerlund, Assistant Professor in International Relations, Stockholm University, Sweden
'Segerlund has written a theoretically sophisticated account of how civil society organizations created and diffused a norm of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Focusing on high-profile advocacy campaigns as well as the response of the business community, the study provides an in-depth analysis of one of the most significant contemporary global norm cascades.' Hans Peter Schmitz, Syracuse University, USA 'A highly astute, revealing and readable analysis of the history, character, possibilities and limitations of the global movement for corporate social responsibility.' Jan Aart Scholte, University of Warwick and London School of Economics, UK 'Making Corporate Social Responsibility a Global Concern is a thorough account of the influence of globalisation on the development of CSR. ... This makes the book not only suitable for those developing a knowledge of CSR, but also provides insight as to the potential of CSR to mitigate against some of the ill-effects arising from the capitalist growth model.' Quality World 'Overall this is a very useful and helpful synthesis of available material leavened by some interview-derived insights. The manner in which the NCM has been mobilised to produce a synoptic account of the recent history of the CSR norm is well judged and as such it will be of some use to those researching the political economy of global corporations, and would be a useful addition to anyone's reading list whose teaching touches on CSR.' Political Studies Review
