Literature Review on Corporate Social Responsibility

This report presents a literature review on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), examining its definitions, practices, and benefits. It analyzes key research findings and highlights the importance of CSR for businesses and society. The report also explores the role of CSR in achieving sustainable development and its impact on organizational performance.

Study skills for higher education

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. About literature review...........................................................................................................3
2. Literature review on the topic of “Corporate social responsibility”.......................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Literature review is a comprehensive summary of the past research on the specific topic.
It surveys books, articles as well as other relevant sources on particular topic of research. The
review includes summarize, objectives, description and evaluate previous research on the topic.
Corporate social responsibility is a way for company to take responsibilities for sustainable
development of the society that impacts positively on social, economical and environment
factors. The report will include about the literature review and the ways of achieving. It describes
the purpose and objectives of the literature review. Furthermore, it will explain the literature
review on the topic of Corporate social responsibility.
MAIN BODY
1. About literature review
Literature review is a written overview of sources on selected topic. It is a scholar paper
that includes methodologies, findings and theoretical contribution on particular topic. Literature
review is secondary source of the data that do not include new experimental work. It is
associated with academic oriented literature. A literature review is also summary of existing
knowledge of the researcher on a particular topic. It is associated to discovering the new
information and knowledge(Hart,2018).
Literature review is a summary as well as explanation of the current and complete state of
the knowledge on limited topic as found in journal articles and academic books. There are two
kinds of literature review. One that student are written alone without any help of teacher for
example their training report. Second is written with format introduction, main body and
conclusion as a part of thesis and research report(Lu, Zhao and While,2019). Literature review is
included objectives, overview of the subject, clear categorization of the sources and discussion
on both the distinctiveness of the source and similarity.
Purpose of the literature review:-
 It provides flexibility to the reader for access to research on a particular topic that is
meaningful, relevant, valid, important and summarised into a complete report.

 It provides critical analysis of current state of the research on a particular topic. It
provides a specific and reliable analysis of the approaches and methodologies of the other
researchers.
 It describes the relationship between the each source and selected resource. It also defines
the new way to interpret and lights on previous research(Machi and McEvoy,2016).
 It gives an excellent starting point for researcher to start the research with new ideas by
focusing to force them to evaluate, summarize and compare original research in that
particular work.
 It is highlighted the findings and also give recommendation and clues to the researcher
for the future research. It also defines the gapes, contradictions and inconsistencies in the
literature.
Content of the review:-
 Introduction:- It explains the focus of the researcher as well as establishes the importance
of the report in specific subject. It also explains the work that is done on the topic as well
as controversies within the field or any research related to the topic(Meijer and
Bolívar,2016).
 Body:- It is divided the work into headings and subheadings. It summarises and evaluates
current knowledge in the particular field. It covers major themes, important trends and
finding about agree or disagree on specific topic.
 Conclusion:- It summarises all the evidence that is presented in the report as well as
shows its significance. It highlights the gap, contradictions and indicates how previous
research helps and leads to this research.
Nine steps to writing a literature review:-
Find a working topic: first, the research finds the specific area and interesting facts of this area.
Researcher also takes advice from their mentor, professor as well as read about current issues on
their chosen area.

Review the literature: Researcher uses keywords, search relevant databases and choose at least
two databases for the use of their discipline. It also considers the references of recent study as
well as valuable papers(Literature review,2019).
Focus the topic narrowly and select papers accordingly: In this stage, the researcher considers
the own interest, others interest and time limit of the research.
Read the selected articles thoroughly and evaluate them: In this stage, the researcher
evaluates the assumptions, methodologies, testing procedures, materials, findings etc. and draw
the conclusion.
Organize the selected papers by looking for patterns and by developing subtopics: In this
stage, the researcher considers following things:- findings, important trends and most influential
theories etc.
Develop a working thesis: At this point, the researcher writes the conclusion in two three points
about the current status of the research such as the researcher have reached on the major trend of
the research.
Organize own paper based on the findings from steps 4&5: The researcher develops the
headings and subheadings and organize all the major points that is they have to cover in the
research(Lu, Zhao and While,2019).
Write the body of the paper: In this stage, the researcher follows the plan that they have
developed above and making certain that each point is logically relevant. Furthermore, accurately
divided the sections according to themes and subtopics.
Look at what the researcher have written; focus on analysis, not description: In this stage,
researcher reviews their work closely such as check each paragraphs and read sentences. It
evaluates the literature on analytical point of view.
2. Literature review on the topic of “Corporate social responsibility”
According to Crowther and Seifi, (2018) CSR is a board concept that have many forms
depend on company and industry. With the help of CSR programmes, business can boost their
brand image as well as profitability. Corporate social responsibility is not just beneficial for
company but also employees, communities and investors etc. Corporate social responsibility can
help to build strong relationship between employees and employers. In order to Corporate social

responsibility, company's first responsibility is to satisfied their employee as well as their
shareholders. Companies whose adopt CSR programmes that enhance their profitability of the
organisation and creates positive image to the company. It is a movement of the encouraging
organisation towards the society by sustainable development of the society including the
investors, suppliers and stakeholders of the company.
As per the Grayson and Hodges,(2017) The standards of Corporate social responsibility is
released by international organization for standardization that is voluntary set of standards that
helps to company implementing their CSR activities. ISO provides guild-lines rather than
requirements because CSR is qualitative rather than quantitative in nature. The standards of
Corporate social responsibility is not be certified that is only translate the CSR principles that
helps to organisation to take initiative regarding CSR. It is a management concept where the
organisation integrates the social and environmental concerns in their business. Organisation can
take many initiatives related to corporate social responsibility.
Crane, Matten and Spence,(2019) states that Corporate social responsibility is an internal
policy of the organisation and corporate ethic strategy. CSR is a private firm policy that
contribute in the success of the company. CSR is a business approach that contributes towards
society by delivering social, environmental and economic benefits. Corporate social
responsibility is a concept with various practices and definitions such as a way of implementation
and understanding is different for each company and country. It addresses many topics such as
corporate governance, working conditions, human rights, health and safety, contribution in
economic development of country and environmental effects etc. Corporate social responsibility
is a self regulation business model that help to company be social accountable to their
stakeholder, the public as well as itself. Corporate social responsibility provides various benefits
to the organisation such as connect more investors, suppliers, employees and customers etc., and
enhance profitability and sales of the organisation, reduces operating cost as well.
According to Schrempf-Stirling,Palazzo and Phillips,(2016) The purpose of the Corporate
social responsibility is to drive change towards the sustainable development of the society. Some
companies achieve success with unique remarks of the Corporate social responsibility initiatives.
For example, Unilever is a multinational company in food and beverage sector. It has
comprehensive Corporate social responsibility strategy. The company has 7th rank in global most

100 sustainable corporations in the world. One of the major CSR initiative is the sustainable tea
programme that is taken by Unilever. There aims is the sources of its PG tips tea and Lipton from
Rainforest alliance that is a non-profit organisation. It certifies that their products are social,
economical and environment sustainable.
As per the Lins, Servaes and Tamayo, (2017) Corporate social responsibility is used to
describe the effort of the company towards society. These efforts are ranged from environment
friendly policies at workplace to donate money to non-profit organisation. Corporate social
responsibility is important for organisation, employees and non-profit organisation. Corporate
social responsibility is not a mandatory practise in many countries. CSR is depended on
companies that they do for improvement of their local as well as global communities. The
company can improve their image through implementing CSR initiative. If the organisation
contributes towards society and aware customers to their CSR initiatives that helps to attract
customers and customers feel happy to shopping from the company that helps to the
communities. Organisation can improve their public images by supporting non-profit
organisations through in-kind donations of the products and services, monetary donations,
volunteerism and strong partnerships.
According to Wang andet.al.,(2016) The main CSR initiative of the organisation is to
satisfied their employees by engaging their employees in various activities of the organisation
such as including their employees in decision-making process of the organisation, give some
power to their employees to take decision for their own and appreciate their employees for their
better work. Corporate social responsibility includes a list of initiatives for the organisation such
as environmental sustainability initiatives that is major initiative that is taken by the company. In
this initiative the business focuses on two major problems such as reducing greenhouse gases and
limiting pollutions. Organisation takes steps to reducing land, water and air pollutions can
increase a positive image towards society and local community. For example, Cisco is a
multinational technology company. It takes step toward the society that is it reduces its carbon
footprint by installing photovoltaic systems that help to employees environmental friendly
environment.
Yakovleva,(2017) states that One major CSR initiative that is direct philanthropic giving.
It includes donation of money, time and resources to non-profit organisation at local, global and

international level. This donation can be help to direct various causes such as national disaster
relief, human rights, education programs, clean water and human rights etc. For example,
Microsoft's CEO Bills gates is donated billions of dollars to the Bills and Melinda gated
foundation that helps numbers of causes such as education and agriculture development. Ethical
business practices is a CSR initiative that primarily focus on ethics. The focus is to provide fair
business practices to the employees, business as well as suppliers. Fair business practices
includes compensation initiatives, equal pay to equal work etc.
As per the Flammer, (2015) Corporate social responsibility can provide long term
benefits to the business. Organisation is improved their operations, modified their manufacturing
process includes recycle products, lowering the cost of material by engaging in sustainable
practices. Corporate social responsibility is a titled that add in organisation's mission/vision and
serve the guidelines to the company for presenting themselves to the customers. There are
several benefits of the Corporate social responsibility such as creates positive brand image,
increase sales and customer loyalty, reduce operational cost, better financial position, enhance
organisational growth and create better brand image. Those companies who adopt CSR programs
that grow their business operations when the benefits of the CSR is taken back to the society. If
the company want to become more successful than the have to add more social responsibilities
in their Corporate social responsibilities.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarised that literature review plays an important
role in order to conducting further research on the particular topic. The Corporate social
responsibility plays an important role in order to achieving success to the company. The report
has been explained about literature review and a way of achieving. Furthermore, it has been also
described about the literature review on the topic of Corporate social responsibility and how it is
helped in achieving organisations goals.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Crane, A., Matten, D. and Spence, L. eds., 2019. Corporate social responsibility: Readings and
cases in a global context. Routledge.
Crowther, D. and Seifi, S. eds., 2018. Redefining Corporate Social Responsibility. Emerald
Group Publishing.
Flammer, C., 2015. Does corporate social responsibility lead to superior financial performance?
A regression discontinuity approach. Management Science.61(11). pp.2549-2568.
Grayson, D. and Hodges, A., 2017. Corporate social opportunity!: Seven steps to make
corporate social responsibility work for your business. Routledge.
Hart, C., 2018. Doing a literature review: Releasing the research imagination. Sage.
Lins, K.V., Servaes, H. and Tamayo, A., 2017. Social capital, trust, and firm performance: The
value of corporate social responsibility during the financial crisis. The Journal of
Finance.72(4). pp.1785-1824.
Lu, H., Zhao, Y. and While, A., 2019. Job satisfaction among hospital nurses: a literature
review. International journal of nursing studies.
Machi, L.A. and McEvoy, B.T., 2016. The literature review: Six steps to success. Corwin Press.
Meijer, A. and Bolívar, M.P.R., 2016. Governing the smart city: a review of the literature on
smart urban governance. International Review of Administrative Sciences.82(2). pp.392-
408.
Schrempf-Stirling, J., Palazzo, G. and Phillips, R.A., 2016. Historic corporate social
responsibility. Academy of Management Review. 41(4). pp.700-719.
Wang and et.al., 2016. Corporate social responsibility: An overview and new research directions:
Thematic issue on corporate social responsibility.
Yakovleva, N., 2017. Corporate social responsibility in the mining industries. Routledge.
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