A Comprehensive Literature Review on Corporate Social Responsibility

This report provides a comprehensive literature review on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It begins with an introduction to literature reviews, defining their purpose and types, and explaining their role in academic research. The main body delves into CSR, discussing its definition and the various stakeholders it impacts. The report examines the views of different authors on CSR practices, resource depletion, and global warming as drivers for CSR adoption. It highlights the benefits of CSR, such as improved public image and brand awareness, while also addressing the negative consequences of not adhering to CSR principles, including ethical scandals and damage to brand reputation. The report also covers implementation strategies for CSR, including employee engagement and social welfare programs. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of CSR and the role of literature reviews in developing a deeper understanding of the subject. The report draws on several academic sources to support its findings and provides a well-structured analysis of the topic.

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
What is Literature Review and what does it achieve?............................................................1
Literature Review of “Corporate Social Responsibility”.......................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Literature Review, also referred to as narrative review is a scholarly paper, which covers
current, useful and extensive information about a specific subject matter. In addition to this, it
includes substantive and effective findings of various authors and researchers who have made
quite important contributions on certain topics. Following is the literature review of “Corporate
Social Responsibility”, which are socially beneficial practices required to be adopted by
organisations of different sectors.
MAIN BODY
What is Literature Review and what does it achieve?
Literature review are academic research paper which requires accuracy, objectivity,
analysis and thoroughness and in depth evaluation about a subject matter. This practice is very
essential as it helps developing a conceptual framework which covers information related to or
influencing the subject matter. There are various types of literature reviews which achieve
different purposes. These types are evaluative, exploratory, instrumental, systematic review as
well as meta-analysis. However, systematic review along with meta-analysis are classified
separately due to several characteristics. For instance, the former emphasises on research
question and aims at identifying, appraising, selecting as well as synthesizing research evidences
which are applicable to the question. Whereas, the latter, is a systematic review conducted using
several statistical methods to appropriately amalgamate data used for studies too deliver a more
certain result.
As for the purpose of literature review, it provides effective and useful information on a
selected topic. It helps the researchers in demonstrating their knowledge about the subject matter.
Another purpose which literature review accomplishes is that it helps in determining
inconstancies, which refer to gaps in research, to cover the uncovered aspects of the subject
matter appropriately. It also determines relationships of works by different researchers which
appropriately contribute to the topic.
Literature review plays a very specific role in the field of research. For any specific
subjective matter, it helps the researcher in interpreting the existing literature in a new and a
better manner. This could effectively be achieved through combining old as well as new research
work. Another most prominent contribution of this review in research is that, it helps tracing
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intellectual progression of specific fields which also undertakes inclusion of major debates about
the subject area. Literature review is a necessary and a very crucial practice as enhances the
scope of research and ensures a better understanding of different fields. In addition to this, it also
helps in reviewing existing literatures in a different and unique manner which assists researchers
in obtaining different results and develop new faces in respect tot he findings. In addition to this,
it develops new pathways and discovers new areas for further research in the future. Hence,
different researchers, through literature review could identify new fields to conduct their
researches. Academically, it serves as an appropriate guide and provides effective framework to
individuals who tend to discover new aspects associated with a certain research. It helps in
investigating appropriate information, using a range of methods to satisfy the academic agenda
and appropriately accomplishing the result effectively.
Literature Review of “Corporate Social Responsibility”
According to Fang-Mei Tai1, Shu-Hao Chuang, 2014. Corporate Social Responsibility
refers to all the processes adopted by organisations which helps them in integrating their efforts
towards establishing a positive environment within their companies. In addition, these
procedures also effectively ensure n effective as well as positive impact on the business
environment. Within a business environment of the company, there are various entities which
bore an impact on the practices adopted by the organisation. These entities comprise of
employees of an organisation, consumers, communities as well as several other stakeholders.
Their work also highlights that Corporate Social Responsibility is a global issue and there are
several examples throughout the world which are related to how organisations along with public
attraction spots adopt CSR practices. As an example, Singapore Supermarkets, in order to ensure
environmental benefits, have stopped dealing in shark fin offerings. Another important example
is of Eiffel Tower, which adequately uses Green Carbon. In addition to this, their research also
covers the fact, that more than 60% of individuals tend to buy products and services from
companies which adopts CSR practices and being socially responsible could possibly influence
the perception of buyers and help organisations in gaining effective returns.
The research provided by Shahla Seifi , David Crowther, 2018, identifies crucial and
important issues which induces the emergence of organisations in adopting CSR practices.
Resource Depletion is one of the main issues because of which, companies need to follow their
social responsibilities. There are finite resources present on earth, and it is very important to
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preserve these, in order to ensure a sustainable future with ample resources with future
generations. This is a main cause for extractive industries as there are ample amount of minerals
in the UK such as lead and tin which have been extracted in heavy quantities earlier. Moreover,
various substances like aluminium are turning into a short supply. In addition this, there is a
severe depletion of supplies of oil in Middle East which has raised an alarm for organisations
operating in the country about following CSR practices.
Global warming is another prominent issue, and it is very much evident to the world
about how drastically this problem is rising and how bad could be its impact on the future.
Adoption of ill practices by manufacturing industries and heavy pollution are one of the main
reasons for rise in global warming. Some of the apparent examples of the same are the hurricanes
of 2018 disrupting areas of Caribbean along with southern USA. As per their research,
commercial as well as in economic tasks are responsible for global warming and hence, arises
the need for organisations to adopt Corporate Social Responsibility practices.
As per the views of Ellie Collier, 2018, Corporate Social Responsibility is very
important for organisations to follow. It is a crucial aspect to be followed by companies in order
to attain several benefits associated with adoption of CSR practices. There is a severe It enhances
and improves public image of a company. For instance, if employees volunteer some time in a
week for a charitable event, it would encourage customers and influence their psychological
behaviour to associate themselves in the public. Another benefit of Corporate Social
Responsibility is that it enhances recognition as well as brand awareness of the company as their
deeds would be showcased effectively among people which would further develop the scope of
its success. Furthermore, CSR practices would also help organisations in getting an advantage
over their competitors. This is because, people would witness its effective practices and thus,
would prefer these organisations over their competitors.
Not adopting Corporate Social Responsibility Practices have severe impacts on the
company as well as its stakeholders. There are quite few negative outcomes experienced by
organisations that take this aspect for granted and not follow an ethical framework in their
operations. As per Enrique Dans, 2015, rejection of ethical standards could cause a huge
negative impact on the company. One such example provided by the author is the Volkswagen
scandal, where the company used cheat devices to showcase their emission levels low. However,
it was ethically wrong and the company experienced severe impacts on its image and processes.
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For instance, the company experienced severe drastic fall in its revenues and major withdrawal
from its employees and customers.
Another example of not following the CSR Activities by Volkswagon was the statement
provided by the company regarding their cars which were emitting 40 times the legal limit of
nitrogen oxide. It was the responsibility of the company to make their process capable of
eliminating the impact of their working on environment. However, the company was not able to
eliminate this effect but the statement provided by the company was also wrong. The following
incident also impacted upon the brand image of the company as this statement was not in the
interest of environment and society. It is essential for the companies to make their contribution
towards the ill effects which their production process and products are creating to the
environment but the company was not ready to consider them as their mistakes. Here also the
company failed to fulfil their corporate social responsibility towards the society as well as to the
environment.
According to Jamie Matthews, 2013, another issue was of Abercrombie and Fitch Company who
also failed in the promises done by him related to their CSR. Abercrombie and Fitch Company,
who committed to continue their efforts to support human rights, invest in their associates, giving
back to communities and many more promises were done by the company. But the company
failed to proceed with their commitments which were done by them earlier. The following
incident resulted in the negative impact on the company as complete Corporate Social
Responsibility of the company failed. The company's target was the people coming in between
the age of 18-34. Not only in these age bands, the impact of this incident created a bad impact on
the overall image of the company. So it is necessary for the companies to take into consideration
their corporate social responsibility so that they may also be able to take benefit out of these
activities. Supporting a CSR Activity not only impacts positively on the purchase motives of an
organisation but also make an evaluation of the company. Whether the company is going in the
right direction or wrong, people are noticing everything. Thus, it also becomes essential for the
companies to identify those factors and processes that cause consumers to be more skeptical
about the organisation's true motives behind performing the CSR Activity.
According to Ante Glavas, 2016, it is important for the companies to implement CSR
Strategies in their organisations so that while fulfilling the requirements of business to survive,
the company also looks upon the society and environment as well. So the environment and
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society are as important for the companies as their own business motives. Companies could
make active involvement of their employees in implementing CSR during the process of
forming, implementing and delivering results in the non profit organisations. The
implementation of CSR Activities in the companies could be made by enhancing the engagement
of employees in the programs and campaigns organised to help or fulfil the corporate social
responsibility of the business.
The employee engagement can also be enhanced by the company during some disaster by
providing the effected people with some help as this is also a part of their corporate social
responsibility. While preparing some project to fulfil the corporate social responsibility, it is also
important to consider and make sure to communicate well internally the organisation so that the
company could make effective decisions regarding the implementation of the projects which will
help the company in better fulfilling their corporate social responsibility.
Another way of implementation of corporate social responsibility by the companies also
includes by engaging or developing programs which are related to eradicating some social issue
such as women empowerment, income generation, rural community development and some other
social welfare programs. The company could encourage their employees to involve and can also
work for the welfare of society as well as environment by initiating some social welfare program
or environmental sustainability project which will also help in increasing the brand image of the
company in the market. It will also help the company in creating a good image in front of their
employees as increased brand image of the company will enhance the morale of their employees
and also their dedication to work.
CONCLUSION
Thus, it is concluded from the above information, that literature review is very necessary
aspect to be followed by researchers to appropriately develop new horizons for a specific
literature and effectively channelise their efforts into gain useful information. Moreover,
Corporate Social Responsibility is an ethical framework which is very necessary to be adopted
by companies to ensure compliance of effective standards and ensure consistent and sustainable
growth. Lastly, non-compliance with CSR practices results in severe impacts on companies, thus,
it is necessary to effectively implement these practices within the organisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Crowther, D. and Seifi, S. eds., 2018. Redefining Corporate Social Responsibility. Emerald
Group Publishing.
Tai, F.M. and Chuang, S.H., 2014. Corporate social responsibility. Ibusiness. 6(03). p.117.
Online
Collier, E. 2018. The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility for Your Business. [Online].
Available Through: <https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/importance-of-
corporate-social-responsibility/>
Dans, E. 2015. Volkswagen And The Failure Of Corporate Social Responsibility. [Online].
Available Through: <https://www.forbes.com/sites/williampesek/2019/04/12/no-sex-
please-were-japanese-the-worrisome-demographic-trajectory-of-a-highly-indebted-
nation/#74d4b9134e83>
Glavas, A. 2016. Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Psychology: An
Integrative Review. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4754563/>
Matthews, J. 2013. Abercrombie & Fitch: complete CSR fail. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2013/05/17/abercrombie-fitch-complete-csr-fail>
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