When and How to Pursue Corporate Social Responsibility with Core Competencies

Michael A. Webb

doi:10.1111/basr.12039

Embedded Versus Peripheral Corporate Social Responsibility: Psychological Foundations

Industrial and Organizational Psychology ◽

10.1111/iops.12059 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 314-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 118

Author(s):

Herman Aguinis ◽

Ante Glavas

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Organizational Behavior ◽

Core Competencies ◽

Positive Outcomes ◽

Legal Studies ◽

Organizational Interventions ◽

Industrial Organizational Psychology ◽

Practice Gaps ◽

Corporate Social

We propose a new conceptualization to make sense of the vast and diverse body of work regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR): (a) embedded CSR and (b) peripheral CSR. This distinction relies on psychological foundations originating primarily in industrial–organizational psychology and related fields (i.e., organizational behavior, human resource management) and allows for a better understanding of when and why CSR is likely to lead to positive outcomes for employees, organizations, and society. Embedded CSR involves an organization's core competencies and integrates CSR within a firm's strategy, routines, and operations, and therefore affects all employees. In contrast, peripheral CSR focuses on activities that are not integrated into an organization's strategy, routines, and operations (e.g., philanthropy, volunteering). We use our conceptualization to explain the success of CSR initiatives at GE, IBM, and Intel, and to reinterpret the scholarly CSR literature in the fields of marketing, corporate governance and legal studies, and economics. We also describe how our conceptualization can help bridge the much lamented micro–macro and science–practice gaps and helps guide future CSR research as well as organizational interventions.

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Embedded Corporate Social Responsibility: Can't We Do Better Than GE, Intel, and IBM? How About a Benefit Corporation?

Industrial and Organizational Psychology ◽

10.1111/iops.12066 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 354-358 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yolanda Sarason ◽

Grace Hanley

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Core Competencies ◽

Benefit Corporation ◽

Benefit Corporations ◽

Corporate Social ◽

Systematic Identification ◽

Better Than

We agree with Aguinis and Glavas's (2013) conceptualization of embedded versus peripheral corporate social responsibility (CSR). Our concern is whether GE, Intel, and IBM are the best examples of companies with embedded CSR. We propose a more systematic identification of companies with embedded company-wide CSR. A source of exemplars may be aided in drawing upon companies that meet the criteria of “B Corps” or organize as “Benefit Corporations.” Patagonia and New Belgium Brewing Company are provided as examples of “B Corp” companies that utilize core competencies to create company-wide embedded CSR.

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Psychological Foundations of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Importance of “Avoiding Bad”

Industrial and Organizational Psychology ◽

10.1111/iops.12073 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 383-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sven-Oliver Spiess ◽

Karsten Mueller ◽

Nick Lin-Hi

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Core Competencies ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Shared Value ◽

Positive Outcomes ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Growing Body ◽

The Difference ◽

Corporate Social

In their focal article, Aguinis and Glavas (2013) emphasize that despite a growing body of research, the conditions facilitating positive effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) remain unclear. In regard to this issue, empirical studies have thus far produced inconsistent and equivocal results (for an overview, see Margolis & Walsh, 2003). Aguinis and Glavas introduce the difference between embedded and peripheral CSR as a key differentiation to explain why and when CSR is more likely to lead to positive outcomes. Specifically, they argue that CSR is more likely to lead to positive outcomes if it is embedded and consequently related to an organization's core competencies and integrated within a firm's strategy, routines, and operations. The idea of embedded CSR being more likely to lead to positive outcomes is compatible with, for instance, the notion of “shared value” (Porter & Kramer, 2011).

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