The four pillars of corporate responsibility: ethics, leadership, personal responsibility and trust

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how to further embed CSR thinking and practice into corporations, particularly in emerging markets, by reviewing and drawing similarities between key issues faced by all senior managers, namely ethics, leadership, personal responsibility and trust.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a conceptual exploration of global CSR practices using social psychology and overlays this concept with strategic and institutional theory in order to encourage new ways of thinking about CSR adoption, especially in emerging markets.

Findings

The paper reveals the importance of shareholder needs on global corporate decision making and applies alternative conceptual models to help businesses to devise better CSR practices and individuals to align their actions to their own values.

Originality/value

This paper strongly argues for blending different theoretical foundations from the management and organization literature in order to draw comparisons between current global CSR practice and the potential for its further adoption in emerging markets.

Citation

Isaac Mostovicz, E., Kakabadse, A. and Kakabadse, N.K. (2011), "The four pillars of corporate responsibility: ethics, leadership, personal responsibility and trust", Corporate Governance, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 489-500. https://doi.org/10.1108/14720701111159307