Philosophical perspectives on corporate social responsibility: Theory and practice

Abstract

Ethical theory must be applied in business for it to benefit society concretely. This thesis examines the problem of the relationship between theory and practice in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). After describing CSR, its evolution, and main theoretical approaches, we provide critical analyses of CSR theories, the academic literature (re: theory and practice), and Alasdair MacIntyre's views on the gap between moral theory and social practice. Key insights are: that CSR needs a robust and comprehensive ethical framework; that gains on the side of theory cannot be sought at the expense of application; and that CSR theory requires ethical tools both to understand and evaluate business practices, and to critically analyze the intersection between business and society. MacIntyre's ethical theory, his notion of a 'practice', and his analysis of how social practice distorts moral theory may be helpful in bridging the gap between theory and practice in CSR.