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Chapter 5: CSR in the Marketplace

Links to Further Reading

Karnani, A. 2007. The mirage of marketing to the bottom of the pyramid: how the private sector can help alleviate poverty. California Management Review, 49(4): 90-111.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/41166407

This article provides an important critique of the Bottom of the Pyramid concept advanced by Prahalad and Hammond in their article. Reading this will give you an alternative perspective on how to use (or not use) markets to eradicate poverty.

Sparkes, R., & Cowton, C. J. 2004. The maturing of socially responsible investment: a review of the developing link with corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 52(1): 45-57.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FB%3ABUSI.0000033106.43260.99?LI=true#page-1

CSR in the marketplace is not only about consumer markets. This article discusses the relationship between SRI and CSR, providing a useful introduction to the issues involved in financial markets potentially acting as a force for social responsibility.

Vogel, D. 2005. Is there a market for virtue? The business case for corporate social responsibility. California Management Review, 47(4), 19-45.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bah&AN=18077262&site=ehost-live

This is a good overview of the business case for CSR, and how the market can act as a driver for CSR. Vogel’s conclusions are interesting in that he regards the ‘market for virtue’ as actually quite limited. 

Links to Practice

CWS 5.1: Visit the Companion Website for links and clips of real-life CSR issues in these three types of marketplaces

Consumer Markets:

Financial Markets:

Business-to-Business Markets:

  • Cisco, an American based networking company collaborates with other ICT companies to influence the development of industry standards, share resources, and provide global leadership on topics including conflict minerals, labour practices and human trafficking, as part of its commitment to CSR: http://csr.cisco.com/pages/supply-chain

CWS 5.2: Visit the Companion Website for up-to-date examples of companies marketing to the bottom of the pyramid