MKT 512: Creating and Implementing Strategy for Technological Organizations

C. Kasouf

Research Strategies for Creating a Personal Statement of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Off campus? Be sure to set up the Proxy Server to access library resources.

Search journal articles to understand the theories and aspects CSR
Analyze current practices of companies and executives
Understand how companies are monitored
Check rankings of "best" companies
Track down CSR organizations & research centers

Understanding the Theories of CSR: Articles and Books

Limit your search to peer reviewed or scholarly articles for more theoretical articles about the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Keywords to try:

social responsibility
corporate citizenship
social responsiveness
social performance
philanthrop*
environmental responsibility
ethical sourcing
community obligations
paternalism
legal responsibility
human capital
social responsibility of business

Use ethic* (most databases truncate with * except LexisNexis which uses !) will search for ethic, ethics, ethical

EBSCOhost Business Source Premier: Provides articles on business and management topics. Academic journals such as Business Ethics Quarterly will give more in-depth scholarly analysis of specific cases. Coverage: Varies by publication but some back to 1922. Contains major business journals such as Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, and MIT Sloan Management Review.
Business and Industry:
LEXIS®-NEXIS® Academic: Provides a wide range of full text news, legal, and business information. Includes patent information as well. Over 5,000 full text publications are included. Coverage: Varies by publication.

Only Finding a Citation? Getting the Full Text

Check our online tutorial for additional help in getting to the full text.

Is the journal online or here in the library? Search our Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers
Visit another library: Search WorldCat to find out one
Request delivery from another library: Interlibrary Loan.

Selected Journals related to business ethics at WPI

Find Books

at WPI (library catalog) | Beyond (WorldCat)

Try the following subject headings:

At WPI we have books such as:

Analyze Practices of Existing Companies and Executives

Search company web sites for their investor relations or section on corporate social responsiveness. Nike, Dow, and most major companies will have public information on their stance and intiatives from their own perspective. Research for articles and books that may give a more balanced view to the claims. Dissident web sites like Boycout Nike may give some insight but have their own obvious bias.

Check Hoovers
Browse sections of 10-K filing if publicly traded company: management discussion, legal proceedings, executive compensation (may have to check Proxy), and operations, also search for suppliers
Search for the latest good (or bad) news: LEXIS®-NEXIS® Academic, use News search, also choose Business > for Company Profiles
Search for interviews of executives/CEOS

How Companies Are Monitored

Corporate Accountability Project
CorpWatch
Kinder Lydenberg Domini (KLD) Domini Social Equity Fund - investment fund comprises of "socially responsible" firms
Recalls.gov
Responsible Shopper - choosing products
They Rule - analyze board relationships
IdealsWork
Social Funds: Corporate Social Research Center
Know More: People's Corporate Watch Project
Scorecard - environmental, pollution watch

Corporate Research Project: How to Do Online Corporate Research Online. Suggests researchers consider the following facets:

Campaign contributions and lobbying

Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics - guide to money in U.S. elections, donor lookup

Legal/court proceedings - litigation, is the company a defendant in lawsuits (for what reason? race and sex discrimination, fraud, recalls/defective products, antitrust violations?)

Check 10-K section on Legal Proceedings
Although dockents and court filings are not always easily accessible without a subcription to legal resources, LexisNexis Academic and Securities and Exchange Commission
For class action suits see Stanford Securities Class Action Clearinghouse

Environmental compliance
Executive compensation
Federal regulatory issues/problems

FTC | Consumer Product Safety Commission

Government subsidies
Labor relations and employment practices - human rights, worker's rights, fair trade
Public relations, philanthropy and sponsored research
Workplace safety and health

Selected Rankings

Annual Reputation Quotient Wall Street Journal Dec. 6, 2005 B1 (visit library for copy of ranking)
Business Ethics Magazine Awards: Best Corporate Citizens
Cause Marketing 2005 Reputation Institute Corporate Rankings
Fortune's Most Admired Corporations
Fortune Best Companies to Work For

Selected Organizations and Research Centers

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre - an independent, international, non-profit organisation, in a collaborative partnership with Amnesty International sections and leading academic institutions
Business for Social Responsibility
Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College
Corporate Policy
Social Accountability International (SAI) - promotes human rights for workers around the world. Best known for SA8000 a system for managing ethical workplace conditions throughout global supply chains.

Give Credit! Cite Your Sources

Questions?

Stop by the reference desk or set up a research consultation.

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Last modified: Aug 27, 2007, 16:44 EDT