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Investigating CSR Anchoring in an Organization

Thoresen, Cecilie ; Wang, Li and Popa, Madalina (2010)
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to understand how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as knowledge is anchored in an organization. The importance of this anchoring comes from the organizational need to adapt to the contextual global awareness related to CSR, amplified by the organizational transparency and exposure. Methodology: A hermeneutical approach has been taken in this thesis. We have attempted to link the different organizational elements with their context as well as having developed our pre-understandings. Theoretical perspectives: Our approach is based on Morsing et al.’s (2008) argument of an ‘inside-out approach’ to CSR. Further, we expand the model developed by Hatch and Shultz (2002) in order to aid our discussion... (More)
Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to understand how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as knowledge is anchored in an organization. The importance of this anchoring comes from the organizational need to adapt to the contextual global awareness related to CSR, amplified by the organizational transparency and exposure. Methodology: A hermeneutical approach has been taken in this thesis. We have attempted to link the different organizational elements with their context as well as having developed our pre-understandings. Theoretical perspectives: Our approach is based on Morsing et al.’s (2008) argument of an ‘inside-out approach’ to CSR. Further, we expand the model developed by Hatch and Shultz (2002) in order to aid our discussion of how CSR is anchored in an organization. Empirical foundations: IKEA is used as a case study where we have conducted interviews as well as made observations at Bäckebol and Kållered in Göteborg, Sweden. In addition secondary materials – particularly including IKEA’s Sustainability Reports and IKEA’s webpage – have been used. Conclusions: CSR as knowledge is anchored within the organization and is evident in both the culture and organizational identity – and not only in corporate identity. However, the overall flow between the main organizational pillars has some weaknesses – identified in the dynamics between identity and image and also in the explicit CSR knowledge at the level of organizational identity representatives. (Less)
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author
Thoresen, Cecilie ; Wang, Li and Popa, Madalina
supervisor
organization
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Organizational Identity, Culture, CSR, Corporate Identity, Image, IKEA, Management of enterprises, Företagsledning, management
language
Swedish
id
1619746
date added to LUP
2010-06-03 00:00:00
date last changed
2012-04-02 18:15:39
@misc{1619746,
  abstract     = {{Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to understand how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as knowledge is anchored in an organization. The importance of this anchoring comes from the organizational need to adapt to the contextual global awareness related to CSR, amplified by the organizational transparency and exposure. Methodology: A hermeneutical approach has been taken in this thesis. We have attempted to link the different organizational elements with their context as well as having developed our pre-understandings. Theoretical perspectives: Our approach is based on Morsing et al.’s (2008) argument of an ‘inside-out approach’ to CSR. Further, we expand the model developed by Hatch and Shultz (2002) in order to aid our discussion of how CSR is anchored in an organization. Empirical foundations: IKEA is used as a case study where we have conducted interviews as well as made observations at Bäckebol and Kållered in Göteborg, Sweden. In addition secondary materials – particularly including IKEA’s Sustainability Reports and IKEA’s webpage – have been used. Conclusions: CSR as knowledge is anchored within the organization and is evident in both the culture and organizational identity – and not only in corporate identity. However, the overall flow between the main organizational pillars has some weaknesses – identified in the dynamics between identity and image and also in the explicit CSR knowledge at the level of organizational identity representatives.}},
  author       = {{Thoresen, Cecilie and Wang, Li and Popa, Madalina}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Investigating CSR Anchoring in an Organization}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}