Corporate Social Responsibility in Corporate Sweden: Drivers and Business Impact from a Strategic Management Perspective
(2008)Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- This thesis purpose was to contribute to knowledge which could explain the driving forces behind Corporate Social Responsibility in corporate Sweden and their strategic impact from a management perspective. The method used to archive this research was a qualitative interpretative study conducted by interviews. The thesis is based on descriptive theories of drivers for CSR, concepts of strategy and CSR and normative/instrumental theories suggesting a strategic approach to CSR and stakeholder management. The empirical study is based on interviews with Swedish business managers in a strategic board position as well as consultants working with CSR strategies, supported with internet information from companies’ webpage. This thesis has proposed... (More)
- This thesis purpose was to contribute to knowledge which could explain the driving forces behind Corporate Social Responsibility in corporate Sweden and their strategic impact from a management perspective. The method used to archive this research was a qualitative interpretative study conducted by interviews. The thesis is based on descriptive theories of drivers for CSR, concepts of strategy and CSR and normative/instrumental theories suggesting a strategic approach to CSR and stakeholder management. The empirical study is based on interviews with Swedish business managers in a strategic board position as well as consultants working with CSR strategies, supported with internet information from companies’ webpage. This thesis has proposed that macro factors such as development of information technology, globalization of Swedish corporations and industrialisation of large populated regions have changed Swedish business stakeholders’ values and attitudes. This change of attitudes means that expectation of businesses responsibility have increased, particularly from media and a young generation Swede entering the labour market. Recently two years, powerful institutional investors’ (mainly Swedish banks) and the Swedish code of corporate governance have forced business towards responsibility. At the same time giant MNCs grow and their interest and engagement in social issues increases as well. All these factors are key drivers for changing expectations. Business managers respond to these expectations in multiple ways, it seems like a progress where responsiveness begin with a defensive risk management approach to avoid corporate scandals and meet obligations, maybe because that CSR is a concept that has been misunderstood by many Swedish business managers. The development also point at a change in shareholders attitudes in corporate Sweden which also is a significant driver. Institutional and international investors expect social responsibility in greater extend. All this is explaining drivers behind CSR. As a sketched in the introduction of this thesis; every corporation is unique with their own set up and mind set. Consequently, some Swedish corporations have reached a point where they use an offensive strategic CSR approach that lifts opportunities and future expectations from a wide rage of stakeholders. Strategies with responsibility and sustainability in heart appear, according to this research, from open-minded, collaborating, holistic and communicative management, with focus on substance and win-win benefits. Offensive corporations try to archive an attractive performance culture by lifting opportunities that speaks to people’s heart. Challenges like poverty and climate change creates incentives for employees and commitment from other key stakeholders which strives to benefit business and society in short as well as long term. Therefore this thesis campaign that the concept of solidarity that encouraged businesses and constructed the Swedish well-fare society is on its way back in corporate Sweden, in a new package called CSR with a global lens rather then a national. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/1350168
- author
- Hallgren, Richard
- supervisor
- organization
- year
- 2008
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- PESTEL, Strategic Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Stakeholders, Management of enterprises, Företagsledning, management
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 1350168
- date added to LUP
- 2008-05-28 00:00:00
- date last changed
- 2012-04-02 17:02:05
@misc{1350168,
abstract = {{This thesis purpose was to contribute to knowledge which could explain the driving forces behind Corporate Social Responsibility in corporate Sweden and their strategic impact from a management perspective. The method used to archive this research was a qualitative interpretative study conducted by interviews. The thesis is based on descriptive theories of drivers for CSR, concepts of strategy and CSR and normative/instrumental theories suggesting a strategic approach to CSR and stakeholder management. The empirical study is based on interviews with Swedish business managers in a strategic board position as well as consultants working with CSR strategies, supported with internet information from companies’ webpage. This thesis has proposed that macro factors such as development of information technology, globalization of Swedish corporations and industrialisation of large populated regions have changed Swedish business stakeholders’ values and attitudes. This change of attitudes means that expectation of businesses responsibility have increased, particularly from media and a young generation Swede entering the labour market. Recently two years, powerful institutional investors’ (mainly Swedish banks) and the Swedish code of corporate governance have forced business towards responsibility. At the same time giant MNCs grow and their interest and engagement in social issues increases as well. All these factors are key drivers for changing expectations. Business managers respond to these expectations in multiple ways, it seems like a progress where responsiveness begin with a defensive risk management approach to avoid corporate scandals and meet obligations, maybe because that CSR is a concept that has been misunderstood by many Swedish business managers. The development also point at a change in shareholders attitudes in corporate Sweden which also is a significant driver. Institutional and international investors expect social responsibility in greater extend. All this is explaining drivers behind CSR. As a sketched in the introduction of this thesis; every corporation is unique with their own set up and mind set. Consequently, some Swedish corporations have reached a point where they use an offensive strategic CSR approach that lifts opportunities and future expectations from a wide rage of stakeholders. Strategies with responsibility and sustainability in heart appear, according to this research, from open-minded, collaborating, holistic and communicative management, with focus on substance and win-win benefits. Offensive corporations try to archive an attractive performance culture by lifting opportunities that speaks to people’s heart. Challenges like poverty and climate change creates incentives for employees and commitment from other key stakeholders which strives to benefit business and society in short as well as long term. Therefore this thesis campaign that the concept of solidarity that encouraged businesses and constructed the Swedish well-fare society is on its way back in corporate Sweden, in a new package called CSR with a global lens rather then a national.}},
author = {{Hallgren, Richard}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Corporate Social Responsibility in Corporate Sweden: Drivers and Business Impact from a Strategic Management Perspective}},
year = {{2008}},
}