Transforming corporate social responsibilities: Toward an intellectual activist research agenda for micro-CSR research

In their recent essay, Gond and Moser (2019) have proposed that micro-CSR research has the potential to matter and transform business practices as it engages closely with how individuals in companies work with and experience corporate social responsibility (CSR). But can micro-CSR research in its current form realize this transformative potential and serve social justice? Adopting an intellectual activist position, we argue that the transformative potential of micro-CSR is severely limited by its predominant focus on CSR as defined, presented, and promoted by companies themselves, thereby serving to sustain the hegemony of the business case for CSR, promoting narrow interests and maintaining managerial control over corporate responsibilities. We propose that micro-CSR researchers broaden the scope of their research to cultivate the potential of alternative ideas, voices, and activities found in organizational life. In so doing we lay out a research agenda that embraces employee activism, listens to alternative voices, and unfolds confrontational, subversive, and covert activities. In the hope of inspiring other micro-CSR researchers to explore these unconventional paths, we also offer suggestions as to how we can pursue them through empirical research.

Automated summary

The essay argues that micro-CSR research, as currently conducted, cannot fully realize its transformative potential and serve social justice. This limitation arises from its predominant focus on companies' own definitions and promotion of corporate social responsibility, thus sustaining the hegemony of the business case for CSR and maintaining managerial control. The authors propose that micro-CSR researchers broaden the scope of their research to explore alternative ideas and activities in organizational life, in order to unlock the potential for transformative change.