Issues for Debate in Corporate Social Responsibility

Selections From CQ Researcher

I have been looking for a collection of cases to allow students to select for their personal/group assignment in my undergraduate course on Business Ethics and CSR. This text has a variety of cases and issues, so I am putting it on my list of supplemental reading.

This has a lot of really useful examples, and coverage of all the most important topics in CSR, my only criticism is that it is heavily focused on American statistics and American perspectives in regards to the problems and issues covered.

While this is not the primary textbook for the graduate course of the same name, it provides an excellent set of tools for effectively teaching both domestic and Chinese students. Since it presents international cases for discussion, it more than adequately presents interactive learning opportunities.

Global faculty selected another book. I'd like to review Joanne Lawrence's new book on CSR for adoption at Hult.

A very good serie of cases studies on specific issues of CSR

This text helps create a logic of reasoning and understanding to the field of CSR. It should be used hand in hand with any core CSR text.

I am using two chapters from this book: Fair Trading Label and Consumer Safety. Fair Trading chapter gives a great overview of what Fair Trade is and why it matters, using real life examples and recent statistics. I could not find this information in any other textbooks.

This is a well laid out book highlighting key issues. Not all issues are fully applicable to UK study but there are some good topics to help prompt discussion amongst students

While I found the book very interesting, I have some concerns about it.

Interesting:

The book clearly offers great insights into the social responsibility debate by discussing cutting-edge CSR issues. I personally like that it is written from a practical perspective and based on research done by a group of journalists (non-academics). This may help students understand the day-to-day context in which CSR is discussed and practiced.

Concerns:

The book is strongly US-based. The authors address CSR as it understood and discussed within the US context. In so doing, the text becomes occasionally detached from the European political, economic and social context. Most of the sources are from European origins and also the many perspectives taken on CSR.

The book is too practical. Theoretical insights are mostly overlooked in the book. And when the authors refer to academic research, they tend to prefer research done in the US. This is problematic for the adoption of the book in a CSR course taking place in an European university. A more theoretical basis would be needed for considering this book as “essential” reading.

I will offer the book as supplementary reading material since I see the book as a valuable source for getting more (additional) information about specific CSR issues. I think that it will be useful for students interested in particular CSR topics.

Good supplementary reading on a range of CSR issues. Would be more useful outside the US with less focus on America in some chapters.