Emerging Corporate Social Responsibility : Regional Cooperatives in Sweden

• This study analyses how Cooperative Enterprises approach Corporate Social Responsibility to meet demands from members and other stakeholders. Semi-structured interviews with four managing directors were used to collect qualitative data for a case study of four regional consumer cooperative enterprises in Sweden. The findings show Cooperative Enterprises need a dynamic use of Corporate Social Responsibility approaches in fulfilling social obligations to meet contextual requirements. To legitimate their business cooperative enterprises respond to member demands, proactively invest in collaborations with local and global stakeholders, and transfer responsibilities by putting pressure on others. The research contributes to the literature by showing that the complexity of Corporate Social Responsibility as practised, requires the emergence of collaborative responsibilities. We suggest that in the changing global world collaborations can be an effective instrument for managers to make Cooperative Enterprises visible and transparent, and contribute to sustainable development. 

Nyckelord

Corporate Social Responsibility

Cooperative Enterprise

Local

Global

Collaboration

Sweden.

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)

kfu (ämneskategori)