Corporate social responsibility as a strategic narrative: The cases of UK project-based organisations

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic narrative that has continuously gained attention from policy makers, practitioners and academics over the last few decades. However, there are limited project management studies which specifically explore CSR-related policy and strategic narrative, and a process of translating it into project-based organisations and their projects. This research study contributes to the existing project management studies by providing insights into the ways project-based organisations formalise and communicate CSR-related narratives and show initiatives and actions in response to wider policy agenda. Through an in-depth analysis of three case studies, we show the ways CSR narratives have been (re)constructed and they ways organisations socially construct their identities as socially responsible. The policy agenda is translated into narratives of corporate responsibility, commitments and actions demonstrated by project-based organisations. Project-based organisations are active players in committing to achieving policy agenda and delivering projects that address and promote CSR.