Fine Young Criminal’s Corporate Social Responsibility:On the Virtues of the Wicked and the Common Good Performed by Egoists

Kristijan Krkač,Maja Martinović,Stipe Buzar

doi:10.5923/j.sociology.20120205.02

Abstract

In the paper the authors conduct a thought experiment and a conceptual analysis in order to investigate CSR as done by criminal businesses, and draw some lessons fro m it in terms of the change in concept of CSR fro m a value-positive to a value-neutral concept. Also, a rev ision of the model for solving CSR cases is done by use of the analogy between CSR p roblem solving and the concept and procedure of practical things. The paper identifies CSR as a set of practices, and a possible analogy with inventing procedure as a benchmark for identification and solving CSR issues in terms of CSR as an integrative, holistic, and value neutral concept, meaning that CSR ought to be understood as an integral part of any business being done properly, and because of that any advertised, deceptive, illusory CSR, or understood as something additional to the core business seems to be misguided. The paper tries to show that CSR is value neutral, and in addition that it is an integral, imp licit, and at the same time man ifested element of a business done properly.

Highlights

Say that Tom and Jill observe a strange situation in their neighbourhood
The co mpany wh ich initially built these apartments, primarily for their workers, has no intention whatsoever of doing anything about it
The local mafia (Organisation β as shown in tab le 1), in it ially co ming fro m the lo cal community, recognises the need of the local co mmunity and by anony mous don at ion to lo cal constru ct ion co mpany repairs all of the buildings

Summary

Instead of an Introduction: A Strange Case of CSR

Say that Tom and Jill observe a strange situation in their neighbourhood. After an earthquake a lot of buildings where worke rs of a local company (Company α as shown in Table 1) live are not safe for living any more. At least three issues can be of some interest concerning these comparisons (as shown in Tab le 2 and in Figure 1 ) Is it possible that authentic CSR appears in essentially criminal, half-legal businesses, and in businesses of dubious morality? If we turn the issue around, and ask – are there organisations which are essentially CSI due to their “core business” yet by all means manifesting and performing co mp lete, authentic, and anonymous CSR (as shown in Table 1) – the answer should be helpful in order to understand another question, namely – what does it mean to be virtuous and to perform for common good? If there a re essentially CSI organisations which can and do perform CSR, there are so to say virtues of the wicked, and it is possible for a bad egoistic person to do good for the whole society

CSR Performed by Essentially Criminal and Illegal Businesses

Silent Running

An Invention Analogy

An Individual Analogy

Findings

Conclusions