Flexicurity and corporate social responsibility (CRS)

Abstract

Purpose – Flexicurity and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are important issues of the modern social policy in Europe, and at the same time they are becoming part of the social, economic and political reality. Economic development has been occurring in parallel within the social, economic, political and cultural spheres. These changes served as a backdrop for the creation of two solution models called Flexicurity and CSR. The first term, Flexicurity, means that solutions are focused on securing the performance of work to the company’s benefit, while at the same time caring about the employee’s terms and conditions of employment and work performance. Flexicurity combines two elements, i.e. flexibility and job security, and makes it possible for the employer and employee to secure their interests. CSR is a concept that expresses a certain formula of a company’s strategy, realized from the point of view of interests of such an entity, but with consideration of entities from its surroundings, such as: employees, business partners, clients, competitors, local society and natural environment. The aim of this article is to present scientific insight concerning the relations between the Flexicurity and CSR models. Study methodology – For the purposes of this paper, the following research methods were used: critical analysis of literature, document research method, diagnostic (scenario) survey method and comparative study method. Synthesis, deduction and induction methods were also used. Result – As a result of the conducted study, it was shown that modern companies operating in this new economy face an incredible challenge – they must learn how to manage in a manner altogether different than before. Because of this, there is need to take many actions and make much effort, which is not an easy task. In a modern, knowledge-based economy, companies need to fulfil a new role – social responsibility that is also concerned with the introduction of Flexicurity and making it a permanent element of company management Originality/value – The conducted analysis creates a foundation for the discussion on the subject of eliminating imbalance between the scale at which the solutions of the Flexicurity and CSR models are currently used and the present demand for their introduction on the part of employees, companies, local government institutions, employers’ organizations and employee unions.