Rationale, Morals, and Needs Pyramid for Corporate Responsibility Development

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper builds and tests a RaMoNe pyramid with three dimensions: rationale, morals and needs. The pyramid maps out where companies currently stand in corporate responsibility (CR) and why; and why they should change and how. The conscious economic rationale of companies has led to choices between five levels of CR, demonstrated by an earlier paper in this journal. These alternatives exemplify preconscious levels of moral development, but the highest level, virtue ethical behaviour, has not so far had its counterpart in CR. There are subconscious needs behind the rationale and morals, but the highest level, self‐transcendence needs, has not yet had its match in CR. The conceptual part of this research develops the sixth level of CR to match the virtue ethical behaviour and self‐transcendence needs. The RaMoNe pyramid is tested in four food sector companies, thereby building a model on a case study previously published in this journal. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment