The Diffusion of Corporate Social Responsibility Within an Organizational Field: an Analysis through the Complementary Lenses of Neo-Institutional Theory and Actor-Network Theory

Abstract

How does the implication of actors act as a condition of success in the diffusion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within an organizational field? To answer this question, this research looks at the microfoundations of the diffusion of a socially responsible practice. This approach enables us to adopt a perspective that is focused on individuals and to explain the integration of CSR practices at the organizational level. We mobilize neo-institutional theory (NIT) and actor-network theory (ANT) in our approach to the diffusion process of this innovative practice. First, we identify three distinct stages in institutional practice: the pre-institutionalization stage, the theorization stage, and the reinstitutionalization stage. Second, we reveal the four stages of the diffusion of a CSR practice as identified by the ANT: the designation of an actor initiating the change, the identification of allies for the deployment of innovation, the analysis of the diffusion process within the network, and the conditions of diffusion. Finally, we produce six research propositions based on the results of our study, which advocate for multileveled analysis to understand how CSR practices are developed within organizations.