CSR: A Multidisciplinary CONCEPT

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

(May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.)

Acknowledgement

At the outset I would like to acknowledge that the content of this book is a chapter from my doctoral thesis titled Corporate Social Responsibility and Its Impact on the Society: A Philosophical Study. I would like to thank many seen and unseen hands who have been instrumental directly or indirectly. I want to thank first of all Dr. Deepak Tilak who has been a source of continuous inspiration for me. I also want to thank Dr. Umesh Keskar, the ever helpful Registrar and Jagdish Salve, the encouraging Asst. Registrar. I am also immensely grateful to Prof. Vijay Karekar, the Dean of the faculty for being such an understanding, helpful and inspiring person during this research.

Indebted indeed, I am to Prof. Dr. Kuruvilla Pandikattu, the research guide for his creative suggestions and guidance during this journey. Being a philosopher-scientist, his multi-disciplinary depth of wisdom has been a catalyst in doing this inter-disciplinary research with mutual understanding — making it a joyfully experience to cherish in life. It is his inspiration and promptness that made me a successful, proud shisya under his wings and to spread my wings to venture into the new realm of CSR in the real world. Thank you, Kuruji, for being a wonderful guide, friend and inspiration in this research and in life.

I also want express my gratitude to Dr. C. Drago, Dr. Shiju Xavier, Dr. Anil Parkhi, Dr. Gireesh Kumar and Fr. Sebastian for going through different drafts of my thesis and enhancing it with valuable suggestions and feedbacks from different disciplines of their expertise. At times, when I got stuck with no mood to proceed, it is their constant inspiration that boosted my spirit to return into the research with high level of energy and enthusiasm.

I would also wish to acknowledge and be grateful to the wisdom of numerous philosophers, masters, authors and human beings whose works and life experiences I have referred, quoted or used to substantiate my concepts and standpoints in this research.

Finally I am grateful to the Almighty for choosing me to undertake this research as it is said in the Quran that on every grain of wheat is written the name of the one that it is to be consumed. I express my deepest thankfulness from the depth of my heart for instilling me with apt ideas and power of creative thinking to successfully complete the wonderful research in CSR which is the need of the hour for the society.

I wholeheartedly salute the EXISTENCE with reverence and humbleness as I dedicate and offer this book to the world.

Dr. Joji Valli, Pune, India (September 12, 2014)

Contact: [email protected]

Table of Contents

Introduction 

1. Inter-disciplinary Nature of CSR

2. Sociology — the Youngest Daughter

2.1 What is Sociology? 

2.2 Relevance of Sociology in the Research 

2. 3 The New Institutionalism in Sociology 

3. Management

3.1 What is Management?

3.2 Human Resource Management as the flag bearer of CSR 

4. Ethics

4.1 What is Ethics? 

4.2 Why is Ethics Important in this Research?

5. Spirituality 

5.1 Spirituality and CSR 

6. Economics

6.1What is Economics?

6.2 Adam Smith

6.3 Amartya Sen

6.4 Economics and CSR 

7. Philosophy 

7.1 What is Philosophy? 

7.2 Scope of Philosophy in CSR Inquiry

7.3 Relevance of Philosophy in molding CSR  

Conclusion

Introduction

Panoramic view of the Corporate Social Responsibility is a relatively recent phenomenon both in social development and much more in corporate