A Holistic Corporate Responsibility Model: Integrating Values,Discourses and Actions

The corporate responsibility (CR) discussion has so far been rather fragmented as academics tackle it from their own areas of expertise, which guarantees in-depth analyses, but leaves room for broader syntheses. This research is a synthetic, interdisciplinary exercise: it integrates philosophical, psychological and managerial perspectives of corporate responsibility into a more holistic CR-model for the benefit of academics, companies and their interest groups. CR usually comprises three areas: environmental, social and economic responsibilities. In all these areas there should be a match between corporate values, discourses and actions. The aim of this multidisciplinary research is to build a CR-model by integrating (1) utilitarian/egoistic, duty/rights/justice and virtue ethical corporate values with (2) increased consciousness of psychological defences in corporate discourses, in order to achieve (3) responsible environmental, social and economic corporate actions. The resulting CR-model can be tested in companies and executed through corporate strategic and operational management. This paper was presented at the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Conference in Munich, 4–7 May 2005 (Ketola, 2005a). I would like to thank professor Stephan Laske for his insightful comments at the conference, which enabled me to revise the paper. Many thanks also for the anonymous reviewers of this journal for their further advice on finalizing the article. Tarja Ketola is Associate Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Vaasa, Finland, and Adjunct Professor of Environmental Management at the Turku School of Economics, Finland. She took her Ph.D. at Imperial College, University of London, and worked as a Lecturer in the Department of Management Studies at Brunel University before returning to Finland. Her research interests include eco-psychological leadership, strategic environmental management and corporate responsiblity. She has written books and published articles in many journals, including Business Strategy and the Environment, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, Journal of Business Ethics, Sustainable Development and Long Range Planning.