Corporate Social Responsibility Quo Vadis? A Critical Inquiry into a Discursive Struggle

This contribution will start with a brief introduction of CSR and the debate surrounding it. We outline the development of the CSR movement, highlighting four trends over the last 30 years. Next, we touch on the concepts of discourse and paradigm which leads to the conclusion that the CSR debate can be viewed as a clash of paradigms. Finally, tying these ideas together, we will show that the discourse on CSR is currently in the hands of business and that a paradigm shift may be required in order for CSR to undergo real progress and eventually become institutionalised according to principles of action rather than rhetoric.